From the Messy Communications team

Business is never without its curveballs. Employee changes, team restructures, financial difficulties, new technologies, changing work methods. The list goes on. Because, like life, there are never any certainties. And during times of crisis and change, the unknown causes unease. As a result, our instincts will tell us to batten down the hatches, stop all unnecessary activity and stockpile our resources. Businesses often try to brace themselves for what’s to come, even without knowing what that might be. 

However, freezing like possums in headlights is not always the best approach in the face of adversity. In fact, it’s businesses that are quick to adapt that are most likely to survive and prosper. The last ten years, which have been defined by disruption, are proof of this. And we can apply the lessons learned from other sources of disruption to navigate any challenges you face now or in the future.

Lesson 1: Repurpose your business assets

If one part of your business is no longer working, consider the assets and attributes you have that may be of use in the current environment. This could be anything from skills that exist within your workforce to physical assets such as refrigeration units, transport infrastructure or manufacturing equipment. There are some great examples of this as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, from H&M manufacturing medical gowns to local breweries making hand sanitiser. 

But this is nothing new. Fujifilm famously diversified its business in the face of digital photography by recognising that their ability to suspend or encase active ingredients in a thin film to prevent oxidation could be applied to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics as well. It was this agility that enabled it to survive, where its main competitor Kodak, who doubled down on manufacturing and promoting their original product, did not. 

Not only does repurposing your attributes provide new revenue streams but it also fuels innovation within your business. It also makes for great PR stories and in challenging times, these positive initiatives can create a lot of goodwill towards your business.

Lesson 2: Consider new ways of keeping your brand relevant

When a crisis occurs that affects your business, it’s not uncommon for it to impact the way people see your brand. Therefore, rather than switching off, think about how you can adapt your brand proposition to better suit the times. 

That’s because a good brand provides a business with a north star to follow, ensuring constancy and familiarity to its target market. However, it should not limit the business, particularly if change is happening at a rapid pace.

Therefore, consider how your brand can be reinterpreted to meet the changing needs of your business and your customer while remaining “on-brand”.

An excellent example of this is how Omo/Persil reinterpreted their iconic “dirt is good” tagline to address a modern issue. Real, outdoor play was being replaced with structured afterschool activities and increased screentime. Rather than continue to communicate a reality that was no longer happening – an idealist world of outdoor play – the brand instead released a hard-hitting film set in a high-security prison to highlight an alarming statistic: high-security prisoners got more outdoor time than modern kids. Thus, their age-old brand idea “dirt is good” became “dirt is necessary” and went on to create an online program to encourage more parents to let their kids play freely outside – keeping their brand fresh and highly relevant.

Lesson 3: Adapt to your customers

When your customers’ lifestyle is severely impacted, how does your business adapt to their new needs? The answer is simple – put the customer needs first. But this is far from being a new approach, with many businesses throughout history having to continually rethink their entire model to meet the ever-changing expectations of customers fuelled by technology.

In the early 2000s, Domino’s Pizza was largely known for its inferior product and was losing market share. To combat this, they not only improved their product but invested in eCommerce. They worked to deeply understand the changing customer expectations and created a whole range of digital tools such as their “Pizza Tracker” to improve their service delivery. They then used this to differentiate their brand.

While some lifestyle changes brought about by crisis or disruption may be temporary, your customers will still want to be able to access your services. By adapting the way you deliver them, you can reach them and demonstrate your deep understanding of their needs. Beyond that, it could also expose your business to new customers and markets. 

This could be as simple as modifying your brand communications to recognise the reality of your customers or adapting your operations to better meet their needs. Either way, it’s important to remember that businesses that keep moving and are willing to adapt when faced with a crisis are the ones most likely to survive and thrive. 

Get in touch today to find out how Messy Collective can help your business.

From the Messy Communications team

While times of crisis or economic hardship can be tough on businesses, they can also be times when businesses can really flourish. Whether it be through a stroke of luck, a new opportunity or ingenious marketing, here are some brands that were able to capitalise on tough times in the past.

Groupon

The 2007-2008 GFC forced many consumers to cut back on discretionary spend. However, that did not mean they wanted to do without meals out, beauty treatments or experiences.

Enter Groupon, a deal a day website that provided great offers on non-essential services. It was during the recession that Groupon really took off and began their global expansion. It just so happened that their particular business model provided a much-needed avenue for small business to attract customers, as well as a way customers could still enjoy treats without breaking the bank.

What we can learn from this:

Just because people can’t have something doesn’t mean they don’t want it. While some businesses are naturally positioned to succeed in times of economic hardship, it doesn’t mean other business can’t apply this same philosophy. Therefore, it’s important for you to consider how you can adapt your business to deliver the goods and services people still want but can’t access.

Procter & Gamble

The Great Depression was tough on families; many often went without everyday essentials. However, Procter and Gamble, who at the time were predominantly focussed on the manufacture and sale of soap, came out of the Great Depression in a stronger position than they were before.

While soap is considered a mainstay item for most families, P&G still had to ensure it was their product customers were buying. To do this they started investing in new marketing avenues such as commercial radio. Famously, P&G created daily radio stories aimed at homemakers. This audience loved these ongoing sagas and regularly tuned in to follow along. By 1939, P&G was producing 21 of these “Soap Operas” and in 1950 they released their first television soap opera, The First Hundred Years.

What can we learn from this?

People love to be entertained, and the distraction is particularly welcomed when times are tough. More importantly, brands can’t just drop off the radar due to low demand. Brands who recognise the emotional needs of customers during times of uncertainty are more likely to win new, loyal fans in the process.

Uber

Lack of employment opportunities during the GFC left many people looking for new ways to earn. Coupled with advances in technology and social media, the sharing economy was born; allowing for people to use the assets and skills they had to make money at scale. Uber is a classic example of this, as is AirBnB and AirTasker.

This sense of independence also fuelled artisanal culture – i.e. the rise of microbreweries and distilleries, Etsy and farmers markets. While at first, these were the domain of millennial hipsters, as we enter this new decade these businesses have now become mainstream.

What can we learn from this?

When significant events happen there often comes a value shift in society. In the case of the GFC, people became aware of how much control big business had over everyday people. This shift in values has meant that people became open to taking an Uber over a taxi, booking an AirBnB over a hotel, and choosing a craft beer over the big brands. 

When facing a crisis, we only guess at some of the value shifts that will happen as a result. However, it’s important to keep our ear to the ground so we can react accordingly. Not only will this help your brand remain relevant but it could provide new opportunities for your brand to flourish. 

Get in touch to find out how Messy Collective can help you better connect with your customers.

From the Messy Communications team

Right now, there’s no such thing as business as usual. COVID-19 has sent the world into a spin and marketers are looking at what steps they need to take to keep things ticking over and customers engaged. And the sooner action is taken, the better. Because people’s needs and attitudes have already changed, and so too have their behaviours. And the businesses that adapt to this new environment are the ones likely to come out on top.

While every business needs to make the right decision for their unique situation and the industry they’re in, if you are able to maintain your marketing (even if it is scaled back) you should. But it’s important to be strategic to ensure you get the most out of your spend. Here are a few things to keep in mind when reviewing your marketing plan.

1. Take a look at your digital ad spend

During tough economic times, digital marketing is often one of the first things to get the cut. And a study released by IAB Australia on April 6 is proof of that, showing that 78% of brands have reduced or paused digital ad investment in the last month as a result of COVID-19.

However, is pausing your ads the best decision? Not always, particularly if the data is showing there are fewer advertisers in the race. Because less competition generally means a decrease in CPC and CPM. If this is the case in your industry, it means you have greater opportunities to reach your target audience more often for the same (or less) amount than you were investing before. There exists a unique opportunity for you to set yourself apart from the crowd. So, if you have something valuable to say, it’s likely going to be more cost-efficient to say it now.

2. Be thoughtful in your messaging

It’s an unpredictable time. People are nervous and unsure about the future. Be sensitive to this fact when communicating with your audience, acknowledging the current challenges and being empathetic and authentic. Your brand personality matters now more than ever – and it has the potential to make you stand out while building and fostering loyalty. The key is to craft messages that reflect the times and provide value to people. Be sure to monitor the social channels and online communities too so you can stay across your audience’s attitudes and the things that are important to them. If you feel your planned messaging is going to miss the mark, change it! Don’t wait and hope for the best.

3. Focus more on connection

Sticking to the same old plan isn’t going to work. People’s priorities and attitudes aren’t what they were a few months ago, and unless you’re selling something that’s in high demand right now, now’s not the time to push for sales. People are spending longer on social media and the web and are craving interesting content while they’re restricted to their homes – so give it to them. Deliver content that showcases your brand values and personality and work on building genuine connections with new and existing customers. You can then nurture these people in the future and, when the time is right, push them towards conversion.

Giving your audience something that they want can go a long way in improving sentiment towards your brand, building trust and ensuring you stay front of mind during this time – vital for when things pick up again.

4. More top of funnel content

If your digital strategy has generally relied on bottom-of-the-funnel conversion ads, it may be time to reconsider that approach if you haven’t already. Redirect your efforts into top-of-funnel activity that can drive new traffic to your site such as articles, videos, white papers and other pieces of content.

Even if you put minimum budget into the promotion of these, having quality content on your website is beneficial. Not only does it add more people to the top of your funnel, it can improve your SEO value and boost your Google rankings so more people can find you online.

5. Email marketing

Have you been leaning heavily on PPC or paid social for traffic and conversions while email marketing has been pushed aside? Now’s the perfect time to give email marketing some love. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways to engage audiences, making it ideal if your marketing budget has been slashed. Build new journeys, try out new creative and content, explore audience segments and personalisation, test subject lines. Take everything you learn about your audience during this time and use it to your advantage into the future.

6. Embrace digital

New consumer habits are being formed as we speak. People’s attitudes and behaviours are changing and so too are the channels being used to engage them. Right now, offline marketing isn’t an option for many. Trade shows, in-store activations and other similar activities are all off the table, while major events and professional sports are paused along with the marketing opportunities that go with them. Furthermore, OOH advertising is far less attractive for most brands given social restrictions and shutdowns keeping people off the streets, public transport and major traffic routes. 

You must focus on people’s new habits and needs and connect with them using relevant and exciting digital experiences. This could be anything from implementing an online shop, live streaming business workshops, hosting product webinars, running virtual community forums, augmented reality, interactive content, virtual reality, gamification, long-form video and so much more. The opportunities are vast – don’t be afraid to try something new.

There’s no escaping it – coronavirus is impacting everyone. The good news is that with every new challenge comes a new opportunity. If you’re willing to step up, rethink your approach and adapt your marketing for these unprecedented times, your business can emerge on the other side stronger than ever.

Get in touch to find out how Messy Collective can help you make that happen.

From the Messy Digital team

Want to know how the world’s best tech companies design their products? The secret is in the system.

Atlassian, Airbnb, Microsoft, and Salesforce are just a few of the highly successful businesses using design systems to create products more efficiently and improve the customer experience.

A design system makes a massive difference in how efficiently new products can be made by simplifying the design and development process. In short, a design system is a living library of assets that product managers, marketing teams, developers, designers and the wider organisation can refer to when creating digital user interfaces and experiences.

It’s an intricate ecosystem of colours, text styles, layer styles, components, icons, grids, fonts and guidelines around how all of the digital assets should be used and work together. This, in turn, saves time and eliminates inconsistencies in your brand experience.

Build products more efficiently

Companies choose to invest in design systems because of the cost-saving benefits and increased speed to market. In-house or outsourced designers and developers become more efficient, as they no longer need to spend time recreating assets that are already in the design system.

The design system is housed in a design system manager – an online, interactive resource that the product team can access at all times. By having all the rules and behaviours clearly defined in a system, decisions are made faster, the design direction is clear, and a consistent end-user experience is achieved.

Improve the brand experience

A design system ensures a consistent user experience across not just your digital space, but all your brand’s touchpoints. A good design system helps ensure there are no hiccups that can deter your customers from purchasing and all interactions with the brand become intuitive and fluid.

For best results, the design system should extend beyond the digital space to create a truly consistent and integrated experience.

How do you create a design system?

Getting started is no easy task, but the initial effort is worth the reward in the long run. The first step is to test and audit all the brand and digital components of a product or business, this highlights where the inconsistencies lie and identifies the key components to standardise. Once the disparities are fixed, clear rules and guidelines are created around how the assets are used and importantly, how they work together as a whole system. Rules and guidelines will ensure a consistently higher quality of brand messaging, design and development.

The design system is a single source of truth which gives everyone a common understanding. It saves immense amounts of time on design and development and ensures a great customer experience. No matter the size of your business, a design system is worth the initial investment.

With your product and brand in mind, ask yourself these questions:

• Are you happy with how efficiently products are launched?
• Are your customers having a consistent experience across all touchpoints?
• How much time and money could you be saving on design and development?

The answers could well be in a new digital design system!

Get in touch to find out how Messy Collective can help your business.