Mark McCann of Oliver Ireland sets out some ideas on supporting brands during lockdown

Nearly three weeks into the Covid-19 crisis and companies have been through the scrabble to get everyone settled into what could be a couple of months of working from home. So, it’s time to look at what one can do to continue to support brand marketing during a crisis.

A lot of research is available that gives us some insight into what can be done. The main issue is that no one knows how long this will go on, and hence planning is very tricky. Is this the time that our brands should be talking actively to captive audiences?

The Global Web Index shows, not surprisingly, that 95% of consumers say they’re spending more time on in-home media consumption or  activities. Smartphone usage is up significantly —70% say they are spending more time on their smartphone, climbing above 80% for Generation Z. 

My first piece of advice is, don’t do something without due consideration. It stands to reason — but we are inclined to cut advertising and promotion instantly in times of crisis. Yes, some things are simply not appropriate to be pushing in the circumstances, and similarly where marketing of the brand will have no effect. However, now is the time to think creatively and see if there’s a relevant message you can communicate to your audience.

Creativity Matters 

Social media will be particularly to the fore in importance at this time.  It is also the time to really improve your online presence including your SEO, but bear in mind it’s a competitive market so you need to be creative and ensure your message is heard.

In Association with

Adapting and ensuring that what you offer is relevant to the current circumstances is vital. Keeping a daily eye on the plan and keeping flexible are also key points for success. Make sure your reporting tools are working for you and watch your marketing data.  

This time will pass, and while planning for the future can be hard to do it’s really important that you are ready to meet the challenges of a new environment in a couple of months’ time.

Here at Oliver Ireland, our 65-strong team is all set up and working safely from home. We’re continuing to serve our clients, with a strong emphasis on social media, creative, and content along with medium to longer term projects. 

If you’re marketing communications have been disrupted during this time please do not hesitate to contact me to see how we can help.

• Mark McCann (pictured) is chief executive at Oliver Ireland, which provides a suite of digital marketing solutions