Before COVID-19, we lived in the age of the attention economy, where consumers had little time and little attention for content. Now, it feels like we have nothing but time and attention. This has created an opportunity like never before to build brand equity and trust, and spend more time with an audience that is both accessible and captivated. Here are some ideas for content in a COVID world to engage your audience and build community.
Teach-Me Content
In recent months, content that teaches something has seen skyrocketing growth. From students to professionals, consumers continue to seek out content that is “infotaining,” delivering value in fun and imaginative ways. And signs show that brands that provide value to customers are experiencing an increase in sales. Case in point: In China, Oreo saw an uptick after shifting its messaging to focus on how its cookies could be incorporated into dessert recipes (AdExchanger). Think about what your brand can uniquely offer people and find a creative way to teach them.
Edited on Tongal for lululemon
Animated Content
For both kids and adults, animated content has always been in demand, but now, more so than ever. In March alone, consumption of animated content on YouTube channels jumped 30% (TheWrap).
With live-action production more restricted due to COVID-19, animation is both a way to keep creating new content and an effective way to engage your audience. It's also a format that allows you to tell complex stories (that, on their own, might not be very visually interesting) in a simple and captivating way.
Nostalgic Content
Nostalgia is also enjoying a resurgence. Live sports have been cancelled and new movies and series are on hiatus for the foreseeable future. To fill the time, everyone seems to be catching up on classic television and movies, and parents are taking the opportunity to introduce their children to these blasts from the past. Creating new content to support old content is necessary to sustain engagement. This is where repurposing footage becomes a great solution and when editors become your best friend.
Safety-Focused Content
According to Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs,” after fulfilling basic needs like food and shelter, the next thing people need is safety. As the world continues to deal with the impacts of COVID-19, safety-focused content will be in high demand. Consumers will need thoughtful, relevant and engaging content for their financial, emotional, physical and social safety. Think about what knowledge your brand can uniquely offer and how you can provide it in a sincere way.
Little Productions, Giant Creativity
While large-scale productions may be limited for safety reasons, the mass consumption of content shows no signs of slowing any time soon. In response, creatives are finding ways to feed the machine by making BIG things with small teams. Nissan used a drone to create a love letter to empty streets, Honda shot its latest ad completely from home, and WarnerMedia asked its fans to recreate their favorite scenes at home. Creativity will not be slowed by COVID-19, and content will continue to be in demand.
Pip, Made on Tongal for Southeastern Guide Dogs
While so many unknowns about the future remain, one thing we do know is that brands are in a unique position to support their communities in newfound ways. As you look ahead to back-to-school season, the holidays and more (because, yes, these things will happen, even if they look a little different), think about how you can develop content to connect with and support your community through whatever the world throws at us.
And if you need help with your next creative idea, drop us a line at business@tongal.com. We know about 200,000 creative people around the world ready to help!
