Five Essential COVID-19 Adaptive Marcom Tips, Week of 27 April

Being an excellent communications consultant is highly demanding. On top of all the other diligence and expertise, sustaining professional development is challenging – but also, very rewarding. This mindset introduces wisdom from those who have learned to excel through lifelong learning – and mindful sharing. I encourage you to catch this week’s free webinar, “How to Make Better Decisions” from the illustrious Elise Mitchell, and analyze the latest output from her accomplished peers.

1. Data Shows How Coronavirus Has Influenced Employer Branding

Writing for LinkedIn, Greg Lewis reports on a study of the platform’s global data over the course of this year. Here’s his takeaway: “In short, it looks like messages that put people first perform best. Whether it’s honoring healthcare workers, supporting local communities, or caring for employees, posts that convey empathy and togetherness are getting the most attention.”

2. All the generic coronavirus ads are a waste of time and budget

Meanwhile on Marketing Week, Mark Ritson offers a very different message. With help from the viral YouTube video “Every Covid-19 Commercial is Exactly the Same,” he skewers the “wank” many brands are rolling out based on their Covid-appropriate interpretations. A leading figure in the global marketing industry, Dr. Ritson instructs, “You still need to be distinctive. You still need to have an actual message.” And then, “There is a significant probability that your existing advertising will work just fine in the current crazy Covid period.” I give his treatise an A+.

3. Three Things American Brands Can Learn From Market Recovery Efforts In China

I am grateful to Millennial and Gen Z marketing specialist Jeff Fromm for publishing this piece, helping us understand and apply lessons from China’s market recovery. The insights gained from a Beijing-based business leader’s first-hand experiences echo sentiments shared in Greg Lewis’ article above – but they instruct actions, not just words, to put us on the right track.

4. Pandemic Scenario Planning

In this new article, luminary business advisor and technology consultant Shelly Palmer set out to give us a process we all can use to develop new strategies to help guide us and our organizations through the pandemic into the post-pandemic world. He writes, “I promise you that this exercise will help you frame the hardest questions and give you a solid approach to finding a range of answers that you can make actionable.” Get cracking; there’s no time to lose.

5. Innovate Through Chaos, Crisis and Recession

This virtual webinar ran live on 7 April on TrendHunter.com for the platform’s clients and community. Having established himself as a chaos expert over the past 12 years, Jeremy Gutsche is a New York Times Bestselling author, and a key advisor to brands, billionaires, CEOs and world leaders. Spanning 35 minutes, this presentation is an uplifting pep-talk for innovating through the chaos of the COVID-19 crisis.

Access these and other sound articles on Roger Darnell’s curated “Pandemic Marcom Tips” Twitter Moment: https://twitter.com/i/events/1249727782243926019.