Weird times. And they’re just getting weirder (I write as my one-year-old tears all of the Tupperware out of the cabinet). While we all need to allow ourselves some time to settle into this new normal, we’re seeing brands quickly get their bearings and rework their communication strategy to account for the upcoming months. Below are some ideas to hopefully help you get that updated media strategy moving.
1. Rethink your media mix.
Let’s go ahead and get the obvious ones out of the way. Your consumers aren’t going outside, instead, they’re in front of their TVs or on their phones (Nielsen expects TV viewership to increase by 60%!). Which honestly probably isn’t that different than it was a month ago, just more extreme. Those eyeballs aren’t going away, they’re shifting. So don’t default to the standard medium percentages you always have, instead let what is sure to be a spike in digital data points direct those dollars.
2. Rethink it again.
Keep in mind that you’re not the only one reading this amazing blog post (hi, mom!), meaning a lot of advertisers will also follow the same data points and run on entertainment channels. This means platforms that already have limited scale - especially within desired target audiences - will probably now be increasingly competitive. The most obvious media mix may not be the best or the most efficient one for your brand.
3. Keep frequency in mind.
What typically would take X frequency to achieve your desired awareness, may now take less. Or more. With consumers jumping between platforms now more than ever, make sure your campaign doesn’t become annoying because you ignored cross-screen usage.
4. Stop relying on the “knowns” in media.
Olympics. Political. Dads & Grads. All those terms we’ve included in a presentation at some point, and we’ve most definitely built plans around. The reality is there are no more generic planning tentpoles, so it’s time to create your own.
5. Think like a person, not a brand.
We could all use that gut check every now and then, certainly, myself included. This situation can’t be solved by a listicle. There aren’t 5 ways. There are a million ways. And they’re all “right” for different reasons. So start by being human, and remind yourself that your consumers are humans, too - not device IDs.
Oh, and remember to update your landing pages (and SEO strategy) to make sure they’re still relevant. :)
