The Effects of Marketing Post-COVID-19

I’m sure we don’t need to back up our blanket claim that the world will never be the same after this devastating period of COVID-19. We can all agree that everything will be different in some way, shape, or form. And because marketing virtually affects everything, and because everything affects marketing, that industry will be acclimating to a whole new environment. It already has and will continue to do so. Let’s look at the several factors that are reshaping the marketing industry, but mostly those stemming from the recent economy and consumer behavior. Here are the effects of marketing post-COVID-19:

Working with advertising clients is heavily reliant on personalization and human connection—with social distancing, those traits become a lot harder to navigate. Nowadays, the emphasis on virtual meetings and discussions with clients and other prospects serves as a barrier and a hindrance to closing deals and completing projects. While a conversation could go very well over a Zoom call, nothing compares to the intimacy of physically sitting across the table from a prospective client or even a coworker. But this is all solely from the internal aspect of marketing—we haven’t yet gotten to the consumer. So, let’s get to the consumer.

Many states have decided to start opening up in phases. This means consumers will slowly integrate back into their everyday routines with a “new” normal, which now includes masks and social distancing. In many cases, Americans are still staying home and avoiding as much contact with the outside world as possible. With most Americans still working from home and staying home, they are primarily consuming digital content and TV content. Advertising is extremely experiential in its most real (and most impactful) form, amid-pandemic, AND post-pandemic times will require marketers to drastically challenge their creativity to keep their audiences engaged on platforms that have become even more saturated and cluttered than they were before. Competition with those platforms and the spotlight has increased massively. Everyone is fighting for attention (even more so), so it is crucial to identify ways to make online experiences just as captivating as elsewhere. Consumers’ spending habits are also altered since in-person retail shopping has come to a massive slowdown. Clothing companies are unsure if they will maintain enough business as a purely online store. They fear that they won’t be top-of-mind for online spenders.

As far as the economy is concerned, it’s no secret that advertising and marketing are the first to be sliced off of a company’s budget. The United States is experiencing a huge plunge in its economy, with a considerable portion of the population filing for unemployment. With the combination of companies neglecting their advertising spend, and consumers living paycheck-to-paycheck to spend only on essentials, non-essential brands are going out of business.

According to Advanced Television, traditional media advertising spend will fall 22% throughout this year, to no one’s surprise. So much of traditional advertising is out-of-home placements strategically implemented in heavily-exposed public spaces, such as sports stadiums, concert arenas, highways, etc. that have been vacant since the outbreak of the pandemic. We will continue to see advertising primarily on digital platforms. Still, because human beings are creatures of habit, this will likely feel like normalcy in the coming months.

When it comes down to it, marketing has always been destined to evolve rapidly, especially during this era of progression and advancement. If we did not feel enough pressure previously to adapt to entirely digital content, now is the time to do so. At least for a little while!

We hope you enjoyed learning more about the effects of marketing post-COVID- 19.

Grova Creative is a minority and veteran-owned agency headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida, and works with clients all across the United States. If you are a business or organization seeking help with advertising, marketing, branding, messaging, marketing, strategy, website development, or other creative assets, email Grova Creative at [email protected] or visit grova.com.