Marketers' Muddy Waters

It has been 40 days since the US began to acknowledge and respond to COVID-19, and during that time, there has been a wide range of reactions from individuals and brands. The word quarantine originates from the Latin "quadraginta" meaning "forty," and is associated with the Black Death in the 14th century.

Marketers have been a bit shell-shocked, not knowing whether to keep business going as usual or to shut off their content marketing spigot. However, many brands have been able to find their footing by recognizing their ability to have an effect on their communities and providing assistance. Examples include GrubHub suspending fees, Nike and Ford manufacturing ventilators, and Hilton and American Express making hotel rooms available to medical personnel.

Though the waters may be muddy right now, marketers can take this time to observe the market around them and take stock of what their company stands for. There may be new opportunities for their company, and if they cannot make sense of it, to just give it 40 days or so.