Reflections on Brand Marketing in the Post-COVID Era

The year 2020 was marked by unprecedented challenges. Early in the year, the world faced a severe health crisis; by mid-year, nations began controlling the pandemic, and by the year's end, cautious optimism returned as concerns about future outbreaks lingered. For brands and media organizations, the pressing question remained: When will the positive signs of recovery appear, and what direction should brand marketing take?

Reflecting on these challenges and combining them with insights from the smart outdoor media marketing research led by Chicilon Media, I have identified a few key takeaways.

1. Marketing and Advertising Are Still Essential

Many brands, when faced with difficulties, instinctively slash their advertising budgets. Even large companies like Coca-Cola have adopted this strategy in response to the tumultuous events of 2020. However, I believe that during challenging times, advertising becomes even more critical—provided it is done rationally and with strategic investment. Two key factors underline the necessity of advertising during such times:

First, consumer demand remains constant, albeit shifting. Retail data shows that while the pandemic has driven consumers back to focusing on essential needs, this does not mean that they have stopped shopping altogether. Instead, consumer behavior has become more segmented. For brands, marketing serves as a form of “communication” and an “exchange of value” with consumers. Without communication, brands cannot understand consumer needs, and without value exchange, businesses fail to capture consumer interest.

Second, competition still exists. The pandemic has altered both subjective and objective factors that influence brand development, leading to a more intense marketing landscape. With the shift from offline to online, the competition has become more fierce, making it crucial for brands to maintain visibility.

2. Marketing and Advertising Must Be Strategic

The pandemic has accelerated the transition from offline to online marketing, with many brands embracing trends like "livestream sales," seeing it as a substitute for traditional marketing. However, some within the industry are beginning to question the sustainability of this approach. While livestreaming can generate immediate results, long-term growth depends on more than just short-term successes.

Outdoor media has undeniably been impacted by the pandemic. Chicilon Media, too, experienced challenges. However, as consumer activity and life slowly returned to normal, we partnered closely with clients to navigate the recovery. Our brand-building campaigns demonstrated the importance of Chicilon Media in driving the resurgence of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector. The sector’s rapid growth has helped fuel economic recovery.

In Q3 2020, Chicilon Media’s revenue reached $7.2 million, representing a 48% increase from Q2. This growth reflects how our media platform connects consumer lifestyles with their information needs.

3. Marketing Investment Requires Long-Term Vision

In terms of advertising investment, we’ve observed that both traditional brands and new sectors like online education, recruitment, and healthcare have experienced notable growth. The consumer goods sector, in particular, has exceeded its 2018 advertising budget with Chicilon Media, setting new records.

For over a decade, Chicilon Media has acted as a bridge between brands and consumers, facilitating classic advertising campaigns for major brands like Oppo, Samsung, LG, Grab, and Vinamilk. These successes underscore the effectiveness of our elevator media platform in enhancing brand recognition.

The pandemic has heightened the need for brands to focus on “real effectiveness.” They now expect more precise investments and tangible sales growth. Brand advertising and performance advertising are not opposites; rather, they must be balanced to achieve both short-term and long-term effects.

In the current “all-online” era, despite the changes brought by the post-pandemic environment, we must not lose sight of the core values of marketing. Mr. Guo Zhi Feng, CEO of Chicilon Media, succinctly captured this idea: A brand must first establish clear positioning, and then leverage Chicilon Media’s platforms to ignite brand growth.

Conclusion: A Balanced Approach to Marketing

The ultimate goal of marketing is to "occupy the consumer's mind," a process that cannot be achieved overnight. Experts agree that rather than cutting budgets, brands should focus on reallocating resources to more effective channels. A balanced strategy, combining online content with offline presence, can create a marketing ecosystem that doesn’t chase perfection but strives for relevance.

As the global pandemic continues, brands will likely face challenges for the foreseeable future. Nevertheless, from these challenges, we can reevaluate the core values and significance of marketing. It is through these difficult times that the true resilience and value of brand marketing emerge.