Forget 'new normal', we need to make our brands work in the 'no-normal'.

1. KEEPING BRANDS GROWING
IN CRAZY COVIDCOVID TIMES
2020 INSPIRATION
#KEEP
MOVING

2. KEEPING BRANDS GROWING IN
CRAZY COVID TIMES
Six months after lockdown started in most countries, we highlight here inspiring examples of brands that have managed to keep moving
during these crazy times. The examples cover brands facing four different growth challenges, depending on the impact that Covid-19
has had on consumer behavior in the category they operate in. The brands featured also illustrate effective marketing in the COVID-era:
more agile to respond to constant change, business-focused, staying close to consumers and driving digital channels.
#KEEPMOVING
GROWTH CHALLENGE RESCUE RE-START RESPOND REINFORCE
Consumer Behaviour Change Stopped altogether Temporary stop Emerging needs Spike in usage
Sales Trend Cut to zero Recovering Potential growth Strong growth
Example Travel and Tourism Restaurants and bars Vitamin drinks Digital home exercise
Growth Challenges • Conserve cash
• Maintain awareness
• ’Pivot’ if possible
• Tempt back cautious
consumers
• Implement health
guidelines whilst
maximizing
utilisation
• Tap into emerging
consumer needs
• Accelerate roll-out of
relevant innovation
• Reinforce behavior
changes: encourage
continued use and
new trial
• Reconfigure supply
chain to keep up
with demand
COVID-era Marketing AGILE: react at speed to opportunities and stay flexible to respond to Govt. policy changes
BUSINESS-DRIVING: 100% focus on helping the business solve real issues and problems
CONSUMER-CLOSENESS: regular consumer insight replaces one-off, infrequent studies
DIGITAL DISRUPTION: continue to drive the move to digital channels

3. KEEP YOUR BRAND TOP-of-MIND
FOR WHEN DEMAND RETURNS
LIKE CLUB MED1
While its resorts were closed, Club Med provided home activity kits for the whole family including exclusive resort recipes,
at-home play activities, mini spas for kids and virtual dance parties. This helped out parents whilst bringing the brand to
life and keeping it top of mind, for the time holiday bookings re-opened.
#KEEPMOVING
RESCUE

4. RE-INVENT YOUR BRAND
WHEN YOUR BUSINESS
STOPS LIKE BLUE HILL2
Like all US restaurants, Blue Hill at Stone Barns was forced to close its doors and face an uncertain future. In a rapid ‘pivot’
the team launched outdoor picnics and ‘to-go’ boxes with fresh local produce. These initiatives have kept the business
afloat whilst beautifully bringing to life the brand’s natural, farm-to-table positioning.
#KEEPMOVING
RESCUE

5. TAKE YOUR BUSINESS VIRTUAL
TO BROADEN REACH LIKE
FT WEEKEND3
The FT Weekend was unable to run its 2020 Festival using the previous format of a 1-day live event. Taking the festival
digital rescued the event and broadened reach, with ticket holders from 61 countries tuning in. Ticket prices were cut
in half, but with many more attendees, and costs down, it could actually end up being more profitable.
#KEEPMOVING
RESCUE

6. CREATE CONSUMER-CENTRIC
ACTIVATION TO KICK-START
DEMAND LIKE EAT OUT
to HELP OUT
4
Rushi Sunac, the UK Chancellor, launched ‘Eat Out To Help Out’ to encourage cautious consumers to start eating out again,
boosting the economy and protecting 1.8million jobs in the hard-hit hospitality sector. The simple, clear proposition offered
£10 off every £20 spent Monday - Wednesday. 100 million meals were bought, with bookings on the final day up over 200%
vs. the same day a year ago.
#KEEPMOVING
RESTART

7. USE SMART ONLINE MARKETING
TO RESPOND TO EMERGING
NEEDS LIKE MAMA EARTH5
Indian baby and beauty care start-up Mama Earth rapidly responded to consumer needs for safe, certified products
delivered direct-to-consumer (D2C). Social and digital media activity was increased, along with more 1-to-1 consumer
conversations, doubling brand salience and trippling business run-rate in three months.
#KEEPMOVING
RESTART

8. ACCELERATE THE LAUNCH
OF RELEVANT INNOVATION
LIKE TENZING6
Natural energy drink Tenzing brought forward the launch of a new Blackberry & Açaí version, to respond to needs for active
drinks as more people took up home fitness during lockdown. Tenzing also boosted its share of voice, investing as bigger
rivals cut marketing spend.
#KEEPMOVING
RESPOND

9. RESPOND TO CONSUMER
NEEDS FOR INSPIRATION
AND IDEAS LIKE LEGO7
Lego quickly created a new digital platform to help kids play and learn during lockdown, with videos of Lego designers
sharing ideas plus easy access to Lego set instructions. This helped out consumers and drove sales, with 7% growth
in Jan-June 2020.
#KEEPMOVING
RESPOND

10. RESPOND TO STAY-AT-HOME
SHOPPERS WITH A DISTINCTIVE
D2C OFFER LIKE HEINZ8
To help families in lockdown, Heinz created the Heinz to Home direct to consumer (D2C) proposition in just 3 weeks.
The brand portfolio was leveraged to create distinctive offers not available in supermarkets, such as an ‘Essentials’
16-can bundle of different products.
#KEEPMOVING
RESPOND

11. REINFORCE NEW BEHAVIOURS
TO MAKE THEM STICK LIKE
NORDICTRACK9
NordicTrack’s communication seeks to reinforce new behaviours of using digital home exercise equipment. A spike in new
trialists drove category growth 20% during lockdown. The ‘Face Off’ campaign seeks to encourage continued use as gyms
re-open, showing how online workouts can foster friendly competition and connection.
#KEEPMOVING
REINFORCE

12. RAPIDLY REINFORCE YOUR
PRODUCT OFFER TO KEEP
GROWING LIKE ZOOM10
Zoom’s rapid growth was threatened by negative PR over security breaches and routing calls through China. CEO Eric Yuan
responded immediately with Zoom 5.0, offering enhanced security and call routing options, at the same time as coping
with an exponential rise in demand.
#KEEPMOVING
REINFORCE

13. REINFORCE APPEAL WITH AN
ON-BRAND SOCIAL MISSION
LIKE GYMSHARK11
Fitness apparel brand Gymshark benefited from increased interest in exercise during lockdown, achieving a billion dollar
valuation in its recent fundraising. The brand reinforced its appeal with a social mission campaign, donating £5 to the
UK National Health Service (NHS) in the brand’s hometown, Birmingham, for every #NHSsweatyselfie photo taken by
Gymshark fans.
#KEEPMOVING
REINFORCE