Consumers are evaluating brands based on what they say, what they do, and what they stand for, rather than just product selection or pricing. They back businesses whose brand purpose is aligning with their beliefs. Those who don’t comply are rejected.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forever altered the way people live. Because it is in the nature of the marketers to adapt to cultural moments and sensitivities, the marketing messaging needs to be altered to reflect these new behaviors.
Marketers took a risk in 2020, sending out messages celebrating frontline healthcare workers, embracing everyone’s need to be outside, and noting the difficult times many people were experiencing. These narratives, brave marketers hoped, would land with sensitivity.
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Brands are approaching a period of transition and should ask themselves, “How can businesses be brave at this time?” The answer boils down to brand purpose.
The Influence of Purpose in a Content-Heavy Digital Ecosystem
In 2020, the average amount of time spent consuming content online more than doubled, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down, according to a 2020 Double Verify report. The pandemic clearly redirected consumer focus to online content, and as a result, the sheer volume of messages and stories consumed on a daily basis has increased.
Marketers have always struggled to break through the noise in order to reach consumers with their stories. With so many other challenges confronting the advertising industry today–from a growing awareness of online privacy to social and political injustices to uncertainty surrounding the global health crisis, it is becoming increasingly important to focus on what the brand is doing instead of what the brand is selling.
Consumer attention spans appear to be dwindling, while awareness around privacy and targeted advertising across digital platforms is rising. Disseminating a mission-first message is no longer sufficient. Marketers should rethink the rules of advertising, experiment with the attention economy, and challenge the standards set by huge tech companies now.
In the age of digital advertising, the concept of meaningful measurement is changing. Marketers need not only adapt their messaging in new ways, but they should also think creatively and innovatively about how to attract customers into those little advertising experiences while respecting their attention and privacy.
Take a Chance
Consumer preferences and behaviors are clearly changing, and advertisers should find a method to stand out in this changing environment. Brands are increasingly required to create stories that are memorable, entertaining, and original.
Also Read: Businesses Making in an Impact with Purpose-Driven marketing
This is something the advertising industry has heard before, and perhaps the essence of it is that marketers need to grow with the world around them and be brave enough to pursue the non-traditional path to stand out.
While it may feel comfortable to use the same channels and send the same, safe messages, marketers risk losing consumer attention by doing so. In a time when consumer attention is scarce and standing out takes guts, brands are striving to engage with customers. Marketers should be creative to attract customer attention in this new era; they should be intentional with how they bring their message and brand to market, and they should respect, and also protect consumer privacy.
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