Original budgets have been flip-flopped, and planned campaigns have been scrapped for more time-sensitive ones. What’s more, marketers are hard at work staying ahead of consumer behaviors brought on by months of quarantine and social distancing guidelines. Still, more than half of advertisers plan to ramp up ad spending for this quarter.

How do you imitate the convenience of browsing vast aisles of inventory without a physical presence? Or the experience of seeing, feeling, and smelling various products to make a purchasing decision? Due to the coronavirus pandemic, these are questions brands have had to navigate over the past couple of months.

Shared experiences are a fundamental element of our economy. Over the last few years, new experiential business models have emerged that all revolve around getting people together. With the experience economy at a sudden halt, how can event marketers prepare for the world that awaits them post-pandemic?

With the world on lockdown, attention is turning to how familiar brands are responding to the coronavirus crisis. The sentimental commercials. Ads promoting togetherness. Brands going the extra mile to help those in need.

And as purpose is put to a test, we’ve seen which companies have stepped up and which ones have missed the mark.

While the coronavirus crisis tests us all, marketers need to keep building their brands, protecting employees and consumers, and staying true to their values.

Nobody knows how long this restrictive period will last, but the mere uncertainty of the pandemic’s duration will force companies to develop long-term coping strategies. Planned campaigns will need to be delayed or adjusted, and crisis communications will become the new norm. But despite this global pandemic and pending recession, the economy needs marketing.

Remote work is the new norm as many of us have transitioned to home offices due to the coronavirus pandemic. As thousands of workers adapt to working at home, productivity is put to a test. Besides being legally mandated to forbid onsite work, businesses are implementing remote work policies to encourage #socialdistancing. This phenomenon — which has become a new business buzzword — is one of the only proven tactics for curbing the spread of COVID-19.