What we see today will drive our evolution into the new normal. Is this the future unfolding before our eyes?
In a recent IPSOS webinar, several trends were identified that may be with us for some time. The primary of these was the “triumph of science”, noting that science is the ‘new trump card’ (pun intended) and this is likely to continue to impact many areas of life, including marketing.
For example, it is becoming increasingly critical to analyze post-performance in real-time and optimize quickly, creating a ‘scientific’ thrust behind advertising and media that is likely to continue.
Other trends that may influence future marketing initiatives are:
- Pre-disposition to safety, including people being more obsessive about hygiene, means marketers will need to be conscious of both the emotional and functional ramifications of ‘safety first’
- Elevation of ecommerce and the opportunity to establish deeper relationships will require marketers to develop and evolve their CRM tools and capacity
One recent change that may not transfer into the future is the openness to allow government access to personal information. Although many political leaders are experiencing very high approval ratings, and resolution of the current crisis could require more government access, much will depend on how this information is used and it is likely the privacy discussion will return.
As a result, marketers will need to strike a balance between mining and mobilizing their CRM data while safeguarding consumer privacy.
In line with this, as we move forward, it will be important to understand what people are thinking and feeling and how they’re making decisions.
Social listening can be the key, critical on an expanded scale during this current phase, it will also be a cornerstone of our ability to be nimble in our engagement with consumers in the future.
Some emerging themes identified in recent Sharablee webinars and related considerations for marketers, include:
- Identity Shift from Consumer to Citizen and the realization that more things connect us than divide us.
- Key question – how does my messaging and content connect people?
- Something to avoid – appealing to the ‘it’s all about me” hoarder
- Gratitude and Giving Back and the value of supporting community
- Key questions – how can my content show my company has a soul? How can I engage with other brands on social media to engender community?
- Unfiltered Communication Style and an increase in the amount of user-generated content, along with a number of new content formats
- Key question – what content formats can I use that will nod to people’s new normal?
What we are seeing today will drive our evolution into the new normal!
An op-ed by Laura Templin
