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Finding your voice - advertising during the pandemic

While we’ve been in rahui/ lockdown here in Aotearoa there have been plenty of reports from around the country saying the native birds are singing more loudly than they have in decades.


Perhaps it’s the absence of traffic and machinery noise. Maybe it’s the noticeable reduction in air pollution that has made our feathered friends more active. Or perhaps it’s the quietening of the usual marketing messages that have made our collective senses more receptive to the world around us.


While having the birdsong back in our lives is a pleasantly unexpected result of this lockdown, we should all be a little concerned about the hush in the marketing world.


 If New Zealand is going to bounce back quickly from this incredibly unpleasant blip in world history then we need to get back up and running as quickly as possible. That means trying to pick up where we left off. So if the brands’ Kiwis love disappear from their lives then it stands to reason that it will take a bit longer to get back up to speed.


New Zealand has one of the greatest little bubbles in the world but over the last few decades, we’ve been spoilt for global choice. So right now, there’s never been a better time for trusted brands, number two, three and four brands to find their voice.  People still want brands to be active, but make sure you’re relevant and community-focused. 


A Kantar study of 25,000 people showed that during this pandemic web browsing has increased by 70%, TV viewing has increased by 63% and social media engagement has increased by 61% over normal usage rates.*


People are tuned in more than they have been in years. So now is not the time to be shy. 


A recent Colmar Brunton survey says that only 8% of people said that marketers should stop activity. 

A whopping 92% want our brands to keep talking.^ And with some of the bigger guys going quiet, it’s the perfect time for the locals to find their voice.


But a word of warning - you’re going to have to read the room. People are ‘grieving’ at the moment. For a loss of lifestyle, a loss of freedom and for some, the loss of loved ones, so the way we’ll react to things could be a little ‘out of the ordinary’. 


Now, more than ever marketers need to surround themselves with experienced agencies and empathetic creative people. Those of us who understand when to say the right thing at the right time. Effective listeners, cool heads and kind hearts.


Some quick suggestions:

Smaller brands should step into the spotlight.


There's never been a better time for the little guys to find their voice. People still want brands to be active, so let's make sure they're Kiwi-as.


If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.


Delivery is everything right now but don't let that stop you from finding you voice. Team up with people who know how to read the room.

If you can't deliver your product, best not to push it.


If people can't get hold of your products, tell them why and show them how you're solving the problem.


Be authentic.


Stay true to what you believe in. Keep talking. It will give Kiwi's a sense of comfort and normalcy.


Read the room and have multiple message ready.

Things are changing minute to minute, so have nimble messages that can be changed out quickly should be mood 'of the room' change.

In a nutshell, be present, be active and above all, be relevant. We’re in this together New Zealand but we can’t support each other if we don’t know we’re there. So start singing like the birds and get our own beautiful backyard back on its feet.

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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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