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Governments around the world are edging toward plans to exit mass population lockdowns, albeit at different speeds and in different ways, but the persistent questions for business are around what the future holds and how it should be navigated.

The spread of coronavirus is leaving a wide swath of economic damage in its wake. Our initial analysis, conducted at the beginning of April, examined the impact at the state, national, and occupational level. We estimated that in the shutdown phase alone, up to 53 million US jobs were vulnerable—a term we use to encompass permanent layoffs, temporary furloughs, or reductions in hours and pay.

The coronavirus outbreak is a global humanitarian crisis that has affected millions of people. The economic impact of the pandemic can be seen across sectors, but it may be most widely visible in the consumer goods sector. News broadcasts and social media feeds are flooded with images of empty shelves that should house toilet paper and cleaning supplies. Consumers are shifting where they shop, what they purchase, and how much they purchase at an unprecedented scale and speed.

4A’s Research surveyed 1000 consumers on April 2, 2020 using Suzy, a real-time market research platform, to understand how purchasing habits are evolving as consumers become more accustomed to staying at home. We also wanted to gauge the level of importance consumers are placing on staying home and social distancing during COVID-19.   By Stacie Calabrese, VP, 4A’s Research and Christine Pelosi, Information Specialist, 4A’s Research.

We review changes relevant to marketers that will occur as the coronavirus crisis evolves.  We specifically consider new ways consumers will spend time, how they will change media consumption and how B2B marketing will evolve.

The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry is currently facing the biggest and fastest change to shopping behavior in modern history as a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Amid record job losses and unemployment filings in the last month due to travel restrictions and physical retail closures, it’s not an understatement to say that the industry is operating in uncharted territory.  

We all know the theory: brands that spend more on advertising during a recession recover faster when the recession ends. It is a well proven fact. Except this time around we are dealing with a health crisis, the repercussions of which have impacted both demand and supply. And whatever happens, advertising alone is unlikely to do the trick.  by Nigel Hollis

​To be effective in an increasingly technological workplace, workers must know, not just how to use digital tools, but when and why to use them. Critical to this ability is digital agency: the judgment and confidence required to navigate and be effective in unfamiliar digital environments.