Marketing in the time of COVID-19: Is it okay? What do consumers think?

By: Pete Cape
Director, Global Knowledge
I wrote in a previous blog that, given the current pandemic, perhaps companies should be thinking about the acceptability of their advertising and marketing and maybe doing a pre-survey just to see how the land lies.
We took the opportunity of our weekly COVID-19 study to ask a question on exactly this topic.
Only one in ten thought that there was no need for companies to be thinking about the pandemic when they are advertising or marketing to them – life should go on as normal. This was at its lowest in China (2%) and at its highest in Germany (27%).
Overall, six in ten thought that all companies should be thinking about it with a further three in ten thinking it only applies to some companies. Of course, you as a brand must think about it in order to decide if you are one of those companies or not! What this third are saying is that for some companies and brands life can go on as normal.
What is clear is that the potential for unintended negative consequences is high, and that it would not be wrong to acknowledge to the current crisis in some way. I’m struck by how some TV programmes are already stating that they were recorded before the pandemic, when they show people near each other.
Click here to download Dynata’s Global Trends Report Special Edition: COVID-19