Companies closed their factories and offices during the current crisis and used home office strategies wherever possible. There is no doubt that the impact of the pandemic is a major challenge for almost every company.
The crisis triggered by the corona virus clearly shows that brands need to be able to communicate, be flexible and adapt to change. Because when the scenario changes and we all start living in a new reality, it is necessary to create added value and act with compassion.
The key term in this regard is innovation, which does not necessarily mean the implementation of new technologies, but rather the creation of new concepts with which appropriate and suitable solutions may be implemented.
Hence, efficient marketing campaigns under those changed circumstances must be carefully evaluated so that the brand image built up over many years does not have to suffer from the fact that the marketing strategy does no longer fit into the changed environment or even that the market position is damaged in the long term by reduced marketing budgets.
If the brand is no longer presented in a suitable manner, if the advertising pressure is strongly reduced over a long-term period and if it is accepted that the brand is pushed into the background by both the retail sector and the customer, then this damage can only be remedied with great effort, time and money.
The appropriate strategy in the area of field marketing plays a decisive role in this respect. After all, this is the part of the marketing mix that puts the focus on the face-to-face dialogue with the consumer. At this point, it is essential to create authentic experiences with the brand for the consumers.
It is important to pay attention to the entire customer journey – even if it is currently very limited – and to convey the message to the right audience at the right time and in the right tone using the most appropriate field marketing concepts. The choice of the right place and time is just as crucial to success as the conception of the approach and the choice of the right means of prolonging contacts. As well as creating a personal interaction with the audience, promotional activations also offer the opportunity to communicate the brand promise in an intelligent way.
One example is that product sampling campaigns are still a very powerful and effective sales promotion tool, regardless of whether product samples or services are being offered. Potential customers like to try things out, and sampling is one way of building trust in the brand by experiencing the product. An experience that measured by the intensity cannot be compared with any other way of addressing the consumer. Of course, these approaches have to be adapted to the New Normality also but they remain to be an outstanding impression of the brand for the target group.
As marketeers we have the responsibility to design each campaign in such a way that the consumer feels perceived, understood and appreciated. This is the only way we are able to generate emotions and make the hearts of our brands beat faster – especially in these times.
If you want to attract your audience through below-the-line campaigns feel free to get in touch with us. We would be happy to talk to you about all the options available to you.