As marketers look around and see the realities of lay-offs and health concerns for our consumer audiences, we are having to assess our brand communications through a new lens. Are we being too trivial? Too insensitive? Too self-promoting?  

Certainly, these questions are good ones to ask. But we want to encourage you with a few stats that we shared in our first Marketing Matters webinar to support the notion that silence is not the answer to these questions and concerns.  In fact, it is quite the opposite. Consumers are expecting us to show up and use our voice to help them through this time.

Be Present and Helpful

A 2020 Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report found that 62% of respondents feel like their country will not make it through this COVID-19 crisis without brands playing a critical role in addressing the challenges they face. That’s your invitation to still have a seat at the table with them.  

77% of respondents in the same study expect or are hopeful that brands will only talk about products in a way that shows they are aware of the crisis.  The good news for you? Your products are necessary right now.  Nutrition is top of mind for shoppers and Google Search Trends prove it.

Leverage that search interest to your benefit and talk up the nutritional qualities of your products in your social posts and consumer communications during this time. Sometimes it seems silly to explain that fruits and vegetables are healthy, but that rainbow above proves that shoppers need a reminder.

Invest Wisely

Izea Insights asked shoppers if they were a marketer in charge of allocating ad spend during the coronavirus outbreak, what method would they use to reach shoppers. Here’s how they answered.

The results couldn’t be more in our favor because many of you are already investing in influencers and paid social media ads which ranked #1 and #3 on their list of recommendations shown in the graphic above.  And they happen to be some of the more affordable options included in this list!  This data is another clear indicator that shoppers are expecting brand visibility during this time.  Heed their suggestions and invest your marketing dollars in these two areas.

Remain Authentic

Transparency and authenticity are the name of the game right now.  One of the best ways you can achieve that is through video, and the less produced the better.  With the growth in popularity of Facebook Live and Instagram Stories, your audience is very accustomed to casual, day-in-the-life videos being a part of their regular social media experience.  So don’t discount this opportunity to take shoppers into your fields, talk about nutrition, share tips for storing them properly, show them a recipe they should try out, or share a resource that could be helpful at this time. Build trust by giving them a connection to the humans behind the brand.

Feeling encouraged about the need for marketing as we navigate this unique time in our lives.  Use this information and these stats to help you substantiate continuing to invest in your marketing and be present for the consumer that needs you more than ever – right now. 

For more information about our new webinar discussion group for fresh produce marketers, Marketing Matters, please email us, info@dma-solutions.com.

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