It is in uncertain times like these that brands are forced to rethink how to communicate with their customers. The need to determine what’s worth communicating while balancing marketing goals with customer empathy is more now than ever. Creating SEO-centric has taken a backseat and engaging customers in real-time has become a priority.
HDFC Bank recently launched The Safety Grid campaign to encourage and reinforce social distancing during the Lockdown 2.0. The outer grid of the bank’s logo was converted into physical markers on the ground to help people maintain social distance while waiting in a queue for essentials. The safety grid campaign was effectively carried out in 8 cities and the response has been overwhelming.
A campaign like this may come across as a surprise to many, given that HDFC chose to place its logo on the ground but the brand clearly reinstalls the fact that a brand cannot be bigger than the society it operates in. It operates for its consumers, and this is effective communication in times of crisis.
Social distancing is the need for the hour and food delivery services like Zomato and Dineout are going the extra mile to empathize, educate, and engage the audience with simple yet effective content. With proactive efforts and a change in communication, these providers have ensured that the consumer’s safety and the business of their restaurant partners are taken care of.
No matter what your business is, original, effective, and timely content will remain king. Content marketing is always adapting to the way consumers are interacting online and engaging with them in a way that is empathetic to their current situation.
Key pointers to make your content marketing relevant in a crisis
- Empathize, educate and entertain
- Make the content as relatable as possible
- Create content for humans, not for algorithms and AI
- Invest in moment & conversational marketing
In the words of the father of modern marketing, Seth Godin,
“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but the stories that you tell”
Technology is evolving and so are consumers and the way they consume content. The present scenario presents a number of challenges but each challenge brings with it a new wave of opportunities that brands must be willing to embrace.
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