• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, June 9, 2020

Critics have ridiculed the plethora of emails stressing corporate values. But consumers may have viewed them more favorably than we thought.

A staggering 80% of consumers recall seeing an ad with COVID-19 messaging. And 84% of those came away with either a better opinion of the brand, or did not change their view, according to Consumer Insight Survey Q2 2020,  a new study from AKI Technologies, working with TapResearch.

But some message themes are seen more favorably than others:

• Safety precautions — 57%
• Change in business — 50%
• Thanking heroes — 48%
• Special distancing promotion — 47%
• Quarantine, entertainment/activity — 45%
• Payment forgiveness — 44% 
• We’re here for you — 36% 
• Something else — 23%

Meanwhile, the pandemic has changed shopping behaviors for 78% of consumers. But not all of the shift is positive, as 43% say they now shop less often. 

Still, 59% of the online purchasers are new to ecommerce, and 68% of those plan to continue in the future.

Of those polled, 68% bought a product based on an ad of some kind, with 29% buying it in the last month, 25% in the last week and 15% on the last day of the survey period.  

Also, 76% have become more open to trying new brands. But 47% feel that buying online instead of in-store results in fewer impulse purchases. 

Here’s one lesson for emailers in particular: discounts work. The biggest purchase drivers in ad are:

• It offered a discount — 28%
• It explained the product — 15%
• It made me feel good about the product — 15%
• It showed a benefit of the product — 15%
• It reminded me to purchase the product — 13% 
• It made me aware of the product — 12% 

This seems to be in line with classic email and direct mail practice: You need a strong offer or discount, a description of what the product does and a strong call to action.

Of the consumers who recall ads, 355 recall seeing them on TV. But 54 cited seeing them on an app/phone and 48 cited seeing them on the internet/online. Google was last, listed by 5.

Here the brands that consumers most remember seeing in ads:

• Geico
• AT&T
• Toyota
• Progressive
• McDonald’s
• Charmin
• Amazon

And shoppers list these brands as the ones they’ve heard of, bought more than once or would buy over others in the same category:

1. Apple
2. Nike
3. Blue Bunny Ice Cream
4. Kohler
5. Aveeno
6. Campari
7. Philips
8. Stonyield Organic
9. Starbucks Coffee

In another finding, 83% changed their media consumption habits. Invited to select all that apply, consumers say: 

• I watch more TV — 47%
• I spend more time on my phone — 38% 
• I play more games — 36%
• I read more news — 35% 
• I consume more media overall — 33%

Finally, the quarantine has had some silver lining benefits: 

• Family
• Slowdown/More time
• Home Time 
• Nothing 
• Health
• Alone Time
• Entertainment 

The researchers surveyed 1,000 U..S. consumers.