ENews & Tech Global Marketing Trends in a New Normal

Focusing on trust, purpose, agility, and other critical marketing principles can help CMOs and other C-suite leaders guide their organisations through uncharted territory.

Last October, Deloitte released its inaugural 2020 Global Marketing Trends report, research that explored how organisations could navigate an increasingly digital world in ways that help preserve – and even cultivate – human connections. The research identified seven trends to guide C-suite leaders in their efforts to bring authenticity and a people-first philosophy to business in the digital age.

Seven months later, in a global pandemic, the world feels dramatically different, but human connections – and the forces that enable organisations to build them – remain fundamental. As CMOs and their C-suite counterparts work to find a new normal, these global marketing trends can serve as guideposts in the quest to meet customers’ and employees’ rapidly evolving needs.

Build trust with every interaction.

In a time of great uncertainty, consumers tend to put their trust in organisations that give them confidence. People also will remember how brands respond to the pandemic, as shown by a recent brand trust survey from Edelman. Seventy-one percent of respondents indicate they will lose trust in a brand forever if it appears to prioritise profit over people. Consumers today want to see that brands are protecting their employees and customers and working to reduce uncertainty. Brands that are open, honest, and consistent will continue to win consumer trust.

Lean in to purpose.

Businesses that lead with authentic purpose create deeper connections with customers and employees, and organisations that had a strong purpose before the pandemic hit may be better positioned to weather the storm. As consumer needs and desires shift, the way an organisation executes on its purpose may change, but the purpose will not. During the pandemic, many brands have redoubled their efforts to make an impact that matters broadly—for example, shoe companies that have donated footwear to health care workers on the front lines. Meanwhile, initiatives aimed directly at customers – banks waiving fees, exercise studios offering free classes online, or broadband providers turning off data limits, for instance – allow customers to personally experience a company’s commitment to purpose.

Elevate human experiences.

During a crisis, many organisations work to protect and promote the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their customers and employees. As many employees work remotely and restaurants and event venues remain closed, companies are using technology to create and foster human connections. Many organisations have turned to live video platforms to connect people online for virtual lunchtimes, watch parties, business conferences, and concerts. Employers also are leveraging myriad digital solutions that enable real-time collaboration and connection among remote employees. Simply adopting new tools isn’t enough, however. Engaging in those platforms in a human way, with empathy, will help to elevate experiences beyond the enabling technology to true connection.

Leverage fusion with partners.

Before the pandemic, many businesses were already working across ecosystems to better address customer needs in creative ways. Now, when many needs are more pressing than ever— particularly those related to health and wellness—cross-industry partnerships have emerged. The nation’s biggest tech giants are collaborating to help better track outbreaks. Healthcare manufacturers, as another example, are teaming up with a small 3D printing companies to quickly fill demand for ventilators. Businesses, institutions, and governments are finding that fusion can lead to innovative solutions with great and immediate impact.

Encourage consumer participation.

In recent years, marketers have empowered consumers, citizens, and communities to engage directly in shaping, influencing, building, and co-creating brands. In the current crisis, the social contract has changed, and customer expectations may be different. Marketers will want to listen carefully to better understand what customers need and how they might want to interact with the brand. One example comes from a small chain of high-end dessert cafes. Faced with closure, the chain created a “pay it forward” campaign, enlisting customers to order “donation dozens” to be delivered to front-line health care workers. The feel-good effort allowed customers to participate by keeping bakery workers employed and providing moments of uplift to hospital staff. Customers who feel both supported and involved during a difficult time are likely to be more loyal to – and actively engaged with – the brands that saw them through the crisis.

Stay agile to stay relevant.

In many ways, the pandemic has forced businesses to react with agility – quickly reworking advertising and marketing content or shifting teams to work from home. Not all businesses have made iterative, collaborative ways of working routine, however. Those that have previously adopted both an Agile framework and an Agile mindset may be better equipped to handle the effects of the pandemic as they unfold. Focusing on quickly adapting business processes to meet immediate needs shows that many companies can embrace agility, just as fashion retailers pivoted to produce scrubs and masks or distilleries and fragrance companies switched to making hand sanitiser. Learning to be able to adapt at a moment’s notice enables brands to respond without seeming tonedeaf. It also sets the stage for organisations to move in step with customers and their comfort level as the economy adjusts.

Prioritise the organisation’s most important asset: talent. The COVID-19 pan

demic has brought workforce experience to the forefront, as many people transition to working from home and others face potential health hazards on the job. It may be tempting for leaders to lean heavily on workers during this time, but employees’ wellbeing is paramount. Many companies are providing additional well-being support through easier access to mental health care via telemedicine. As leaders in industries affected by stay-at-home orders rethink their business models, keeping employees working and safe is at the heart of many efforts, such as restaurants pivoting to take-out only or garden centres creating virtual personal shopping experiences. Organisations that understand the challenges workers are facing—and provide appropriate support—will likely be better positioned to respond to, recover from, and eventually thrive in spite of the crisis.

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Consumers and businesses are facing unprecedented challenges during the novel coronavirus pandemic. For C-suite leaders, keeping the human front and centre in the organisation is of utmost importance. Though much has changed in the world, the central themes that enable businesses to foster meaningful connections – trust, purpose, human experiences, fusion, participation, agility, and talent – remain the same. Indeed, the companies that focus in these areas may be better positioned to serve customers and employees alike – and emerge from the crisis stronger.