Consumers want brands to change how they communicate to the public in response to COVID-19 and take a leading role in the crisis, new research from Edelman PR reveals.

Sixty-two percent of 12,000 people interviewed around the world said that their country will not survive the crisis without brands playing a critical role. Fifty-five percent said brands and companies are responding more quickly and effectively than government. Previous research from Edelmen PR showed that people trust brands more than their governments.

A New Communications Approach

The research reports that people want brands to:

Focus on how brands help people cope with pandemic-related life challenges. “Brands must focus their messaging on solutions, not selling,” writes Richard Edelman, CEO of Edelman.

Speak about products in ways that show they are aware of the crisis and the impact on people’s lives.

Provide accurate information about the crisis. Many worry about fake news about the coronavirus. Top communications channels include email, the brand’s website, earned media and advertising. Consumers trust earned media more than advertising or the brand’s social media promotions.

Offer instructional information about how  people can protect themselves. For example, Microsoft’s Healthcare bot on the CDC website answers questions about people’s symptoms.

A Shift in Brand Behavior in Response to Coronavirus Crisis

Consumers also want brands to take concrete actions such as:

Shift to producing products that help consumers meet today’s challenges.

Do everything they can to protect the well-being and financial security of employees and suppliers, even if it means substantial financial losses to the company during the pandemic.

Provide services online. For example, Club Med repurposed its staff to design at-home sports fitness programs.

Offer free or lower-priced products to health workers, people at high risk, and those whose jobs have been affected. People will lose trust in a brand if they think the organization is placing profit over people.

Partner with government to help provide a safety net to fill gaps in government responses.

Main Questions to Ask

Megan Kashner, director of social impact at the Kellogg School, recommends organizations ask themselves these questions when pondering how they can help their communities.

What is your core business and how can it be useful? Zoom offered its online video conference service free to K-12 schools that closed due to the crisis. Initiatives don’t need to be enormous. Disney Plus’s started streaming Frozen 2 three months ahead of scheduled to help parents with children confined at home.

What resources, such as money, expertise or facilities, do you have? Perhaps your marketing team has expertise to offer a small business or nonprofit hurt by the crisis.

What could you do? Many small distilleries are converting part of their operations to manufacture hand sanitizer. Apple announced that it will make a face shield for health professionals.

Kashner urges business leaders not to define their “community” as solely where their offices are or where they and their employees live. Also consider where goods and services are sold and where suppliers are located.

Bottom Line: Consumers want brands to take a prominent role in the battle against COVID-19, including disseminating reliable information about the crisis. PR professionals who publicize solutions rather than sales messages will win greater respect and trust for their brands.