[19 June 2020] They say it takes around 60 days to create a new habit, so it’s no surprise that for many of us the adapted way of life now requires little extra thought. With the reopening of non-essential retail stores and moves to revive the hospitality and tourist industry, it feels like life is getting started again. Granted, holidays are still on hold and we can’t go into someone else’s home just yet, but we’re moving in the right direction. The beauty industry is also hopeful of a return to work, with a provisional date of 6th July. Many small business owners are as desperate to get back to work as their clients are to see them, so it’s a welcome announcement. Betting shops in NI remain under orders to stay shut, as well as gyms.
We’ve said it a few times already, but until social distancing is a distant memory, life won’t be the same and our daily patterns will have changed. Many businesses have adapted and established working from home provisions for their staff. Perhaps seen as temporary initially, this is likely to continue in some or another into the future. Watching the TomTom traffic congestion data gives us an insight into how the daily traffic flows in Belfast have changed. Traffic now builds steadily throughout the day, rather than the twice daily peaks. Our analysis of Apple mobility data shows that driving in the city centre has only fallen by 12%, yet the congestion is significantly lower, around 15% compared to the pre-Covid-19 norm around 40%.
This re-emphasises our point that audiences ARE still out there, they’re just moving differently. The commute isn’t happening for many at the moment, but there are still lots of people on the roads and hitting the high streets to shop. In a few weeks, those audiences will be visiting bars and restaurants, and staying in hotels. The ‘rush hour’ morning and evening traffic peaks might have reduced for now, but we’re still spending time out of home, for various reasons, throughout the day.
This leads us to look at Out of Home, and the benefits it can offer to brands. Not only is it trusted and high quality, it’s broadcast yet niche. Media plans can sometimes become a little stale and repetitive, with format choices used time and time again. When everything has changed around us, maybe now is the time to try something new, or simply challenging us to enhance your campaign with some new and interesting recommendations.
