The world has been hit hard with the surge of Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases around the world, leading the WHO to declare a pandemic. More than anything, the world economy has been steadily dropping, with a crash most likely to happen sooner or later. But through all this chaos, there is a silver lining for all brands, big or small, to gain traction and not suffer from having to close down. It has to do with the fact that during this pandemic, there has been a sharp increase in internet usage as we’re all stuck at home. And not just a small increase, a whopping 50% increase in internet usage as the world continues their life online. This is the most the internet has been used to date! So with that all said and done, here is what your brand should be doing as a brand during the lockdown!

Looking At The Facts

As said earlier, there is a huge spike in internet usage due to the fact that we’re all stuck inside with little to do. But there is another fact that you may have noticed. Brands have been cutting back major time on spending money as ads as 1. There are no staff to work the manufacturing plants. 2. Delivery partners have been refusing to deliver packages as their health safety is their primary concern. With these two in mind, brands made the conscious decision to cut back or stop all spending on ads as they couldn’t sustain or provide customers with products and people are only spending on essentials.  

The impact this has had on the Indian economy is one of many reasons for the decline, but there is a workaround. 

After analysing the situation and using predictions based on how long this pandemic will keep us inside, we’ve come up with 3 of the most plausible options your brand can choose. These options are under the basis that these are the most common situation each brand is facing . They’re solely our own opinion and are absolute measures. This is what your brand should be doing the lockdown. Here are your options:

The Don’t Spend Option:

If you’re a new brand or a company who has been taking a hit in sales for the past year or so, this is what your brand should be doing during the lockdown. Don’t spend and save your money. This will be what most brands will have chosen as sustaining their brand, employees, as well as expenditure, would be too high, especially for smaller brands looking to make a name of themselves. 

Of course, this is the safer option but entails absolutely no benefits other than you hopefully surviving through this pandemic without laying off the majority of your employees. Again there is no solid date which we can look to of when our country will be able to function normally again. 

The Future Investment Option:

This is a riskier option, but if executed properly, can see unprecedented growth for your brand once the pandemic is over. The option here is to spend on ads not with the goal of getting that ROAS up but to build brand equity amongst your customers and future customers. 

Invest in such a way that you face a loss now but see a surge in revenue once the lockdown has been lifted. The key point to remember here is that your goal is to gain as many customers as possible, new or old, so they will remember you moving forward. 

Not every brand has a big enough budget to execute this, but even those who do must tread carefully. This is the high-risk high reward option and should only be taken up if the minds behind the brand are competent and confident in their ability to create an ad campaign which will build brand loyalty, equity and recall. 

The Social Media Option:

This involves spending but in a different department. Your social media team is one of the most valuable departments right now during the pandemic. With so many users spending the majority of their time on the internet consuming content, this is your make it or break chance. 

People want to see advancements made in the pandemic, so if your brand is able to provide that in any such way, make it known in a subtle way. Don’t push your product unless it’s essential. Be real with your audience and most importantly, curate creative, quirky content. Or even try new thing!

You may have seen more TikTok videos floating around the other social media platforms lately. TikTok is the social media sensation during this lockdown, with users joining the platform now more than ever. Even people you’d think who would never be on the platform are making TikTok videos. 

The bottom line is that social media is the number 1 place to be active, as a consumer and as a brand. If you don’t execute your content strategy for quarantine soon, another brand will pick up and post it before you. Take the time to plan out, focus on your audience first, be interactive and explore new platforms or features which will make users remember you. This is what your brand should be doing during lockdown and if followed carefully, can eitherr aid you from collapse or help you grow further.

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