Features of global marketing communications in the context of COVID–19

The subject of the study – global marketing communications.
The purpose of the article is to identification of current trends in the global marketing
communications market caused by the COVID–19 pandemic in order to develop recommendations
for adapting appropriate strategies of companies in crisis and post–crisis periods. .
Research methodology – methods of analysis and synthesis (in the study of trends in marketing
communications under the influence of the COVID–19 pandemic); method of comparison (in the
formation of global trends of changes in marketing communications policy ); method of graphical
representation of results.
Results of the work – The article examines the classical and modern methods of marketing
communications, the behavior of firms in crisis conditions is characterized, and examples of companies
that have successfully passed the crisis due to the correct building of a communication strategy are
given. It was noted that the COVID–19 pandemic differs from past global shocks and is inherently
a deep crisis, generating social and mental changes that persist for a long time. Based on this, the
business must react quickly and adapt marketing to the prevailing conditions – situational marketing
is becoming an important global trend.
The analysis of the current situation in the marketing communications market has been carried
out, highlighting the areas most affected by the crisis, namely the global advertising market; transfer
of communicative attention to the digital space; transformation of content towards the topic of safety
and people’s care about their health; increasing customer focus and complex use of all marketing mix
tools and integrated marketing communications.
Considered the current brand communication tools in the current crisis according to the 4E model
(Empower, Encourage, Ease, Engage), based on the best practices of their use. It is concluded that
in the modern rapidly changing situation there cannot be a universal recipe for communications,
however, the identified general trends of global changes, considered in the study, can be taken into
consider by companies in their communication strategies.
Application of results: marketing, international economics, business economics.
Conclusions. The need to adapt to new conditions and big changes leads to companies taking
into consider in their communication strategies global trends in consumer behavior caused by the
COVID–19 pandemic: the rapid entry of new technologies into the consumer’s life has significantly
changed his habits – the active use of smartphones and computers; the topics of safety and health
care will be relevant for the consumer for a long time; personalization of marketing tools is the
most important competitive advantage in the modern communications market; the need to develop
reputation management based on social responsibility of business with an emphasis on social and
educational communications; the formation of huge deferred demand; long–term strategic marketing
planning is losing its relevance – it is being replaced by situational marketing.