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NO NEW NORMAL AFTER ALL
Predictably the unpredictable is here to stay
Dealing with Covid in our everyday lives appears to have distinct similarities with the five stages of grief. Without in any way disrespecting its relevance to people at a time of personal crisis, in no particular order this includes denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. It feels like we can all relate to experiencing these emotions to some degree over the last two years as we have gradually had to come to terms with the impact Covid-19 has had across all aspects of our lives.
But it also feels like we are finally entering a phase of acceptance - understanding that the future means living with Covid in some shape or form for a period at least and it is now up to us all to find a way to continue to live, love and laugh with the virus. Behaviour suggests that this is a process that has already started for many.
Vaccination for the UK majority means that the initial fear felt at the outset of the pandemic regarding the health implications of becoming Covid positive has evolved into a process of managing personal exposure through regular testing and employing the best practices possible to stay healthy. So previous talk of a ‘new normal’ has well and truly been despatched since normal suggests a period of consistency - instead the future likely means living with a degree of uncertainty long term and accepting that Covid has changed the world we live in, likely for a very long time, if not a lifetime.
Alongside the prevalence of acceptance, it appears that spontaneity will increase as people choose to plan for the long term less and react more to short term opportunities in the knowledge that long term planning no longer provides the clarity it once did. That way we gain more control over our lives - even if within a relatively short timeframe - and confidence that the best made plans can be actioned rather than deferred and altered time and again.
Acceptance also means that all those activities we enjoyed without a second thought for so many years - travelling domestically and internationally, frequent regular holidays, going to the theatre, socialising when we want to with whoever we want to - can return in some form with growing confidence. And the new testing regulations for those arriving back in the UK, which were changed recently and look set to be removed completely in the near future,, removes the angst and the hassle that had become a mental hurdle for so many to get back to travelling.
Hopefully once people experience an airport, an aeroplane, a foreign destination and different health protocols for themselves, it will allow us all to reconnect with travel in a post-Covid environment, leaving word of mouth about a positive experience to spread our personal acceptance even more widely.
With acceptance comes confidence. And with spontaneity comes positivity. Confidence and positivity - surely good news for travel, tourism and leisure in 2022.
As we digest the latest consumer sentiments and reactions, we continue to learn how to upweight meaningful relevancy into brands post-Covid to build back consumer confidence.
At White Tiger we have continued to update our Covid-19 report outlining key impacts and considerations for a 2022 communications strategy based on the current state of the nation. If you would like a copy or discussion about this approach please email whitetiger@whitetigerpr.com.
UNCERTAIN TIMES DEMAND CERTAIN COMMUNICATIONS
It's imperative during times of uncertainty for businesses to communicate and to communicate clearly and often both internally and externally.
Particularly when there might be bad news - plans disrupted and lives impacted in a negative way - in these circumstances good communication can provide a lifeline for commercial relationships, creating a sense of reassurance and trust.
That in turn enables organisations to stay resilient and productive during times of uncertainty. Through careful planning and preparation, early communication (notwithstanding multiple changes in regulations and guidelines) enables businesses to gain credibility. The businesses that keep their customers firmly in the loop in an open and honest way will be those most able to successfully navigate these tricky times, to grow brand trust and loyalty from customers, putting them in a prime position for future business as markets return.
It's imperative to reach out to both existing and previous customers - and continue to do so on a regular basis with help and useful information. This is the new normal and people, especially those in self-isolation, will be dreaming of resuming a degree of normality and travelling as soon as they can. They need escapism! For most potential customers TV, radio, and online media will form an even-more vital part of their daily routine. You need to maximise that opportunity
Be flexible in any and all ways possible so you are seen by customers to be adjusting your practices to fit the current environment - much in the same way as individuals have had to adjust their lives to fit the ever-changing COVID environment.
Managing disappointment is now a primary function of travel, lifestyle and leisure PR. We have had to become experts at factoring potential disappointment into communication strategies. Lots of our clients ask how they can best manage this and our advice is always to be open, honest, and transparent and, above all, be human and empathetic and, most importantly, consistent in your messages.
Show your customers through your actions as well as your words that you are determined to put people first. Consumers will undoubtedly remember those brands that went the extra mile - in new and intuitive ways - at a challenging time and as recovery approaches, you will reap the benefits of customer loyalty.
MAXIMISE YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT
People are consuming more digital technology across all platforms than ever before with the average adult accessing 5x more information than 50 years ago*.
This creates a huge opportunity for businesses to grow their brand trust with consumers in new and different ways. More than anything, strong strategic PR and marketing campaigns can be supercharged by effective online influencer and digital strategies.
Creating a digital strategy allows companies to deliver against specific objectives, measure strict KPI's, and analyse results thoroughly. Having an in-depth understanding of target audiences and respective responses allows businesses to adjust and create on-point messages, powerful calls to actions, and select appropriate platforms to best communicate your proposition to the different existing and emerging audiences.
White Tiger has always led the way in delivering integrated marketing campaigns for clients creating a holistic communications strategy that interweaves seamless communications online and off. We continue to do so at a time when it's never been more important.
Customer segmentation has always shown that different messaging is often needed for different socio-economic groups. It is now needed to account for the different ways people are responding to the ongoing health crisis - overlaying these sentiments onto the standard socio-economic profile generates some interesting outcomes for many brands.
Motivations to purchase have changed purchasing priorities, permanently in many cases, in a short period of time and new considerations and impact scenarios are required when planning future strategy.
One clear dichotomy is based on personal financial situations. Those who have been financially impacted by the COVID crisis will be price-led and cautious about making any investment where there isn't 100% confidence in recovering funds. On the other hand, the less financially-impacted luxury market is keenly investigating savvy ways to get to their destinations. As a prime example, enquiries into private jet and villa packages to the Caribbean continue to go through the roof.
So our message is, if you're not maximising your digital footprint in new and engaging ways, ensuring that it is working effectively to boost your PR messaging and reach new audiences, speak to White Tiger for an alternative view of how you can make your imprint permanent.
*source Forbes
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White Tiger PR in the News
"Talking to customers, being open, informed, and innovative is key for businesses during the pandemic."
As the pandemic hit the UK, White Tiger Managing Director, Cass Helstrip, was asked by Travel Weekly to give her thoughts on how best to communicate with customers in a crisis.
Read the full article HERE
START A CONVERSATION
As the recent hiatus begins to pass there appears to be a growing potential for a significant and extremely fast bounceback.
Flexibility will be vital as will the incentive of original new experiences that many have only dreamed of for many months.
Start ongoing conversations now with those most likely to be your future customers - this will pay dividends and prove rewarding, laying the foundations for future recovery as 2022 unfolds.
And be brave and true to your brand, finding new and innovative media and messages to communicate with your different audiences.
We have worked tirelessly during COVID times to ensure our clients have continued to understand the evolving communications issues and are in a position to maximise on any and all opportunities. Although we are always concentrating on what comes next for our clients, some of our coverage - online, broadcast, and in print - deserves attention.
If you're not sure where to start, or how to take your communications strategy forward in this emerging post Covid environment, get in touch with White Tiger today for an informal conversation.
If you'd like to receive a copy of our latest report outlining key COVID impacts and considerations for 2022 PR strategy or would like a no-strings conversation about your situation and how we can help, please email: whitetiger@whitetigerpr.com or call Cass Helstrip on 07968 255 464.