Covid-19 has left no brand untouched in its wake. Adapting to the ‘new normal’ has brought with it a raft of challenges, opportunities and adaptations for businesses of all sizes.
Amongst Highlight’s clients, two sectors navigating these uncertain times, during a period of increased consumer demand, are children’s toys and games and food and drink.
Now more than ever, the need to be relevant and resonate with consumer needs has become the central focus of communication and marketing strategies.
We’ve rounded up some of our clients’ online and socially-distanced initiatives, designed to bridge the gap between the then and now of lockdown life, while recognising the dedication of the UK’s key worker community.
1. Sylvanian Families
The nostalgic children’s toy brand has turned to its extensive content bank to provide educational and fun materials for children to complete at home. Launched on the first day of spring, Sylvanian Families unveiled its #SylvanianSpringWatch campaign, challenging children to find spring-themed items in their garden or while out on their daily walk. On top of this, the brand shares daily colouring sheets, recipes, games and memes to inspire children’s creativity and keep them connected with their furry best friends.
2. Charlie Bigham’s
As well as increasing food donations to long-standing charity partner City Harvest, the premium food brand is looking out for its neighbours during lockdown. In April, the brand hand-delivered 3,000 ‘care parcel’ lasagnes to homes bordering its London and Somerset kitchens, so whole streets could enjoy a comforting meal together. Bigham’s is currently coordinating regular food donations to local hospitals, care homes and food banks in the capital and South West, to provide key workers with a wholesome dinner and a much-needed night off from cooking.
3. Aquabeads
Arts and crafts brand, Aquabeads, has encouraged children and parents to get behind its #AquabeadsCraftsChallenge, centred on making a daily creation beginning with each letter of the alphabet. For the letter K, children made killer whales, for L, lollies and lipsticks and even a unicorn for U. To spread the message further, Aquabeads also partnered with parenting influencers, sending them craft kits and tutorials to complete with their children and share the experience via social to their followers.
4. Wessanen UK
The B Corp brand behind healthy food labels like Kallo, Mrs Crimble’s, Clipper Teas and Whole Earth, is doing its bit to help key workers and its employees during the pandemic. Team members can nominate an NHS employee to receive a care parcel containing healthy and nutritious supplies to brighten their shift. Through its online wellbeing programme called Flourish, Wessanen has diversified the content to reflect the needs of WFH colleagues, such as daily Zoom exercise classes and one-to-one finance clinics.
5. Miffy
Miffy has come to terms that her birthday celebrations (she turns 65 on 21st June!) may be a little different this year, so instead she’s helping others as best as she can. Family members club, Maggie & Rose, and Miffy are set to headline the free Play at Home Fest (23rd - 24th May). Hosted by the Good Play Guide’s Dr Gummer, the virtual event will offer children art, dance, baby yoga and cookery classes to follow at home. Miffy’s session finishes with story time, when Maggie & Rose will read miffy’s birthday and miffy’s garden.
6. Purition
Purition is a real-food meal for those looking for a healthy and speedy pick-me-up – such as doctors and nurses. To support those caring for others, Purition is offering NHS workers a 50% discount on its full-size bags and free postage. The brand has launched a competition encouraging its Instagram followers to download and colour in a Purition bag, for the chance to see the winning design rolled out across 2,000 packs. The brand has also partnered with fitness and wellbeing Instagrammers, to generate delicious recipe content, on how to eat healthily during lockdown.
6. Molang
With more social users than ever logging on to communicate with friends and family, the world’s happiest rabbit is helping its fans stay safe and entertained with light-hearted public service announcements and activity videos. In South Korea, fans tuned into a guide on how to be a more conscientious subway passenger, while closer to home, Molang’s message is to wash your hands and stay in touch with loved ones. Inspired by the popularity of video tutorials, Molang has teamed up with GBBO’s Kim-Joy to show how to make Molang biscuits and released a gymnastics ‘workout’ – watch out Joe Wicks…