The pandemic has transformed the way nearly every business operates and has shown the strength of the digital world. Social distancing measures and quarantine protocols have made it very difficult for teams to meet inside the office, putting a strain on initiatives that thrive or can only really exist with face-to-face communication. This communication and the ability to produce and execute opportunities on a completely virtual basis has become a necessity, and it’s an area Talent Resources has continued to thrive within.
Campaigns are and have always been, an essential aspect of Talent Resources. They are a representation of the relationships that we have formed with our clients and display the results that come from hard work, persistence, and creativity. Whether our clients are gearing up for the launch of their new products, having influencers amplify their campaigns through social media content, participating in photoshoots or satellite media tours, we have continued to successfully establish and maintain these client programs throughout the pandemic by pivoting and adapting to the realities of the “new normal.”
In the beginning stages of the pandemic, campaigns were forced to pivot from experiential activations and appearances to being entirely virtual. Experiential marketing activations have been postponed indefinitely and brands that had planned elaborate or extensive in-person programs have had to completely alter their marketing strategy. This sweeping change across the board also includes nearly all campaigns having to acknowledge the current climate, not just as it pertains to Covid-19, but with the recent surge in civil rights activism across the country.
The most important thing to take into account when discussing ways in which brands can continue to successfully produce these partnerships and deals is their ability to adapt. You must be able to take what you have done successfully in the past and apply those practices in a new way when changes such as the ones that are occurring around us are simply out of anyone’s control.
During the pandemic, we have successfully launched campaigns with Got Milk, Dunkin’, and CooperVision.
1. Got Milk
Celebrities including Matt Bomer, Jaimie Camil, Alejandra Espinoza and Kyle Kuzma partnered with Got Milk for the #FoodForThought campaign to support children and families who have struggled to get food due to school closures during the pandemic. The campaign partnered with Feeding America to provide one million meals and servings of milk to feeding programs across California. This campaign was able to tie in digital and traditional efforts while continuing to adhere to Covid-19 guidelines during the shoot and visit to the LA Regional Food Bank.
2. Dunkin’
Dunkin’ partnered with celebrities Stephen “tWitch” Boss and Allison Holker as well as Tabitha Brown to shed light on some of their newest deals and initiatives. Allison Holker and tWitch joined together to remind fans of Free Coffee Mondays, as well as to announce the re-launch of Free Donut Fridays while Tabitha Brown helped Dunkin’ spread the word that Oat Milk will be available nationwide, with an in-feed post as well as an IGTV. These Dunkin’ aficionados displayed that it is possible, and effective to get creative with the digital content they produce. Talent Resources worked to bring on talent with high energy for the campaign, engaging a large audience through social media.
3. CooperVision
Sarah Michelle Gellar partnered with CooperVision for her first campaign shoot since the pandemic began. The actress engaged with the brand to promote their new one a day contact lenses, the first contact lenses that slow Myopia (nearsightedness) in children. Talent Resources used their vast network to secure talent with an authentic relationship with the product, as Sarah, her husband, and son all suffer from Myopia. This program showed that celebrities are slowly starting to return to working on campaigns again and that it is possible to safely make things happen.