How brands can make it on to consumers’ COVID-19 bucket list

“What’s the first thing you’ll do once lock-down is lifted?”

Whether it is eating dinner at your favourite restaurant, grabbing a coffee on the way into work, getting that much needed haircut, jetting off for a weekend break, or going shopping for the day…there’s so much we took for granted in our pre-quarantine life.

Temporary closures have led to a lack of purchases – but anticipation is growing and growing the nearer we get to the lifting of lock-down. There is a sense that once life goes back to normal, people will want to live out their ‘prisoners list’ in style.

There is real opportunity for brands to steer future purchases by drawing on people’s pent up desire. Remind consumers of the role of your brand in their lives and heighten their desire for your product in anticipation of its availability.

Create communications relevant to the situation – think about ‘occasion led’ communications instead of ‘trend led’ – first big night out; dress up Fridays; first shopping trip; back to work. Avoid competition – be brave and ‘go early’ to take advantage of the market conditions.

When people say, “I can’t wait for my first XXX”, make sure you are the brand they think about!