No Substitute for Human Nuance: Marketing Thoughts for a Post Pandemic World

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on every aspect of our lives, including the way we approach marketing and branding. As businesses faced new challenges, they were forced to reinvent their brands, align their actions with their messages, and demonstrate authenticity by living out their values and not simply looking at a placard of them on the proverbial office walls.

The face of marketing is ever evolving and in a post-pandemic world, it’s important to recognize there will never be a substitute for human nuance. As things shift and change, we need to adapt to changing consumer behaviors while still being true to ourselves, our values and our brands.

Relationships are everything. 

If there was anything we felt a lack of during the pandemic it was the relationships in our lives. We were forced to stay in our own homes and for some, that challenged the relationships closest to them- while others genuinely enjoyed the slower pace and getting to build real community within their own family units.

In the business world, many of us were pushed to take things online. And while brands like Fearless were already 100% virtual, thousands of businesses were forced to adapt to what became known as “unprecedented times.” Teams and clients alike had to learn how to communicate differently to maintain the relationships they had. Meetings that were often held in person now took place on Zoom or Google Hangouts.

And while many people liked their new found work-from-home freedom, everyone became tired of not being able to see someone face to face. Even the most introverted of us wanted to give someone a hug.

All the tech in the world cannot replace that human connection. What grew from the extended time away from one another, was a forced assessment of which brands/businesses were doubling down on relationships, no matter how difficult, to maintain their client base and provide stellar goods and services, regardless of a global pandemic.

The brands that leaned into relationships and good customer care were the ones that still exist and are thriving today. The pandemic really brought to light those businesses who were only in it for the money and didn’t really care about their customers beyond those dollars.

Consumers have become increasingly discerning and resistant to buying from brands that lack authenticity. 

People want to connect with brands that live up to their promises and align with their values. This shift demands that businesses go beyond surface-level branding and instead focus on building genuine connections with their customers. Human nuance plays a crucial role here, as it requires empathetic understanding and the ability to engage in meaningful conversations.

As we’ve seen in the recent news on Target and other brands like them, people will not tolerate a brand saying one thing and doing another. Social media blows up and people take to action almost immediately. Pre-pandemic, it’s possible some of these brands may have gotten away with such things. It wasn’t uncommon to have a float in the local Pride parade and then donate large sums of money to anti-LGBTQ legislation. Don’t get me wrong- this still happens. But the difference is in the consumer’s ability to discern where a company's values and actions are not in alignment. There are plenty of options out there and if someone even so much as sniffs fraud, they will take their business elsewhere.

The pandemic also heightened consumer awareness of the impact of their purchases. As a result, there has been a surge in conscious consumerism. People want to know the "why" behind a product or service and expect transparency from brands. Direct-to-consumer businesses have an opportunity to educate consumers about their processes, sourcing, and ethical practices- and many customers now look for this level of transparency as part of their purchasing process. By providing this information, brands can build trust and establish a deeper connection with their audience.

People create a brand and the brand engages with culture.

Quite possibly, this is the most important thing to understand about marketing in today’s world. In the past, branding was seen as a way to shape and define culture. However, the post-pandemic world has turned this notion on its head. Consumers have a stronger voice and hold businesses accountable for their actions. To succeed in this environment, brands must actively engage with culture and align their messaging with the values and aspirations of their ideal audience. There are several ways your brand can shift to engage with culture.

1) Stay updated and relevant: Stay informed about the latest cultural trends, events, and conversations. This includes being aware of social, environmental, and political issues that resonate with your ideal audience. By doing so, you can align your brand's messaging and actions with current cultural movements.

2) Collaborate with influencers and culture ambassadors: Identify folks who embody the values and interests of your brand. Partnering with them can help your brand gain visibility and credibility within their communities. These types of collaborations can take the form of sponsored content, co-created products, or events that resonate with your ideal audience

3) Embrace diversity and inclusivity: Brands who don’t move forward in this area will not survive in the long term. While the “moral minority” holds tight to the standards and ideals of 1950s, the world as a majority is making progress. Make certain your brand’s messaging, imagery and actions are representative of different cultures, races, genders and identities. 

4) Create content that sparks conversations and connection: This can be done through blog posts, videos, podcasts or social media campaigns. Encourage your audience to share their opinions and experience, fostering a sense of community and engagement.

Organic engagement is more powerful than paid advertising.

With the exception of the random product all of us have bought because the TikTok algorithm told us we needed it, most people are engaging with brands in a more natural way. They are taking their time and getting to know a brand and the people before they are buying.

This shift involves prioritizing regular social posting that is fueled by real people, not bots. It means being truly social and engaging actively on the platforms, focusing on networking and building relationships rather than solely selling. Additionally, email marketing has really regained its significance in the majority of marketing strategies, as it allows brands to build a close relationship with their subscribers and deliver personalized content directly to their inboxes.

With AI content generation banging down our doors, it could be easy to type in a few prompts to ChatGPT and spew content out the door. Truth be told, some of the copy from this very blog was generated by that software. But what it can’t do, is be human. It doesn’t have the knowledge we have of the people we actually work with and the victories and struggles they face every day. It doesn’t know one of our clients just finished chemotherapy or that another is going on vacation next week. It cannot build an emotional connection the way our team and our human abilities. 

In short, at the end of the day, people will buy from people before they buy from a brand.

Consumers crave authenticity, transparency and genuine connection with brands and if you want to stay relevant, you have no choice but to evolve and adapt. Remember, the very heart of marketing is connecting with people and offering them what you have. True connection will lead to lasting customer relationships and there is truly no substitute for that.