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What can marketers learn from lockdown

Crikey New Zealand, you bloody did it - we’re nuclear, snake and Covid-free (well…hiccup…almost). And most of us are already wallowing in the joie de vivre of our newly returned Covidian freedoms.  Like standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers while we order a shandy at the bar. Pedalling on adjacent cycles at the gym so close we can smell the bloke next to us. Shaking hands with a sweaty someone we don’t particularly like before a packed-out board meeting. Having only one bum cheek on the last half seat on the bus. Oh, it’s so good to be enveloped by the delights of modern life again.

 But wait. Let’s take a moment to reflect. With so much going on in the world and an impending recession, the discomfort of our lockdown could soon become a distant memory, much like a new mum who forgets the tribulations of a long labour, and is amping to pop another bun in the oven.


WHAT CAN MARKETERS LEARN FROM THIS LOCKDOWN?


 Well for starters, Kiwis love being told what to do - with firm, clear instructions. And despite us all being Covid-free, that fact hasn’t changed. Because the week before last, from her sermon upon Hill St. (or thereabouts) Jacinda laid out our The Covidian 10 Commandments. (Yes I know, I’ve mixed my Old and New Testament references there).


COVIDIAN 10 COMMANDMENTS


  1. New ParagraphThou shalt sniffle at home.
  2. Thou shalt get tested, stat.
  3. Thou shalt remember cleanliness is next to Covidfreeliness.
  4. Thou shalt only project mucus into one’s antecubital fossa (look it up).
  5.  Thou shalt honour thy doctors and nurses.
  6. Thou shalt not honour google medical advice.
  7. Thou shalt track your own movements.
  8. And thou shalt track thy neighbours’. 
  9. Thou shalt expect the unexpected.
  10. Thou shalt be GCs.

Seems like good, old-fashioned common sense doesn’t it?

 

However, let us not forget our summertime squabbling over multi-packs of bog roll in supermarkets. For this incident alone has shown, when we’re scared, it seems common sense is the first thing to be voted off our precious little island.


 So the lesson learnt here is to keep talking otherwise you will be forgotten. Even if your message isn’t a new one. Keep advertising. Stay front of mind. But don’t ever use the words ‘unprecedented times’ or ‘in this together’ again. Like a basketball legend’s jersey number, these should be retired from the English dictionary forever.


 We also learnt that ‘stuff’ doesn’t really matter. Despite our Kiwi homes (and baches) being chocka-full of the things we think define us. After just four weeks, we couldn’t wait to get away from them. It’s all just…stuff. We were happier being creative; gardening, baking, painting, exercising and hanging small stuffed animals from trees. So why rush out and buy more? Well, we need to keep the economy ticking over, don’t we.


 Kiwis enjoyed being good neighbours. So let’s encourage them to look after local and community-minded businesses. Get out there and buy local produce and consume it with friends and family. Our weeks in lockdown have proven that new experiences are way better than new stuff. Promote variety. Emphasise Kiwi-made. If you have a business or a product, there’s never been a better time to tell Kiwis who, what and where you are. 


 And forget all this ‘new normal’ malarkey. Because it feels a bit scary. The truth is nothing has ever been normal. Every day has been different. Change is normal. But we’re humans, we’re Kiwis, we adapt better than anyone. Because we don’t have snakes or reactors or COVID-19.


NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO BE QUIET. BE LOUD. BE PROUD.

 

 OK, can we take the mouldy, soggy soft toys off the fences and out of the trees now? 


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The why, what and how of Internal Product Launches

By Sonja Corbett • 21 Nov, 2021
WELCOME TO THE LOW DOWN ON INTERNAL PRODUCT LAUNCHES. One of Mágico’s areas of expertise is Internal Product Launches. So I thought I’d use this 90 Seconds of Magic to give you the low-down on the why, what and how of Internal Product Launches. Why should you host an internal product launch? Your team is your biggest brand advocate. So getting them involved in the latest news is as important as the experiences you create for your customers. Introducing new products developments and offerings to your team will improve morale and build a sense of culture. Engaging IPLs build pride in the workplace. IPLs provide an opportunity to enhance workplace connections. What should your internal product launch look like? An IPL should reflect your brand identity and company values. It should be a seamless part of your customer marketing plan. It should feel like they come from a single-minded idea. How to make an internal product launch magical & memorable 1. Careful preparation Choose a time that causes minimal disruption will result in a higher turnout. Consider your company's usual rhythm and operations Aim for a duration of around 60 minutes and no longer than 90. Choose an accessible location – you'd be amazed at how we can transform a familiar company communal space. Consider an engaging theme to dictate the tone of delivery. Have a focal point eg: a display or backdrop to support your these. 2. Attention to details Send invitations with ample time to ensure guests can prioritise the event in their diary – and send reminders. Consider what medium would get the most engagement e.g. calendar invite, an emailed video invitation or a physical printed invitation 3. How will guests feel when they arrive? What’s the first thing they see? What important messages should they engage with? Is this the first time some guests have seen the product? 4. Feed the right people the right information Do you need a 2-tier launch with different levels of information? Consider how guests should receive the information. Printed collateral? A presentation? Or are there opportunities for a hands-on experience? It's important not to overwhelm your guests, so refine your information and prioritise the key messages. 5. Consider every touchpoint Put yourself in your guests’ shoes and walk through their intended experience; from invitation to post-presentation follow-up Work through the event, including: arrival, greeting, waiting, visibility at seating, food/coffee service etc. Finally, review departures, takeaway material and post-event follow-up. 6. Check your checklist Before sending out the invitation, go through your Product Launch Checklist. This should cover information about the product, the IPL and market launch. If you don’t already a checklist, you can download our Product Launch Checklist and edit it to suit your needs. You can also download our Product Launch Guidelines to refer to them later.

Entering a new epoch of life

By Sonja Corbett • 21 Nov, 2021
Holocene. Cretaceous. Jurassic. Devonian....we have entered a new epoch of life. Emerging from the murk of our living room forts and home offices blurry-eyed in the bright autumn sun. We are determined to find our way in this alien new world. We’ve been told what to do, how far to stand, where we can go and who we can see. And what an amazing effect it has had on the invaders. Hats off to us all. But if hoarding loo paper pre-lockdown was about control (cultural, not intestinal) in times of uncertainty, we are now entering a time of defiance. We’re back. And we want our luxuries. We want our cheeseburgers, our coffee, our secret herbs and spices, our fresh tattoos and a fresh fade for the bonce. And we’re prepared to stand in line at midnight for them. Life has changed. We haven’t...much. Lockdown has been a dramatically life-changing event for many of us. For the other 98% of us, this has been a ‘life-tweaking’ event. There’s definitely a feeling that we’ve accepted the change but we’re not willing to give up our simple pleasures. With every drive-thru coffee or Wicked Wing, we’re shouting, “ Take that COVID-19! You can take away my European Cruise, but you’ll never take away my freedom...I mean, my fancy almond croissant .” In this post-lockdown, travel restricted world, luxuries will be re-evaluated. Snorkelling in the tropics will be replaced with bubbles in a new spa pool. A family trip to Germany will be replaced with a schnauzer puppy. Twelve-course degustation’s will be replaced by a bucket of the Colonel’s finest, and an all-night drinking session in the city with friends will be replaced with an all-night drinking session in the city with friends, sitting down. If anyone can adapt, it’s us Koi-wois. With our number 8 wire and blah blah blah...you’ve heard it all before. So, what can marketers learn from all of this? Well, it’s simply that Kiwis still believe in treating themselves, and are more than happy to fork out some of their government subsidy for the simple pleasures. But this is also a time where Kiwis are re-evaluating their options; (some of us have even reached for wholemeal flour when the good white stuff ran out. Desperate times these are.) If you’ve got a new product (or an old classic) there’s never been a better time to get it in front of the country. Now is not the time to stop talking to your audiences. Give them options. Give them the chance to consider something new. Give them the chance to support locally made and community-minded. The new normal will be much easier to swallow when we all feel better about ourselves.

Marketing is a Teddy in the Window

By Sonja Corbett • 21 Nov, 2021
Covid-19 you little so-and-so. Not only have you infected our bodies, you’ve got your nasty little spikes into almost every facet of our world. You’re impacting our lives, livelihoods, relationships, freedoms, economies and look, you’re the topic of this critically important opinion piece too. For most of us, especially those with young kids, it’s been tough staying positive and entertained over the last few weeks. And those teddy bears (and parrots, puppies, monkeys, ponies, et al.) appearing in the windows are simply genius. A kind, clever and entertaining activity to help kids (and their parents) escape the confines of their Covid bubble for an hour or so each day. There’s no denying the world needs information on Covid-19; how it is affecting us and our cousins in other countries, how to keep ourselves safe, how the virologists are progressing on a vaccine, etcetera, etcetera. And this Covid information wave is not going break any time soon. That’s why it’s so important we step outside the virus bubble once in a while and go hunting for teddies - or whatever takes our minds off it. Spend a bit of time away from the daily reminders and morbid running infection totals. It’s how we’re going to stay sane and avoid slipping into the gloom of COVID fatigue. As our media consumption increases during lockdown and social distancing phases, most of us would have noticed a plethora of virus-related marketing activity. Messages from brands who want to reassure us they’re here for us during these ‘uncertain times’. As someone commented on social media, “I never knew so many brands were thinking about my wellbeing.” If you haven’t noticed it, other people have. Check out this piece from the US.
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