MAM
Covid2019 is changing how brands communicate
The Covid2019 pandemic has caused a major disruption to both life and economy, forcing businesses to shut down, million becoming jobless, and many other forced to work from home and with salary cut. During this time, brands need to consistently communicate with their consumers and stakeholders to stay connected and maintain the brand recall. As traditional forms of brand engagement are not applicable in the current scenario it is absolutely necessary that brands need to utilise digital engagement or remote engagement. As we prepare to resume our lives at the end of the lockdown, albeit with a few restrictions, these learnings of engagement across platforms is going to stay for a while.
Brands are also waking up to the renewed importance of relevant communication. Right from building narratives and relevance to creating a positive brand image is becoming extremely crucial than it was ever before; more so for SMEs and MSMEs and smaller brands.
Here are four ways how brand communication is going to change Post-Covid.
Building Narratives: The way narratives are created post Covid2019 is set to drastically change. There is a major shift in building narratives that is moving from a brand centric conversation to a consumer centric narrative. As a result, earlier conversations around brand offerings, their benefits and many more, are now shifting towards consumer education, empathy, sharing useful information on health, and how consumers can leverage what the brand has to offer during this crisis. Brands are creating narratives that focus on the consumers’ needs rather than what they have to offer, with an empathetic narrative that reflects the brands commitment towards the best interest of its consumers. And this change in narrative is going to stay long after the lockdown is gone.
Integrated Communication: Post Covid2019, brand communication is being replaced by more holistic and integrated forms of communication. On ground campaigns are definitely going to take some time to build their traction and connect with consumers and stakeholders. But during the pandemic brands have been able create a good mix of both traditional and digital media to communicate the right messaging to increase brand visibility. PR, online advertising, social media marketing, influencer marketing have all been beneficial and brands have been successful in creating the right marketing mix to get the desired results. And this approach is going to last for a long time, after the lockdown has been lifted.
Utilising the right media channels: Communicating the right message to the right audience is very crucial during this time of crisis and being able to judiciously use the right media is the biggest factor. Social distancing has changed how media is consumed and after lockdown though traditional form of media will remain but the online media will become an integral part of all communication campaigns. Apart from social media and digital marketing, innovation in new age media, including OTT, branded content, influencer collaborations and in-film branding are set to become popular.
Internal Communication: While the external stakeholders have always been extremely important, the pandemic has forced people to work from home, making brands realise the significant role that employee engagement. From giving clarity about the business to informing employees on where they stand, internal communication has a gamut of significant roles that can be beneficial to both the businesses and the employees. Keeping employees in confidence on the recent developments is a very crucial and humane thing to do for businesses and brands are slowly opening up to this aspect of building employee engagement to create long term loyalty.
Using Technology: Due to Covid2019 the dependency on technology has suddenly increased manifolds; all forms of communication, messaging and engagement activities are being done through technology. Right from the use of app like Zoom and Skype for virtual meetings to using hangouts, Instagram and Facebook live sessions for webinars, mass engagement has transformed forever. While traditional media will always be there but the nuances of technology will never be forgotten and will be utilised to further engage with audiences.
The post Covid2019 scenario is going to be a new market for brands and to be able to survive here, it is important for them to adapt to the new rules of engagement. A fresh and relevant communication strategy is needed to grow and be successful in this market and be connected with consumers.
(The author is co-founder, Scenic Communication. The views expressed are her own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
