What's Next for Brand Marketing in the New Normal?
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted business as usual worldwide and transformed marketing almost beyond recognition. This great period of uncertainty and turbulence saw a series of transitions in consumer behavior, from how they sought information to how they communicated with brands and their purchasing patterns. These changes meant that businesses had to rethink and revamp their brand marketing strategies to survive and thrive in the evolving landscape.
As governments gradually lifted pandemic-induced restrictions by the end of 2021, many businesses were asking what’s next for brand marketing in the new normal? Do brands return to the way things were before 2020, do they stick to their new brand awareness and promotion strategies, or do they devise a hybrid approach to acquire and retain customers.
Here are four emerging trends that are shaping brand marketing in the new normal:
1. Digital Border Expansion
In the initial days of the pandemic, consumers vaulted nearly half a decade worth of digital adoption in less than two months, according to McKinsey. For millions of global users, especially in developing nations, this was the first time they used digital services to purchase products or services. In the US, however, this practice had been around for over a decade.
However, this digital trend has magnified exponentially as Gen Z and Millennials have become accustomed to doing things online following a long period of isolation. This shift is likely to stay for a long time as modern consumers are prioritizing safety and convenience as an essential part of their shopping experience.
As a result, marketers have to rethink how they connect with consumers and expand their digital borders by adopting e-commerce and available digital channels to improve sales as well as navigate future economic downturns.
2. The Rise of E-Services
Many businesses are adopting new service platforms to help consumers manage their business. This is taking things one step further from the previous years of e-service adoption, which generally used penetration to design customer experiences, especially in the banking, media, and entertainment sectors.
In other words, modern consumers aren’t just looking to buy products online. They expect to perform more tasks and take advantage of other services as well. For instance, COVID-19 has led to a surge in telemedicine as healthcare companies looked to control the spread by diagnosing and treating patients virtually.
Years ago, telemedicine was an area frowned upon, just like remote work. However, there’s been a massive increase in consumer confidence as these solutions have come in handy during uncertain periods. Therefore, businesses are seizing the opportunity to use e-services to build new connections with people and turn their digital platforms into communities and ecosystems, regardless of their industries.
3. The Rise of Localized Marketing
Travel restrictions during COVID-19 resulted in people staying put in their neighborhoods, towns, and cities. This made local vicinities far more valuable to residents and fostered a sense of community as they came together to support each other in trying times.
In terms of marketing, this led to a significant change in pay-per-click and search engine optimization strategies due to the localization of brands and services. For instance, keywords such as “local,” “Near me,” or “City name” became incredibly popular as people were now shopping locally.
With the rise of localized marketing, marketers are now engaging customers in different ways and adopting local elements into their content and message. This strategy aims to reflect the needs, interests, purchase habits, and context of buyers in a particular area.
A great example of this is Nike’s “Nothing Beats a Londoner.” The world’s leading sports apparel brand set up a campaign specifically targeting young Londoners practicing different sports in Nike clothing. Due to its immense popularity, Nike got over 93% more searches with “London” in the keyword.
Following COVID-19, many brands, especially eateries and tourism spots, have leveraged the power of nostalgia marketing by highlighting their towns, locals, and significant events in their campaigns to an emotional appeal to their value offerings. This new strategy aims to connect with niche audiences in a meaningful way and build a long-term following and community base.
4. Social Commerce Acceleration
Social media platforms are getting more advanced and equally sophisticated every day, with new themes, features, and functionalities popping up now and then. From a tool used to catch up with peers and share photos, they have grown into full-scale marketing platforms for brands to sell their products and services.
As Millennials and Gen Z spend a significant amount of time on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms, brands are using this trend to shrink their purchase journeys and target users where they are. In recent times, this was done using ads. However, marketers have added another strategy to their mix called social commerce.
This is essentially a subset of eCommerce that involves the use of social media and other similar platforms to sell goods and services. The practice became incredibly popular during the pandemic as thousands of businesses used it as an alternative to building websites or employing other expensive marketing strategies.
In less than a year, social commerce is a multi-billion dollar market and is projected to reach $604 billion by 2027. Plus, users have multiple options to choose from. For instance, Instagram recently launched Shops. Facebook introduced Reels and Market Place. Moreover, TikTok now allows users to live stream shopping events.
Conclusion
So, there you have it – a quick peek into the future of brand marketing in the new normal. 2022 has given a lot of businesses a fresh start since the pandemic. With the emergence of new technologies, trends, and solutions, you now have a prime opportunity to grow your brand and engage customers with a stronger arsenal.
However, keep in mind the market is still relatively fluid, so some trending practices that came into being due to COVID-19 might not last for long, especially with businesses returning to business as usual. So, keep a lookout and navigate the changes in your industry and market accordingly.
