The New Normal for Marketing Teams During the Coronavirus Have Begun

As the Coronavirus has now been declared a national emergency in the United Stats, major marketing brands have been negatively impacted by the news of rising death tolls and cases of infection.

The cancelation/rescheduling of international festivals and media events have already led to devastating financial blows and missed opportunities. With epic marketing juggernauts such as SXSW, NBA playoffs, March Madness, and Coachella no longer scheduled to take place this spring, the entire PR/communications industry is in a frenzy. Cancelled events and called for workers to self-quarantine have furthered delayed annual budgets, strategic projects, and all of the often meticulous planning that have often defined widespread media campaigns.

Which begs the question: What does this now mean for future events and planning for marketing teams ?

With many top companies making their employees work from home via self-quarantine, workplace dynamics are being tested. The in-person collaborative efforts that many are familiar with in marketing and communications firms will cease as safety is more of a priority. Online tools, such as Google Doc and Zoom have taken over. Supporting many of our suspicions, e-mails can actually replace meetings. And now implementing emergency plans and considering insurance policies for even lesser size-scale events could be a new normal.

But as we all now begin to adapt to these changes, all of this without a doubt will change the way we consider human interaction altogether. One can comfortably predict that public sanitation and social hygiene will be mandated at higher rates on the corporate level. The “no days off” mentality that has often led to people coming to work even when under the weather will be discouraged more than ever. Social distancing and the mastering of remote technology will be desired as the fear of this pandemic will leave a lasting impact on the generation.

For marketing and media companies specifically, now is the time for them to begin to strategize how to create campaigns that can adjust to the times in spite of such traditional norms. Does that look like always having a back-up plan for events that might be cancelled? Does that mean a more comprehensive digital roll-out? Can some events be translated to webinar technology (i.e. conferences, workshops, and trainings) at a different market rate? These are the necessary conversations and strategies that such firms and groups should begin to consider as society begins to rethink the ways they’ve engaged with the brands we’re marketing.