In the past few months, the world has been turned on its head. From banks and businesses to schools and socialising, every part of our life has been governed by a new rulebook. And where there’s the need for change, there’s the need for great communication. Cue the copywriters.
The world might be a teeth-grinding pit of anxiety, but at least there’s always good copy (and coffee for that matter) to guide us through. So what have we learned about marketing in a pandemic? Here we’ve pulled together some examples of writing that nails the right tone and messaging for these “strange times” (sorry, we said it).
Innocent
We know, we know. Using Innocent as the benchmark of good copy has become as cliche as banana bread in lockdown, BUT how can we ignore the brand’s masterful approach to the global crisis. Taking their signature human voice, they’ve spoken to the everyday anxieties of the British population and soothed them with a liberal dose of humour, empathy and confidence.
Rather than trimming back their marketing campaigns, they’ve expanded them to create a web of social initiatives, including the Big Grow campaign which gives seeds to bored kids; a pen pal service to tackle loneliness in old age; and the re-routing of unsold drinks to healthcare workers.
Headspace
Meditation app Headspace is one of those cases where a calm but confident voice is essential. Add a global pandemic to all the other stress we have to deal with on a daily basis, and the need for a strong voice becomes even more important. Unsurprisingly given the consistently seamless design of the app experience, Headspace has achieved this.
One thing that they do particularly well is expressing the idea that we’re truly all in this together, even if we’re physically apart.
John Lewis
For non-essential businesses, navigating communication at this time can be tricky. Now's not the time to push for conversions, but that doesn't mean going dark either. Instead, the best idea if to focus on offering value, whether that's by supporting relevant charities or simply packing your content with tidbits that your customers will genuinely enjoy. One example that dropped into our inbox lately is from John Lewis. Sure, it's encouraging people to buy from their website, but the inspiration is tailored for our lockdown lives.
As we all adjust to a new normal, marketing has an incredibly important role to play. Campaign copy has to strike the balance between authenticity and sincerity, comfort and confidence. These are just a handful of examples of copy that made us smile recently, but we'd love to hear about your favourite piece of lockdown marketing.