Bauer Media has today announced a brand-new service that will help advertisers communicate with audiences appropriately and effectively during lockdown. It will be available to Bauer Media clients on all projects, no matter the budget or scale of the campaign.

A special taskforce has been assembled from Bauer’s content, creative and commercial teams and taps into the expertise of Bauer Adventure, the creative process through which Bauer devises advertising solutions for commercial partners across its network of iconic brands. The team will work with clients to understand their specific challenges and leverage Bauer’s insight and instinct to create campaigns with the right tone and appropriate messaging to connect with locked-down audiences.

The service has been created in response to advertisers’ changing needs, whether that’s help in finessing their existing creative to ensure it has the appropriate messaging and tone for lockdown or support for smaller advertisers with ad creative in absence of furloughed staff. It also builds on insights that have been gathered from on-going Bauer Media research into changing consumer behaviour and attitudes since lockdown.

The most recent wave of research shows that brand habits and loyalties are being tested and that consumers are more open to brand switching than before. Whilst they are appreciative of brands and companies who are responding positively to the COVID-19 crisis, they are judging brands more on their behaviour and the values that they demonstrate rather than purely the value they offer.

Surveying 1,495 people on the Bauer Insiders panel between 9^th-13^th April, results show that 99% of audiences are currently willing to accept an alternative product/brand to usual, with 91% having already switched brands since the outbreak. As a result, 76% of consumers intend to change their loyalties sticking with new brands that they’ve tried or being more willing to try new brands in the future. The research highlighted new drivers of future loyalty, including treating staff fairly (60%), good customer service (60%) and showing positive actions for the community throughout the crisis (50%).

The research also demonstrates that advertising during this time is vital to future brand health and that the tone and nature of messaging must evolve accordingly. The study showed that 87% of consumers still wanted to hear from their favourite brands, with just under half agreeing that advertising makes them feel normal at this time and they like ads that make them look forward to the future. They want advertising to reflect the mood of the moment, with 85% agreeing that content must be non-exploitative, relevant (71%), reassuring (65%) and informative (64%).

With this in mind, Bauer Media has already begun working with key clients to refresh brand communications and ensure their campaigns are appropriate and relevant for locked down audiences. Wickes, which sponsors the Absolute Radio Breakfast Show, had previously booked advertising that discussed its product range and promotions. To make the sponsorship more relevant for this time, messaging was finessed to inspire audiences to think of Wickes if they were doing home improvement whilst staying at home, and Bauer Media created the ‘Good Deed Register’ which Wickes could partner with. The segment allows listeners to give a shout out and thank people who were having positive impacts in their lives, positioning Wickes as a brand that contributes and cares about the community.

Commenting on Bauer Media’s new offering, Lucy Wheeler, Director of Bauer Adventure, said: “It is more critical than ever for brands to use the right messaging and tone in their advertising as consumers become increasingly more judgemental and open to brand switching. Our new service will provide clear, cost-effective and fast turnaround help to ensure our clients can communicate with their customers appropriately and thus stay relevant. We’re dedicated to supporting and helping our customers find ways to maintain their business throughout the lockdown and beyond.”

For more information on Bauer Adventure, please visit bauermedia.co.uk/tone-of-voice or contact advertising@bauermedia.co.uk. To see full results from Bauer Media’s latest research, please visit bauermedia.co.uk/covid19-insight.

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For further press information, please contact: 

Cat Martin – Communications Director, Bauer Media Audio

cat.martin@bauermedia.co.uk – 07932746363

Odelia Yu, Senior Commercial Communications Executive, Bauer Media

odelia.yu@bauermedia.co.uk – 07718124791

About Bauer Media

Bauer Media UK reaches over 25 million UK consumers through a portfolio of world-class, multi-platform media and entertainment brands including heat, KISS, Grazia, Empire, Magic, Absolute Radio and the Hits Radio Network. These brands offer commercial partners access to highly engaged audiences, with creative solutions underpinned by insight and instinct. Bauer Media UK is part of the Bauer Media Group, one of the world’s largest privately-owned media businesses with media assets all over the globe.

For more information on Bauer Media brands please go to www.bauermedia.co.uk or follow on Twitter @bauermedia