With light on the horizon shining after months of lockdowns, UK brands have an opportunity to read the room with optimistic messaging, underpinned by empathy for all we’ve been through.

While now is not the time to roll out the champagne, British business nevertheless is right to be cautiously positive, finding ways to drum up a sense of joy and hope amid its communities for brighter months ahead. With Uber announcing ‘Plans are back’ and Smooth Radio offering to smooth our way through the last mile of lockdown, it’s clear that the moment has arrived to move forwards.

As life gets back to a version of normal, the bigger issue for brands is how the pandemic has reshaped consumer expectations, and the best way to engage audiences from now on. Here are three top tips to kickstart that step-change and pivot on the current mood:

Embrace the spirit of Captain Tom

Captain Tom, Marcus Rashford and the NHS were pandemic heroes for a reason. In times of crisis, compassion, sacrifice and empathy become superpowers that enable people to stay strong. Translated into commerce, brands with a sense of purpose, an authentic altruistic vein that goes beyond the imperative to sell, will find it far easier to engage consumers, and harness brand loyalty.

There have been plenty of examples during the pandemic, from H&M reconfiguring its supply chain to get protective clothing to front line healthcare workers to Avon’s fund to support women and children at risk of domestic abuse under lockdown.

Looking at this approach through a post-pandemic lens, brands need to consider how they can continue to support audiences who have been focused on more local, immediate personal challenges. The key is to identify issues that resonate with target audiences, no matter how difficult or complex these are, and then use them to drive positive change in a way that harnesses connection.

Ikea, for example, is doing a fabulous job of donating furniture to care homes, local hospitals and youth groups across the UK, supporting vulnerable communities while maintaining their ambitious environmental goals; 73% of energy used by the company came from renewable sources, in 2020. Shoe repair chain Timpson, meanwhile, is focusing on giving ex-offenders a chance at employment after prison, with a recruitment arm dedicated to marginalised groups.

Tap into consumers’ need for novelty

Even before COVID-19 turned the world upside down, the traditional marketing mantra of brand loyalty was giving way to experience as a hallmark of consumer satisfaction. A 2020 study by consulting firm Walker revealed that customer experience is now a leading driver of purchase intent. And, with most of us locked down for a year, this pent-up demand for experiences has only amplified.

Of course this means managing COVID-safe obstacles en route. Once brands have navigated the new rules of consumer safety, however, brands can look to the likes of footwear brand Vans with its hugely popular House of Vans events for skateboarders, Netflix which remodelled coffee shops to resemble Luke’s Diner in the Gilmore Girls and Adidas’ creation of a D Rose NBA Jump store in Hackney for creative inspiration.

These headline experiences are built on the back of cult fan communities but equally effective are smaller moments that create a personal connection with customers. For example, Skin + Me’s personalised subscription box selects dermatologist-recommended products for customers based on photos submitted online. Another subscription box service, Gousto, came up with the idea of sending customers recipe suggestions linked to their DNA-revealed regional ancestry.

Get digital and physical working seamlessly

Consumers are champing at the bit to embrace real-world experiences right now. But COVID-19 has also amplified the realisation that digital channels can often make brand interactions easier, more fun and infinitely more scalable. The challenge for brands going forward is how to fuse these two spaces together within a seamless omnichannel offering.

Nike's House of Innovation is a good example. One standout feature, Speed Shop, allows customers to reserve products online to try on in-store. Having created virtual carts at home, customers arrive at the store through a dedicated entrance and have access to a personalised locker containing all their reserved items, which they unlock using the app. The app offers mobile check-out, meaning customers do not need to queue to buy their items, or speak to anyone if they don’t want to.

Easy for a cool brand like Nike, you might say. But P&G has also proved it’s possible with household products via Show Me My Home, an experiential microsite that launched last year to simulate a home environment. The initiative saw P&G partner with South East Asia ecommerce platform Shopee to offer a fun and convenient way to shop, using real-world retail insights to create products divided by room in a virtual home.

Omnichannel can also provide a way for brands to leverage the power of influencers. Coffee and doughnut brand Dunkin', for example, teamed up with TikTok star Charli D'Amelio to introduce a coffee named after the influencer. D'Amelio filmed herself ordering one of the drinks at a Dunkin' drive-through, before creating a dance challenge and original song. The viral moment D'Amelio helped drive a 57% increase in app downloads, as well as significant growth in Dunkin’ cold brew sales.

Better times have finally arrived in Britain, and brands have a perfect opportunity to help consumers celebrate and enjoy their newfound freedoms through shared values and a sense of togetherness that is stronger than ever, due to our shared experience of lockdown. The point is now not to lose that spark of connection but instead amplify it, drawing on the full gamut of touchpoints in the consumer journey to do so.