Teri’s take: the Zoom takeover & what consumers want to see during COVID-19

The article: Twitter Publishes New Research on What Consumers Want to See from Brands During COVID-19

The summary

Twitter recently conducted a user survey to find out more about what people want and expect from brands in their communications during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response,

• 64% said brands should continue advertising products as normal
• 52% agreed that seeing and hearing ads gives them a sense of normality
• 77% agreed they feel more positively about brands making an effort to support society at the moment.
• Only 7% of respondents said brands should continue using their normal brand tone of voice, meaning consumers expect businesses to acknowledge the situation and pivot their messaging.

Our take

We live in a world where brands are not just meant to provide high quality products. 86% of consumers believe it is important for brands to make them feel better. The fact that we’re all contained to our homes doesn’t change that. We ran our own survey and found that 76% of consumers are either more likely or just as likely to want to interact with brands during social isolation. Make an effort to share authentic content, interact with your community, and give them a forum to share their own experiences. Doing so will allow you to create long lasting relationships that will keep you brand top of mind well after this is over.

The article: ‘We’re binge-eating chips not quinoa’: How influencers have pivoted in generation lockdown

The summary

While some brands have halted their influencer partnerships due to the pandemic, Rahul Titus, head of influence at Ogilvy, explained that influencers can play a crucial role in helping brands spread their messages during this time. Titus cited Finland, where the government has classified influencers as essential critical operators during the crisis, along with medical workers and bus drivers. ″It sounds hilarious, but it makes perfect sense. These are people who’ve got direct access to a community of fans instantly. And if you want to get a message out, especially with a younger generation, actually influencers are the right way to get there.”

Our take

If you aren’t able to form the words yourself, it might be smart to lean on influencers to speak to your audience for you. In a time where we could all use a (virtual) hug, we want to hear from people that truly resonate with our struggles. Now is not the time to push a hard sell. Moms speak to other moms, students speak to students, and so forth. By leveraging a community of influencers, you can speak directly to a diverse audience to address their unique concerns and inspire engagement.

The article: Zoom emerges as a community platform for beauty brands

The summary

Since March 22, the number of Zoom’s daily active users increased by 378% year-over-year as many have turned to digital connection amid COVID-19. This includes beauty brands that are using Zoom to interact by unveiling new product launches, hosting beauty classes, and even conducting happy hours with brand fans. For example, DTC beauty startup Trestique has been organizing Zoom events for two weeks now, including an event combining a beauty masterclass and a happy hour. Jenn Kapahi, CEO of Trestique, explains, “Now [livestreaming] has sort of shifted to become more of a social gathering — less educational, less about the products, more about who we are as human beings."

Our take

At this point, we’ve all been in one (if not hundreds) of Zoom meetings, either personal or business related. While we can’t be together, Zoom is an amazing way to get some much needed facetime. People are looking for ways to interact with one another and entertain themselves while in self-isolation. Smart brands aren’t abandoning their communities at this time, they’re just moving their events online. We all miss the outside, but embrace the unique opportunity to interact with global audiences online and bring communities together virtually.