Covid19 and brands: communication needs a service

Coronavirus puts communication to the test  

It’s time to do a thorough check-up for a quick and safe restart

Brands are now facing challenges that they never even imagined would have to cope with.

In these uncertain times of global emergency and drastic changes, CEOs are called more than ever to make decisions whose effects will have a visible impact on all ecosystems, internal and external. And it is exactly from here that those who hold leadership positions have the opportunity to start again. How? Generating and nurturing solid and trusting relationships with all stakeholders.

A completely different way of living, working and relating has begun. The pandemic is crystallizing new consumer and relationship habits.

Brand communication can no longer be “as usual”, and messages must be adapted in order to be relevant and resonate with audiences in this unprecedented moment. The perception of your organization will be impacted by the approach and tone you take in communications now and over the coming months.

Preparing to start again, once the lockdown is over, means knowing how to reconnect the brand and its values to the needs of people, communities, the country, and the environment. Being able to be in sync with how consumers are thinking or feeling, and building a sense of safety, trust, and collective thinking is very important for brands in this period of uncertainty.

Coronavirus is prompting brands to show the real power of purpose. Strong company culture and a defined sense of brand purpose can be invaluable resources in helping a brand navigate these hard times.

To create a positive system we must first get to know ourselves and bring our knowledge to the wider system. The same applies to brands, for which it is essential to rediscover their own “reason why”, or rather their founding belief that goes beyond profit, and to align their communication with values that support the common good.

It is now clear to everyone how much the force of the narrative can affect and drag important economic events. Likewise, corporate narrative is a valuable resource for going through the crisis and emerging stronger.

Companies’ leaders and owners, today more than ever, are expected to give concrete answers, to reassure and inspire. Corporate storytelling, if properly managed, together with the key role of CEOs, is a primary strategic lever to meet the expectations of the market, employees, communities, and all the human and organizational systems that interact with the brand.

Form and substance, communication and action, have never been as interconnected as they are today. The alignment between vision, values, strategies, on the one hand, and business conduct and social commitment on the other, are what give credibility to the brand. To remain relevant and not give ground to competitors, brands today must not only strive to beat the stock market game, but putting the trust and well-being of all stakeholders first, promoting common objectives, combining entrepreneurship and the enhancement of collective capital.

 

Article by Alessandra Malvermi