Communicating During The Coronavirus
The “unprecedented new normal”
It would be safe to say you’ve been on a successful digital detox if you haven’t seen at least one of the following in the past week:
- The Google trends image about how search trends for the word “unprecedented” have been unprecedented
- An article about the “new normal” and how consumer behavior will change
- An easy-to-make sourdough recipe
Unfortunately, we have not yet seen the end of these trends. For many months (or perhaps even a couple of years to come), we will all be discussing this “unprecedented” twist our lives have taken and how we’re dealing with our new normal.
Never before in our lives have organizations and governments had to respond in such short notices to changes taking place around them. And they will have to continue doing so over the next few months by informing us about changes to their services, reminding us about safety measures we should adhere to, and ensuring that the inconveniences we might face are for our own good.
Arguably, none of these are easy to communicate — but understanding how people perceive risks and the psychology behind how people react in these situations can help us create a more effective communication framework.
References
- Witte, K. (1992). Putting the fear back into fear appeals: The extended parallel process model. Communications Monographs, 59(4), 329-349.
- https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/coronavirus-who-praises-singapores-containment-of-covid-19-outbreak
- https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/singapore-south_korea-taiwan-used-technology-combat-covid-19/
- https://twitter.com/DerekjAndersen/status/1247976394925064192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1247976394925064192&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hindustantimes.com%2Ftech%2Fcovid-19-china-is-mass-tracking-body-temperatures-and-we-need-this-in-india%2Fstory-Mb2uFAvUJGKe2KpoLYg5tO.html
- https://twitter.com/ZomatoIN/status/1250490786896121856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1250490786896121856&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Feconomictimes.indiatimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics-and-nation%2Ffamilies-in-south-delhi-isolated-after-delivery-boy-tests-positive%2Farticleshow%2F75175022.cms
- Van Bavel, J. J., Boggio, P., Capraro, V., Cichocka, A., Cikara, M., Crockett, M., … & Ellemers, N. (2020). Using social and behavioural science to support COVID-19 pandemic response.
- Reicher, S. & Haslam, S. A. Beyond help: A social psychology of collective solidarity and social cohesion. in The psychology of prosocial behavior: Group processes, intergroup relations, and helping 289–309 (Wiley-Blackwell, 2010).
- https://adage.com/article/video/behind-budweisers-one-team-coronavirus-response-ad-age-remotely/2246781
- https://herviewfromhome.com/living-budweiser-ad-one-team/
- https://www.bi.team/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/BIT-Experiment-results-How-to-wash-your-hands-international-comparison.pdf
- https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/the-ritual-handshake-loses-its-grip-in-the-time-of-coronavirus/articleshow/74803182.cms
- https://qz.com/1836247/social-distancing-markers-from-around-the-world/
About the Author
Preeti Kotamarthi
Preeti Kotamarthi is the Behavioral Science Lead at Grab, the leading ride-hailing and mobile payments app in South East Asia. She has set up the behavioral practice at the company, helping product and design teams understand customer behavior and build better products. She completed her Masters in Behavioral Science from the London School of Economics and her MBA in Marketing from FMS Delhi. With more than 6 years of experience in the consumer products space, she has worked in a range of functions, from strategy and marketing to consulting for startups, including co-founding a startup in the rural space in India. Her main interest lies in popularizing behavioral design and making it a part of the product conceptualization process.
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