In the business as usual environment, we’ve always spruiked that behaviour change takes time. It requires a shift in both social norms and personal habits. But this is business as unusual. Our profound, rapid and disciplined change in behaviour will save lives. We have collectively reset humanity as nothing is more important.

This means staying at home and working from home if possible. Cue the photos of teams adapting to remote working. For many like me, this has been a norm for a long time. We have our established routines, but lockdown (to steal the word) is… unprecedented. What is growing by the day is our admiration for frontline workers.

Fire up the communication

In the midst of a crisis, what is the role of the marketing department? Far too often, it’s the communications department. It’s been a concerning long-term trend that the function has been depositioned around ‘paid’ communications. Busy work. Managing advertising and media agencies and delivering communications across channels.

So, in response to the global COVID-19 health pandemic, the go to has been email marketing wallpaper. It’s the latest tick a box thing to do. Let’s tell customers about our internal policies and procedures in a long, formal email. In most cases, there’s little value. It’s making an official statement for the sake of making a statement.

Drastic changes to advertising

Cancelled. Postponed. Adjusted. That’s what’s happened to advertising campaigns. Slashed. That’s what’s happened to advertising budgets. Exited. Even worse, that’s what’s happened to many great people. It’s not surprising that nearly 9 in 10 have taken action in terms of advertising efforts (Advertiser Perceptions, March 2020).

So, does that mean we should stop everything and wait for the bounce back? Absolutely not. Here’s another two buzz words that have been plugged for years. Agile. Pivot. These two things are only possible and are only effective if the business is truly customer-centric… customer-centric in the sense of actions not just words.

Be meaningful and memorable

Amidst the dark reality of the world we live in, there are heartfelt stories popping up everywhere. Businesses that are agile in response to changing needs and preferences. Businesses that have made a pivot in response to changing supply and demand. This is about community. This is about helping out. This is about adding value.

Ultimately, this is about making a difference.

Yep, according to the candid and wise Mark Ritson, “The best coronavirus communications approach is no communications. Marketing has other levers that can be pulled right now for far greater impact. The role of product, price and distribution…” That’s right, marketing is so much more than the promotion P.

Right now, we must maintain our connections and continue to build brands, but in a different way. There’s no better time to revert the role of the marketing department back to its true purpose. This is all about solving customer problems. This is not just communications in isolation. Make a genuine difference, not a formal statement.

The impact is universal

After five years and a bustling end to the last decade, like many small businesses, Steam Marketing has been knocked around and stood down. Hibernation is the new normal. We will keep on going. We have been granted the most precious commodity of all. Time. The stuff we crave when we don’t have enough. Let’s use it or lose it.

I have gained a heap of it lately. No unpaid uber driving to junior sport around South East Queensland. No senior AFL coaching commitments. Fewer clients investing less as long-term planning plunges out the window. So, after a break from the usual pace, here’s the first two initiatives to be rolled out just around the corner:

Project LOCAL: a social concept to support local cafes and restaurants in the new state of ‘takeaway and delivery only’
Project NEXT: a partnership with creative minds to help brands think more laterally about immediate and impactful action

So, what’s next?

How do we deliver tactics to support the behaviour change and make a positive difference?

And as we gradually emerge from this crisis, what will be forever different?

All big questions. What we do know is that #brandtrust will be paramount.

Let Off Steam

Make a Difference Not a Statement

Steam Marketing