Adaptability, reactivity, new purpose… In this unparalleled context of business downturn, one of the major challenges for brands is to give up some of the strategies of the past to seize the new emerging opportunities.
While everyone is wondering about the best scenario to adopt to get through the crisis, our experts Aude Legré and Valérie Niang highlight the missions of our Living Lab – socio-cultural observatory – expended for this transition period and the strategic consulting offers redesigned by our teams to help brands embrace change and boost the conditions for their rebound.
Sandrine Maggiani: In this unprecedented context, we are all trying to predict the “after”, but can we already provide answers?
Aude Legré :Still in the midst of uncertainty, we have the natural cognitive bias of thinking in extremes: either the crisis will change everything or nothing. As if we had to choose our side: optimistic / pessimistic?
This unprecedented crisis is changing the rules in our lifestyle and social ecosystem, starting with our behaviours and interactions: the links we have forged and the people we trust, the purpose and role of brands, companies and institutions have already changed!
all the images are courtesy of paris_in_motion_by_axel_gylden
With our Living Lab Peclers Paris, socio-cultural observatory, we have identified changes in individual and collective aspirations and key challenges for brands and industries. Even if we are facing a still uncertain future, we observe tensions, dissonances which are in fact endless sources of perspectives, possibilities for the future, creative inspirations with the hope for a long term balance.
SM : How can we overcome the challenge of the crisis exit “in real time” and bring solutions to customers who are questioning the future or even the survival of their business?
Valérie Niang : We have been rethinking and enriching our offers because the time has come to prioritize strategic projects to respond to the changes and radicalization of consumer and public aspirations at an individual or collective level.
Today consumers, as well as partners and employees expect brands (companies, institutions) to have a strong and unifying vision, shared values and a posture of new leaders to navigate in uncertainty. Peclers Paris as an agency enables its clients, by accompanying them, to seize the opportunity to foster their values of progress.
SM : Faced to many challenges, what are the added values that Peclers brings to its clients to help them manage this crisis and overcome it with greater strength?
VN: More than ever, we are a true strategic partner for our clients: from developing creative and innovative solutions to helping brands develop their products, services and experiences, to making fair and responsible decisions. One of our missions through the Living Lab, is to accelerate creative processes by stimulating inspiration and empowering their teams.
Our teams are mobilized to guide our clients and face the challenges at their side with strategies adapted to the local context, needs and cultural specificities and deployed rapidly to meet the challenges of a fast-changing market.
SM : While predicting the consequences on consumer expectations is still uncertain, what convictions do you stand for to help your customers get through the crisis?
AL: The future is uncertain because it is still to be written! Our core belief is that more than ever, brands must be ” lights in the mist “, true leaders, acting with consistency and coherence to engage their communities.
Among the Living Lab’s various missions, we must both: anticipate socio-cultural changes and stimulate creativity, imagination and innovation to redefine a new normality and foster the evolution or/and transformation of our clients.
SM: Given the questioning of ecosystems and behaviours, how can companies maximize their adaptive capacities?
VN : Such a contextual change and the resulting evolution of consumer expectations need to be integrated into business, brand, innovation and creation strategies, as well as the interactions with their ecosystem and the possibilities for diversifying so as not to consider a single scenario but to allow several solutions to co-exist or combine.
Today, the key objective for a brand, a company… is to remain faithful to its values and its narrative in all circumstances, while at the same time get rid of what no longer applies to it in order to adapt to new needs and uses with relevance. And with our teams, our role is to guide them through this transition.
SM : If the crisis has not eliminated yesterday’s ideas, on which mainstays should brands be based and how can they become accelerators of enduring change?
AL: Meaning: Brands need to reconsider “meaning” to recreate value, strengthen their relationship and engagement with their consumers.
The “Post Purpose” reason for being: “Purpose” must match action in order to engage consumers for whom the brand gives the power to contribute, to change according to their ambitions, ideals, values…
Collective intelligence: The transformation of uses and behaviours must change internal and external collaboration. Put human beings first.
Alignment with their brand values: Creating a new value and trust relationship based on commitments and actions that reinforce legitimacy and even their educational and creative role. Consumers expect brands to help them align their values and convictions in troubled times.
Generous frugality: Moving towards quality vs. quantity. Inventing a comforting essentialism, a sobriety that is impactful, perennial and resourceful.
Creativity: being assertive and creative in order to (re)create a strong brand culture and revive the magic of dreams.
On the basis of our Living Lab Observatory, we have created strategic consulting offers conceived for the times we are going through: Living Change. These offers are designed to identify consumer expectations and key challenges, to inspire and foster the conditions for change and to support you in accelerating your creative performance.
Our consulting teams are available to work by your side. To learn more about our offers, contact us