Maureen McLaughlin

With most people willing to travel and venues once again filling to capacity, what’s the hold up on business-related events? The answer is, well, businesses, as they put the kibosh on travel spending and limit live programming. Meanwhile, brands are testing new concepts and creating more interactive elements for their virtual events.

Brands may need to assuage any hard feelings among consumers who believe they got stiffed during last year’s holiday buying season amid a wave of deliveries. Being transparent with customers about return policies is a good place to start — and an opportunity to strengthen relationships that many marketers may be missing.

As consumers stay home during the pandemic, they are spending more time than ever with screens and video games. The trend, which has sent many brands scrambling for innovative ways to reach their audiences beyond traditional methods of digital marketing, is expected to continue post-pandemic. Here’s how Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Rock the Vote, among others, are engaging consumers in the virtual space.

Following the initial rush among brands and organizations to donate money and supplies, some companies are opting to build on their relief efforts and assist the community at large.

Brands and organizations need to recognize that consumer patterns and behaviors are now being exclusively shaped by the pandemic, rather than demographics. Brian Solis, global innovation evangelist at Salesforce, discusses the digital transformation companies are now confronting, how the pandemic will fundamentally change marketing, and why it’s time to get to know generation N.