As we all try to make sense of our “new normal”, many of us still don’t know what normal really is. The simple answer is there is no normal and it’s hard to decide on the right next step. In our view, the way forward is to share and learn together, and that’s where ALC thought we could be of help: in providing constructive information to help you guide your way through this uncertain time. Today we wanted to reach out with a few noteworthy learnings on how folks are responding overall. In a brief survey of ALC clients, we learned that the majority are staying the course with their April and May marketing campaigns. Those postponing campaigns are often doing so to tweak their messaging to reflect the new environment.
Some clients are actually increasing their marketing activity to match the needs of a changing market and their business. Feeding America has stepped up in many ways to truly impact our world for the better. A big shout out to them for all they are doing to help, both economically and spiritually.
Survey Highlights:
- 65% of Non-Profits held or increased activity
- 83% of Publishers held or increased activity
- 70% of the cancelled campaigns were in B2B or Retail
Here is the overall summary of our clients’ feedback:
Question: What are you doing with your Marketing Campaigns in April/ May?
Client Summary: (n=99)
Despite the challenges, very few of our clients are cancelling campaigns outright. Those that have done so tend to be companies in the B2B space, companies promoting events, or companies closely intertwined with physical retail. For events and retail… along with verticals like travel… campaigns are being put on hold until companies can reliably fulfill what they are promoting. As the crisis continues, it will be important to monitor how fulfillment impacts marketing strategies across other verticals.
In solving for upcoming events, many of our clients are still trying to figure out their next best option: to delay or to go virtual. The answer is still undetermined, and we will report back as we learn more. Some, however, are finding creative solutions to this near-term challenge. For example, we’ve seen select nonprofits ask event attendees if they would be open to donating their entire registration fee to their cause. We think it’s a great idea – and something to consider for events outside of the nonprofit world. It is important to understand your audience’s interests and capacity to give to align your messaging and make this work optimally.
With regards to B2B efforts, the challenge is of course where and how do we communicate with customers when nobody is in their office. To that end, we are working with our clients to explore new channels or reconsider old strategies like email, Facebook, and even direct mail to the new legions of home offices. ALC is helping several of our B2B clients to convert business contact information into home or personal contact information – all in privacy compliant ways. The business needs are still there, it’s just a matter of reaching the buyers in their new work locations.
In addition, ALC is trying to do its part in helping address the Covid-19 challenge. ALC is making their Data Essential files – a comprehensive demographic view of the US – available at no cost to those working to address the COVID-19 crisis in non-commercial ways.
ALC Provides Data Essential File at No Cost to Companies and Government Institutions Working to Address the COVID-19 Crisis
If interested, email COVID19Response@ALC.com for more details.
Articles on interest:
Our insights are only a small fraction of what is being shared out there. Here are some other interesting articles and information we thought might be relevant as we continue to learn about our new world.
- eMarketer did a survey similar to ours and came back with these findings:
- Jason Goldberg at Forbes and Kristina Monllos at Digiday also shared interesting articles this week about how marketers should be thinking about the world, not just now, but as we think about recovery.
Forbes: The Impact Of COVID-19 On US Brands And Retailers
Digiday: ‘Be helpful’: How marketers are adapting their messaging to a fraught environment
We look forward to keeping you up to speed with useful and actionable info that can help us all get through this together.
