This pandemic is rewriting the rules of business and stewardship faster than any technological revolution ever did. “What is faster than 5G?” Unfortunately, I think we are finding out the hard way.
It’s frightening to imagine that just two weeks ago, all seemed normal-ish in North America. Then the sword fell on SXSW, the NBA, and so on and so on. Now, tragic deaths, many of which could have been avoided, financial hardship, and untold mental anxiety are the headlines of our every feed, post, and update.
So, what should a brand be doing? Well, I have a feeling it is going to be changing daily, so my thoughts today may be stale by tomorrow. But here is what I am doing with my brand, advising our clients on what to do with their brands, and sharing with my followers for feedback and ideas.
Let’s plan a simple road map for today, tomorrow, and ‘till next time:
TODAY
Your brand needs to focus on three messages:
- 911 – Be clear to the public that what we have is not a slow growing issue – it is an emergency, and people need to respond now. The sirens are blaring. Take notice, pull over, and change your behaviour.
- Heart – Now is the time to relate to your consumer who is panic stricken, information overloaded, and feeling out of control.
- Lead – A leader goes into battle at the front. Get your leader out on the front lines daily with real action. Cut the red tape. Forget about your old policies. Make it happen.
TOMORROW
There will come a day when we are finally out of this trauma. In my mind, that will be sometime this fall. And it could be due to the global effort of scientists, or because of warm weather as soon as this summer. Hopefully part of the celebration of CV-Day (yes, a play on V-Day from World War II) will be an ecumenic opportunity to reboot. A chance for those who suffered to eliminate debt and baggage. A chance for charities, festivals, culture and community to reengage. It is not too early to start planning for this now.
’TILL NEXT TME
We need to rebuild our business models to withstand the shocking blows of a global shutdown. Build up reserves of cash, resources, and assets. Do not allow greedy shareholders to strip our cupboards bare. Governments must be held accountable to invest appropriately in our response mechanisms, health care infrastructure, and frontline workers.
I am as worried as you about the future. But we can all make a choice to either hide in our caves or try new things every day. Who knows – maybe you will end up inventing fire!