This week, our very own Chris Sekin joined a panel of advertising professionals to discuss the rapid evolution of messaging and production during this pandemic. Moderated by Keith James of Republic Editorial, the representatives from brands and agencies dove deep into the new creative and production process.
There were so many great insights that we decided to create a list of the key takeaways from their discussion.
Trust and technology
Shooting any type of content has become more challenging than ever. Due to travel restrictions and the shelter in place order, we can’t be on location or in a packed studio for production. Because of that, we are having to rely on partnerships that we’ve built in the industry to get work done quickly. Without the technology we have today, it wouldn’t be possible to work remotely with those trusted partners around the globe.
Purpose
In a way, every brand is working off the same creative brief right now. As every brand is jumping in to make a comment on how they’re dealing with this pandemic, a lot of the content has looked the same. However, brands that have an established and powerful purpose have stood out in the crowd. Purpose-driven companies who know why they exist are able to make a stance and consumers take note of that.
Imperfection is real
With shorter timelines and smaller budgets than before, it’s impossible for brands to create work that is perfect. As opposed to showing products in the perfect light or taking all day to nail a shot, everyone realizes that time is of the essence and the message must be delivered quickly. In turn, that has created more authentic work that’s genuine to the times we’re in.
No time for timelines
These days, timelines are shorter than ever before. What once took a week or two is now being produced in a day or two. However, agencies are happy to commit more effort and work longer hours because clients are dependent on our partnership right now. It’s increasingly important to get the work right the first time because clients can’t afford to go through multiple rounds of review.
Post pandemic
As we see the government begin to slowly start the process of returning to normalcy, it’s easy to see how production won’t be the same. There will likely be regulations placed on the crew size for a shoot and permits will be tough to obtain if a project requires shooting on location. Therefore, shoot times will be increased and our creative teams will have to adapt to whatever production restrictions teams face.
Long term impact
To wrap up, agencies and brands will have to realize that our industry will see changes for more than just a few months. More than likely, we will have to adapt to this new way of working for many years. We’ve learned that it’s not always necessary to push work to absolute perfection every single time. Plus, thanks to trusted partnerships and reliable technology, we’ve seen how efficient working remotely can be. Most importantly, during the coming months and years, we will have to be patient.
These changes to our process don’t have to be negative. While it can be scary to face a new normal, brands and agencies have proved that everyone can still produce great work and create impactful messages. At the end of the day, as long as we work together and strive to find a purpose in everything we do, our industry will thrive.
