Nhung Do MPRCA, Copywriter, EloQ Communications
Covid-19 has been the main topic on every newsfeed, daily conversations and media since the turn of the year of Rat. The tiny virus sets in train a medical, economic and social catastrophe in China, and causes huge impacts in other countries. How should brands react to the outbreak?
PR in the Corona epidemic: Why not?
Your business was doing well before the crisis. But everything slows down now, you are facing many cancelled or postponed events and pending plans.
Keep calm, and focus on public relations (PR) solutions!
New situation requires a fresh approach
When your traditional markets do not response well, finding new potential customers is essential. Effective PR strategies do not only communicate your brands, services and strengths to new markets, but deepen current clients’ understandings of your companies as well.
Take advantage of the precious spare time when your team is free from tight deadline pressure to concentrate on PR for a bolder brand. It keeps your business active, and prepares your company for new clients coming after Corona pandemic.
When stories go more viral
This may be not the best time for business, but for online PR. Most people avoid large crowds, and spend more time surfing internet. Students also have more free time when their Tet holiday has been lengthened.
Furthermore, the public’s fear of coronavirus makes everyone more sensitive to related news. As a result, appropriate stories get viral faster than ever, approaching both target and mass audience. Obviously, there are opportunities in the crisis. We only need to do it right.
Running effective PR campaigns
There are a few points to keep in mind for successful PR campaigns during this challenging time.
Do the right things
Nice stories spread quickly, and bad ones go viral faster than virus. Look at the drug stores which hiked face masks prices and the pharmacies handing out masks for free. They all hit the headlines, but with opposite impacts.
In this rough time, it is even more important to respect business ethics, unless the companies want to stir up scandals.
Prompt, effective and innovative
Covid-19 caused a sudden situation, requiring prompt and innovative solutions. All actions of goodwill are highly appreciated.
Alibaba Group launched the Global Direct Sourcing Platform, aiming to speed medical supplies directly to areas in China hard-hit by the virus. “This is our pledge: No matter where your goods are, we will deliver them to frontline medical personnel in the fastest and safest ways” – insisted Alibaba in an open letter to suppliers around the world.
In Vietnam, the third best-selling product now, after face mask and hand sanitiser, is probably dragon fruit bread. Introduced by ABC Bakery in Ho Chi Minh city, in an effort to support farmers whose fruits cannot be exported due to Covid-19, the new type of bread immediately attracts long queues of people waiting to buy it. The simple, but very prompt, innovative and effective reaction made a great PR hit.
Other products have also found clever ways to approach the audience by linking their uses with anti-disease. E-wallets and e-receipt promote their services as a way to reduce using cash, which is a potential vector of transmissible diseases. Food delivery services also get more orders while advocating healthy, immune boosting meals which help customer stay away from the crowds and the virus.
Emphasizing on useful products, these brands boost sales in no time by simple but effective PR strategies.
Support from a competent agency
It is not an easy task to carry on a successful PR campaign during the Coronavirus outbreak. Seeking for help from a professional and experienced agency is a smart idea.
EloQ Communications is pleased to support. Aside from providing top-rated communications solutions for a wide range of clients, EloQ Communications also focuses on outside-the-box thinking that it takes to get noticed in today’s crowded marketing landscape. As such, we always look to combine its services into a custom communication strategy that best suits the goals of our clients, and the new express press release service is the result of our effort to cater to a diverse client portfolio. We also recently launched our new express press release distribution services, offering distribution to not only Vietnam but also other Southeast Asia markets and more.
This express press release service can be accessed at https://www.eloqasia.com/press.html. Companies only need to fill in a short contact form and we will reply to the inquiry within 24 hours.
Together we can turn challenges into opportunities. Our services will blow more air for your brand kites to fly higher, against the wind.
For more information about EloQ Communications, please visit https://www.eloqasia.com/
Nhung Do is currently a copywriter at EloQ Communications. She has more than 10 years of experience in writing, teaching, and content creating. Her first book is “Fox fire in the sky – 100 tales about Finland”, which presents her best cultural experience in the hometown of Santa Claus. The blog was originally published on EloQ’s blog.
