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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nOne key learning in China was that time spent online shot up 20%\nas people confined themselves to their homes. Social networking continued to be\npeople\u2019s favourite activity, but there were surges in time spent mobile gaming\n(up 44% between January and February 2020), watching short videos (up 14%), and\nreading news and other information (up 14%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gartner says brands were able to play a role in easing people\u2019s\nconcerns and sense of isolation. Many brands generated messages of solidarity\nand hope; some made practical contributions to the fight against the virus,\nsuch as making donations of funding or medical supplies to help those on the\nfrontline, and promoted their efforts via social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Celebrity ambassadors (or Key Opinion Leaders\/KOLs) also\nencouraged people to stay positive, often through song. Est\u00e9e Lauder\u2019s Weibo\nhashtag \u201cWe Can Win This Fight\u201d, associated with its celebrity video messages,\nhas been viewed more than 61 million times and has generated 328,000\ndiscussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAlthough the form it takes in the West will be different, the\nneed to immediately express solidarity and support will be the same,\u201d said\nGartner analyst Danielle Bailey. \u201cDuring a crisis, social platforms can serve\nas a vital channel to help spread awareness and raise funds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The report\u2019s other key findings were that brands should:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Shift marketing efforts\nonline, where consumers are spending more time.<\/strong> Louis Vuitton\u2019s physical\nstores were closed in the lead-up to Valentine\u2019s Day, so the brand launched an\nonline pop-up store within the WeChat app, with live chat for pre-sale\nconsultations and promotions shared via store associates online. Online sales\nwere double those of Valentine\u2019s Day 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n – Use online video to win\nconsumer engagement.<\/strong> People isolating themselves at home are hungry\nfor entertainment and information. Activewear brands have been quick to promote\nin-home exercise content at a time when usage of the short video app Douyin\n(known as TikTok in the West) has seen usage as much as double. Nike began\nposting workouts to the platform, and its account has amassed 346,000 followers\nand more than 2 million likes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n – Focus on delivery options\nand be transparent.<\/strong> Consumers expect that there might be delays, but\nthey want brands to keep them updated. In the early stages of the crisis,\nhousehold cleaning brand Dettol took to its Weibo account to detail how it was\nhanding the spike in demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n – Be agile, developing new\ncontent and products, and adapting to new platforms and circumstances. <\/strong>The\ndog of a beauty influencer began trending on Weibo after appearing in a\nlivestream, and beauty brand Perfect Diary used his sudden celebrity to launch\na \u201cDog Eyeshadow\u201d pallet; 16,000 pieces sold out in 10 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDuring a crisis, timing is critical. Determining the\nappropriate cadence and striking the right balance between commercial and\nbranding messaging will be key,\u201d Bailey said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFollow the lead of the consumer and adjust your content\nstrategy accordingly. China has a much higher tolerance for sales messaging\nthan the West, and a business-as-usual strategy approach is not advisable for\nWestern markets. Brand-building should be prioritized in this period.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Bron: Gartner<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Bron: Gartner – Brands in China have maintained connections \u2013 and sales \u2013 in China throughout the COVID-19 outbreak by switching their marketing messages and their media mix in ways that provide lessons for brands in other countries. The pandemic is bringing significant shifts in consumer behaviour, media consumption and the use of social platforms …<\/p>\n