A healthcare emergency
Coronavirus is a healthcare emergency that has changed the world and will affect the future of individuals and businesses for years to come. Sadly Coronavirus has already taken the lives of friends and relatives. There will be few among us that aren’t personally affected by loss once the virus has been either contained or has run its course.
We take a brief look at how the lockdown has affected the advertising market.
All we can currently do is to stay safe and respect government advice to protect the vital healthcare services in the UK. The brave staff on the NHS have a terrible task on their hands. Our hearts go out to those who are still working to protect others.
A business emergency
Unfortunately, once the worst of the crisis is over, and people can move around freely again, we may see a parallel crisis emerge. Businesses have done their best to survive during the social isolation period. Now we are into countrywide lockdown companies are finding it almost impossible to keep going.
The personal tole
The Coronavirus is an immediate risk to many, but the future may bring new, more subtle threats. Unemployment is a killer; the depression and mental scarring that comes along with being out of work may turn out to be just as bad as the Coronavirus.
Trying to make sure enough businesses are still functioning post Coronavirus is one of the tasks the government is undertaking. The various schemes the government has introduced to provide a safety net should help companies weather the storm of lost or reduced income and remain intact for the future.
Surviving during lockdown
Some areas of business do, unfortunately, face a long battle before they can get back to work. Those lucky enough to function without the need for large gatherings of people are organising and can work remotely.
The UK has always been a successful service business country. It will be these services that begin functioning again first. The onus will be on business to keep going to provide gainful employment for the population.
Challenger brands
This time of upheaval does offer a chance for new brands to reveal themselves. Multinationals are busy protecting their dividend payments and worrying about their bloated debt balance sheets.
The current downturn is a great time to take on the larger corporations who have had to scale back their advertising. Smaller brands can step into the TV advertising space and pick up great media deals vacated by the established brands.
Are we in a world of cheap TV advertising?
A recent quote from Mihir Haria-Shah, head of broadcast at Total Media sums up the situation nicely. “It’s looking like the cheapest TV pricing I’ve ever seen in my media career.”
He sees pricing of some TV advertising media down by 50%. It’s an excellent opportunity to either get into TV advertising at a lower budget level or to expand an existing campaign to reach more eyeballs.
An article in the Hollywood reporter recently listed ITV as offering incentives and discounts to keep advertisers on TV. Last-minute buying of TV advert slots has always been a cost-effective way to get into TV advertising. In a world of lockdown advertising, those deals are even more competitive now.
TV Advertising Discounts
Discounts on the cost of TV advertising are available. Campaign magazine recently reported that ITV had pitched its ad incentives as providing brands £1.30 worth of advertising value for every £1 spent. With these figures, it’s easy to see how a cheap TV advertising campaign can be constructed.
How to build a brand using TV advertising
Often people come to Toast having made a small following on social media. TV provides the push to translate the money earned from that social following into real sales.
TV remains a big profit driver in the advertising world. Now with the TV viewing figures boosted by the lockdown, the opportunity for building a long-lasting following has never been better. With careful media planning and an eye for bargains, brands can use this time to transition from a social media minnow into the TV big league.
How to advertise during the lockdown
Getting the creative right is essential during this period of social distancing. Now thankfully with the infection numbers starting to fall the possibility of appearing as a cynical opportunist has lessened.
What viewers have already noticed is that all the lockdown advertising looks similar. A melancholy piano track accompanies each advert. Screens divided into blocky mosaics of video conference shots are everywhere.
The first brand that comes on air with a witty use of animation will stand out. Having a bold brand will make them stand out from the crowd. Their message is sure to stick in people’s minds.
If you’re looking to get into TV advertising, give Toast a call. We can guide you through the whole TV advertising process from script to screen, including all the legal clearances needed to air an advert in the UK.
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