One year of MarketWell, hundreds of marketing lessons

I’ve been trying to counteract the heaviness of this third [tidal] wave by taking note of things to appreciate and celebrate. Later sunsets, getting take-out from a new-to-me local restaurant, and watching my kids ride their bikes during online school “recess” are just a few examples. Certainly, some days it’s easier to be in this positive headspace than others, but generally as a coping mechanism, it’s been working for me. However in my effort to notice these things, one occasion I nearly failed to mark was the first anniversary of our MarketWell newsletter. As she has countless times this year, our editor, Vanessa Grant, made me aware of this auspicious occurrence, so I can, in turn, commemorate it with you.

And what a year it’s been!

In our very first issue of MarketWell, we explored wellbeing marketing strategies for what we called the “COVID-19 crisis”. One year on, and it feels like MarketWell has become the source for wellbeing marketing during the pandemic—now a way of life rather than a short-term crisis. Tactically, the pandemic has changed the marketing landscape, forcing brands to move most of their marketing and communications online and to adapt to new ways of engaging their consumers. And the stakes around wellbeing have been raised, as well. Taking intentional action towards enhancing consumers’ wellbeing is a necessity for any business seeking to survive and thrive in today’s environment.

While the vaccine rollout has us anxious and hopeful for an eventual end to this crisis, we know that what we’ve learned in the last year is going to stick. And no matter what the next year brings, MarketWell will continue to be a resource for all marketers looking to embrace wellbeing for their brands—through the pandemic finish line and beyond.

 

 

Wellbeing from around the web

 

How Vita Coco turns social listening into TikTok fandom

At Felicity, we’re big proponents of listening and learning as the foundation for any communications strategy. In today’s market, one-way “outreach” doesn’t cut it anymore, rather, at Felicity, we take an “inreach” approach to engaging stakeholders and influencers in co-creating our clients’ communications strategies. That’s why we love how Vita Coco took a deep dive into TikTok trends, looking and listening for promotion opportunities that felt organic.

The Takeaway: Social listening is about more than monitoring media for mentions of your brand or competitors. Start tuning into microtrends on social media — and in society at large — and you won’t miss an opportunity to make your brand part of conversations that are going viral.

 

It’s time for brands to rethink their omnichannel strategies

In our digital-first society, brands need to look at the buying journey in a holistic way, investing in the touchpoints that matter and making them high-touch even in the absence of in-person experiences.

The Takeaway: Consumers rarely go from learning about a brand to immediately making a purchase, and in their annual marketing report, Nielsen has the data to prove it. Creating consistent messaging across consumer touchpoints is essential for growing brand recognition and exposure, both of which are key in the consumer buying process.

Want to go one step further? Create your own digital destination where consumers can engage with and learn about your brand, to develop a deeper, emotional connection to it, without pressure to purchase. Read our Canadian Health Food Association case study for just one example of how this works.

 

 

Felicity Wellbeing Marketing Monitor: Is COVID finish line anxiety affecting your consumers?

Writer Philip Preville recently wrote a piece in the Globe and Mail about how Canadians are becoming tired of pandemic restrictions because they feel that they’re losing the race to the proverbial finish line. Preville explains that with vaccinations starting, many people thought the end of the pandemic was in sight, but with the third wave spiking, our collective motivation to follow the rules is waning.

“Vaccines have given us all hope for playdates and date nights, for backyard barbecues, for small business survival, for steady work, for the sight of our children hugging their grandparents,” writes Preville. “That wave of fatigue you’re feeling is what happens when you were convinced the end was at hand, only to realize you’ve still got a long way to go.”

As wellbeing marketers, we want to support our audiences through tough times, especially now when we have so little within our control, and the proverbial finish line is not in view. What can you do to help your consumers find the fun and freedom they’re craving this spring and summer, while encouraging them to, as Preville writes, “keep people believing that the race is a team event, not an individual one”? 

While, according to the article, the onus is on the government to paint a clearer picture of this finish line, including when we can expect to reach it, how can your brand help people as they are challenged to “keep going” regardless? This is a topic we’ll dive into deeper in an upcoming edition of MarketWell.

 

Feeling inspired?