Adapting Under Pressure: A Guide for Marketing Leaders

Do you remember when there was a push for healthier food items, and the beverage industry flooded the market with soda alternatives? This is a classic example of a change in consumer preferences, resulting in a change in marketing. 

Marketers are masters at observing and adapting to consumer needs. But, when a drastic change such as a pandemic alters the natural order of processes, preferences, and plans, how can marketers, let alone marketing leaders, adapt under the pressure?

While no one has the playbook to the perfect response, employees are looking to leaders to provide support, reassurance, and guidance during this challenging time.

Leaders should consider the following tips to provide that much needed support:

• Lead with empathy

• Adjust quickly

• Embrace new ideas

• Communicate clearly

• Adapt for the long-run

Leadership Tip #1 | Lead with empathy

“Let empathy be your guide,” shared Social Media Director Jason Dominy at Marbury Creative Group.

Empathy in marketing has never been more important. Whether it is the brand communicating a reassuring message to consumers or key leadership communicating to their employees, it is time for leaders to step up and look outward. Colleen Romero, former Director of Digital Marketing at SiteOne Landscape Supply, stated, “When you see someone else struggling, ask what you can do to help them push through their concerns. It is important to recognize when folks need help and to help them. You’ll end up helping yourself and your team in the end.” 

The first order of business is to take care of employees and provide them with everything they need to adjust to being at home. Then you can apply that same focus to the end consumer. Maureen Kelly, Head of Content and Brand Marketing at Hiscox Insurance, continually asks herself "How are we helping our customers? And how am I helping my staff?" to ensure she is keeping empathy top of mind.

People are experiencing and responding to different ranges of stress. To boost team morale and productivity, marketing leaders need to:

1. Encourage open dialogue within the company.

2. Empower managers to check on the mental state and well-being of their people.

3. Continue to show appreciation for employees during this critical time. Leadership can do this by featuring employees in Slack channels, shout them out with kudos or on apps like Praisely, reward high performers monetarily or with gifts (if you can afford it), or find little ways to lift up the team. 

4. Maintain office culture by holding weekly stand-ups or huddles and hosting water cooler talks, happy hours, trivia, or virtual lunch/coffee dates to help employees find a connection with one another and the company. 

Cultural events and conversations give leadership a chance to get a pulse on employee morale by investing in their well-being outside of work. Once the internal operations are functioning properly, leaders can focus on an external impact. 

The second order of business is to help out the community. Jason added, “Think about how your products or services could be used to reduce the stress we’re all feeling. What can your brand do to provide some smiles to your audience, some hope or real encouragement? This is a time where people don’t want to be sold to, but they want to buy, so how can you help make that process easy and fun? What are the things you can do with your time to support those going through a challenging time, and how can you activate and mobilize your teams to help with these challenges, making an impact in the community and the world?”

Companies like Ford “made 400,000 reusable surgical gowns and shipped more than 14 million face shields to all 50 states.” Consumers are noticing what companies are doing to help out their employees and the community, and it does not hurt that assisting prevention efforts within the community is an opportunity for brands to live by their values.

Athleta, a brand centered around community, created “Empower Hour” to have conversations about how to stay resilient and strong. Chipotle’s Chief Marketing Officer, Chris Brandt, said in an Adweek interview that Chipotle has always been about cultivating a better world and doing the right thing. Their messaging about their food has remained consistent: Chipotle is about real food, naturally sourced, made fresh every day. That’s always their messaging, but, during this time, they added to that messaging to include initiatives for healthcare heroes and the like. 

In an AdAge interview, Nicole Oliha, the SVP of Creative and Brand Startegy from City National Bank, stated “Brands that give back and make a difference in their communities and to their colleagues are the brands we'll remember.”

“Brands that are selfless or innovative for the greater good are making an indelible impression on the people that matter. There won’t be a second chance to be the brand that made the difference that no one will ever forget.”

— Moira Vetter | CEO | Modo Modo Agency

Leadership Tip #2 | Adjust quickly

In the Setup virtual #MarketingMixer, panelist Julie Bowerman, the Chief Global Digital Consumer and Customer Experience Office at Kellogg’s, mentioned that, although things have been going well, she wishes that her team had pivoted even more quickly.

“Timing is everything. I think too many people wait and see what others are doing. By the time they figure it out, the window of opportunity for that message has passed. Be bold. Make decisions. Don’t follow the herd. You’ll be left in the back of the pack and your message will be lost in the noise.”

— Randy Cooper | Director of Informations Services + Marketing Technology | Sorbient Technologies, Inc.

In order to adapt to the disruption, leaders have to reinvent operational activities while also remaining true to their company vision and being empathetic and transparent to stakeholders. 

Simon Sinek, business author and speaker, predicts that “workers will have to adapt to new roles and businesses will have to change, and sometimes overhaul, their models. But if they accept the challenge, they will be better off.” 

Sheila Shekar Pollak, the Chief Marketing Officer of Athleta, shared in an Adweek virtual interview that Athleta quickly repositioned their product marketing to position their clothing and products for the women out there who would now be at home for the foreseeable future: here’s what you need to work from home, to work out at home, to restore and meditate at home. Athleta began having a conversation with their consumer about not letting anxiety get to you - staying emotionally healthy. This approach is really resonating in terms of sales of those products. 

Because budgets and marketing plans are shifted, it’s a good time to reevaluate your marketing team priorities. Check out our free marketing budget template or marketing brief template to realign your marketing strategies. 

Read Related - How to Pivot Marketing Strategies During a Difficult Time

Leadership Tip #3 | Embrace new ideas 

Companies are evolving, and some are evolving for the better. Take this opportunity to open the floor to different people of the company. Strategy can come from the insights of employees, competitors, or consumers. Simon Sinek shares “We are all part of the solution. Ideas can come from anywhere.”

Leadership Tip #4 | Communicate clearly

During a crisis where there are infinite challenges and no easy answers, when information is unavailable or inconsistent, and when people feel unsure about what they know (or what anyone knows), behavioral science points to an increased human desire for transparency, guidance, and making sense out of what has happened.

Leaders need to continually communicate and keep staff and consumers informed. A leader’s words may be the very thing that helps an employee to cope or a consumer to buy. Instead of keeping everyone in limbo, transparency increases loyalty, eases minds (even if it is bad news), and revitalizes resilience. Effective communication can lead to a proactive dialogue that could be used as a catalyst for positive change within the organization.

Leadership Tip #5 | Adapt for the long-run 

Globally, brands have been impacted in unimaginable ways. At-home fitness, health, and education plans have been implemented - potentially impacting some industries for good. This unforeseen scenario can be a jumping off point for leaders to make change and innovation a part of their company culture. Internally, more companies have admitted to adapting remote procedures moving forward. Externally, companies have made changes to temporarily reach consumers that may turn into permanent relationships. 

Chris Brandt, Chipotle CMO, said Chipotle doubled and tripled-down in digital and social media advertising. They quickly updated media plans to match how and where people were spending their time. While they're still doing some traditional marketing, he mentioned the benefits of advertising across the various platforms and it potentially being a permanent change. 

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While the world is shaken and people are looking to leaders for guidance, that does not mean the executive suite knows everything about COVID-19. Instead of offering solutions or personal opinion, reference the professional advice of those closest to the situation. 

There is no how-to guide for leaders during a crisis because every company is different. Best practices marketing leaders can take to properly steer their companies and people in the right direction during this critical time starts with investing in innovation and listening to stakeholders, consumers, and employees. By keeping a pulse on consumer and economic behavior, maintaining a high morale, exuding a calm presence, and evolving with demand, leaders can equip their teams to weather this storm.