The pandemic has changed the face of every business, every segment, every department and marketing is no exception.
Social Media Marketing has emerged drastically during the lockdown. Two simple reasons for the same-
- People spending more time at home, especially on their devices
- Social Media was the only affordable medium of marketing for brands
As businesses adjusted and altered their marketing strategies, they relied heavily on social media to achieve their goals and objectives. Lack of on-ground events and the rise of social distancing norms gave a push to the virtual world. A whole new world of ‘online’ was created within no time, where brands promoted, socialized, engaged and also, generated sales and revenue. With this, the 3 Cs of effective branding was born- Content, Communication and Customer Data that changed the situation of brands. It transformed the process of how brands thought, communicated and created engagement.
The brand that use to talk only about their products and services, the brand that use to focus only on promotion, the brand that only had ‘call to action’ in their content are now walking in a different direction. They are not looking for sales and revenue. They are just looking for establishing an emotional connect with the audience. They are focusing on how they can make this world a better place by doing something for the society. And, there is no better platform than social media to do this.
Brands have realized that people need an emotional and morale support in the VUCA world. The pandemic has made their audience sensitive and emotional because the dreadful disease have created a never-seen-before havoc.
Now, the question is how are brands supporting their audience emotionally and morally? Brands have understood the need of the hour- Phygital Marketing Campaigns for which they are customizing content and communication to emotionally hit the right target audience. Brands are creating data-driven content, not only for social media, but also for BTL events. They are focusing on how their products/services can benefit the society and then, brands are amplifying the purpose and outcome via social media.
The most recent example is of how a giant like Mondelez India had to take an individual-oriented Phygital Marketing Campaign on Valentine’s Day. Cadbury’s marketing has always revolved around emotions from past few years. However, post Covid-19, they have gone beyond being emotional. They have taken an extra mile to go deeper in the minds and touch the hearts of individuals by releasing a heart-melting campaign, ‘How far will you go for love?’ Also, the brand facilitated personalized names on the packaging, which made Valentine’s Day special for so many couples in India.
Even Dabur India Ltd. managed to touch the hearts of thousands in Kolkata with a simple and smart act of bringing the concept of ‘Digital’ Darshan of Ma Durga during Navratri. This was the time when the staunch devotees of Ma Durga had lost hope of seeking her blessings due to the restrictions imposed by the Government to avert the spread of Covid-19. But, the brand thought that if they can’t go to the Goddess, the Goddess can come to them. Dabur arranged for portable vans that had a Limcola bottle shaped display with a lens fixed on it. These vans moved in the residential areas and called out for citizens to experience the never-seen-before Darshan. Moreover, the new flavour of Hajmola- Limcola was launched in the city.
Social Media Marketing post Covid-19 is majorly supporting-
- Younger and Fresher Ideas
- Real Community Problems
- Local Players
- Brand Connections
- Brands that are keen on Phygital Marketing
Summing up, Social Media Marketing post Covid-19 is a significant opportunity for brands to step in the rat race. Communication, Content and Customer data are the three crucial aspects of Social Media Marketing post Covid-19. Brands should get in touch with a 360 Degree Digital Marketing Agency to give you an integrated Social Media Marketing perspective across all social media platforms with Phygital Marketing strategies.
