PR & Marketing Insights: Week of June 22-26, 2020
Just when you think some sense of normalcy is on the horizon, the world proves you wrong. As we ride the roller coaster, one of the best things we can do for ourselves and others — besides wearing a mask — is to keep learning. I hope you find this week’s marketing, advertising and public relations information insightful.
PR & Marketing Insights: Week of June 22-26, 2020
Just when you think some sense of normalcy is on the horizon, the world proves you wrong. As we ride the COVID-19 roller coaster, one of the best things we can do for ourselves and others — besides wearing a mask — is to keep learning. I hope you find this week’s marketing, advertising and public relations information interesting, and as always, if there’s anything I can do to provide support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
~ Katie
BRANDS’ RACIAL STEREOTYPES UNDER REVIEW
Major change hit the packaged foods category last week as iconic brands including Aunt Jemima, Mrs. Butterworth, Uncle Ben’s rice and B&G Foods’ Cream of Wheat announced plans to review or retire their packaging due to associations with racial stereotypes. The trend arrives as a seismic confluence of events — a global protest movement and the coronavirus pandemic — reshape the Consumer Packaged Goods, both in terms of sales and consumer-facing messaging strategy.
“It’s certainly an unusual marketplace moment when so many brands are rebranding all at once for the exact same reason,” J. Walker Smith, chief knowledge officer of brand and marketing at Kantar, told Marketing Dive.
For the counterpoint, check out: Relatives of the Actresses Behind Aunt Jemima See Rebrand as Legacy Erasure.
ADAPTABILITY IS KEY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
“Small businesses simply have far fewer cash resources and liquid assets on hand compared to large corporations,” says Michael Chow, lead data analyst and economist at the National Federation of Independent Business to the New York Times. “While every recession is different, as in 2008, small businesses today must focus on adaptability and prepare for timid consumers.” As Mr. Chow suggests, flexibility — both in product lines and operational structure — will help vulnerable businesses survive. The key, owners and analysts say, is listening to customers and anticipating their needs, both today and after the pandemic.
ONLINE SEARCH TRENDS DURING COVID-19
As we all learn to live with the threat of the outbreak, we’re also adjusting our daily routines and processes to accommodate best practices. Social Media Today notes one area that has seen significant changes is the way people are searching online, and the information they’re looking for online. And that’s important for marketers to note. Understanding the key search terms can help to better align any outreach strategy, to ensure you’re meeting audience needs – while also understanding the key concerns and issues of focus. That will also be critical in the next stage, as people look to get back to their normal lives, with new search queries now emerging as some regions open back up.
Thank you for tuning in for this week’s updates. Check back in for more information round-ups!
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