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This year has been one that no one will ever forget. Let’s take a minute to look at the different ways this year has transformed marketing.
January & February
Most of us kicked off the new year like any other at bars with our closest friends. We counted down to the new year with performances by Sam Hunt, Kelsi Ballerini, and Post Malone on Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve party. We tuned in to the big game, mostly for the commercials since the Eagles didn’t make it this year, and watched the Chiefs become the new champions. There were so many resolutions to fulfill, ideas to bring to life, and no idea of what was to come.
March
A month that was supposed to be filled with green–colored beer, luck, and shamrock promo handouts turned into a full-blown pandemic. Grocery stores were in complete chaos. TP became nonexistent, as did Clorox wipes and Lysol.
Businesses like clothing stores, restaurants, and hair salons were forced to shut their doors. Jennifer Kinka, the owner of Nesting House, closed two of three locations and saw her “staff shrink from 21 employees to seven.” The world shut down, from the U.S. to Europe, but people tried to stay hopeful. People in Italy, trapped at home, tried to lift spirits during the shutdown by singing and dancing on balconies.
Some companies moved to fully remote working, like AG Marketing Solutions. Others, like restaurants, salons, and so many others, were forced to close until things got better. Makeshift bandana masks became the new fashion trend and not by choice. Distilleries, like Eight Oaks Farms, Midstate, and Boardroom all began making hand sanitizers in an effort to help the community stay safe. Local companies began to manufacture reusable fabric masks, like local business owner Melissa Nanen, owner of The Hug Strap. She began using fabric from her ukulele straps for facemasks that were donated to essential workers.
April
All hands on deck! While people became restless at home from the mandatory quarantine, some businesses prepared themselves to welcome employees and customers back as soon as the Governor gave them the okay.
PPE, like masks, gloves, and plastic shields, were purchased, and guidelines were put in place. A shortage had everyone scrambling to get their hands on the new essentials their employees would need to complete a day of work. No one was prepared for this crisis, and social distancing became the new norm to stay safe.
May
We longed for a sense of normalcy. Our hair continued to grow longer and longer. Some people chose to risk it and let their loved ones attempt a trim. Others stuck it out in hopes that their stylist would soon be able to welcome them back. Restaurants adjusted to new laws. Takeout food and to–go cocktails became an escape from cooking whatever was in the fridge. Curbside pickup was the only way to pick up your food.
Social distancing floor decals and signage popped up everywhere. Virtual apartment tours and grocery deliveries were a new way of life.
June, July, & August
It wasn’t a normal summer. There were no travels abroad, no late-night beach bashes, festivals, or weddings. We were able to get lots and lots of fresh air. With many businesses still restricted with how many people were allowed in, families decided to stay close to home. Gardening, home improvements, and exercising became popular hobbies.
These months brought us haircuts and outdoor dining, along with new marketing techniques to make customers feel safe, like touchless QR code menus, hand sanitizer stations, and temperature checks. Email blasts were sent about safety procedures.
We started to feel a little more normal.
September & October
Restaurants finally started making a comeback with outdoor seating…until the cold nights started to hit, and the scramble for ordering heaters was on.
Rumors started to spread about things getting worse again. Cold and flu season began. COVID-19 tests ran low. This made people even more worried. There are very few differences between COVID-19 and the flu, which made even a sneeze get questioned.
November
We realized the holidays were looking different this year. Many did not travel to see their extended family due to the CDC’s advisement not to travel. For Thanksgiving, gatherings were kept small and were limited to “celebrating virtually or with members of [their] own household” to help keep the spread of the virus lower.
Holiday cheer lifted spirits. Some businesses, like Walmart, Best Buy, Sam’s Club, and more, started Black Friday sales in early November! Offering different specials each week both in–store and online.
December
As the year comes to a close, COVID-19 rates start to spike again and we see closures of gyms and indoor dining again. But through all the bad comes good: a vaccine! It will be distributed to healthcare workers and eventually will be available to everyone to receive if they want. Hopefully this will bring an end to this pandemic in 2021.
Conclusion
This year has been different. There is no way to get around the fact that tragedy struck the world and lives were lost.
The business world did, however, keep moving forward. New marketing techniques for safety were created and implemented. People found out that work could be done remotely and still be efficient, and an online presence became more important than ever. The digital world was unaffected by the pandemic. The digital lifestyle became the only lifestyle. Online shopping, appointments, and real estate tours grew. Marketing and advertising online became the main method of staying in touch with your customers since in–person contact wasn’t an option.
2020 may not have been our year, but we survived it. Here’s to a better 2021! If you are looking for a way to enhance your digital presence, order custom PPE products, or get new print items, like QR menus, made, give us a call today!
