As human beings, we are all social animals. However, Covid has altered the way we live and caused massive readjustments in the way we mix and mingle. But what will happen after Covid subsides? Will we flock to huge stadium events again? Will brands start sending out product launch party invites?  Will influencers be gathering poolside for overseas trips? BabbleBoxx looked at three industries to make some predictions about how brands will need to market and how influencers might provide content in the future.

For the healthcare industry:

Throughout Covid, marketers in the healthcare industry focused heavily on the physical aspects of the population’s health to integrate their products. In working with influencers, brands developed their messaging around the virus with an emphasis on keeping the body and mind healthy with vitamins, exercise, and diet routines. We worked with doctors, nurses and nutritionists as influencers to leverage the concept of well-being.

However, when the pandemic subsides there will no doubt be a lasting effect on our mental wellness. According to Mental Health America, there has been a 93% increase in people participating in anxiety screenings. Add depression, obesity, drugs and alcohol and the negative effects are compounded. To allay the new mental health crisis, the messengers who will educate will be therapists and psychologists along with content creators who have personally suffered and who have found treatments and solutions to overcome anxiety, depression and unhealthy dependencies.

For the travel industry:

The travel sector may still be reeling from the effects of Covid, but demand is rising quickly as vacationers want to leave town and book getaways due to pent-up “cabin fever.”

Already, cruise operators are reporting brisk 2021 business and future bookings are surging with “little to no marketing activity,” according to a Royal Caribbean executive. With massive demand, travel marketers might not have to resort to discounts and special promotions to garner business. Instead, the messaging will change to include tips on new safety protocols for properties that reassure potential guests and generate positive ratings on travel sites. Instead of aspirational messaging, BabbleBoxx anticipates influencers being tasked with disseminating informational content about new property and tourism rules and practices or to announce what exactly has reopened, etc.

And as brands face stiffer competition we anticipate travel influencers will be booked for campaigns further in advance or locked into longer-term non-compete agreements. Marketers will have to amp up their lead-time in securing influencers to make sure the talent they want isn’t already committed, and they will also have to look at non-competes to ensure their message isn’t run next to a competitor.

For the bridal industry:

The wedding industry is primed for a post-pandemic boom. According to the Knot, 47% more weddings are expected to happen in 2021 compared to 2020. Not only did the number of newly engaged couples skyrocket during quarantine, many couples scheduled to wed during 2020 postponed their wedding dates. Competition will be fierce amongst bridal brands and those influencers who are planning trips down the aisle will be inundated with collaboration requests.  Bridal influencers will be booked well in advance, perhaps at premium prices, so brands will need to plan accordingly. Another way to stand out amidst the noise while saving time and money is to partner with like-minded bridal brands and have influencers cover the full suite of wedding related products.

No matter what industry you’re in, the pandemic has drastically changed marketing. The days of strictly annual planning are gone, and instead brands will be forced to be more flexible and nimble in their approach.  From taking advantage of micro trends, to shorter marketing lifecycles, brands and marketers must leverage data insights quickly and adapt at the drop of a hat.

Reach out to us at BabbleBoxx to see how we can work together to conquer this new terrain. We are well equipped to evaluate and capture marketing trends that work best for the brands we collaborate with on social media platforms.