Brands and companies are positioned to not only affect change but support and bring hope at a time when so many people need it. That’s a lot of power and a lot of good that can be done given the right messages and products. So, this blog contains some thoughts about where your brand or company fits in and questions your team should be asking so that your focus and efforts can have the greatest impact.

CHANGE HAS HAPPENED….

So, what to do about it? The customer you knew from before is most likely not the same one you have now. The world has shifted. We’re at a place where people need hope and uplifting. Businesses have an important role to play in giving that hope.

Consider your brand’s tone of voice in the context of what’s happening right now. Choosing a hopeful tone and message in all your communications that can vary with local context will make a difference. If possible, reimagine how you could deliver valuable physical experiences like texture, access to advice, and the shelf experience. You can encourage exploration and offer inspiration in new ways.

SPEAKING OUT

Brands are now widely expected to have a voice and speak on issues. Choose carefully how you use your brand’s voice to help people through their life changes. Acknowledge, to your customers, that we’re in this together to find some sense of normality in our lives — and say it authentically.

Encourage rituals to transition from lost to found. Help people feel more relevant. Find ways to support psychological sustainability. How can you incorporate mental health considerations into your products and services?

While we’re all in this together, our personal experiences vary, so remember that some people will be coping and grieving, while others are embracing new sources of joy.

WHAT TO DO

Don’t change just for change’s sake. Examine where your product and brand messages are now and where you want them to be or where they should be to align with your new way of thinking.

Of course, your product/s shouldn’t be everything to everyone but are there customers you could be reaching – want to reach – but your old message precludes that potential market – or market growth?

QUESTIONS TO ASK

• Was your brand serving the people?
• What do your customers need/want now that they didn’t want before?
• How do your customers react to your message?
• Is your message empathetic to the current climate?
• Is it supporting their needs?
• Does your message speak to the future, express the excitement of a possible new way forward and support or allay the fears and concerns so they can embrace the change?

Have some of your own questions to add to the list or want some guidance?

ORIGIN IS READY

Re-branding, enhancing your existing brand, and/or brand extensions. It’s what we do.