The Ones to Watch Post-COVID

By Lottie Maddison, Marketing and Development Manager, STORMBRANDS

The COVID pandemic has transformed the business landscape. There have been those well-placed for the crisis – think Amazon and Tesla, most notably – and those, like hospitality and travel brands, who saw their markets disappear almost overnight.

It’s changed how brands communicate with consumers, and as we emerge tentatively into a world where COVID-19 remains a threat, but an increasingly manageable one, companies are thinking carefully about their brand communication strategy, and how they are relevant to, and connect with, people.

We think there are some brands that are well-placed to emerge strongly from this period, some because their products are right for the time, others because they have a mindset and attitude that chimes with the times. Here are just a few of them.

BrewDog is a brand that really feels as if it stands for something. In a remarkably short space of time, it has brought craft beer to the mainstream and re-energised the market. It has outstanding products, a brand voice that its audience loves, and a strong reputation. But with some of its recent redesigns, it has seemed to be losing its rebel spirit and becoming more commercial. The COVID hiatus may be the perfect moment for it to get back on track.

Some of BrewDog's offerings

Otis is a brand that has been performing a service quietly, taking people upwards, downwards, sideways, all ways, for a universal audience, for 150 years. It has such an interesting story to tell and if it was able to find new ways to deliver that narrative it could easily become one of the post-COVID branding success stories.

Otis, 150 years in the making

Sauce Shop is in an entirely different situation. It’s the classic story of a group of friends who, as recently as 2014, decided mainstream sauces weren’t good enough, so cooked up their own versions and it just grew from there. With more people cooking from home than ever before, and the company gaining recent investment, this could be the ideal moment for it to invest in brand design and step up to the next level.

Sauce Shop, enjoying home-cooked success.

Finally, Patagonia is in an interesting situation when it comes to its brand communications. It has always had a crystal clear purpose and it has communicated this to people in an authentic and meaningful way, building a compelling brand narrative across multiple touchpoints. However, COVID has changed the conversation and Patagonia needs to reflect this.

Patagonia, consistently conscious

It’s in a good place but needs to ensure its purposes, its communications and all its assets are fit for changing times. Get it right and it could be right at the forefront of the emerging new view of what it means to be sustainable.

Brewdog, Otis, Sauce Shop and Patagonia, are just some of the brands in this situation. There are many more companies that, like them, have the products, the stories, and the mindset to grow further. For all, the key to maximising this moment of opportunity is good branding. If they can recognise the importance of branding and make the right brand design and brand communication decisions, they have vast potential in the months ahead.

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