Many brands are turning off the lights or choosing to say not much at all; don't go that route. Here is a simple set of rules, framework and examples to follow, along with a collection of resources. Created by Phoenix Brand Strategy, March 2020.

1. About 1 in 3 people on earth are in lockdown right now.
The world as we know it is transforming, seemingly overnight.
And daily, necessity again proves to be the mother of innovation.
What role do brands now play?
A quick (but hopefully useful) framework for thinking through
what brands should say and do in an unprecedented crisis.
MARCH-2020

2. RELEVANCE
REINVENTION
NEVER HAS THIS BEEN MORE TRUE.
www.phoenixbrandstrategy.comamy.brown@phoenixbrandstrategy.com

3. “Even if most of the time that ad image was fake or at best highly idealized
(has anyone ever had that much fun at an Applebee’s?), the world being sold
at least seemed in the broad realm of possible. Now what?
You’re gonna run an ad with the employee at the curbside takeout window
looking like Dustin Hoffman in Outbreak, handing the to-go order to a driver
with their mouth covered by a bandanna and wearing nitrile gloves and a
cut-up trash bag around their body? Then she takes it home to her friends
with everyone sitting in their isolated rooms enjoying their meals over Zoom?
Nah. That’s a wee bit dark.”
- FastCompany
“Marketing and advertising” feels suddenly different...

4. But - what you do now
determines your future.
Your brand story is your
business.
And now is an opportunity to
make a real difference that
will be remembered.
1. Don’t. Go. Dark.
2. Actions, not statements.
3. Think about your role in
the new daily ‘normal’:
Where can you show up? How
can you help?

5. 75% percent of respondents say
companies should not exploit the health
crisis to promote themselves, but only 8%
feel they should stop advertising*
77% of respondents expect brands to be
helpful in what has become "the new
everyday life”.*
A six-month absence from TV will result in a 39%
reduction in total brand communication
awareness*
#1 - Staying “on” signals normalcy. It’s a subconscious cue to
people that things are going to be OK, and that they shouldn’t lose hope
that there IS an other side. Often, what we manifest is how it turns out -
don’t desert your constituents when they need you most.
*KANTAR 2020; https://adage.com/article/agency-news/kantar-study-shows-consumers-expect-brands-be-helpful-during-coronavirus-pandemic/2246361

6. #2: It’s what you do, and what you say. Not just statements.

7. #3 - Remove the phrase “when things return
to normal” from your vocabulary..
This is your chance to find a meaningful role in the lives of your
customers.
The brands who will succeed will ask one question first: How
can we help?
And afterwards, this will continue to be their baseline. And they
will just integrate “old” behaviors into the new.

8. But what to actually say or do?
A three-stage model to help your clients think about how and
what they say, and what to do next.

9. STAGE 1: SKEPTICISM & DENIAL STAGE 2: ANXIETY & UNCERTAINTY STAGE 3: THE ADJUSTMENT LOOP STAGE 4: POST-CRISIS
Mixed signals and cognitive
dissonance.
Collective exhaustion as we lose
macro-control, while simultaneously
making many tiny, but risky decisions.
Frustration, crackdowns and
stress-testing as policies are set and
reset; life requires constant
re-navigation of the “new normal”.
[We can only guess] Rebound
and celebratory behaviors,
followed by collective
reassessment
(functional) Clarity, Direction
(emotional) True Authority
(f) security, control
(e) agency, reassurance
(f) outlets, joy/uplift
(e) sense of purpose, hope
(f) re-evaluation
(e) catharsis
FIRST, LET’S LOOK AT THE PHASES:
CONTEXTNEEDS
To understand how you can be of service, first ground yourself in what people are feeling, and identify their functional and
emotional needs. These should being to highlight the opportunities. We’ll go through each phase in detail.

10. STAGE 1: SKEPTICISM & DENIAL
Who should we listen to?
When leaders offers such contradictory views as Trump and Cuomo, and retailers waver
between staying open and closed, who do you actually listen to? Where’s the authority?
Brands (whether they know it or not) actually do hold tremendous influence over people, so
the more signals to take things seriously we can send out, the better. What people seek is
clarity, truth, and direction - if you provide it, you establish trust.
What can brands do to help people take things seriously?
Have a clear POV on what you think people should do. UberEats is waiving delivery fees to
encourage people to stay in. Nike’s ‘Play Inside’ message is an excellent example of
encouraging the right thing (“play - quite literally - for millions”) in the context of their
brand positioning. They built on the messages with social proofing (if people see others do
something, they will too), creating a gallery of athletes working out at home.
Make your product available safely and make people’s choices easier by removing
barriers between wants and staying healthy. If it isn’t available safely, find ways to do it, like
Leon turned 65 UK restaurants into ready-made grocery stores, with click & collect or
delivery order, or Papa Johns adding a quality seal and contactless delivery.
Evaluate your business and re-tool, re-gear, commit what you can:
Raw ingredients you can’t use? LA restaurants turn into temporary corner stores. LVMH and
other alcohol-based products start producing sanitizer. Decathlon worked with Makers to
turn it’s scuba mask into a makeshift ventilator for Italian hospitals. Retailers like Neiman
Marcus x Joann Fabrics are underway with large-scale mask, gown and scrubs production.
CONTEXTNEEDS
GOAL&
OPPTYSTRATEGY
BEHAVIORAL
LEVERS
TACTICS
STAGE 1: SKEPTICISM & DENIAL
Mixed signals and cognitive dissonance.
Some take it seriously, egoism pushes others
to cynically dismiss warnings.
(f) Clarity, Direction
(e) True authority
Goal: Taking things seriously.
Opportunity: Become an ally, build
currency of trust.
Proactive responsibility.
Step in and set an example.
Don’t glamorize staying in, support the front
line instead.
Social proofing, Reduce choice complexity
Communicate early, often. Commit support.
Evaluate what you can give. Take steps to
protect staff. Hero-ize supporters. Make your
product available safely.

11. STAGE 2: ANXIETY & UNCERTAINTY
A yearning for a sense of control:
Something strange is happening to people; while they losing control of the big picture of
their lives, they are suddenly also being forced to make countless small but important
decisions (to disinfect a package, to go pick up a milk or not…) to keep their households safe.
People are fatigued from this mental load multiplied by the uncertainty factor.
Help them take control, provide structure and connection. When people are able to exert
some kind of structure, build habits and routine, they stay sane. Less stress leads to
healthier immune systems and less panic. Think about how you can play a role in the new
day to day - and communicate this! Reassure that you’re there. Ford has offered car
payment relief, but if you can’t relax payments, find what you can un-gate: Headspace
opened up resources to help people adjust to working from home, Pornhub Premium is now
free to countries in lockdown, Duolingo offers low pricing on learning a new language with
friends, in a set time amount per day, Adobe Creative Cloud is free to students finishing the
year remotely. Woolworth’s has added early shopping hours for the elderly so they don’t
worry about wiped-out shelves before they can get there, Pret is 50% off + free coffee for the
front-lines - all examples of helping people build routines and adding stability to daily life.
Help people find connection by turning your brand into a platform for doing things with
others or helping out. Simple, but Behr x WestElm take the stress out of work calls with a set
of background “offices”. The NetflixParty chrome extension allows people to watch together,
fitness studios all over have taken classes onto IG Live to keep up routines, Chipotle
Together offers zoom lunch parties and BrewDog’s 102 virtual “pubs” and the Metropolitan
Opera’s live streaming ensure you can still enjoy a special evening.
CONTEXTNEEDS
GOAL&
OPPTYSTRATEGY
BEHAVIORAL
LEVERS
TACTICS
STAGE 2: ANXIETY & UNCERTAINTY
Collective exhaustion as we lose
macro-control, while simultaneously making
many tiny, but risky decisions. A step-down
on Maslow’s Hierarchy.
(f) security, control
(e) agency, reassurance
Goal: Avoid panic.
Opportunity: Help re-form social fabric
Help people find connection.
Don’t go dark! Signal normalcy and build
confidence by staying online. Create or
re-purpose platforms to help people
connect, contribute or both
Social proofing, Reduce choice complexity
Continued generosity;
Support & un-gate resources, content.
Help people build habits & routines

12. STAGE 3: THE ADJUSTMENT LOOP
A long cycle of policy changes, reversals, and being cooped up:
We will likely see waves of outbreak, followed by re-tightening of guidelines. After a
while, frustration will mount over being stuck inside with no opportunities to work
and make money.
What can brands do to help people cope? Become a platform for creativity,
improvement, income - and belief: Beyond connecting, help people get creative
outlets and means of new expression, development and possibly even income
streams. Soundcloud just partnered with Twitch to help artists get paid for their
livestreams. Nike has made it’s Training Club app free, with programs to improve
training, master series and gamification to earn points and trophies.
Chipotle Challenger Series eSports tournament launches on April 6th, where players
team up against eSports professionals as well as a few well known celebrities (whose
seasons are also cancelled). The finale will be broadcast on April 25 on Twitch and
YouTube, and winners will receive $25,000, as well as an additional $25,000 to donate
to COVID-19 relief efforts, and a year of free Chipotle.
Foster collaborative innovation:
This is the stage we have yet to see, but businesses and brands will need to open up
and allow people in as they reshape themselves on the fly. There is no other way.
And consumers will (in ways big and small) find purpose and joy in this large scale
burts of innovation and re-imagining.
It can start simply: ask your customers what they need, and how you can help.
Work those things into your planning process.
CONTEXTNEEDS
GOAL&
OPPTYSTRATEGY
BEHAVIORAL
LEVERS
TACTICS
STAGE 3: THE ADJUSTMENT LOOP
Frustration, crackdowns and stress-testing as
policies are set and reset, and life requires
constant re-navigation of the “new normal”.
(f) outlets, joy/uplift
(e) sense of purpose, hope
Goal: Increase tolerance for change
Opportunity: Inspire creativity, belief in getting
to the other side
Collaborative Innovation. Offer extreme
transparency as you adapt your business to help
people create and improve, inviting your
customers to be a part of the process
Reframing opportunities.
Clear strategic goals, open-ness and
experimentation on how to get there. Be ‘hackable’
for the greater good. Community incentives over
individual. Spotlight upsides

13. STAGE 4: THE WORLD BEYOND...
The world we’ll see on the other side...
It’s anyone’s guess. But pandemics and disruptions past have proved to accelerate
change that was already on the way, and there’s hope that we come out in a much
better place on the other side.
What behaviors can we anticipate?
At first, we’ll splurges, celebrations and rebounds. But after that - a period of deep,
collective reassessment. After surviving something like the Coronavirus, many
people will have a completely new perspective on themselves, their priorities, their
communities, relationships and their world.
As a society, we will have realized that we in fact are more self-sufficient than we
thought. We will have shifted to using more of what we need, and buying less that we
just simply want. We will have rediscovered what community can mean. We will have
built new, healthier habits during the pandemic, and health will likely remain a top
priority. We will be more comfortable existing in multiple realities at once - the
virtual and physical worlds - and the world will seem more connected than ever.
What can brands do?
Help people reflect. Help them celebrate resilience and encourages continued
self-sufficiency. Continue to play a useful role in their lives and routines.
Don’t jump back to the old ways of doing things. Instead, let priorities that we’ve
reset - being helpful, creating connection, helping people be creative- dictate how we
re-integrate some of our old ways of doing things. Brands will come out of this as
stronger vectors for change than ever - let’s not waste this opportunity.
CONTEXTNEEDS
GOAL&
OPPTYSTRATEGY
BEHAVIORAL
LEVERS
TACTICS
STAGE 4: POST-CRISIS
[We can only guess] Rebound and celebratory
behaviors, followed by collective reassessment
(f) re-evaluation
(e) catharsis
Goal: Continued self-sufficiency
Opportunity: Celebrate resilience, new
perspectives
Frame and support new potential. Don’t jump
back to norms; integrate positive
outcomes/behaviors with the old ones.
Reframing opportunities.
Accept a more public role, even with controversy
Help people reflect
Help people redefine new goals

14. COMMUNICATING THROUGH A CRISIS...
STAGE 1: SKEPTICISM & DENIAL STAGE 2: ANXIETY & UNCERTAINTY STAGE 3: THE ADJUSTMENT LOOP STAGE 4: POST-CRISIS
Mixed signals and cognitive
dissonance. Some take it
seriously, egoism pushes others to
cynically dismiss warnings.
Collective exhaustion as we lose
macro-control, while simultaneously
making many tiny, but risky decisions.
A step-down on Maslow’s Hierarchy.
Frustration, crackdowns and
stress-testing as policies are set and
reset, and life requires constant
re-navigation of the “new normal”.
[We can only guess] Rebound
and celebratory behaviors,
followed by collective
reassessment
(functional) Clarity, Direction
(emotional) True Authority
(f) security, control
(e) agency, reassurance
(f) outlets, joy/uplift
(e) sense of purpose, hope
(f) re-evaluation
(e) catharsis
Goal: Taking things seriously.
Opportunity: Become an ally,
build currency of trust.
Goal: Avoid panic.
Opportunity: Help reform social
fabric
Goal: Increase tolerance for change
Opportunity: Inspire creativity,
belief in getting to the other side
Goal: Continued self-sufficiency
Opportunity: Celebrate
resilience, new perspectives
Proactive responsibility.
Step in and set an example.
Don’t glamorize staying in,
support the front line instead.
Help people find connection.
Don’t go dark! Signal normalcy and
build confidence by staying online.
Create or re-purpose platforms to help
people connect, contribute or both
Collaborative Innovation.
Offer extreme transparency as you
adapt your business to help people
create and improve, inviting your
customers to be a part of the process
Frame and support new
potential. Don’t jump back to
the norms; integrate positive
outcomes/behaviors with the
old ones.
Social proofing, Reduce choice complexity Reframing opportunities.
Communicate early, often.
Commit support. Evaluate what
you can give. Bold steps to protect
staff. Hero-ize supporters.
Continued generosity;
Support & un-gate resources, content.
Help people build habits & routines
Clear strategic goals, open-ness and
experimentation on how to get there.
Be ‘hackable’ for the greater good
Community incentives over individual
Spotlight upsides
Accept a more public role, even
with controversy
Help people reflect
Help people redefine new goals
CONTEXTNEEDS
GOAL&
OPPTYSTRATEGY
BEHAVIORAL
LEVERS
TACTICS

15. COMMUNICATING THROUGH A CRISIS...
STAGE 1: SKEPTICISM & DENIAL STAGE 2: ANXIETY & UNCERTAINTY STAGE 3: THE ADJUSTMENT LOOP STAGE 4: POST-CRISIS
Proactive responsibility.
Step in and set an example.
Don’t glamorize staying in,
support the front line instead.
Help people find connection.
Don’t go dark! Signal normalcy by
staying online. Reassure and help
people connect, contribute and find
routine.
Collaborative Innovation.
Offer extreme transparency as you
adapt your business to help people
create and improve, inviting your
customers to be a part of the process
Frame and support new
potential. Don’t jump back to
new norms; integrate positive
outcomes/behaviors with the
old ones.
STRATEGY
Different markets will be in different stages at once. Here are some examples of brands/markets with corresponding moves that
correspond well to various stages.

16. A FEW QUESTIONS TO GET STARTED...
SKEPTICISM&DENIAL
1/ What would you be/what can you offer, if you can no longer serve your original function? What ‘raw ingredients’ do you have
and what can you do with them? What can your staff do?
2/ What can you un-gate? What content might be useful to front-liners? Families stuck at home with kids? WFH-ers?
ANXIETY
3/ What pricing options can you play with? Can you offer free now / pay later? Significant discount on a lifetime
membership?
4/ How can you offer connection and facilitate support to the public? Between your members? Between like-minded
partners? Connection is actually what people crave above all.
5/ How can you make your business/brand open-source and hackable for people to build on?
6/ How can we enhance people's virtual worlds? We're spending a lot of time in the cloud - what can we
do in people's lives there? (Gaming integration: last year saw everything from banned content libraries to Nike
sneaker launches inside Minecraft... it's a place for virtual gatherings and discovery....!?)
7/ How can you help people unleash artistry and emotion?
8/ How can you be a part of helping people reassess and set new goals?
ADJUSTMENTLOOP
Different markets will be in different stages at once. Think NOW about how you will roll out your messages and initiatives,
especially as by the “adjustment” loop initiatives will take longer to pull off.

17. RESOURCES FOR BRANDS:
● Covid19 Barometer deck from Kantar (perception check about brand reactions; 30,000 customers in 25
countries)
● Nobl.io Covid19 Playbook; A playbook for how to Triage, Train and Transform from org. design firm Nobl.io
● Planning Dirty Covid19 Brand response aggregation deck (by industry)
● Pandemics & Politics, Kantar research (webinar and deck)
● Pandemic Culture, Series from Canvas8 research, and Covid19 Library
● MIT Sloan Covid19 hub
● WARC Covid19 resources
● Google Covid19 resource hub
● Global Web Index’s consumer behavior hub and new consumer report
● https://www.lesswrong.com/coronavirus-link-database
● https://www.gatesfoundation.org/TheOptimist/coronavirus
Here are a number of great compilations of stats, brand responses and cultural insight into the world right now. Some of the
learnings and ideas from these have been remixed with my own thinking to help simplify, and many of the inspirational examples
and stats are pulled from here, worth diving in if you have time:

18. RELEVANCE
REINVENTION
Get in touch if you’d like to chat this through.
amy.brown@phoenixbrandstrategy.com
Brands will come out of this as stronger vectors for change than ever
- let’s not waste this opportunity.

19. MARCH-2020
www.phoenixbrandstrategy.com