It’s always been important for brands to establish the right rapport with consumers, but the COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the challenge substantially, given its widespread ramifications around the globe. That said, we know that brands can’t afford to go silent during a crisis. The cost later on is too high. Context and sentiment are critical, and when it comes to today’s consumers, empathy, trust, health and safety will matter most to consumers for the foreseeable future.
当消费者对 COVID-19 产生疲劳感时，这些支柱将成为品牌和营销人员转变参与策略的重要指南。重要的是，生活并没有恢复正常，但在被迫关闭了大半个春季之后，COVID 前生活的某些方面正在重新上线。口罩、在家办公、社交疏远以及企业部分产能的运营，这些都时刻提醒着我们这个新世界的到来，而消费者也用与全球健康危机到来之前不同的眼光来看待这个世界。
In addition to affecting consumer behaviours, this pandemic has affected consumer mindsets and perceptions. Across Europe, a recent Nielsen-VisualDNA study, which surveyed people across multiple nations affected by COVID-19 before and during lockdown, found that consumers are feeling more empathetic and altruistic than they were pre-lockdown. To assess consumers’ mindsets, respondents were shown a selection of images depicting various degrees of agreeableness. The study found that compared with pre-lockdown, consumers’ perceptions are now leaning toward being more open, trusting and approaching the world with open arms.
"我们的分析强调了人们在封锁前和封锁期间对待彼此的看法发生了明显的变化。Nielsen Marketing Cloud 英国媒体主管 Samara Meade 说："当受访者被问及'你认为人们如何对待他人'时，他们会看到各种人类行为的图片，结果显示，在封锁期间，选择与同情和利他主义相关图片的受访者有所增加。"Meade 解释说："这些结果与我们在整个欧洲看到的消费者同情心的增长相关，包括对弱势群体的关爱、对慈善工作的兴趣增加以及对医疗保健系统的赞美。
Despite the importance of advertising during a crisis, many brands pulled back during the height of shelter-in-place lockdowns. TV ad volume in the U.K. and Italy declined 3% and 5%, respectively, between January and March. In stark contrast, ad volume in India skyrocketed 13% during the first week of lockdown. But increasing ad volume doesn’t automatically mean revenue will follow suit. For example, consumers in Europe would likely view increased travel, health and holiday advertising as tone deaf and way off the mark.
谨慎的市场营销需要将品牌信息与当前的社会情绪和市场条件进行有品位的平衡。在某些情况下，还需要完全放弃品牌信息。不知道界限在哪里？考虑一下这个问题：当全球消费者生活在被隔离的环境中时，整体媒体消费激增，这表明这是一个通过增加数字广告宣传来轰炸消费者的绝佳机会。也许吧，但前提是广告和信息必须考虑到封锁会激发人们的孤独感。例如，尼尔森-VisualDNA 的调查结果显示，在封锁期间，英国受访者中独自度过一天而感到不自在的人显著增加。因此，尽管参与度很高，营销人员始终需要准确地传达信息和语气。
随着全球企业的重新开张，许多消费者将坚持他们在过去几个月中形成的思维模式。鉴于在疫苗或其他补救措施开发出来之前，全世界都将与新型冠状病毒作斗争，营销人员在与他们接触时必须牢记这一点。在可预见的未来，成功的关键在于同理心、真实性以及前所未有地以消费者为中心。
方法
The VisualDNA Personality Survey is a non-incentivised psychometric assessment that triggers emotional and subconscious reactions from respondents. The survey is based on 30 years of personality psychology research in combination with new methodologies developed alongside scientists from University College London, Cambridge University, and Columbia University. The core of the survey is the OCEAN Big Five Personality Model. The methodology was developed by leading researchers in the field of psychology. It rates individuals on openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism—with each of the traits breaking down into multiple facets.
本研究分析了各个国家首次实施封锁前 20 天和封锁后 20 天的调查回复。结果基于英国的 38,000 份回复、法国的 18,011 份回复和德国的 7,752 份回复。
