In response to the coronavirus pandemic, merchants are forced to re-evaluate the way they do business. The ability to quickly pivot and sell while managing cost is especially important at a time of economic pressure and uncertainty.
Advesa Digital recently launched a campaign showcasing the ways in which eCommerce can help small to medium sized establishments not only survive but thrive in every business challenge. Featuring stories across multiple industries from food to retail, Advesa illustrates the power of a website in sustaining revenue growth, even when it’s not business as usual.
The Concept: Helping Merchants During Covid-19
eCommerce has always been business critical. The only difference is that the pandemic amplified the need for business owners to shift online in order to navigate the effects of today and well into the future. Hence, the name ‘future proof your business’.
Proudly created in-house, the campaign comprises 3 videos, each dedicated to the hardest hit businesses amid the outbreak – restaurants, grocery and liquor stores. With social distancing measures in place, many retailers, especially brick-&-mortar stores, have lost their only channel – the streets; creating the question of sustainability.
The concept of the campaign focuses on the emotional process that retailers and restaurants are going through. From meeting the increased demand of goods and keeping their shelves stocked to competing with organizations that provide online ordering and delivery, Advesa recognizes the current struggles faced by merchants and provides digital solutions to help them pivot.
Not only does the company allow businesses to open their own digital stores across multiple channels, including social media, but they’ve recently partnered with Cantec Couriers to give local, same-day delivery options to their customers. Advesa is also expecting a launch of their point-of-sale service in the coming months to assist businesses in managing their online and store sales together.
As Advesa’s CEO, Mike Le, explains, “the future of retail includes online ordering and delivery. Setting up a website to seize online sales isn’t easy though. And for smaller retailers that didn’t have a website before the mandatory lockdown are finding themselves racing to play catchup. That’s why we’re giving them an ecosystem of eCommerce tools to make going digital quick and effective.”
Challenges
The success of all 3 videos rely on emotional appeal, so the biggest challenge was to accurately capture the personal hardships of each business, from retailers to restaurants.
Video Scriptor and Content Marketing Manager, Thea Christie, decided to address the unique obstacles of these businesses against our eCommerce solutions to foster engagement.
“In a 1 minute window, it’s about conveying the right message with compelling visuals to captivate our audience,” Christie says.
“Having worked with a multitude of related industries, we understand the pain points merchants are facing during this crisis. We want to show this and say ‘hey, it’s mission critical to get online now and we’re giving you the tools to do exactly that.'”
The unique challenges presented with this particular campaign launch gave our team a chance to exercise creative yet strategic solutions. Overall, the launch and subsequent marketing have been a success. Not to mention a sigh of relief for many of our partners in retail.
What’s Next?
The “Future Proof Your Business” campaign was successfully kicked off in June with a video series. It was the agency’s first run at showcasing the power of eCommerce in keeping businesses alive and thriving amid an economic downturn.
While restrictions ease, the move to digital and delivery models will become a permanent business strategy for long-term growth. “It’s not only a matter of keeping your business afloat, but also staying ahead of the curve by supplementing in-store volume with online sales,” described by Le.
As an extension of the campaign, Advesa will be launching their “academy” video series with product demos and tutorials on how to use their powerful eCommerce platform.
