Running a marketing campaign during a time of global crisis is, to put it mildly, a challenge. Companies and brands must be careful not to appear as though they are capitalizing on a tragedy while still reminding consumers that they exist, have a product or service to sell, and are open for business. 

COVID-19 has upended life as we know it and it has presented a challenge in just about every industry. 

Some brands have flourished due to the nature of their product while the majority has been left trying to adapt their vision and promotional materials to fit this new reality. 

Many businesses, like those in the service and entertainment industry, for example, have been forced to shut their doors. Others have found a way to strike the right tone and remain relevant to the community. 

During this uncertain time, the instinct may be to hit pause on marketing efforts but several brands have found a way to refocus their marketing strategy and connect with their consumers as well as a larger audience desperate for connection, kindness, and support. 

How to Market a Business During COVID-19

There is one thing that seems certain about this pandemic. As soon as you think you know where you stand, it will change. 

So much is still unknown about this disease and health regulators and business owners alike have been forced to adapt on the fly. Social distancing and stay at home orders have changed consumer behavior in a big way. 

Despite the slow reopening of the US economy, consumers are, understandably, uncertain. The average customer has seen his/her income reduced and this has led to a focus on essential goods and services. But perhaps most significant to marketers is the shift to online solutions. McKinsey has observed that “Consumers are shifting to online and digital solutions as well as reduced-contact channels to get goods and services.” 

This move towards a digital marketplace presents a number of marketing opportunities. 

Content Marketing

Content marketing is a great way for brands and businesses to reach their target audience. This marketing strategy can be used to promote brand messaging while educating, encouraging, and supporting the consumer base. 

Blogs, video, and other visual content can be used to increase brand awareness and promote audience engagement without having to directly push a product or service. 

This content strategy can increase organic search traffic and be pushed out across social media channels and in email marketing campaigns. 

Email Marketing

Email marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to reach an audience. Using personalization techniques, you can speak directly to a customer in a more intimate way. 

Email campaigns can include educational resources, a message of support, blog and video content, updates on safety practices, and steps taken as a brand to address the hardships customers are facing. 

If actively engaged in community support efforts and programs, this can be shared in an email as well. 

Social Media Marketing

With so many people out of work and/or stuck at home, social media is a popular outlet. Consider starting an influencer marketing campaign through major social media channels. 

A brand should be actively engaged on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Depending on the target audience, LinkedIn and TikTok are also worth considering. 

At the very least, push web content across all channels and respond to comments. Like and share content that is relevant to the brand and help followers understand exactly who you are. 

What to Emphasize During COVID Marketing

Because consumer behaviors have changed, the focus of marketing campaigns must also change. 

It is not enough to focus on a product or service, these items must be placed within the new context. Unfortunately, that context includes fear, economic hardships, and extreme uncertainty for most people. 

To breakthrough during the pandemic, a marketing strategy must emphasize:

• Empathy

• Authenticity

• Adaptability

Be honest with the audience. Show them that as a business owner or brand, you have been impacted by COVID-19. Show how you are doing your part to slow the spread and let them know that you understand. Don’t just say you understand, demonstrate it across all marketing channels, and in the way you conduct operations. 

Remember, consumers are smart and they are not going to support phoniness or BS, especially not right now. Don’t just say it, live it. 

Examples of Effective COVID Marketing Campaigns

As always, leaders emerge during times of crisis. Many brands have combined the above elements and created impactful and effective COVID marketing campaigns. 

Here are just some of our favorites:

Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte's Web just unveiled a 76-acre 'Trust The Earth' farm art installation to promote increased access to hemp-derived CBD for all. Designed by Shepard Fairey's Studio Number One, the “Trust The Earth” initiative is Charlotte's Web's brilliant effort to spark awareness and democratize access to hemp-derived products for those seeking wellness and relief.  

First appearing as a large street-art style mural in Brooklyn in October 2019,  Studio Number One's original art is exhibited here from the ground up, literally, as field art on a mammoth scale of 76-acres in Kansas.

To achieve this latest feat, the field art first had to be 'grown' and then mown on 3,049, 200 square feet of farmland, the equivalent of 57 football fields, according to the press release.  Charlotte’s Web isn’t the first brand to tap this medium to get its message out, a colossal maze inspired by Netflix favorite Stranger Things was unveiled in Lafayette, Indiana back in 2018. However, Charlotte’s Web is certainly the first CBD/Hemp brand to do such an innovative campaign of this magnitude and they deserve all the credit for pulling off a successful marketing effort of this scale during COVID-19. 

Heineken

Beer companies are no strangers to creative marketing campaigns and this Dutch giant has used humor to strike the right tone.

Social distancing practices and hard caps on crowd numbers have meant that most of us are unable to go out and meet our friends as we once did. Instead, we hop on a Zoom happy hour and connect socially through this virtual platform. 

Where we once might have grabbed a beer in the bar with our friends, Heineken has created the clever #SocializeResponsibly to remind us that we are still able to grab a beer with friends, even if it is fraught with complications. 

Guinness

Another mega beer brand, Guinness was faced with a daunting challenge as global coronavirus cases started to spike in late February/early March. 

St. Patrick’s Day is the biggest day of the year for the brand and with people unable to celebrate, they needed to change courses rapidly! 

Guinness was able to put together an ad that appealed to our humanity and decency while inspiring us to look towards what will surely be a brighter future. 

And perhaps most significantly for the Guinness, they were able to highlight the good works they are doing to support their global community.

Burger King

Both locally owned and globalized fast-food chains have felt the pinch. The bigger brands, like Burger King and McDonald’s, were able to rapidly shift to an online order system. But this shift on its own isn’t enough to convince an audience to make the change with you. 

Part of the appeal of these chain restaurants is that you know what to expect each and every time. Mixing that up, even if it is just in the order process, can rub people the wrong way.

With their “Stay Home of the Whopper” campaign, Burger King was able to use humor to appeal to the American sense of duty to country while also highlighting their support of both their customers and the health care community. 

Penguin Publishing

Being stuck at home has many people doing two things: making sourdough starters and reading books. 

The literary world and publishing industry often uses live events to promote their authors as well as new releases. Without the ability to gather, this type of marketing has all but disappeared. Penguin, however, found a way around this. They created the At Home with Penguin series. Each week a popular Penguin author goes live on the publisher’s social media channels to host discussions around a variety of topics like where they find creative inspiration to how they are surviving the lockdown. It is a chance for fans to ask questions and get “close” to the author similar to how they would at a live event. 

It is a way to foster connections between people while keeping the brand relevant and bringing traffic to the website and social media pages. Once there, increased book sales are sure to follow. 

Dove

Dove is no stranger to powerful marketing campaigns. Known for promoting positive body image and challenging traditional beauty standards, Dove has created a powerful ad that reminds us that courage is beauty and highlights all the ways that the brand is contributing to frontline healthcare workers. 

Dove has always been a socially conscious and active brand and this campaign is both authentic and on message.

Nike

Outdoor activities have taken a hit during the pandemic. No professional sports, no kids summer soccer leagues, softball, marathons, or co-ed ultimate Frisbie tournaments. It has been disappointing to say the least but Nike has been Johnny on the spot reminding us of what really matters right now: our health, safety, and love of one another. 

Apple

Apple is a marketing powerhouse and it should come as no surprise that they have managed to deliver a truly beautiful and heartwarming message. 

They have used a series of still images and vignettes to show people, from mega-celebrities like Oprah to ordinary folks, connecting and sharing in creative ways. It pulls at the heartstrings and makes you feel a part of something greater than yourself. It encourages you to get in touch with your own creativity during this downtime and share that with one another. It’s so powerful that it’s easy to miss that all of these people have created visions or shared them while using Apple products. 

The COVID-19 pandemic creates a number of challenges for even the most seasoned marketer but with care and consideration, it is possible to emerge from this pandemic with brand reputation and image intact.  Some will be able to maintain sales numbers while others can grow their brand recognition. 

What brands and businesses do right now matters. And while it may be tempting to tighten the belt and reduce marketing spend during these tough economic times, that isn’t the right move. People are looking to brands for guidance and comfort as well as a sense of normalcy. If you can authentically position your brand as being of value to the customer while demonstrating care for the community as a whole, there is no way that you will not succeed in connecting your base during this significant moment in history.