This year, consumers have spent more time at home than ever before, due to pandemic protocols and new work-from-home routines.
At the Brand Innovators: Brands At Home livecast last week, top executives across industries discussed their pivots to meet consumers where they are – in their homes. Brands have found innovative ways to connect with consumers and make their products relevant. Technology has played an especially key role in keeping communities connected.
Samsung Electronics has noticed substantial growth in the sales of their consumer-facing products, such as laptops and tablets, which consumers use to successfully work from home.
“One of the biggest shifts that we saw last year from a consumer electronic perspective was that laptops and tablets were at the top – more than any other traditional categories you would think of,” said Hassan Anjum, Director of Product Marketing and Strategy, New Computing, Samsung Electronics America. “Obviously demand, supply, prices, and sales reflected that. People were buying them for work, for home, for their kids’ education and you could get the devices so that was the biggest strength in the consumer purchase perspective and we saw that and thought, how can we really shape that portfolio to that promise, enabling you to do whatever you want, wherever you are.”
In addition to providing top-tier electronics to connect communities, Microsoft focused on their mission to empower consumers. This year, the brand used their technology to benefit society by providing updated resources and data about COVID-19.
“I think Microsoft was uniquely positioned to be a source for people navigating this new normal as a result of the pandemic,” said Anika Kaulius, Director of Acquisition Marketing, Commercial Products, Microsoft. “Microsoft is powering dashboards that are available to the public to see COVID data – looking at progress in individual counties and states, vaccination rates, and resources for where to get vaccinated. Microsoft really enabled our employees, customers, and communities to bring our mission to life, which is about empowering every person on the planet to achieve more.”
Technology is also being used to meet consumer health needs from the comfort of their homes. Rico Macaraeg, SVP of Marketing at D2C reproductive wellness company SimpleHealth, believes that the most important aspect of telemedicine is understanding consumer needs and communicating creatively with patients.
“We saw huge growth due to the pandemic because everyone that was being collectively displaced still needed reproductive wellness,” continued Macaraeg. “It really propelled our brand to really deliver for our patients and prospective patients that were interested in telemedicine, but hadn’t really dipped their toes in it yet. Around 70% of total telehealth adopters this year have stated that they are going to stick with the telehealth services for mental health care, reproductive wellness, and primary care providers. Telehealth is continuing to evolve, and it will be around for a while. We have led with empathy and we have simple principals, which is putting the patient first always, above anything else.”
Walker & Co Brands, a consumer-centric beauty and health company for women of color, has used the pandemic to spread awareness about their mission through innovative marketing tactics. The Procter & Gamble owned brand uses social media to support communities at home during these tough times.
“The pandemic had an outsized impact on people of color. Obviously the fight for racial justice does too, so it was personal to us,” said Tia Cummings, VP Marketing, Walker & Co Brands. “When we think about pivoting from a marketing standpoint when we can’t do these big experiential events, we had to think about the essence of what we were really trying to do. It was about connection. How can we take those in person events and take some of that connection, online. So we started doing Instagram Live discussion series, leveraging our Bevel family, whether it’s our barbers, some of our celebrity friends of the brand, and just engaging in conversations with the community – How are you feeling? What’s going on in your life? How are you coping? And then we just let our fans engage in conversation.”
With consumers at home, ecommerce has completely exploded. Matt Tarallo, Global Vice President of Amazon, The Coca-Cola Company, has taken advantage of the Amazon ecommerce ecosystem to drive awareness and sales of Coca-Cola products.
“What’s great about Amazon or digital as a whole is the barrier to entry is pretty low,” said Tarallo. “In the past you’d typically need a pretty big distribution network as a channel perspective. You need deliveries, you need store slotting, merchandisers, it’s a hefty haul to launch brands in a successful manner beyond a local center. With digital we’re seeing a huge significant trend in ‘better for you, functional beverages.’ The beauty about Amazon is that it’s an ecosystem. How do you leverage that ecosystem to deliver brand love and engagement to your consumers in a very natural and uninpeding way to drive awareness, to drive impressions or drive transactions?”
Ember Technologies, a brand known for their luxury temperature controlled mug, has also used Amazon and other ecommerce platforms to distribute their consumer products. The company has pivoted their marketing strategies to position Ember as the “perfect work-from-home accessory” for consumers who feel fatigued by their professional routine at home.
“Ember really is the perfect work-from-home accessory, and we really leaned into that. We shifted our messaging really quickly, to focus on remote work,” said Jolene Abbott, SVP, Head of Global Marketing & Ecommerce, Ember Technologies, Inc. “In this new environment, everyone is really looking to create a small little luxury in your new work from home day, and Ember is the perfect solution. I think people are also looking for separation from your morning and starting your day, when your office is steps away. Ember fits so well into that. Even if it’s just for a few moments, you can have that peace and joy prior to your workday.”
The home has taken on a new significance this year, as it has become the place where consumers work, do school, and relax with family. This change highlights the unique importance of investing in the perfect family abode. Real-estate giant CENTURY 21 is using technology and social media platforms to ensure that both agents and industry experts connect with customers.
“Everyone’s perception of home has absolutely shifted over the last year,” said Cara Whitley, Chief Marketing Officer at CENTURY 21. “We were all put immediately into our homes and we used to plan our home around where we work, and now our home has become the center of everything that we do. Our home has become our workplace, our gym, our restaurant, and if you have children it’s become your school. It’s the first time that the world has gone through the same thing at the same time. We launched a global piece of research to look at ‘what does home mean today?’ But not only today, moving forward what is that going to look like? We launched this research so we can arm our agents with that knowledge so they can help their customers, their home buyers, and so they can be informed about where those trends are going.”
