MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Communications expert Dennis Potgraven and data expert Phil Tiongson agree that Filipino businesses can still recover from COVID-induced slump. They just have to make sure their post-lockdown plans are created with courage and built for speed.
This is how Potgraven, chief strategy officer of Havas Group Greater China, and Tiongson, head of data analytics of Havas Ortega here in Manila, wrapped up their webinar entitled “BUSINESS UNUSUAL: LEARNINGS FROM POST-LOCKDOWN CHINA,” which was organized by the Havas Ortega Group over Zoom last May 22, 2020. Being the first country to lift restrictions on economic activities, China is now the default primary case study for countries like the Philippines who are in the middle of planning their successful exit from quarantine.
In the discussion hosted by Havas Ortega CEO Jos Ortega, Potgraven painted the landscape of consumption in post-lockdown China with his freshly processed data, while Tiongson localized the insights based on Havas Ortega’s research and experiences.
“It’s all about speed,” said Potgraven. “Brands in China adapted very fast, quickly moving to digital platforms to remain relevant.”
Tiongson concurred but warned that the speed of recovery varies across product categories. “Brands must determine at which pace their consumers move and cater to that,” he said.
In China, consumption rebounded the quickest in categories that provide small scale enjoyment to daily life, like food and beverage, shopping and domestic travel. This is a chance for Filipino brands in the same categories to develop campaigns that anticipate this demand ahead of competition.
Courage came in the form of transcending normal media strategies and becoming more personal for Chinese brands. The challenge for Filipino brands now is to pivot to new opportunities like new online retail channels while remaining consistent with their brand story. Brands must also be persistent in justifying their place in the consumer’s post-lockdown life through meaningful messaging that expresses their drive to contribute to the collective good.
Potgraven ended by saying that brands must be agile in helping consumers overcome barriers to enjoy life again through innovation. Tiongson doubles down on this, saying that brands must be seen as messages of hope in times of crisis.
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