Amid COVID-19, will your brand be missed?

If your brand suddenly “died” overnight, would consumers miss it?

This is the question that business owners should be asking themselves now, as the world continues to deal with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the unprecedented changes that have come with it, says the data and analytics head of a Manila-based media and creative agency.

According to Phil Tiongson of Havas Ortega, amid these challenging times, it is impor­tant for brands to reflect on their meaning.

One way would be to use the “obituary technique,” used in qualitative research, which asks consumers questions that would gauge how deep—or shallow—their relationships are with certain brands.

These questions would include:

“If you—most profitable brand, most bought brand, No. 2 brand, most liked brand, challenger brand, challenged brand—were to disappear tomorrow, would your consumers miss you?

“Would they give a eulogy you would like to hear?

“Would you be remembered as the brand that cared?

“Would you be remembered as the brand that made lives better?

“Would you be remembered as the brand that authentically lived and expressed the same values as its buyers?

“Or would you be simply, easily forgotten?”

Now, more than ever, these are the things brands should reflect on, to see how meaningful they are to Filipinos facing daily challenges because of the pandemic, says Tiongson, who leads in the innovation of pro­jects and campaigns for Havas’ research and integrated communication planning tools.

Citing a 2018 study by Havas Group, Tiongson says brands should keep in mind a certain market segment called “prosumers,” as their current disposition would heavily influence the mainstream market in the next one and a half to two years.

According to the study, prosumers make up 15 to 20 percent of the mainstream population, and are characterized as proactive (engages with brands, organizations and categories, and shares their recommendations), productive (pursues positive change when possible), prospective (considers a better future for the community before buying) and professional (constantly learns and observes brands and companies).

Tiongson says that 60 percent of Filipino “prosumers” buy—or refuse to buy—products based on their expressed values and sociopolitical activities; while 67 percent are more likely to trust and patronize brands that support the same causes that they do. Moreover, 88 percent will pay extra if the proceeds are going to a good cause.

“Considering that 24 months have passed since the report was conducted, the above findings still ring true in the current market. Brands who proactively addressed the coronavirus crisis were lauded for their efforts to support those in need. A canned goods brand that has become a household name, for example, reallocated its advertising budget into nonprofit organizations; meanwhile, a homegrown fast-food giant donated P100 million worth of food to front-liners,” Tiongson says.

He emphasizes, however, that such good deeds should be performed with sincerity—not for publicity.

“Nor [should these be done] to stay relevant. This is an extraordinary situation, and while brands can do good every single day, it is exceptional to lead by example and contribute to the community,” Tiongson says. “This is the call for brands to be meaningful—to find, live and express that meaningfulness with sincerity.”