Staying well & marketing well during the COVID-19 crisis

Welcome to our first issue of MarketWell, a monthly newsletter for marketers in the wellbeing space, by Felicity.

COVID-19 struck as our agency had just embarked on our new positioning as “helping wellbeing brands market well.” From health to financial, mental to physical, certainly, wellbeing has never been more top-of-mind than it is now.

Going forward, MarketWell will be a portion-controlled package that includes a healthy dose of ideas, observations, research and inspiration, all with an eye to making you a more effective wellbeing marketer.

But times of crisis require flexible and creative approaches. So, instead of the usual digest of wellbeing news, trends and marketing tips you can expect in upcoming issues, today, we’ve done something different. Below you’ll find tips and advice about how to navigate business and life during COVID-19 from some of the experts on our team.

Want to learn more? On Thursday, April 2, 2020, we hosted a “screen-side chat” on marketing well during COVID-19. We welcomed wellbeing marketers, media and influencers in a moderated conversation to learn from each other as we navigate this uncharted territory, together.

 

Dave Trafford, media relations expert and news producer on How To Avoid Spreading the Epidemic of Misinformation. 

There is no shortage of great journalism being done on the COVID-19 outbreak and that includes the daily coverage provided by our major broadcasters and news publishers in Canada. And, there is no shortage of misinformation circulating online, particularly through our social media feeds. So, my advice to you would be the advice I would give any newsroom producer, reporter, anchor, or editor. Ask: What do you know and how do you know it? Who are the voices of authority? What are the sources being cited? But above all, I would advise you to limit the amount of time you spend consuming COVID-19 media. Stay healthy!

Dave’s go-to sources on COVID-19: the public health agencies, World Health OrganizationHealth Canada and Boston-based STAT news.

Dave’s suggested readingNegative news evokes stronger psychophysiological reactions than positive news. This story actually makes the case for more positive content, particularly at a time when there’s so much out there that is negative and scary.

 

Registered Dietitian Nishta Saxena on how to Boost Immunity and Stay Calm

You can’t temporarily boost your immune system with fancy supplements. Want to be healthier? Eat whole foods and avoid processed ones.

Get Nishta’s list of simple ways to improve your immune system.

 

Sandra E. Martin, Content strategist and editor-in-chief of MoneySense, Canada’s most trusted personal finance resource, on How to Stay Financially Well

Just as true physical wellness eschews extreme measures, maintaining financial wellness during this strange and challenging time is about moderation. Now isn’t the time to do a 180 with your investments. Yes, equities are down—for some of us, significantly. But selling stocks that are down isn’t a solution; in fact, selling will cement your loss, whereas waiting out this downturn will allow your investments time to recover. The markets have been down before, and they’ve recovered before. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t take this opportunity to look at where you can diversify and protect yourself. If you’ve been light on ‘boring’ investments like GICs, and skipped building an emergency fund because you figured you could lean on a line of credit if you needed—now’s the time to bring your finances into balance.”

Sandra’s recommended readingInvesting in the time of COVD-19 and Managing your mortgage during COVID-19

 

Geriatric Care Consultant and Social Worker Alana Warner on Caregiving (and Caring For Yourself) During COVID-19

“Do less. I often talk to my clients about ‘living with’. For example, living with chronic pain or anxiety. How can we live the best lives we can by learning to ‘live with’ the situation right now? This is an unprecedented time and the pressure of working from home, homeschooling our children, cooking and cleaning is a lot to try to multi-task.

Do what you need to do for you and your family. Take one thing off your list for today and try to enjoy this extra time with your loved ones. You and your family may look back at this time as the best family quality time you ever had, if you make the choice to see it that way.

Take a deep breath and stay connected. This moment in time, this moment of suffering will end. We may have no control over when or how, but take a deep breath and know you are not alone. The whole world is with you on this. If you are feeling down or blue, reach out to friends and family for support. Stay connected through phone calls, emails and video chats. If you are suffering and need some professional support, know that many mental health services are available over the phone or virtually.

And for goodness sake, stay home!”

Alana’s suggested readingMaintaining Mental Health Hygiene During a Pandemic

Moments of marketing well

In the face of uncertainty, the Felicity team has been impressed by these wellbeing brands that have risen to the moment.

Nike Ad on staying home during COVID-19Nike made a slam dunk with their recent Instagram post inspiring followers around the world to play as a team. The company donated $1.4 million to the China Youth Development Foundation in January and its foundation and leaders will be committing more than $15 million to support COVID-19 response efforts.

When Canadian women’s fashion brand Aritzia announced the closing of their stores earlier this month, they also announced the launch of their community relief fund. All of the company’s profits during the COVID-19 crisis will benefit their employees and overseas partners.

Women taking selfies on yoga matLululemon relaunched their online community hub called #thesweatlife. The goal? To stay connected, harness collective energy and maybe make new friends along the way.

Meditation app Headspace is offering free subscriptions, (usually $12.99 USD a month) free to healthcare workers. They have also launched a curated collection of mindfulness exercises called Weathering The Storm to help users reduce their stress during this time.

 

Want to know more about the top opportunities and challenges facing wellbeing brands?

Request a copy of our white paper Is Wellbeing Washed Up? Please help us share wellbeing to give wellbeing! To encourage people to share this newsletter and our white paper, while doing good, our team selected the Canadian Mental Health Association to receive a donation from Felicity for every new subscription or download of the white paper from our website. As the nationwide leader and champion for mental health, CMHA facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health. The work they are doing is even more important now, than ever.

Posted on: March 30th, 2020 by

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