There’s no denying that COVID-19 is dominating headlines. What’s the impact on marketing?

Marketing helps the world economy to grow which is why investing in strategic new ideas right now could be your best defence, and give you a competitive advantage while competitors are pulling back. B2B decision making takes longer than B2C, which is why it will be more cost effective to maintain front of mind always-on activity over starting from scratch in a new calendar year. If you are marketing in a silo, why not reach out to those who usually creatively support you to thrash out new pathways together?

Mark Ritson recently reminded listeners on Marketing Week that extra share of voice and market share is aligned. If your competitors are not spending on advertising you will have a stronger share of voice and more opportunity to grow market share.

It’s time to be more creative 

Creative ideas that stick in the customer mindset need to be memorable enough to move their thinking, be it towards a new product for business improvement, or to shift their consideration from your competitor to your brand. Fresh ways of connecting and being positively remembered will win hearts and minds. These levers are best pulled from a sound understanding of your brand platform.

A brand platform is a sound framework with a laundry list of brand components ranging from purpose and positioning to assets and messaging. It can guide how to build bonds with those not-in-market and those in-market who already admire and appreciate your brand.

Understanding what makes creative connections

When assessing B2B campaign activity of other brands, look for the creative idea that encourages the user to think differently. Great creative pulls you in within the first 5 seconds and maintains your attention. It also builds on the brand story, answers a need state, communicates the main benefit, paces the content the user receives across touch-points, and most importantly, creates a visual connection that will stick in the customer’s mind.

Thinking outside the box

With the strange future of home delivery and supermarkets suspending online delivery, Menulog, Deliveroo, Uber Eats and even Domino’s have stepped up by offering contactless delivery.

McDonalds stores across the country are selling bottles of milk and bread 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Time to assess your own marketing activity

Make time to weed out unnecessary distractions your brand is delivering and pace the way your information unfolds. Take care in the way your audience discovers what your brand is doing for good. For example, LVMH didn’t broadcast they were making hand sanitiser – instead it was posted in use from within a French hospital.

Right time, Right place, Right on 

If you are continuing to run campaigns, do collect and store the great stories your teams are achieving. Learn to assess every campaign idea with a checklist. Too much complexity and the creative sparkle you originally approved for the campaign will work against your objectives.

Identify whether you are delivering too many features and benefits to consume, remain connected to the brand story, assess if graphics are confusing, ensure strength of connected pathways to the core brand, and check for fragmented visuals that do not assist your audience to lead to your brand.

Ask, what can your brand do differently? 

It’s timely to deliver what your brand stands for and how progressive you can be for your customer.

Here are five ways to deliver creative that can stick in your customers mindset, now and for the future:

1. Build a deeper bond with those who already appreciate your brand. Consider how you can improve, grow and maintain their business activity.
2. Continue to build on creative ideas E.G.  Many big successful B2C brands build and grow their successful campaigns. As a campaign unfolds, why not build the story in the next quarter to build brand salience.
3. Emotionally transform your B2B brand. How well do you know your customer’s customer? Build a rational and emotional checklist connected to their buying journey. This will assist to create or strengthen your customer value proposition.
4. Investing in your brand assets adds up. Delivering innovative campaign ideas with consistent brand distinction will assist long term memory connections.
5. Be shovel ready. How can you be advanced enough to remain front of mind, communicate readiness and remain distinctive with your audience so that they think of you when they need you?

So why not reach out to those who can creatively support you to thrash out new pathways together?

The key to building brand salience and being around for the long haul is having a strategy that works across the marketing mix.

There’s never been a better time to consider strategy to build innovative ideas over short-term tactics, the outcome being stronger go-to-market ideas to grow market share. The post growth you experience in the long term will be positive if you can build a plan while you have the time.

If you’d like a copy of the GH B2B brand platform framework or a copy of our Creative Campaign Checklist, please reach out.

Strike the right balance between brand awareness and sales activation?

Discuss how Green Hat can help you to strategically innovate across your B2B marketing mix.

What creative techniques have you found to be effective during the transition? Let us know by connecting with us on social media.

Share