Moving on From Covid | Perspectives from the Communications Industry

Moving on from Covid | Perspectives from the Communications Industry

Commentary by Craig J Selby

Yes, I said it, the C-word!

Which, I promised myself to avoid at almost all cost.

Reality is, we can’t.

Not us as individuals, businesses, or collectively as society.

But, at some point we have to say “fark it” and find a way to move forward. Pivot, pivot, pivot!

For us at Orchan, this moment was in the first week of lockdown.

In fact, we pivoted the H-E-double-L out of it, as best we could. Fortunately so, too.

A realisation that it wouldn’t be the two (2) weeks as initially reported, that no matter what happens, our world has tilted (yes, I should have said pivoted; but that’s another “catch all phrase” that I consciously wish to avoid over-using).

What was / is to become of us, our Agency, and our role in the bigger picture?

We ‘pivoted’ – consulted and advised more, ran webinars, and continued business development in emerging sectors that are less likely to be adversely impacted. Life goes on, just in a ‘parallel universe’ where the rules were a little more spontaneous.

But longer term, what is the reality for not only us, but for all Communications Agencies?

A change in mindset, a change in role, a change in responsibilities.

As clients adapt, our interaction with them will and has changed too. Clients want a strategic sparring partner on an ever-increasing basis; not only someone that will go in to bat for them, but will help them shape their course as well. It’s no longer us and them, it is all “us”. A constant voice of encouragement for client internal teams, agencies become more of an extension, and a more embedded element of their corporate culture. Focus becomes “in”, rather than “on”, meaning that we look at the longer-term as the business model.

And with the lockdown over, and our new appreciation of Zoom, GoToMeeting, Teams, and the like – it is time for face-to-face to return as part of the equation. Yes, a responsible, socially-distanced version; but face time for the client now returns to be a necessity, even if only for support.

Given that the scenario for many brands looks rather ubiquitous currently, it is now the time for enhanced creativity. The old tactics don’t stand out, and with changes in the media landscape since March, mean that creativity needs to be further elevated to stand out from the rest. Stories and features that may have been published in January aren’t receiving the same response. Times and priorities have fundamentally shifted, and what was agreed with clients pre-lockdown may no longer work in the same manner.

For Agencies to thrive, there needs to be a realignment as well. Agencies that are “generalist” in nature now potentially have more to offer clients than a “specialist” Agency. Being a one-shop-fits-all may now be an advantage, as opposed to being a weakness just six months ago. This means ensuring your team has a broad experience base, and as with any good marketer, make sure you can “sell ice to Eskimo’s, while seated on a catamaran in the tropics, eating fiery curry sauce”.

What becomes most essential is building trust in more ways than previously done. New ways too.

As we plan, we need to be more pro-active. Our Crisis Plans partly shredded, maybe even thrown out the window completely, but with new insights into that arena, we also need to add another level of planning and preparation – prediction: 6 months, 12 months, two years, and beyond.

Inevitably, the fear of Covid is with us for another six (6) months, at least.

But in what form?

We have gone from proactive to reactive, and with this uncertainty ahead, are more likely to be reactive.

How do we get that proactiveness back?

Get out of crisis mode!

After four (4) months, we all have been in crisis mode for too long. We may still be working from home. Yet, it’s time to take our heads out of that old playbook and simply move forward. Yes, be aware and observant of setbacks; but remember, at the end of July 2020 we now have a far better understanding of the “new business as usual” mode/s of operation; along with what we, our clients, and our communities can reasonably adapt to. We are no longer on the back foot; we are now on equal footing with the pandemic, and we need to strive to get ahead.

In terms of planning, 2020 isn’t totally wiped out – just our initial expectations of it that are. It is simply ‘just different’ to what we anticipated. This should not be a barrier to business continuity. Monthly rolling plans which can be quickly amended provide a sense of consistency for agency and client, even if strategy is not 100% logical at this juncture. Long term plans should resurface in 2021, as we take centre stage over the pandemic and regain further control, along with an additional six (6) months of invaluable insight into how all manner of people and organisations respond.

For Agencies, innovation should become a key value (if it isn’t already). Innovation is the core to any business success. In the communications industry, our opportunities to innovate lie primarily in technology and its use, but also in how we open up the bridge between the C-Suite and internal stakeholders. That human face is ever-more important. What are we doing to bring it to the masses?

So, as we pick our jaws off the floor from the chaos that has been 2020 thus far, let us make a conscious decision every day to not only continue to move forward, but to find new opportunities in which to do that.

Are you now ready to say “fark it” to nasty 2020, regain control, and move forward with us?

We hope so.