When Advertising in the Age of Coronavirus, Crisis-Sensitive Messaging is Most Powerful

Americans are adapting to the “new normal” as the coronavirus crisis continues, according to the latest wave of Horowitz Research’s COVID-19 study. In a survey fielded late last week, forty-five percent (45%) of Americans reported feeling “scared” and 63% feel “overwhelmed by the current events,” dropping from 53% and 69%, respectively, in the same survey fielded in late March.

“There’s good news for marketers concerned whether advertising during the pandemic is perceived by consumers as ‘being insensitive’ in these challenging times, or who are wondering if it’s worth advertising at all given the impact of the crisis on consumer spending and consumer confidence overall,” said Adriana Waterston, SVP of Insights and Strategy at Horowitz Research.

With television and digital media consumption up—including live, linear TV— one in four (27%) consumers surveyed by Horowitz say they are watching more ads overall than before the pandemic. One-third (33%) say they are paying attention to ads from local businesses, specifically, more than they did before the crisis.

The study suggests that the most powerful messaging brands can communicate right now is how the company is giving back. Just over half (53%) of Americans surveyed said that they would be more likely to purchase a product from/do business with a company that puts out ads explaining what the company is doing to help its employees and/or customers at this time.

Just 12% of Americans say this type of messaging would make them less likely to purchase the brand’s products, yielding a net positive impact (percent who are more likely to purchase minus percent who are less likely to purchase) on likelihood to purchase of 41%. In contrast, not changing ads at all or choosing not to advertise at all has virtually no net positive impact on likelihood to buy.

Time to Support Multicultural Media

Brands need to consider the media they are buying in these circumstances. Black and Hispanic television networks and other ethnic media often take a major hit when advertising budgets shrink, as efficiency becomes valued over relevance. Horowitz’s study suggests this might be a penny-wise, but pound-foolish decision: half (47%) of Black Americans would be more likely to do business with companies that are going out of their way to support Black media. Similarly, 35% of Hispanic Americans are more likely to do business with companies that support Hispanic media.

“America’s diverse communities are the hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis on multiple levels: They are more likely to be suffering the economic impact. They are more likely to be essential workers, putting their lives on the line every day. And they are outpacing other groups in succumbing to this terrible illness,” notes Waterston. “In these difficult times, advertisers need to remember that multicultural media plays an irreplaceable role in the communities they serve. Supporting Black and Hispanic media —TV networks, radio stations, local publications—is about more than just reach. It’s about showing these communities that your brand cares.”