What just happened ? This is a question that most of us have had on our minds through 2020, especially around April / May 2020.

Year 2020 has been challenging for humanity - a wakeup call for everyone. It jolted us mentally, socially & economically as the realization dawned that nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to Man vs. Nature. From constantly moving around for work and holidaying across the globe with friends & family, we suddenly transitioned into only seeing them virtually while being stuck indoors. Everything went absolutely topsy-turvy by March 2020. 

Things turned bad on every human activity front, including trade. Leading companies like Google slashed their marketing budget by almost 50% in the latter half of 2020. Commissions dipped as well. The media production & advertising industry took a major toll, with commissions going down to as low as 3-4%. Obviously, we at Qrious also saw a staggering drop in new clients, almost by 40%. One of the major reasons was the emerging changes in marketing strategies because the traditional media use of physical ad locales such as billboards and one way TV and radio ads had begun to lose ground. The Digital Era had arrived, and how!

Here we see the trend in the yearly revenue of Publicis Groupe. As the agency was growing exponentially, 2020 happened. Seeing this, we learnt no matter how big or small the agency, it affects everyone!

Thankfully, the threat of Covid has turned into a towering opportunity for digital communication and marketing. New normals have been invented in the field of media production and advertising to remain relevant and maintain growth. All major marketing agencies have made a quantum shift, investing their efforts profitably in the digital media.

The new strategy focuses upon content and communication on gadgets like smartphones and laptops. The real challenge is to engage the targeted clientele through data mining which is accomplished through digital surveys. For example, Google Ads possesses a vast store of digital traffic information and this vast database can be marketed to other companies that require its use, in a legitimate manner. Likewise, MullenLowe Lintas group has taken initiatives to create the “Restart and Restrat” framework which has been developed to help marketers of all kinds. 

Digital data mining trends also offer a clear picture of the shifting preferences of consumers, something we can leverage on. For instance, companies are now focusing on the growing niche markets such as pharmaceutical & medtech industries. Taking the cue, some marketing companies now offer different kinds of discounts to different clients, depending on their buying patterns. It has become possible due to data mining i.e. digital collection of consumer use data. 

Another fast emerging industry is the online meeting solutions industry because mankind has realized the importance of remaining in touch and sustaining human connections, even if it occurs on virtual digital platforms. Even large businesses have started capitalizing on this opportunity with the help of medium and small advertising agencies. Amazon India’s advertising campaigns “Aapki Apni Dukaan” and “Apno Ka Saath” are prime examples of acknowledging the importance of having a reliable vendor as well as supporting small & medium sized vendors during the pandemic. We, at Qrious, also are a part of such campaigns. 

We at Qrious are constantly updating and adapting ourselves as a creative production agency and have successfully managed the challenges that 2020 threw at us. Our proactive & engaging business approach focusing on digital markets and restrategizing ourselves is what has led us to thrive even in trying times.