How do you guys feel about all the coronavirus emails brands are sending? Is this brand-building? Is it working? Does it just feel like opportunistic pandering or has this kind of display of concern become the new table stakes?
At first, I found these “first and foremost, we care about everyone’s safety” missives fairly annoying. I didn’t need to hear from Banana Republic or DSW about how they really do care!
Just a few days later, as the whole world was dramatically changed, so were the emails. Or maybe it was just how I was reading them? They still feel a little hollow, a little insincere, but also somehow reassuring to hear that they’re taking their [FILL IN THE BLANK] extraordinary measures and their stores are being cleaned several times a day. Maybe as I’m more scared I have more compassion to see brands like Marriott, DSW and all the airlines also running scared.
In the beginning, I thought with annoyance, “this isn’t brand building, guys!” Now I think it doesn’t matter. First of all, the information shared truly can be life-saving, not just about saving face. But also, now I’m worried about the businesses I frequent and the entire economy and all of us, so I have more tolerance for seeing these brands do whatever they can.
This article originally appeared in LinkedIn
