The document discusses how marketing strategies must change in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns. Customers will now seek more value and be more cost-conscious in their spending. The lockdown provided an opportunity for companies to better understand changing customer trends. Effective marketing approaches will need to address the empathy deficit caused by the pandemic and lack of regular communication during lockdowns, moving beyond just transactions to focus on emotional connections with customers. Strong market research will be essential to design future branding strategies that adapt to changing consumer behavior and focus on product bundles to suit new customer demands in the "new normal" post-pandemic environment.

1. TO MARKET or NOT TO MARKET IN THE PANDEMIC
DishaGhoshal
Marketing 2.0: Changingyour M-Game to survive post the Lockdown
Almostafter50 daysof an absolute lockdown,the latestupdate hintsthatnow thatthe governmentis
readyto grant some ease to the massesandthe economyisbracing itself toopenup.Soas we resume,
it istime to thinkabouthowbusinessescanactuallyreconfigurethemselvesespeciallywithrespectto
marketing.There isapossibilitythatwiththe forceful emphasisonessentialservicesonly,twomonths
have broughtabout ina sub-consciouschange inthe psyche of customersthatmightleadtoa change in
the role of marketingaswell.Howwill companiesrespondtothischallengeandhow will marketers
steerthe businesstowardsitsobjective isthe questionof the hour.
Nowthat people have realizedthatthe worthof essentialthings,the customerswillnow seekmore
value forthe price theypay because everyhouseholdwithitsrestrictedmeanshasnow hadthe time
and inclinationtocircumspectitsspending.Onthe otherhand,the lockdownwasagoldenopportunity
for firmstocollectfeedback,doresearchandproductimprovementandestimate the change intrends
once thingsturn to normal.Thiswill leadtobetterengagementwithcustomersandahyper
segmentationbasedonthe propensityof spendingwhere there isacleardivide basedonbehavior
where value drivencustomersspendingonlyonessentialsandone segmentwhile identifyingthe
secondone as splurgerswhowill alsodefinitelyscale downbutstillcontinuetopayhighpricesfor
brandswithhighquality.
For the last fewweekscompanieshave beenstringentandhave usedthe marketingspendquite
thriftily.There wereafewbrandsthattotallystoppedtheirengagementforafterthe initialfortnight. In
termsof RoIit musthave beena tactical move.However,the onesthatdidnotturn it off entirelystand
to gainbenefitoverthembecause marketingisfundamentallynotanorganizational conceptbutinfact
more customerdriven.Here,Iam especiallyreferringtobrandsthatlostrelevance courtesythe
pandemicbecause wellestablishedbrandsthatare intoproducts of dailyuse andnecessitieshave been
doingdecentlydespite the crisis,so the crisishasnot affectedthematlarge howevertheytooneed
marketingtobeatthe competitionif nothingelse.
However,eachapproachhas to be curatedand delicatelyhandledbecause brandscannotaffordto
appearas exploitative tryingtocash inon the customersplight.People have beenlockedinfortwo
monthsnow,so once theygetout,theywill spend,theywillconsume,outof sheerjoy,there isachance
theymay alsooverconsume. So,whenthese hitthe market,obviouslytheywilltendtobackto brands
theyconsiderfriendly,brandsthathave keptintouchand reassuredthemof theirpresence earlier.
Companieswillhave tocarefullydeal withthe empathydeficitthatwascausedby the pandemicandthe
absence of a regularcommunicationwithits targetaudience.Itwill stillbe oldwine inanew bottle but
the structure of eachmarketingstrategywill now have tobe basedonthischangedconsumerbehavior
overcomingitstransactional standpointandpressingontheiremotional connect.
A strongmarketresearchwill designatethe future of brands. People’sperspective issettochange,so
companiesshouldfocusonbundlesforlarge scale buysbecause the lockdownhasincreasedthe
quantumof purchase,whichisa veryvaluable insightthatrecommendsthatfirmsmarketvariantsto
suitthe customerdemandsandoffera full bouquetof productstherebymakingiteasierforthe

2. customerto buy.There isalsoa growingtendencytosave,sothisplanmightdowell asan overall
measure andwidenthe scope forinnovationbothproductandservice wise.
Governmentishuge buyeritself,makingall effortstohelpbusinessesgainmomentum, withalotof
stresson a self- reliantIndiaandpromotionof Made inIndia,and haslaidfoundationtoincentivize
spendingandincrease consumption.However,necessitieswillbe atperipheryalwaysforthe upcoming
quarters,brandshave to come up withplansthatcut back onexpensesonmarketing,donotinvestin
grandiose ideasandprune brandsthatdo not show the promise of survivingpostthe Covidcrisis.
Everythingthatmarketingteamdesignsinthe nearfuture mustbe inadherence tothe Protectionof
CustomerCharterandmust act graciouslywithitsconsumerskeepingtheirneedsasthe maintheme of
everycampaigntheywishtopushforward.
It is time torevise the conceptsof Cause marketingand apply itsprinciples towholesome marketing
opportunitiestopresentanempatheticimpressiononthe mindsof the public.Debate isstillonhowthe
economywill rebound, are we headedforaU shapedrecoveryorwill ‘online’pave wayforaV shaped
one withDigital Transformationbeingthe keytosuccess. Havingsaidthat,we are,for sure,headedfora
‘NewNormal’andthusthe marketingmusttooreorientitself according tothismetamorphismand
evolve tobuildbrands,oldandnew,torise ina post Covidindustry. Itismatterof time tosee how
businessesmarketthemselvestosurvive andthrive.