2021-02-15

Marketing trends that remain even after Corona

Marketing trends that remain even after Corona
 
Author:
Managing Director Media Concept Group

There is no doubt that the Corona pandemic will have a lasting impact on many industries. We have been in this exceptional situation for almost a year now and it is becoming increasingly clear which short, medium and long-term effects the crisis will have on consumer behaviour. These developments will have a direct impact on companies' marketing planning. In this blog post we present some thoughts on this.

Decision-makers in companies will have to change focal points. The traditional areas of marketing (product, price, distribution and communication), will be affected by the impact of the pandemic as follows:

Online shopping is gaining even more importance
Online retail is booming and there is no end in sight. In Switzerland, for example, sales generated by mail order increased from around CHF 10 billion in 2019 to around CHF 16 billion in 2020, with a further increase to over CHF 25 billion expected in 2021. We have seen similar rates of increase in most other countries in Europe.
The conclusion for marketing and product managers in companies should be to offer 'omnichannel' services; i.e. to use digital, analogue and physical channels to interact with customers.
In the marketing of plants and horticultural services, we are only at the beginning here and there is still a lot to do.

Online is booming – also for plants
Online is booming – also for plants

Declining brand loyalty
Research from the US has shown that more consumers than usual switch between brands during Corona. In addition, private labels are now more part of the shopping repertoire. The green sector knows only a few consumer brands in the area of garden accessories and virtually no brands in the area of plants. In this respect, the influence of consumer behaviour is limited.

Changes in customer and brand loyalty
Changes in customer and brand loyalty

Sustainability and local procurement
Reusable packaging is gaining in importance. Resource-saving raw materials for products reflect the desire of most consumers. Local products are preferred.
Many wholesalers have been following these trends for several years and do not simply offer potatoes, for example, but provide the packaging with the image of an "actually existing" farmer and associate him with the region. According to initial research, Corona is reinforcing this trend. Horticultural businesses and garden centres benefit from this development, as consumers attribute a high share of local products to these businesses.

The right product mix makes for success – preferably sustainable and local
The right product mix makes for success – preferably sustainable and local

Create trust
Corona often leads to social isolation - even digital technology cannot prevent this. In their communication, companies should therefore make sure that they perceive their customers as individuals and not as a "crowd". The offers should therefore match the values of the customers. This creates a basis of trust that creates long-term loyalty - either to the brand or to the company. In garden centres and horticultural production companies, this trust has always been an important building block for success.

Hand in hand with nature – creates trust
Hand in hand with nature – creates trust

We would be happy to talk to you personally about how your marketing can develop further and how you can make use of the trends mentioned.

 

Author:
Robert Wacker
Managing Director Media Concept Group
Robert Wacker has been working in the green industry since 1980. For 20 years, he has been developing marketing and sales concepts for breeders, producers and retailers. As Managing Director of all international affairs for the Media Concept Group, he regularly writes articles for this blog.

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