BRANDING IN A TIME OF CRISIS: THE FOUNDATION OF CREDIBLE, CRISIS-RESILIENT AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COMMUNICATION

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to review the changes in brand strategies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic situation and the changes in customers’ preferences as a result of the lockdowns. During the pandemic, brands found themselves in a difficult situation, as they were not sure at the time of the first closure what the best solution would be in terms of customer satisfaction: to stop marketing campaigns, continue them without any changes or adapt to the situation. Since then, consumer research reports have shown that what people needed the most was being surrounded by brands being part of their daily lives to provide predictability and certainty – often even replacing slow-responding governments in providing information. Our paper will summarize the main findings of recent consumer research on this topic and highlight the best practices of brands that have successfully demonstrated their credibility, crisis resilience, and social responsibility in the eyes of their customers.