During the ongoing emergency climate of chaos, the struggles of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the increased social division occurring in the USA regarding George Floyd's death and the Black, Lives Matter movement, it could be a game-changer for the brand's survival.
Innovating and adapting by a brand to the highly demanding climate is essential to show the human element of compassion, as well as to voice out on essential issues.
Firstly, brands have to accept firstly that both these immense potential historical events are affecting millions of people worldwide, with lockdown being imposed, as well as the cry for justice within the black community is made clear in a very long time. Sometimes, the modern climate is more important than a brand, bigger than a product or service, and we have to stop selling and start providing.
Furthermore, the human element has to be acknowledged. A brand must show compassion for critical events, and true empathy, not just forced in order to acknowledge climbing trends. As we've seen, brands who have ignored and have failed to speak out regarding these topics, have seriously hurt their credentials and brand image. However, it is deeper than that, the sense of community and sense of belongingness has been lost in that brand. If a brand cannot acknowledge what is happening and react positively, why would they react like that to their consumer? Lastly, it is not the market that is changing, it is the preference patterns of the consumer that are constantly changing and needs to adapt to the requirements. Consumer's behaviours and habits are changing, such as the 80% increase in e-commerce sales for most North American companies, as well as the lack of trust integrated by consumers. 33% of consumers convinced individuals to stop using a brand that has not acted appropriately in response to the pandemic, so adapting to certain trends is critical. Lack of trust towards brands will be lost even greater, as statements regarding the BLM movement desensitize industries, and portray firms as "fake". Statements have to be truly able to connect with the outrage of those community members, and if a brand shows even the slightest sign of compassion, consumers and the general population will definitely find out. It is crucial for the firms to adapt to social trends and modern changes, with complete and pure compassion and transparency. All these issues cannot be ignored, and it is a company's corporate social responsibility to unite its community and provide pure empathy and transparency for their consumer and to the world.
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