CEO and Co-Founder of Talent Village.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, two things have become clear: People are spending more time online, and they’re demanding educational and entertaining content.
According to recent research, 43% of millennials “believe brands play an ‘important’ role at this time and indicate a desire for them to step up their support,” and 36% want to see more communications from brands. As such, I believe that brands have a unique opportunity to create meaningful experiences and establish lasting, emotional bonds at a time when people need them the most.
As the CEO and cofounder of an influencer agency, I’ve witnessed how talent have adapted the roles of illustrators, digital artists and designers — among others — to produce raw and real content to reach their audiences during the lockdown. Many of them have been using their social influence for good and, as such, provide an authentic voice that I believe agencies and brands can learn from. For example, Lizzo, the queen of body positivity, joined forces with R&B sensation SZA to promote healing and self-care on Instagram. During the session, Lizzo played the flute to help viewers feel calm and relaxed during the outbreak. Marketers likewise can benefit from a raw storyline that sparks engaging conservation with their customers because it’s authentic.
While stuck at home, models, photographers and stylists also have joined forces and found creative ways to do photoshoots remotely. Through video sessions and other digital tools, they have been able to recreate production studios in isolation and provide a welcome solution for product photography.
Marketers can employ similar tactics to obtain quality content to help promote their brands. For example, Rihanna recently posed in her new collection for her brand Savage X Fenty. She was joined by model-brand ambassadors who conducted their own self-styled — and remotely directed — photoshoots in their homes. The photos were then augmented by collage artist Rafael Perez, a.k.a. Rafatoon. To involve her community, Rihanna invited her followers to participate in her summer campaign by sending photos of themselves in Savage X Fenty lingerie. Several participants will be chosen to be photographed over FaceTime.
Other brands can adapt these tactics for themselves. Consider working with videographers to help bring talent- or user-generated content to the next level through animation, visual effects and computer-generated imagery.
To engage consumers further, use gamification within your content strategy. You can add game-like features to websites, apps or even social media pages to trigger a sense of achievement, promote competition and boost user experience. When consumers are encouraged to join the conversation and take action, they are more likely to actively engage instead of passively consume.
Above all, aim to provide value for your audience, and don’t be afraid to adjust your approach as needed. One of the social impacts of the coronavirus pandemic I’ve noticed is the swift dismantling of inadequate and unfit content that provides zero value for audiences and is made by both brands and creators that have refused to modify their approach.
Just as talent have adapted their content strategies during the pandemic, you must evolve yours as well so you don’t get left behind. The roles of talent and brands have changed, and as we welcome the new normal, we welcome the new era of marketing.
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Author: William Soulier, Forbes Councils Member