Challenger Brands Are Comeback Brands

Allow me to be the 47^th person today to remind you that we are living in an historically uncertain time. And yet, here we are in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis facing unprecedented challenges requiring an unprecedented response.

Two things we know about Challenger Brands are that they are resilient and they recognize a good opportunity when they see one. Now is that opportunity for Challenger Brands to confidently step up with purpose, passion and humanity to support their customers, stakeholders and communities. The effort made by Challenger Brands during this upheaval can be legendary. Now is the time for the comeback.

The road to recovery is a jagged one. Lots of sharp, hairpin turns with steep drop-offs and screeching stops. And, we’re all driving in the dark; so no telling what’s hiding behind the next bend. We can be sure of one thing, though, when the sun comes back out and the road is illuminated, the landscape will be different. We will have all experienced trauma together; we’ve bonded, we’ve changed and we’ve grown. 

Challenger Brands that accept, respect and embrace this shared experience through their marketing and positioning strategies will connect more deeply with their prospects as we define our new normal. 

Here are six first steps to help plan your comeback:

1. Develop a business continuity plan
2. Establish or review and update your Crisis Management Plan (if you didn’t have one, you probably don’t need much convincing that you need one)
3. Let history help guide your future (remember SARS, MERS, H1N1?)
4. Prepare scenario plans across all departments
5. Review all communications channels with focus on content distribution and campaigns to ensure appropriate tone
6. Mobilize communication teams and agencies to turn up your voice

During any community crisis, Challenger Brands have the opportunity to rise up and demonstrate their corporate citizenship through community support and leadership. Your future may very well be determined by how proactively, purposefully and sensitively you step up now for your employees, key stakeholders, customers, prospects and the community in general. 

Understanding that now is not the time to sell, but rather the time to support, here are four ways of assessment to take on that responsibility now:

1. Assess The Situation
   1. Real-time monitoring of current local situation across media and social channels
   2. Follow official government and CDC channels for first-hand updates
2. Assess Your Brand
   1. Activate social listening tools to stay tuned-in to the public conversation
3. Assess the Environment
   1. Monitor the community’s mood and needs
   2. Differentiate between key consumer groups to understand differences
4. Assess Your Response
   1. Be vocal, be heard, in your own voice
   2. Identify opportunities to engage with audiences
   3. Use simple messaging that demonstrates sensitivity and support
   4. Advise and educate about your proactive efforts in response to the situation
   5. Assess and act. Learn from the current environment and be the comeback Challenger Brand you were meant to be. 

If you need any help assessing your current situation, just connect with us here.