It’s silent outside, and it’s serious. If you are lucky to be surrounded by some greenery, you may finally hear the birds chirping, so clear and beautiful. I don’t think you’ll enjoy it, but you should.
It’s silent outside, but there is still noise all around us. On all channels, a sea of information, misinformation, messages, posts, news, statements, truths, lies … It’s silent out there, and yet we do not know what to do with so much information splashing across us like the ocean.
It’s silent outside, but everything is buzzing with titles and sub-titles that contain one virus. A virus that everyone is aware of, everyone knows about, everyone thinks about, talks about … How does it work? Easy! It uses one of the most powerful marketing weapons- FEAR!
Beside states and governments, this virus has activated the community on social networks, it seems more than ever. And everyone is there and everyone follows, reads, shares, comments … more often than ever before. To express myself in the language of my fellows from digital, engagement is huge. And the most important of all – everyone BELIEVES!
In these circumstances, the issue of ethics in communication is an extremely important topic, primarily because people need to be informed about important issues, but I have to mention also brand ethics here. Some companies stick to their post plans, thinking it is important to come up with content that is not related to the current buzzword, no matter how irrelevant or even redundant it is at the moment. Others are trying to find a connection between their business, products, services, and the new situation. They are walking the thin line of trying to survive, while being objective, truthful, professional. They try not to take advantage of the situation, while being relevant, up-to-date and reliable. This approach is something that is recommended in the current circumstances, but you should be extremely careful with it.
Of course, there are those who have suspended all their marketing activities, following the logic that during a crisis it should survive on the basis of the results achieved in the previous period, and the budget should be preserved for the period following the crisis. Given the outlook, such a major break in communication, especially for brands that are not so “strong”, could be a serious problem.
It is up to us communicologists and communicators to monitor, advise, direct. To guide our clients through this noise and to get them out of this situation healthy and alive. After all, like ourselves.
So yes, it is silent outside, but it will pass! And the crowds, the noise, the chaos will come again … I believe that after everything we’ve been through, we might even start enjoying them 🙂
