This year has been a stress test for personal and professional resilience. Faced with the greatest global health crisis in more than a century, our lives were upended. Some wonder if our world will ever return to the way it was.
It’s time for The Big Reset.
In periods of tremendous turmoil, the predictability and assurance of everyday business and what they offer are the foundation on which a return to normalcy can be built. Recently, WIRED Editor-in-Chief Nick Thompson joined McCann Worldgroup’s Innovation Council, a worldwide group of business leaders that shares leading-edge innovation ideas and practices.
The group builds on McCann's ongoing HumanTech offering, pairing clients with tech innovators and entrepreneurs to develop tailored marketing solutions. They discussed the best ways to remain connected to customers and their needs in a time of crisis. “People will have different values when we've come out of this,” Thompson said. “This will change how we behave and view the world.” Here are some highlights from that conversation.
The New Consumer Journey
We are in a challenging collective experience. We have new needs and new fears. Businesses must recognize the full sweep of the human experience.
“We are constantly reassessing and staying connected. We are on a new journey with our customers, together. Every day, we learn.” — Sandrine Gadol, Chief Innovation Officer, L'OREAL USA
"Different things now motivate people. We have new expectations and interactions. For instance, we saw a huge increased demand for contactless cards, not for convenience but because it was tied into to a new way of approaching the world — one based on hygiene.” — Cheryl Guerin, EVP, North America Marketing and Communications, Mastercard
“Digital has to be a key element in your value proposition to your customers as well. Your central question should be: what are you doing to bring your customers to the digital space?” — Manuel Altomonte, Marketing Director, Sodimac
"This experience is so profoundly different than anything anybody's gone through. But it’s also a shared experience, so it generates a natural empathy. We're experiencing what our consumers are experiencing and that has helped us reframe our view of innovation.” — Justin Degeorge, VP Marketing, US, Nespresso
Stay Relevant
This crisis has drastically changed the need for, and value of, community. We, as businesses, are a key part of that.
“We are thinking more deeply about what personalization looks like. We need to see customers as individuals. People want to be aligned with a brand that supports who they are now.” — Elizabeth Kruel-Starr, Director of Marketing, Immunology, Janssen
Well-Being, Work, and Productivity
Business and personal lives are no longer separated. People are worried about their future and finances. They may have kids at home who can’t go to school or daycare. Everyone is struggling. In a poll 53% of US adults reported that their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the coronavirus.
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“We've seen patches of brilliant collaboration at a pace that we never have in the past and with more team camaraderie and collaboration across the organization. Now we have to work to keep that energy.” — Emily O'Hara, Head of Market Activation, Global Marketing, eBay
“We said there are certain times of the day you should avoid scheduling meetings: from 8-9am, noon-1pm, and 4-5pm. There needs to be an opportunity to have a break in your day. To reset. Relax. Help your children with homework. We need to think about recovery as well as productivity.” — Elizabeth Kruel-Starr, Director of Marketing, Immunology, Janssen
“We have been immersed in doom and gloom and there is a point where everybody says: ‘OK, I’ve had enough’. It’s time to put optimism back into your messaging.” — Chuck Thomson, General Manager, Retail Sales & Marketing, General Motors Company
Accelerate and Customize
Successful businesses have always been customer-obsessed, but that has never mattered more than now. Offerings must be tailored to the times.
“We’ve had to double down on what we are doing well when it comes to the digital space and accelerate what we are doing there. We need to further digitize the whole company.” — Feda Hadzic, Chief Commercial Officer, Jawwy
“We had a thing called 'Shop. Click. Drive.' that saw an immediate spike in usage because people wanted to do their transactional activity online. You could shop, get a credit check, pick your accessories, and get financing. When you’re done, your vehicle is delivered to your home. It’s reassurance.” — Chuck Thomson, General Manager, Retail Sales & Marketing, General Motors Company
Shifts in Consumer Values
Pay close attention to what’s happening to your customer and their communities now — meaning today — and respond.
“We’re making sure we have as many affordable options and choices for these consumers, by trying to understand as acutely as possible, their habits, their pain points, where they show up when they shop, how they shop. So it always goes back to ensuring that our marketers truly understand what shapes our consumer.” — Gerardo Mazzeo, Global Innovation Director, Nestlé
"Obviously, there was a big shift to e-commerce in the lockdown window, and a lot of people are becoming more comfortable with digital transactions. And therefore, that reduces possibly some of our intimacy in real life. And that opens up an enormous amount of opportunity to create intimacy through digital connections and experiences." — Amy Gibby, Global Director, CRM & Care, RB
“People are getting acne from wearing a mask all day. That creates beauty challenges. We have all had to adjust to this new world, and that may even include ways you do your makeup." — Sandrine Gadol, Chief Innovation Officer, L'OREAL US
New Ways of Working
Remote working and making connections at a distance are the norm. It’s digital first now. Big changes are afoot. According to research, 92% of executives say the pandemic made their company rethink how they work. A similar number say the speed at which change took place was faster than they thought possible.
“We’ve had to double down on what we are doing well when it comes to the digital space and accelerate what we are doing there. We need to further digitize the whole company.” — Feda Hadzic, Chief Commercial Officer, Jawwy
“There are certain things that will fundamentally change. And there are certain things we just long to get back to. You just have to see how this plays out. I think no one has a clue right now as to how this damn thing is going to end, when it’s going to end, and what comes next.” — Rustom Dastoor, SVP, Head of Marketing, APAC, Mastercard
Hone Leadership Skills
Leadership on every level is being put to the test. If there was ever a time that a company’s culture is revealed this is it.
"I probably learned more in the past few months as a leader than I would have learned in the last decade. And I wouldn't be surprised if many others feel the same way as well. We can learn from each other. Look around your industry. People are doing some really cool things and you could use them to solve problems that you believe are unsurmountable.” — Vikram Krishna, EVP Head of Marketing, Emirates NBD
I think, for me, I feel in many ways, far closer to my team now than I've ever been. That is very much unexpected. We’ve really been invited into each other's lives in a way that is unprecedented.” — Justin Degeorge, VP Marketing, US, Nespresso
“We've seen patches of just brilliant collaboration during this time. I hope we can maintain that team camaraderie and collaboration across the organization.” — Emily O'Hara, Head of Market Activation, Global Marketing, eBay
Build Better Marketing
In a recent survey, 73% of advertisers have modified or developed new marketing assets since the start of the pandemic. Of these, over half (53%) are increasing messaging that emphasizes the mission of the company. The lives of your customers have changed. So should your marketing.
“We are building things around Black Lives Matter. One is helping black-run businesses manage their way out of the pandemic. Statistics show that in the US about 43% of black-run, small businesses will go under during this pandemic compared to just 17% of Caucasian-run businesses. We are also helping Black entrepreneurs and individuals get access to credit and build up credit scores that they can then use to get loans.” — Rustom Dastoor, SVP, Head of Marketing, APAC, Mastercard
“Our sales dropped by 95%. This allowed us to reflect on what our role as an airline is, and that is to connect people and communities. That unites all of us. We can build back around that.” — Andreas Schek, VP Sales, LATAM Airlines
Survival Tips
Your old game plan may not work. Engage with new ideas. Begin now.
“I don’t think e-commerce merchants will ever again take loyalty for granted.” — Rustom Dastoor, SVP, Head of Marketing, APAC, Mastercard
“Don't let this crisis go by without learning something. Make the most out of it. It's a great opportunity." — Vikram Krishna, EVP Head of Marketing, Emirates NBD
Elav Horwitz, SVP, Global Innovation Director, McCann Worldgroup added, “The Covid crisis has put a spotlight on a truth we have long championed: marketers should never let the glare of a shiny new technology or innovation eclipse the person they’re ultimately trying to reach. Everything we do has to be rooted in a firm understanding of what the average person really needs and then work back from there to decide what products and technology will help them solve problems, find joy and successfully navigate through the crisis.”
This story was produced by WIRED Brand Lab for McCann Worldgroup.
