The pivot. A familiar term for many businesses as we navigate our way through the unprecedented waters of COVID-19. Changing tact, direction or embracing change has become, for many, crucial for staying afloat in these uncertain times. In the majority of cases, this doesn’t mean scrapping everything and starting again, quite the opposite in fact. It’s more about exploring what’s possible and how existing processes can be adapted to suit the current environment.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, many marketing campaigns have come to a halt – with a number of brands pulling their ad spend altogether. Out of fear and uncertainty, businesses are naturally cautious about where they invest their money in these troubling times. And with a recession looming over us, it’s unclear when things could get back to ‘normal’.

The world has changed. Regardless of your industry or geographical location, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted everyone in some way – forcing us to work from home and juggle both personal and work lives, while driving businesses to suddenly embrace different ways of working.

But from challenges also come opportunities and learning. That’s why, in our latest issue of The Knowledge, we’re taking a look at the current B2B landscape and our own experiences as a business and offering our thoughts on how we, as marketers, can adapt to the new normal. In it, we cover:

• Tackling change
• Addressing workplace challenges
• Developing a strategy during uncertainty
• How you can adapt your marketing plans

A consistent corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy is at the heart of every successful business. As consumers, we trust brands that act responsibly, which influences buying behaviour. But it is often unclear which companies are responsible, and which just say they are. So how can B2B brands ensure they are noticed for the right reasons? By making sure their CSR policy and commitment to ‘social change’ runs through every level of their operations.

A survey published by Deloitte this year found that, out of more than 13,000 millennials across 42 countries, just 55% believe that businesses have a positive impact on society. Furthermore, 76% agreed with Deloitte’s conclusion that there is a ‘growing view that businesses focus on their own agendas rather than considering wider society’. In the same vein, another survey published this year discovered that Generation Z is more likely to trust that large companies are operating in society’s best interests only when the companies show it by their actions.