15 Apr

The Marketers’ Tavern Times | Issue Two

Letter from the Editor

It’s official, as the sunshine continues to reign, we’re all missing our usual pub trips more than ever. Following the successful launch of The Marketers’ Tavern last week we introduced its weekly rag, The Marketers’ Tavern Times.

Ably assisted by The Marketers’ Tavern’s new Head Barman, Freddie Fox, ex-landlord (and Partnerships Director) Edd Weller led the pub chat through another successful happy hour last Thursday to mark the start of the Bank Holiday weekend.

Bar stool conversations between The Taverners was flowing, so please, delve into the highlights from our weekly pub gathering.

The Taverners’ Talk

This week we really felt the positivity enter the pub, with chats centring around digital focussed businesses, the rise of virus-based and the love of the virtual pub quiz.

The main talking points were:

Adapting to the times: In the current climate, brands have no choice but to adapt. They need to be nimble to meet consumer needs and focus on how they can utilise their digital offering to do so. At present there aren’t rigid plans in sight for when we return to normality, most brand talk is around holding back until Q4 – but this comes with the risk of saturations and massively increased costs.

Alongside this and in the meantime, businesses will have to modify their internal structures. Whether it’s maintaining company-wide video calls or getting the whole company to check out a new show by creating a viewing party. It’s initiatives like this that keep those water cooler chats going.

Return of previous lifestyle habits: When lockdown is lifted, will the general public hit the pubs hard? Or will we see consumers being hesitant in returning to their usual social habits? Our Taverners were split on this. Many felt that people would be desperate for experiences, events and adventures once the time comes, whilst others felt people will take time to get over this trauma, remaining uncertain about returning to normal life. There will likely be an evident battle between sticking to the home workout and streaming life, as opposed to the communal gym and cinema one.

The rise of gaming: Following on from last week, the world of gaming is still going mad. People are digging out their Nintendo Wii’s from the loft (they really must be bored right?!) and The Sims has been downloaded at a dramatic rate. Other group games, such as Quiplash and Jackbox are growing in popularity and there’s even talk of gaming brands coming together in May for a multiple gaming event for users! So watch this space…

Charity partnerships: Whilst footballers are being pressured to donate their salaries in these times of need, we can’t just rely on them our Taverners said. Since Revolut has partnered successfully with The Red Cross, we can expect to see the number of partnerships of this ilk increasing. Some charities will be feeling the burn now, as donations drop due to the cancellation of events such as the London marathon. Brands need to look at what else they can do to lend a helping hand.

Job prospects: Our Taverners discussed how some industries, such as tech, are hiring quick and fast – taking on interns for the summer for example. We’re seeing a mutual understanding that people have suffered and lost jobs, and the Taverners talked around the benefits of sharing information about candidates that they may not be able keep or take on, to keep people employed.

Of course, the on boarding process is very different when doing it remotely. Starting a new job is always hard, but it’s made even harder without experiencing the vibe via an interview process. You don’t get to talk to people first-hand or if you’re the candidate even see the office building. Both candidates and employers are now having to build a different type of personal report and address how to develop relationships when they don’t have the physical option of meeting someone.

Weekly highlights

As we adapt to a new abnormal, one trusted friend remains – the pub quiz. Different friendship groups, colleagues, families and even pets are jumping on the likes of Zoom to beat their opponents at a general knowledge round (can anyone actually spell vermicelli?). Are people cheating? Who knows! But what we do know is that people are loving it. And the pub quiz is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re also seeing virtual murder mysteries and beer pong becoming more popular to help people stay connected.

So that’s last orders for this week! Join us this Friday at 3pm for the next instalment, bring your burning questions and best examples of Covid creativity.