While the spread of coronavirus continues around the world, many businesses are trying to figure out how they can continue with their activity but foremost how they can overcome the challenges of self-isolation, work from home and quarantine.
The creative and advertising world has been called out to support brands during these critical times. Not to help them sell their products or communicate how good they are, but to add value to society in a moment where we, people, need it the most. The power and influence of big brands in today’s society are bigger than ever. We all look up to influencers, no matter if it is a brand or a person. We all need inspiration, motivation, support, fresh air… hope, to walk together in these unprecedented moments.
Many of us, marketers and advertisers, have the responsibility to share our brains for a greater good. For a better world. Social media is the focus of our attention, now more than ever. Where we connect with those we can’t connect physically, to check with them, to see how they're doing. Channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, had slightly increased daily active users in some countries. In Europe for instance, Facebook had an increase week-on-week of around 12%, with peak times around 8 pm (read the Socialbakers COVID-19 report at the end). But other channels, not commonly called social channels – instant messaging and VoIP call apps – like Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Zoom and Skype (to name a few) are the most commonly used ways of communications. We prefer to connect with our people rather than with brands. But brands have an opportunity to stay relevant by adding value to them, to society, rather than sending transactional messages.
Who and why are we creating more content than ever?
Since day one, the internet and social media were composed of Content Creators (5%), Echoers (80%), and Passive Readers a.k.a Stalkers (15%). Those figures have changed over time, with the inclusion of mobile high-res cameras, influencer marketing, and easy-quick editing apps or tools. Now the content creators segment is growing at a higher speed. People are not reading blogs as much as they used to do, so they are fading out, or the traffic to them is very residual (I have to say I read more than I watch videos, to be honest). But watching videos, memes, gifs, podcasts, and way more granular forms of content are on the rise.
For those who know me well, you know I’ve been speaking for several years about this, the content creator's ecosystem (core, everyday, and future creators), is more relevant than ever.
Core creators: those who create content for a living, they are professional creators, is their work.
Everyday creators: they create content for passion, ways of showing off their personality and authenticity, the majority of us.
Future creators: they create content as a result of imitation, those who started recently into social media as users – either young or adults. They will be the everyday creators in due time.
Everyone is a potential creator today, right? Boredom, a lot of free time at home, has increased creativity and the willingness to create. Before the crisis, no one had time to create as much content as we are doing now. Tiktok has been the preferred channel to do these challenges but Instagram has seen massively impact by these ones too. I’m sure you have seen videos like these ones going out these days:
The Toilet Paper Challenge - created and amplified over TikTok and Instagram
The Funeral Dancing Memes - amplified over Whatsapp
So how could brands add value to society and inspire people to create entertaining content, keeping the little ones busy – in a world where big productions or old-fashion shoots are not allowed?
At Merkle, we launched several campaigns for Kelloggs, one for their cereals segment (#NourishYourImagination) and one for Pringles (#PringlesDIY). Where all the shooting has been done through creators, everyday and future creators, as we don’t do content for living per se – we do it for our clients alongside with production houses, directors, etc. Today, we are all directors, copywriters, models, cameramen, and directors of photography, all in one. Maybe not best in bread, but great quality content in many cases.
With everyone at home, production agencies have moved to everyone’s homes. Sets are our living rooms, bedrooms or kitchens, you name it. The talent or model is our own family members. And through remote collaborations, we have to transform raw content into ad worthy content. UGC (user-generated content) has turned out to be the most relevant form of content as there is no other way to produce content. So, finding how your brand can add value to them, by monitoring content creators, trends and channels, brands can add value and entertain people in a moment where brands need more support, especially small businesses.
Without being transactional but more of edutainment, these are some of the campaigns we have already rolled out. Some purely UGC and others, mixing home production to trigger further UGC collection and amplification.
Pringles Arabia Trendsurfing – Queen Live Aid Concert
Pringles Arabia #PringlesDIY – Arts & Crafts
Kelloggs Arabia #NourishYourImaginagion – Arts & Crafts
Kelloggs Arabia #NourishYourImaginagion – Arts & Crafts
Would you like to know more about how we could support your business in these difficult times by improving your brand relevancy?
Feel free to reach out to me and let’s have a (digital) coffee! Or send us an email to letstalk@victormadueno.com and we will get back to you.
Source:
Socialbakers COVID-19 report: https://bit.ly/34mmHW7
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