March 31, 2020
While dogs around the world are rejoicing at having their humans home all day, the rest of us are struggling to grasp the enormity of what’s happening.
In the future, more eloquent people than the author of this message will be able to make sense of all this. But for now, it seems humorous memes and social posts are providing us with the levity we need. Laughter will have to do as the best medicine, while the world awaits a vaccine and the effects of physical distancing.
That being said, at Junction59 we’re all about providing points of view, so allow us for a moment to put on our marketing lens and share with you our perspective on these unusual times.
First, our observations.
As marketers, we know there is nothing more important than getting someone to THINK something, FEEL something, and DO something. Changing someone’s behaviour is a challenging feat, and we’ve made it our careers to do so.
Which is why we are in awe of how (most of) the world has responded to the pleas of scientists and politicians to STAY HOME.
A captive audience of millions of people. One clear message, delivered over and over again, with many valid reasons to act.
This truly is the mother of all campaigns, with a far-reaching call to action that hasn’t been seen since WWII (think ‘I Want You’ in the US, and ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ in the UK). It’s amazing to see how the world is coming together to try to solve this unprecedented challenge.
Our point of view.
While we hold our collective breath, eagerly awaiting the results of this global movement, those of us fortunate enough to be able to work remotely should do so with humility and purpose.
Marketing and advertising shouldn’t stop. We need the economy to carry on so that the bounce back will happen sooner – for all of us.
The key, however, is not to take advantage of the situation. As many well-meaning brands have discovered too late, it’s very easy to be seen as self-serving, opportunistic and flat out tone deaf during this crisis.
The right approach – which we’ve been diligently helping our clients implement – is to carefully adjust the tone, messaging and imagery of your current communications; review what projects needs to be put on hold, postponed, or cancelled; come up with an appropriate short-term response; and start thinking about your long-term strategy.
And of course, to see if you can leverage what you do as a business to help those around you.
Together, we can all do our part.
While we don’t have all the answers right now, what we do know is that in tough times it helps to have someone to turn to for advice, or just to listen. That’s why the senior team at J59 will make themselves available to you throughout this crisis as a sounding board. Client, partner, student or friend, we are here for you.
And, as we take the advice of healthcare professionals for whom we are forever grateful, we remain confined to our living quarters, glued to our local news stations, tethered to our laptops and phones, and connected to our colleagues and clients.
Stay home, stay healthy, and stay tuned for more from us.
Your Junction59 Team
David Foy
Chief Executive Officer
416.484.6155
dfoy@junction59.com
Marc Cooper, CM
President
416.484.4861
mcooper@junction59.com