AUCKLAND, Today: If you’ve got a new product (or an old classic) there’s never been a better time to get it in front of the country, according to an activation from full-service agency Magico.
“Now is not the time to stop talking to your audiences,” it advises. “Give them options. Give them the chance to consider something new. Give them the chance to support locally made and community-minded.
“The new normal will be much easier to swallow when we all feel better about ourselves.
“Holocene. Cretaceous. Jurassic. Devonian … we have entered a new epoch of life. Emerging from the murk of our living room forts and home offices, blurry-eyed in the bright autumn sun. We are determined to find our way in this alien new world.
“We’ve been told what to do, how far to stand, where we can go and who we can see. And what an amazing effect it has had on the invaders. Hats off to us all.
“But if hoarding loo paper pre-lockdown was about control (cultural not intestinal) in times of uncertainty, we are now entering a time of defiance.
“We’re back. And we want our luxuries.
“We want our cheeseburgers, our coffee, our secret herbs and spices, our fresh tattoos and a fresh fade for the bonce. And we’re prepared to stand in line at midnight for them. Life has changed. We haven’t … much.
“We’re back. And we want our luxuries.”
“Lockdown has been a dramatically life-changing event for many of us. For the other 98% of us, this has been a ‘life-tweaking’ event. There’s definitely a feeling that we’ve accepted the change but we’re not willing to give up our simple pleasures.
“With every drive-thru coffee or Wicked Wing we’re shouting, “Take that Covid-19! You can take away my European Cruise, but you’ll never take away my freedom … I mean, my fancy almond croissant.
“In this post-lockdown, travel restricted world, luxuries will be re-evaluated. Snorkelling in the tropics will be replaced with bubbles in a new spa pool. A family trip to Germany will be replaced with a schnauzer puppy.
“Twelve-course dégustation’s will be replaced by a bucket of the Colonel’s finest, and an all-night drinking session in the city with friends will be replaced with an all-night drinking session in the city with friends, sitting down.
If anyone can adapt, it’s us Koiwois. With our number 8 wire and blah blah blah … you’ve heard it all before.
“So, what can marketers learn from all of this? Well, it’s simply that Kiwis still believe in treating themselves, and are more than happy to fork out some of their government subsidy for the simple pleasures.
“But this is also a time where Kiwis are re-evaluating their options. Some of us have even reached for wholemeal flour when the good white stuff ran out. Desperate times these are.
“If you’ve got a new product (or an old classic) there’s never been a better time to get it in front of the country.
“The new normal will be much easier to swallow when we all feel better about ourselves.”
“Now is not the time to stop talking to your audiences. Give them options. Give them the chance to consider something new.
“Give them the chance to support locally made and community-minded. The new normal will be much easier to swallow when we all feel better about ourselves.
“In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed. – Charles Darwin.
“Yep, that’s Kiwis in a paua shell.
“Our beloved ol’ Winnie summed it up last Tuesday saying, “Cultures that don’t adapt, die.”
Wicked Winnie never pulls his punches but how right he is.
So let’s all relax our luxurious expectations a little, be adaptable (with just a hint of defiance) and support our local businesses when we feel we’ve done enough for a gingernut.
Welcome to the next epoch of our times … the Covidian. Let’s hope it’s still finger lickin’ good.
About Mágico
We’re a nimble team of marketing specialists who use insights and creativity to connect your brand and audience in magical ways.
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