coronavirus

Just a few short months ago most economists didn’t think an economic downturn in 2020 was very likely. In Bankrate’s fourth-quarter survey of top U.S. economists last December, respondents put the likelihood of a recession at 35 percent—a decrease of six percent from the survey released in September 2019. The whole world has obviously changed since then due to the spread of the novel coronavirus and the efforts initiated to reduce infection rates and deaths. With global commerce and travel at a near standstill in late…

If there's one comms moment that has stuck in my head from the last few months of upheaval, it was that point when Boris Johnson announced that he had Coronavirus. He broke the news using some very simple video footage filmed on a smartphone. Instinctively the Prime Minister knows, as we all do, that when there’s a difficult announcement to make, showing a human face makes the best of it. Video provides an opportunity to be transparent, to present the face of the organization, and to communicate with humanity. But it also…

Neustar, Inc., a global information services and technology company and leader in identity resolution, is offering landline, mobile, cable and VoIP carriers its Robocall Mitigation service free of charge for the next two months to help protect subscribers from scams related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The service is automatically activated on the carrier’s network and takes effect May 15, 2020. The service will alert subscribers to potential spam calls by displaying a message in the Caller ID field on the consumer’s device.…

The COVID-19 outbreak has forced millions of workers around the globe, across different industries, to work from home. Companies like Amazon, Facebook, and Google have all asked employees to work remotely for the foreseeable future, in attempts to curb infection rates. Smaller companies have also followed suit, as most countries order employees from non-essential businesses to stay home. While before the outbreak, remote work was considered a perk, the virus has now made it a daily routine. A large-scale experiment has…

With U.S. television viewership and other media usage increasing during the coronavirus pandemic, VAB is releasing findings from a new custom consumer study, As Time Goes By: How Media Consumption is Helping America Cope, evaluating current consumer media use behavior, social interactions and how these changing behaviors impact brands. Additionally, As Time Goes By answers a variety of marketers’ most frequently asked questions related to the pandemic. Marketing Technology News: Aarki Expands Presence in APAC With a New…

Environmental factors are forcing a reliance on digital interactions, with 42% of B2B purchases now being made online Rapidly evolving environmental factors due to the coronavirus pandemic are driving profound changes in the behaviors of B2B buyers. This poses a risk to all B2B organizations unless they adapt quickly and pivot their strategy to be more customer-centric and digital. To lead by example, Forrester transformed its flagship Summit 2020 into a four-day virtual event, which concluded earlier today. Attendance…

Annual BCG/IRI Study Highlights Role of Acquisition, Innovation, Surgical Pricing, eCommerce, and Consumer-Trend Fulfillment in Fueling Short- to Mid-Term Growth The US consumer packaged goods industry increased by 2.2% in 2019, outpacing 2018 growth of 2.0%, according to the eighth annual Boston Consulting Group (BCG)/IRI CPG study released at the end of March. The growth was driven exclusively by pricing adjustments in the face of declining average volumes across measured channels. Despite the volume drop, top growth…

The coronavirus pandemic has significantly impacted how businesses advertise to customers and how brands communicate USPs and core messaging above the line. The global plan to combat the spread of the virus is largely to enforce nationwide lockdowns and encourage people to stay at home. This forces users to adapt, and as they do, are potentially forming new long-term consumer habits. Understanding these changes, as a brand is fundamental in surviving such trying times. You know your business better than anyone, and…

Rivit TV, the only streaming platform that allows audiences from around the world to "Choose the TV That Gets Made™" said today that the company will pause its ground-breaking service due to the worldwide impact caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and will return with additional new original shows and additional features in the Fall. Marketing Technology News: Xactly Announces New Salestech App on Slack to Track Sales Performance "After the successful March 24th launch of our three (3) original drama pilots which…

- Total value of BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable Global Retail Brands reaches $1.5 trillion - Amazon grows 32% to $415.9 billion to remain the world's most valuable retail brand, commanding 27% of the Top 75's total brand value - Coronavirus highlights sector's pivotal role in global economy as retailers face supply and demand challenges that require innovation and agile response The third annual BrandZ™ Top 75 Most Valuable Global Retail Brands Ranking, unveiled today by WPP and Kantar, reveals that the value of the world's…

Leading Food Retailer Enlists the Public to Help Bring an Even Stronger Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Stop & Shop customers have taken a starring role in the company’s new ad campaign, which encourages shoppers to do their part to help make grocery stores safer for everyone during the coronavirus pandemic. The retailer’s new “Please” campaign, which starts this week on television and radio stations in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, provides suggestions on simple steps that…

InVideo, the world's easiest way to make professional-looking videos, is announcing free custom video templates to mitigate further damage to small businesses, restaurants, and impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. With recent state-wide shelter orders and business closure, small merchants need as much assistance as they can get. While government aid has been slow, social video ads give organizations a way to enlist community support quickly and inform their customers on changes to operational hours, new delivery…

New Vonage Report Reveals Video Usage Trends & Benchmarks, Including a 232% Increase in Video Traffic in March Vonage, a global business cloud communications leader, today released a report - “Video Communication Soars as Businesses and Service Providers Respond to Coronavirus“ - detailing rapid growth in video communications usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report provides unique insight into how organisations are leveraging programmable video solutions to stay connected even in a time of crisis, including a…

In the three months since the Coronavirus began, online retailers and brand sites have seen an increase of 8.8% in online shoppers and 52% in total sales compared to 2019. As social distancing becomes the new norm for an uncertain amount of time, consumers have already started shifting their shopping habits online to help protect themselves and their communities. Under heightened stress, brands and retailers need to ensure consumers can find the right product with ease and speed. Major retailers and governments are…

New Vonage Report Reveals Video Usage Trends & Benchmarks, Including a 232% Increase in Video Traffic in March Vonage, a global business cloud communications leader, released a report - "Video Communication Soars as Businesses and Service Providers Respond to Coronavirus" - detailing rapid growth in video communications usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report provides unique insight into how organizations are leveraging programmable video solutions to stay connected even in a time of crisis, including a look at…

Aggressive new product developments and marketing campaigns planned for Q2 have gone up in Coronavirus smoke, while business priorities have shifted and some B2B organizations may be running on reduced hours or staff numbers. As Jamie Kightley, Head of Client Services, IBA International explains, it’s not ‘business as usual’, it’s ‘business continuity’ which needs to be the name of the game from a PR and Marketing perspective. Marketing departments and agencies alike are all facing an unprecedented period for the next few…

The recent impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has shifted business operations across all industries. Now, more than ever, remote communication has become critical to stay afloat. Communication in the form of learning and development remains just as important today as it did before this unprecedented crisis struck industries nationwide. Effective learning starts with creating a foundation for ‘every day-learning’, which holds particular significance in today’s current climate. Supporting workers’ growth despite these…

As many countries enter phase three of the coronavirus, pandemic management protocols (PMPs) will define how we work, travel, congregate, and connect as a society According to Forrester, many countries across North America and Europe are entering phase three (management) of the coronavirus pandemic, expected to last from mid-May through the end of the year 2020 and into the year 2021. During this phase, pandemic management protocols (PMPs) — ways of working, traveling, socially congregating, and connecting — will have to…

Kirkland's, Inc. provided an update on additional measures it is taking in response to the impact from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). "With our stores closed to customer traffic to keep our employees and customers safe, we have accelerated our contingency plans across all areas of the company. I'm proud of the innovation of our team as we stood up contactless curbside pickup and immediately saw great results," said Woody Woodward, Chief Executive Officer. "These actions have had a direct impact on many within our…

The world is changing right before our eyes. Movie theaters, restaurants, and bars have all shut their doors. Sports arenas, concerts, and conferences have been canceled. Schools and businesses are closed. As people search for a sense of normalcy and indoor entertainment in a time of social distancing, Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, hit the nail on the head when explaining why people are flocking to video games. He said, "Games are the perfect platform because they connect people through the lens of joy, purpose,…