Current Global - Finding Love In The Time of COVID.

Finding Love In The Time of COVID.

Finding the perfect match is hard enough. But when the rules are rewritten – top dating spots like bars and restaurants are shuttered and social distancing is the order of the day – it can feel impossible. Yet, people are still putting themselves out there. Dating apps are reporting that conversations on their platforms are up 19-26%.

At this point, you may be thinking “why is a marketing and communications agency talking about the impact this global pandemic is having on dating?” At Current Global, we marry strategic insights, creative ideas and exceptional execution to create brand love. Our Own the Moment proposition focuses on influencing behavior where real life happens – in the moment. For clients, that means forging meaningful connections to powerful moments in people’s lives to create lasting outcomes.

Some advice for making great connections during this unusual moment:

Make no assumptions. No matter how cute the smile is on FaceTime, don’t assume they’re covering it up (e.g. wearing a mask) when heading out. At the same time, brands can no longer make broad assumptions about attitudes and opinions. Staying on top of culture, looking at real time insights and understanding true corporate purpose will be the only way to make safe bets.

Don’t rush in. It is easy to get excited about a great connection – especially when the environment and effort seem even harder than normal. But it’s important for any relationship to take the time to mature and understand what is really important to you both. The same goes for brands. While quick sales may feel good initially, they often don’t lead to loyalty if you’re not filling an actual need. That evaluation is happening on both sides now.

Connect beyond the video chat. Or in the marketer’s case, the ad spot. People are consuming so much content – from so many platforms – in search of something new that stirs their emotions. As the saying goes: “people don’t have short attention spans, they have short interest spans.” So go beyond first impressions, be interesting while creating value, and tell brand stories built to travel across platforms.

Plan for the future. While distancing is difficult and frustrating, it’s not forever. Planning generates excitement, and setting goals gives you time to work toward them. As for brands, where is the most powerful place you can show up in the future for consumers? Start making those plans now.

Be real with yourself. For some, coronavirus has them longing for a good time while others realize they’re ready for a real relationship. Regardless of how you feel, we are all experiencing a deep and collective reassessment of our priorities, and many people are forming a new perspective on their relationships and not wanting to ‘waste’ time. They have shifted to filling their lives (and homes, fridges and attention) with more of what they need and less of what they simply want in the moment. Brands need to realign their priorities as well. To win long term loyalty, they’ll need to establish a real role in a consumer’s life, not simply in their social streams.

For clients approaching 2021 planning, if you’re looking for some match making help for a new product, partnership or plan, give us a call, slide into our DMs or drop us an email. Our first promise to you is that you won’t be “left unread” with Current Global.