The pandemic affects our psyches three ways: It influences how we think, how we relate to others and what we value.
A challenge of the Covid-19 crisis for businesses such as ourselves, currently trying to plan and make sense of “what’s next?” is like for many, that navigating the sea of data and content can be overwhelming. Trying to unpick the facts and research from opinion and speculation is a big task.
In the spirit of support and collaboration, we have curated a list of resources from fact-checked sources that we’ve found the most useful in helping guide our own decisions and strategic thinking at this time.
If you think we should include other links here, please do get in touch. Email: tarah@milliganltd.com
All rights reserved.
Consumer Behaviours and Values
1.0 Business Insider: 3 ways the coronavirus pandemic is changing society.
You might recognise your own thoughts and behaviours in this Business Insider article. Difficult to know whether the changed values described will persist into the future or whether this merely describes our ‘new present’.
2.0 Harvard Business Review: That discomfort you’re feeling is grief
“The loss of normalcy; the fear of economic toll; the loss of connection. This is hitting us and we’re grieving. Collectively.” How is this feeling of what may be lost in our society embodied in the mindsets of consumers?
https://hbr.org/2020/03/that-discomfort-youre-feeling-is-grief
3.0 Politico: Coronavirus will change the world permanently. Here’s How
Views on individual, lasting trends from 34 big thinkers.
4.0 New York Times: We’re Shopping a Ton Online. Let’s Be Conscientious About It
With no choice now but to shop online, this article gives us some key points to think about, making us more personally responsible for our shopping decisions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/13/technology/coronavirus-ethical-shopping
5.0 McKinsey: A global view of how consumer behavior is changing amid COVID-19
Insights on consumer sentiment and what this might do to ‘consumerism’.
6.0 Deloitte: Retail Industry Sentiment Survey
Results published here from a weekly sentiment survey from those operating in the retail industry illustrating how market priorities are shifting and evolving.
Economic Impacts
1.0 Visual Capitalist: The Hardest Hit Companies of the Covid-19 crisis
The ‘BEACH’ stocks have lost over $332bn over the past month.
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/covid-19-downturn-beach
2.0 The Guardian: The coronavirus crisis may lead to a new way of economic thinking
Larry Elliot explains why the similarities of this crisis and the second World War, do not extend to the country’s economic situation.
3.0 McKinsey & Company: Beyond Coronavirus – The Path to the Next Normal
Rich with insight, as always, this McKinsey briefing urges leaders to look beyond their current survival mode and to the future through a series of stages; Resolve, Resilience, Return, Reimagination, and Reform.
4.0 Drapers Online: Coronavirus tracker: how the industry is reacting
Regular updates on how brands and retailers are responding to the crisis and the steps they are taking to protect their businesses.
https://www.drapersonline.com/news/coronavirus-tracker-how-the-industry-is-reacting/7039837.article
5.0 Visual Capitalist: What are Shoppers Buying Online During COVID-19?
An intriguing visualisation of the eCommerce categories experiencing the highest growth and those in decline during the Covid-19 crisis. Bread makers right up there with disposable gloves…
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/shoppers-buying-online-ecommerce-covid-19/
6.0 Gardiner & Theobald Market Intelligence: Covid-19 Construction Update
Up to date stats from the construction industry and a useful exec summary detailing how firms are now returning to work on live sites across the UK.
© Gardiner & Theobald
7.0 McKinsey: Covid-19 implications for business
Essential reading, updated regularly.
8.0 Savills: Central London Retail – Market in Minutes
These short briefings from Savills make a for a good read over a coffee – check out the rest of the Market in Minutes series and other research files on their website too.
https://www.savills.co.uk/research_articles/229130/299818-0
New Futures
1.0 City Lab: What a Coronavirus recovery could look like
Urban resilience expert Michael Berkowitz shares ideas about how U.S. cities can come back stronger from the social and economic disruption of coronavirus.
2.0 The Conversation: What the world will be like after Coronavirus – four possible futures
Some predictions based on academic models and research grounded in the fundamentals of the modern economy – global supply chains, wages and productivity.
3.0 BBC News: Coronavirus – The good that can come out of an upside-down world
This article explores some of the possible upsides of the situation on education and basic human principles.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52094332
4.0 Axios: The unexpected consequences of the pandemic
Futurist Amy Webb points out that we should not be duped into thinking the future is our new present.
Marketing and Communications During the Crisis
1.0 Axios: Brands risk losing business if they don’t properly address coronavirus
Some advice on what to say and perhaps more importantly, how to say it.
2.0 BBH: Covid-19 and Marketing – A briefing to Marketing Leaders
Brand consultancy BBH breaks down key strategic phases of planning in this crisis with some useful thoughts around changing customer needs and examples of brands getting it right and wrong.
