It’s no secret that COVID has profoundly impacted every aspect of our lives, and how we’re marketing our brands is one of them. Practically every brand in the global parameter has been forced to adopt new standards of how to market their products and businesses. When the pandemic started, and boy is we tired of saying the word ‘pandemic’, many fashion brands were forced to think fast and figure out a way to stay in business, considering that tangible shopping experiences were a big no-no at the time. So, what did they do? They exercised the wonders of virtual reality shopping, and were also inspired by their own personal epiphanies to market themselves in a more vulnerable way because let’s face it, the pandemic took a real emotional toll on everyone.
These are just a couple examples of the side effects that COVID (another term we’re sick of using), has had on the world of marketing presently, and will be staying and evolving in the near future.
We at The Stylatude are always keeping up with the latest marketing changes, and will always be hopping on the trending train, and staying on board no matter what shifts might be taking place. Suppose you’re interested in going on the same ride as us so that your business stays relevant to the current and popular practices of marketing. In that case, we highly suggest you take a look at a few examples below of what’s happening now in the brand marketing world:
1) Being Real:
Let’s just be honest here, and try to hold on to the term ‘honest’ while reading this because that’s going to be the main moral of the story here. When we were all cooked up inside our homes with almost nowhere to go and didn’t have as many distractions as we once did pre-COVID, we were all forced to do some major introspection that changed the way we marketed our businesses, but most importantly ourselves.
When we were all forced to pump the brakes that were actually sort of a blessing in disguise because it gave us the luxury of time. Time to really think more, grow as individuals and have a change of perspective that we ended up carrying with us post-pandemic.
We have injected these newfound qualities and lessons into every aspect of our lives and the way we marketed our businesses was no exception because we, as well as other brands out there, should not only be interested in just selling products anymore because that’s just so dated and effortless.
What consumers really want is to be able to trust your brand, and see a vulnerable and relatable side that they can respond to in a positive way. They want to know who’s behind all these products, and what’s the story that led to these products and this brand, they want to feel like they’re being heard, and that you actually care about what they have to say. (Check out this article to learn more about this concept).
Honesty and realness are key to building successful long-lasting relationships with your customer base.
2) Virtual Reality:
During the pandemic, going out for some shopping therapy wasn’t a possibility, so brands had to act fast to keep profits coming in, and that was by introducing virtual shopping experiences.
Brands utilized the means of social media mediums, such as Snapchat to introduce a filter to its consumers that would allow them to try on their latest products in a virtual fitting room, and this marketing method is still being exercised to this day and will be sticking around in the near future.
It definitely saves you a lot of time and energy to try on multiple products in a matter of seconds than to spend almost an hour in a retail store taking off one item of clothing and putting on another. At least that’s our take on the matter.
3) Recruiting Influencers:
To briefly circle back to being real and honest, that strategy is one of the many fundamental foundations that social media influencers have, that got them to the successful place they’re in today with their huge online presence and following.
Many brands are envious of the following and trust that these social media savvy minds have garnered, and have taken it upon themselves to capitalize on their popularity and trusted following, by recruiting them to be brand ambassadors.
Since these influencers have a loyal and steady following that will listen to just about anything they say, having them promote your brand’s products and services will be a foolproof way to increase your own following, as well as your sales.
4) Sponsored Ads:
Whether it’s YouTube ads that we’re forced to watch like the opening act we didn’t ask for or promotions that sneak upon us when we’re scrolling through stories, brands have and are still using this clever method to catch consumers off guard and get them to notice their products.
These are just a few key examples that are currently being utilized by almost every brand in existence, and they’re actually very effective. So, if you want your business to actually have a chance to compete with the big-league businesses in fashion today, then contact us now for a consultation on what popular strategies your brand should be practicing now, and moving forward.