Amidst the widespread COVID-19 outbreak, companies across the globe are adopting a ‘work from home’ approach as part of precautionary and social distancing measures during this period. This then leads to the rise of questions around the impact of current and future work, as well as the decrease in pitch activity. Recently, it was reported that Gap will be halting its global media review due to the increasing numbers of cases in the US and Europe. In Southeast Asia however, agency heads that Marketing spoke to previously said there has been no delays in local pitches or reviews thus far.
Here in Asia, through our numerous conversations, it is clear that both marketers and agencies are determined to maintain productivity in volatile times. An R3 report explained that now more than ever, both marketers and agencies will be looking for ways to manage cost, increase effectiveness, and explore innovative ways for reaching audiences.
Despite the current situation, the report explained that marketers are still looking for agencies that can engage and show great creative and innovative thinking. “Marketers want to meet agencies who they can envision having a relationship with. New skills might need to be learned to communicate capability in a virtual environment, and agencies that are looking to sharpen their techniques should take the initiative to do so,” the report said.
