Covid-19 came to our world with a big-bang-disruption and changed the world we knew. The damned virus disrupted business models and brands-consumer interactions. New lingo popped up in our dictions as self-isolation and social distancing became the new norms. Tech began to drive our interactions more than ever before. Covid-fear gripped the world and threw CEOs confusion.
Adapt or die becomes the rule of the game.
The business world responded with two major strategy; Corporate Social Responsibility and Empathy marketing. Beyond that, businesses are also asking valid questions like ‘What happens after Covid-19? How do we create experiences and connect brands to consumers in the face of social distancing? How do brands maintain profitability and as well stay responsible post Covid?
While we are providing diverse answers to our clients’ questions, we responded to Covid-19 through two of our companies/businesses: Retailar and GDM Consult.
Retailar is a B2B e-commerce platform that links manufacturers of products to last mile retail outlets. Through Retailar, retailers can order a product online and get it delivered to their locations.
Immediately Lagos was on lockdown and movements were restricted, we knew ‘retail’ would be a heavily threatened sector and were deeply concerned about how neighborhoods get their daily necessities. We quickly swung into action and activated one of our new innovation-companies, Retailar, to move goods directly from the manufacturers to retail outlets. Even with the threat of Covid-19 out there, we made sure Lagosians were supplied with necessary goods to keep them alive during Covid lockdown.
Today, we have reached hundreds of stores and thousands of households across 60 geographical locations in Lagos; with plans to reach more until the lockdown ends.
GDM Consult took a consumer education approach to Covid-19. The company supported the Federal Government/BOI on a Trader Moni project to educate traders on the concept of Social Distancing. The occasion was also leveraged to recruit, enumerate and disburse funds to the traders. In attendance at the event was Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, the Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (representing the Federal Government). The Covid-19 consumer education activation took place at Ikoyi-Obalende LGA and we were proud that we made impact out there even when the world was locked in.
Here are some of our activities in pictures:
GDM Group is a marketing innovation company putting future thinking at the core of marketing.