Coming at a time of collective unease and jarring disruption, Mental Health Awareness Month feels particularly crucial this year. As mentioned in our latest infographic, 44% of Americans say their mental health has worsened since March, and 90% are looking for ways to improve their wellbeing. So, how can brands help? Below, we share three ways to genuinely connect with consumers and provide solutions throughout this month:
Though citizens across the country are more than ready for new normalcy to take hold, the unfortunate reality is that it’s going to be some time before large-scale live experiences are commonplace again. And even when they do, things will be different. In the meantime, brands have been adapting by creating virtual experiences that allow consumers to engage from afar.
With citizens across the country sheltering in place for the time being, our ways of life have been turned upside down. For many, the commute to work has been limited to a commute to the other room. That fitness class or gym session has morphed into a virtual one from within the comforts of home. Even the way that we eat food, an essential commodity for life, has changed drastically. Though many restaurants are still offering delivery, the fact of the matter is that all the time spent at home has led to major shifts in consumption behavior.
When the NBA announced the suspension of its season on March 11th after a player tested positive for COVID-19, it set off a chain reaction that no one could have foreseen just months ago. From March Madness and the Masters to the Stanley Cup playoffs and Summer Olympics, sporting activities have come to a screeching halt. While public health and economic concerns remain the most important issues of the COVID-19 crisis, sports have always served as an escape for the millions of Americans who would welcome such a distraction during this time.
As we move our way through mid-April, people across the country are passing the one-month mark in terms of time spent in social distancing. Over that time period, consumer purchase behavior has followed a rather distinct pattern, with cleaning products, pantry items, paper products, and a few other categories seeing a major surge in sales. However, as the calendar moves forward, consumers are further settling into their routines and keeping non-essential purchases to a minimum.
Though the coronavirus began wreaking havoc on the globe at the beginning of the new year, it’s been just less than a month since the declaration of a national emergency here in the United States. As such, there has been a major shift in consumer behavior during that time.
For all of us, the coronavirus pandemic represents an unprecedented moment in our lifetimes. Though the end of this crisis is not yet in sight, we’ve learned a lot about how consumers are changing their behavior in the interim. While some of the change we’ve undergone during this period is likely to be temporary – toilet paper hoarding included – previous crises have taught us that other changes may represent a more permanent shift in the way we conduct our daily lives.
As we’ve discussed over the past couple of weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects across the globe. While public health is the greatest concern, businesses have been left wondering how they should respond during a time of uncertainty. For many brands, that isn’t an easy question to answer, but this much is true: people are paying attention.
The current pandemic has had widespread effects across the globe, and we continue to feel them here in the United States as the disease spreads and social distancing persists. While public health, of course, is the main priority, companies are looking for ways to stay relevant in the meantime. Here, we take a look at where consumers stand on brand communications, their behavioral changes during this time, and the things they will and won't spend on in the coming weeks.
In this time of extreme disruption around the world, companies and consumers are dealing with the previously unimaginable obstacles presented by COVID-19. From airline and hospitality giants to your local bar or restaurant, each has been greatly impacted by the spread of this disease. As experiential marketers, we, too, are grappling with our own set of challenges. Namely, how can brands facilitate connection – with and for consumers – during an indefinite period of time without live, in-person events?