As we prepare to move through the planned roadmap for exiting lockdown, we’re in a crucial period for brands. Having survived, or thrived in some cases, over the last year of upheaval, brands are now having to prepare for further uncertainty. Add into this the significant changes in both consumer behaviour and expectations, and you have a minefield for brands. So, what do marketers and technologists need to consider through this period?

There’s been lots said over the last year about how necessity is the mother of invention and for good reason. There is no doubt we have seen a significant acceleration of digital transformation; we’ve seen that on a daily basis across our global client base. Whether it was leaning into a work-stream that was already in motion pre-lockdown and pushing it to the top of the priority list or halting current activity to focus on something brand new, such as a distribution channel or business model, brands were forced to reassess their digital offering quickly.

How fast they could pivot differed hugely of course, depending on their existing technology environment, and that is a consistent learning. Look at what you have already and where your strengths might be. We saw this with our client Avon and its global direct sales offering. This had always been a core part of the business, but with the world in lockdown, its importance grew. It became critical to dedicate more time and resource to ensuring it was supported as best it could be digitally, something we worked with the Avon team on.

Building deeper relationships

This type of collaboration is of course hugely helpful to have when going through this process. One of the silver linings to come from this period for us has been the building of deeper relationships with clients. Our conversations with brands tended to be focused on two key questions:

We need to pivot quickly; can you help us?

We are having a tough time commercially; can you help us?

Both of those take a certain level of vulnerability as a brand, laying out your business fully, with the added pressures of working virtually too. As in any walk of life, asking for help when needed is to be commended and the good partners are ready and waiting to jump in and deliver. This level of trust enabled projects to speed forwards, a necessity, given the wider circumstances.

This depth of relationships extends to brands and their customers too. We’ve seen the cost per acquisition rise over the last six months, triggered by the surge to DTC in lockdown. This resulted in a more competitive marketplace for brands, with paid search and digital marketing costs up. Additional considerations include the upcoming death of the third-party cookie and consumer questions around privacy and trust. You can see why brands need to take their relationships with consumers more seriously than ever.

Focusing on making sure the customers you do have are loyal and happy is the priority for most brands. After all, a competitor is always just a click away. Brands need to ensure their communication is targeted and personalised, investing in dynamic websites and real time analytics, as well as any potential new distribution channels. When it comes down to customer decisions, brands that are able to humanise their brand across multiple touchpoints will be the winners.     

Partnerships over projects

Part of the reason behind our recent rebrand from Nodes to match our parent company, Monstarlab, was to be able to offer clients a truly global perspective on digital consultancy and innovation. With a head office in Tokyo, there are certainly learnings to be taken from Asia as this global pandemic continues to play out differently across the world. The first thing to note is of course the region did have some level of previous experience when it comes to pandemics, with the likes of Sars having forced elements of lockdown and isolation.

The big difference we’ve seen though is their longer-term view of partnerships over projects. There is a feeling that work should contribute to the common good and that businesses need to live in harmony with society. This collective responsibility and focus on long rather than short term brought a real spirit of togetherness, not that we didn’t see that in Europe, but it seemed to happen faster in Asia. 

There are some things however that will be global truths and I do believe that this is the case when it comes to the permanent change in customer expectations. No matter where we live, we have become so used to brands delivering exactly what we want at exactly the moment we want it. We demand a seamless omni-channel experience and that will not change. Going back to my first point, the pandemic has accelerated change that was already in development, and there will no doubt be a period of further adjustment as we return to life in a new world. Brands will have to come up with solutions that work for customers who have even higher expectations and new behaviours. For some, that will include a blended approach of physical and digital. Retailers may reinvent the use of traditional high street space into brand showrooms and community hubs, with the actual transaction taking place digitally.

The definition and parameters of digital innovation continue to evolve; that is a daily reality of brand management. Having gone through a period of such extreme transformation, brands now need to think carefully about where they take it next. Ignore a false sense of security you may have purely from surviving the last year and get on the front foot. There’s plenty more change still to come.