Up until this summer I helped to promote a Martial Arts school with a conscious approach to marketing, what strikes me now is just how complicated marketing has become in the midst of a pandemic.
Focusing on health and how classes can impact mental, emotional and physical well being was a constant challenge and something that you have to direct your mind to - while paying attention to the needs of students, many marketing specialists have different aims.
While 2020 has bore witness to a constant battle with our mental and physical health, many commercial outlets around the world are discussing their own dilemmas; with profits shrunk during the peak of the Coronavirus devastation the question surrounding how 'we' can be a positive influence during this time was no doubt a question on countless zoom meetings.
Face coverings and social distancing became mandatory and it was put forth to consumers about how the new norm should be followed with much of this sourced from government scientist advice in daily briefings.
The idea of staying in our 'bubbles' was one that set in quickly, while the idea of returning to normality felt far away - but combining the new climate with how to operate and advertise in a safe and respectable manner would test even the most creative marketing specialist.
Many companies opted to get behind the spirit of 'Social Marketing' in an effort to create a positive behavioural change in their consumers, with a simple face-mask added or partial object separation established to indicate social distancing on social media platform logos highlighting advice from world leaders.
While many businesses have in the past had minor campaigns crossing into social marketing - this was one that united many, especially fast food.
The biggest chains such as McDonalds, KFC, Burger King closed it's doors with an immediate strategy regarding how to operate under new guidelines not readily available, they went back to the drawing board while their marketing teams got to work to remain an active thought in their consumers's social feed.
Kentucky Fried Chicken made waves recently as they removed their famous slogan 'It's Finger Licking Good' to a refined 'It's F̶i̶n̶g̶e̶r̶ ̶L̶i̶c̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ Good' followed with a new campaign quote of "That thing we always say? Ignore it. For now."
This intelligent and relevant marketing has potential health benefits and reminds consumers of the importance of hygiene - it is no doubt difficult to market successfully during a pandemic but many have had no issue remaining relevant with a conscious effort to display a positive message.
Some however have not.
In Belgium, Burger King created a face-mask that displayed your order, while appearing as something from a cancelled episode of Black Mirror, the campaign only released 500 masks - given to customers via a social media competition.
While likely never to be used to substitute for communication and interaction - it has more created a gimmick out of a serious time of concern for the world.
The idea of Social Marketing is to create positive behaviour and while encouraging people to wear masks is one huge aspect of that, the mixed messages it sends allows for a misguided interpretation.
Social Marketing, Improving the Quality of life had a great definition of social marketing: "The use of marketing principles and techniques to influence a target audience to voluntarily accept, reject, modify or abandon a behaviour for the benefit of individuals, groups or society as a whole." (Kotler, Roberto, Leee. 2002)
This however should not dismiss commercial marketing entirely as a negative subject, as when Maslow's hierarchy is brought into the fold many positives are clear to be seen, such as improved self esteem due to new items purchased, an improvement in social standings and physiological needs.
What the coronavirus pandemic has possibly created is an active medium between the two, with further restrictions in place in the United Kingdom for six months at least - it is likely that other companies will establish creative marketing campaigns to combine a positive social influence with their own aims driven by profit.
Looking ahead to the future, other fast food companies are looking to be much more aggressive when it comes to their latest campaigns, McDonalds record upwards of a 20% loss for the year due to loss of income before rebounding with 'drive thu' orders and soon after a wider use of 'delivery' with plans to increase its 'digital' experience making up a triple threat of D moving forward.
With no customers to profit, the global Golden Arches saw no reason to continue to advertise what they could not provide and cut 70% of their marketing funding but in July, CEO Chris Kempczinski indicated that, almost as if Ronald McDonald was on the front line of World War 3, that his company would be unleash a $200m war-chest to accelerate recovery in the second half of the year.
He continued: "The war chest will not be deployed against innovation, it will be deployed against the base business. Consumers are looking for trusted favourites, that is why the core menu makes sense for us.
"As we go into the new normal operating environment, it is time for us to get back on the front foot. That is why we have the marketing war chest, but it means we are going to need to be thinking about how affordability and value can play.
"Customers are looking for a more contactless experience, a more digital experience, one they can navigate on their own. That behaviour is an enduring change and why the three Ds are important strategically for us."
In short, McDonalds plans to reduce cost and increase its marketing around its centred favourites so while some have opted for an increase in social conscious - others are occupying the market they have left behind.
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