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PRWeek: Pandemic Takeaways for Brands at PRDecoded

October 13, 2020

SOURCE: https://www.prweek.com/article/1697180/new-pandemic-rule-brands-define-ritual-accelerator

New Pandemic Rule for Brands: Define your Ritual Accelerator

And other takeaways from the Great American Realignment panel at PRDecoded.

Diana Bradley, PRWeek, 13 October 2020

(Photo Courtesy of PRWeek)

Within the change, tension and uncertainty that COVID-19 has sparked worldwide lies an opportunity for brands to carve a more constructive path forward, and the time for change is now, according to WE Communications’ Marisa Lalli.  

Lalli and WE consumer SVP Elizabeth Herrera Smith led a roundtable discussion at PRWeek’s virtual PRDecoded conference on Tuesday entitled, the Great American Realignment: Adapting to Changing Consumer Behavior and a New Cultural Framework.

One example of a brand taking a ritual and turning it on its head for this adjustment and acclimation period is Kraft Mac & Cheese, which removed “dinner” from its iconic blue box in August and started pushing the dish as a breakfast option.

“They had data from the beginning of the pandemic where people said, ‘As long as my family eats something, I will be content,’” said Lalli. 

The big takeaway for brands? Define your ritual accelerator.

“If you can hone in on that as a brand, you can help shape these rituals and create new ones that provide some new value for your customers and for each other,” said Lalli.