Observations, implications and possible actions for marketing-, media- and communications during at the start of the Covid-19 outbreak.

1. COVID-19
Observations, implications
and possible actions

2. In this challenging time that is the Covid-19
pandemic we as businesses and fellow
citizens have a responsibility to adapt and
showcase strong solidarity to help minimize
and mitigate the detrimental effects of this
pandemic on society, businesses and the lives
of humans all over.
Acting wrong could have devistating effects
on your brand, whereas acting right and in
the best interest of society can help you build
a stronger brand for the future.
For you to better navigate the challenges
ahead, help minize spread and make it easier
for people to live their lives we at Dentsu
have compiled some observations, thoughts
and reflections together with possible actions
on how you as a brand can act from a
marketing-, media- and comms perspective.
Purpose

3. In affected areas we see consumer
behavior change in multiple ways:
1. Excessive news consumption.
2. Increased focus on family.
3. More rational and pragmatical
approach to life.
4. Isolation brings with it an increased
digital life.
5. Isolation makes digital tools and
services critical for managing life and
work (especially for B2B)
6. Media becomes a way of enriching
day to day life.
Consumer Behavior

4. As people turn to isolation shopping turns
online
1. Surge in search and traffic to e-commerce
sites. Especially for protective equipment,
medication and food.
2. Severe decrease in footfall for travel,
restaurants, sports, offline entertainment
and offline retail.
3. Brands with poor online pressence and
bad user experience suffers greatly
(as true for B2B as B2C)
Commerce

5. In a similar way media consumption is
changing:
1. We consume more media and we consume it
during the whole day, not only during prime
time.
2. TV & Digital is increasing looking at news.
3. Radio is increasing as more travel by car.
4. TV is decreasing looking at cancelled sports
events.
5. Subscription VOD and Gaming (including
streaming) is increasing.
6. Media consumed outdoors and in public is
decreasing/losing effect; especially OOH,
Cinema and sponsorships.
Media Landscape

6. B2B, as usual, is still about humans but there
are some differences to consider:
• B2B media landscape is already more digital
with desktop or laptop as the dominant
access point for any media.
• As the B2B path to purchase generally is
longer, long term focus focus is even more
important.
• B2B-brands with poor digital collaboration
tools faces challenges doing business
internally and externally.
• Uncertain times increase the need for
flexible, scalable solutions as companies now
increase efforts at the same time as they
save costs.
B2B Deviations
Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science:
“RIGHT TIME, RIGHT MEDIA How European business execs access 24/7 business and finance
content”

7. During these times of insecurity, consider:
1. Decreasing or pausing short term sales
activities if these risk to drive badwill and
have low effect (especially if you have an
offline heavy business)
2. Maintaining long term brand activities to
avoid future costs of rebuilding brand as
well as maintaining margins,
(increasingly important when volume
sales decrease)
3. Shifting short term investments to
product-, site-, e-com-, content-,
martech- and SEO development to make
it easier for people to buy from home;
making your brand more digitally
available today as well as building a
strong foundation post Covid-19.
Marketing Actions
Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science:
“RIGHT TIME, RIGHT MEDIA How European business execs access 24/7 business and finance
content”

8. During these times of insecurity, consider:
4. Developing (& communicating) added
values that help consumers and society
as well as differentiates you from
competition; i.e. home delivery, longer
time period for returns and rebookable
tickets.
5. Offering cost reductions for subscriptions
people cant use or watch due to the
pandemic. I.e. gym memberships and
sports streaming services.
6. Avoiding tactical campaigns that
capitalizes on the situation. This will
damage your brand.
Marketing Actions

9. Looking at the changes in media consumption,
consider:
1. Increasing digital presence to reflect
consumer behavior
2. Maintaining video investments to maintain
brand
3. Decreasing OOH, Cinema and offline retail
activities
4. Increasing radio investments as more
people travel by car
Media Actions

10. Looking at the posibiliy of negative customer
reactions to advertising, consider:
1. Ensuring empathy with current consumer
situation.
2. Avoiding messaging that encourages
activities that are oppositite of government
recommendations; i.e. going out.
3. Celebrating and rewarding positive behavior.
4. Communicating products and services that
boosts activities in line with what is best for
society. I.e. running shoes rather than
visiting the gym.
5. Communicating the things you as a brand
do to decrease the spread and keep
customers safe. I.e. delivering outside door
without phyiscal contact.
Comms Actions

11. As many companies are fighting for their
survival, desperatly looking for new ways to
save their business, consider:
1. Increasing thought leadership; share your
knowledge and expertise, lead industry
initiatives to help.
2. Offering and communicating services you
have that can be of help. i.e. digital
collaboration tools.
3. Consider what new type of categories and
customer segments that could use your
services. i.e. i.e new B2B-segements as
well as turning towards B2C.
4. Offering ways of making your customers
day-to-day easier (and secure future
business); payment terms, flexible fees,
shorter commitments and delivery
options.
B2B Actions

12. To really make a change and make peoples lives
easier during this tough situation, as well as
decreasing the possibility for the virus to
spread, consider:
1. Offering customers free shipping to help
them avoid going out (and increasing
baseline of e-com-buyers).
2. Offering customers free data or video
subscriptions to help people stay informed
and keep their spirit high by them beeing
able to watch streaming services and play
games online.
3. Offering products or services, for free, that
either make it easier for people to stay at
home or make them happy when they stay
at home. I.e. closing physical restaurants,
offering free home delivery.
4. Donating media space to governement
messaging (or communicating yourself).
Solidarity Actions

13. How can we help?
Please contact your agency contact to
discuss actions and scenario planning