The Greek historian, Plutarch had it right; way back in 45 AD, when he said that ‘the mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled’. The spark of that fire can only be relished once you are forced to step out of your comfort zone and thrown into the unknown as in a crisis that we are now. Crisis can fill your mind with doubt, confusion and inaction or it can fuel your mind with the fire of creativity, rewarded by some growth in intuitive knowledge, strengthening of character, or initiation into a higher consciousness. A crisis, like the one we are emerging from, triggers new needs and habits. For instance, the 2002-2003 SARS pandemic in China was a huge factor for the rise of e-commerce giants like Alibaba. Duncan Clark, author of Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built, writes, “[SARS] came to represent the turning point when the Internet emerged as a truly mass medium in China…. Crucially for Alibaba, SARS convinced millions of people, afraid to go outside, to try shopping online instead.” Having said that, in this article, we draw inspiration from 4 books that can help change the pattern of your brand, land your victory and get you situated for the long haul.
Wrapping up with a Question How will you use this moment in time and pivot your brand to serve the bigger context? Amazon didn’t change the face of global retail market by replicating a physical store online. It created something new, using technology as the launchpad to change the industry entirely while putting consumers’ interests first. Jack Bogle did not create another mutual fund. He introduced Vanguard’s at-cost quasi-nonprofit structure. Vanguard index fund gives all cost savings back to shareholders. Started with Vanguard and spurred on by Robinhood and Wealthfront, these financial companies have taken what “was an expensive, elitist, analog and slow process and made it the opposite: accessible, affordable, digital, and instantaneous.” And it does not end here. Science and technology is carving up new frontiers. Rainmaker that harvests fresh water from humidity in the atmosphere is directing their business towards becoming a major global water utility company. It’s model: water as a service. Now, that is a contextual and purposeful business model, given the fact that by 2030, 47% of the world will fall into severe water stress. (source: OECD Environmental Outlook, 2008) Thoughts and ideas are welcome. Until next time!
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Right now, if you are feeling inner disquiet and debilitating disharmony, you are not alone. You have lost your routines, friends, activities, sports, independence, time in nature, travel, and necessary novel stimulation. The best technology can offer is simulation of physical events and or webinars. Like zombies, you are doing your part in attending without much participation and even less expectation. In fact, brands are at a loss on how to maintain it's prominence and be at the center of their clients' decision making process. The controversy of COVID19 compiled with the uncertainty, the pandemic is proving to be a challenge in providing visibility into fluid plans. According to Newscred, 42% indicated that their marketing team lacked the bandwidth to quickly create new content as the result of shifting priorities with another, 40%+ indicating that managing realignment of budget & people resources is problematic. For so long we were so focused on tangible goals, that now we are at a total loss on how to go after our goals, garner leads, construct conversation and finally package our conversion. I believe, the clue lies in going beyond the surface and take a dive into the mental construct of your audience.
Building Your Butterfly COVID-19 gives you a reason to examine your ecosystem, dismemeber the parts that is not working and design a brand configuration that is strong enough to survive and thrive. “Caterpillars chew their way through ecosystems leaving a path of destruction as they get fatter and fatter. When they finally fall asleep and a chrysalis forms around them, tiny new imaginal cells, as biologists call them, begin to take form within their bodies. The caterpillar’s immune system fights these new cells as though they were foreign intruders, and only when they crop up in greater numbers and link themselves together are they strong enough to survive. Then the caterpillar’s immune system fails and its body dissolves into a nutritive soup which the new cells recycle into their developing butterfly.” The caterpillar is a necessary stage for brands to become relevant and sustainable. It is the precursor in defining the new developing reality. The task is to focus on building the butterfly — the success of which depends on powerful positive and creative efforts in all aspects of brand deliberation and brand engagement.
Finding Opportunities During Challenging Times The COVID-19 crisis is daunting and disorienting. There is no doubt that this health crisis has turned our personal world and the business world on its head. Health crisis has changed our lives in fundamental ways and turned the business world on its head. For example, brand that were planning to attend or host trade shows, conferences or other events have to quickly pivot to virtual events.
According to Newscred research, there is a significant increase increase in investment in the following channels:
This means that marketers are either having to venture more deeply into areas they’ve only dabbled in, like video creation for example, or, more likely they are needing additional resources to help them create the content they need to survive in the coronavirus chaos. So, brands have a chance to expand their reach through the use of new channels and agencies and freelancers have an exciting opportunity to serve new clients with new and creative services. Keep your spirits high. Stay Positive! |
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Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly. Franz Kafka |