Evolving COVID and Post-COVID Marketing Trends

Now that we are beginning to see the light at the end of the COVID tunnel, it is the perfect time to evaluate emerging trends in marketing. The past year has been entirely unpredictable, and as we all know, markets do not look kindly upon uncertainty. There were many predictions made during the pandemic about the marketing landscape, some of which panned out, but many more did not. 

The one thing that was easy to predict and that took shape quickly was eCommerce. Digital platforms became front and center, as did video conferencing. These digital earthquakes significantly changed the way brands interact with their consumers. 

So, which marketing trends appear to have a foothold in the emerging landscape and may very well become permanent? 

Live-streams

One of the first things that occurred during COVID was the cancellation of all in-person meetings and events. The question then became whether events would be rescheduled or whether some other avenue would be developed to replace them. Enter live-streaming. Webinars, workshops, and other streaming content exploded. Expect this trend to continue.

“It requires brands to become more open and transparent with their message and how they interact in the marketplace.”

Purpose-driven Branding

Corporate brands are attempting to become more personal by becoming a part of their customers’ social media feeds and entering into a more intimate dialogue. In order for this to be a successful approach, it requires that brands become more open and transparent with their message and how they interact in the marketplace. Ultimately, this may force brands that want to become more relevant to reexamine their mission and purpose and reinvent themselves more purposefully. 

Embracing the Environment

There is a strong sentiment among consumers that companies need to become more environmentally friendly and embrace the movement towards sustainability. While this can become an emotional divide for consumers, many are looking for companies and brands to adopt a more “green” platform. This can include causes they support as well as their packaging, materials usage, and internal systems. 

“Attention spans are getting shorter, not longer, and this plays into the development of audio, video, and other digital forms of content.”

Content that is Simple and Easy to Consume

Attention spans are getting shorter, not longer, and this plays into the development of audio, video, and other digital forms of content. Inboxes are becoming flooded with requests, offers, messages, and many other forms of solicitations. Therefore, achieving customer engagement requires content that is simple and straight to the point. 

 

Where Does This Leave Us?

Given all the uncertainty about the future in this new post-pandemic world, it’s hard to make solid predictions. It has forced companies to think deeply about their markets, their customers, mission, and values and determine how that will shape their brands in a way that can embrace these emerging trends. Brands will and must become more “human” but also need to maintain their core foundation if they are to be viable in the long run.