Brands are being forced to "pivot or die" as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts society and the global economy.
From Sydney bars starting cocktail delivery to the Buy From the Bush campaign, creativity has never been more important for survival.
Creative resilience is one of eight emerging values identified in a study, Navigating Uncertainty, from the strategic planning team at TBWA Sydney.
The report has guidance on how brands can navigate unprecedented times and provides a framework to help them plan across three phases: response, recovery and revival.
Matt Springate, TBWA Sydney chief strategy officer and author of the report, says Navigating Uncertainty focuses on the recovery and revival phases to help brands come out the other side of the crisis.
“This crisis has been felt by everyone, we all feel it and live it, personally and professionally, day by day. It’s in our nature as an agency to help businesses navigate through these times,” Springate says.
“We wanted to curb the current feeling of hopelessness with some positive thinking, which will hopefully offer some guidance through, and out of, this uncertainty.”
For each emerging value the report offers clear actions that brands can take, and reflects back on Australia’s ingrained cultural values as a reference point.
TBWA Sydney planning director Matt Moran, who co-authored the report, says the recommendations are inspired by cultural insight from the present and historical data from previous crises.
The report includes examples of brands that built resilience during world wars and global financial crises.
“In every major global crisis or period of tension, we’ve seen a sharp rise in innovation and creative problem solving,” Moran says.
“While emerging technologies are often at the forefront, social and cultural advancements often have a more enduring, long-term impact on consumer behaviour.”
Other emerging values named in the report include collective compassion, elevated homebodies, solo social, satire survival, open source generosity, caution liberation and frugal futures.
“One of our values we’ve identified for the recovery phase is satire survival, which looks at how our anti-authoritarian roots and larrikin sensibilities are alive and well during times of crisis. Helping us cope and deal with the gravity of the situation,” Moran says.
“Aussies are using new communication tools to spread ideas and be heard during these isolated times.”
The report explores how the revival phase will be defined by a proactive moment of considered reflection, where consumers leave limitations behind and rebuild, deciding on what to keep or discard.
One of the other values identified is collective compassion, which describes society’s shift away from an "empathy age" towards a more action-orientated mode of compassion for the collective.
“We’re tired of feeling sorry for ourselves and we’re ready to act,” Springate says.
“These challenging times can bring out the best in us, the compassion and care we’ve seen is heartwarming.”
TBWA chief executive officer, Australia and New Zealand, Paul Bradbury, says he hopes the report will provide some confidence and optimism.
“We’re proud of the level of detail and insight that’s gone into this important piece of work, both here in Sydney and from our global TBWA Collective, and hope it can offer some guidance to ensure we all rise up together,” Bradbury says.
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