• by Todd Wasserman , Staff Writer, May 17, 2022

Now that we appear to be heading toward the end of the pandemic, it’s worth taking a look at how marketing has changed in the past two-and-a-half years, and which changes are likely to stick around. Here’s an assessment as of May 2022:

Movie theaters: The movie industry had never grappled with a situation like the COVID pandemic before. People by and large stopped going to theaters in 2020. In North America, box office revenues jumped 101% in 2021, but that was still 60% behind 2019’s revenues. In addition to being barred from going to theaters, consumers had the option of streaming new movies on Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu or Netflix. Nevertheless, studios are encouraged by the success of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which was released in December 2021 and has grossed about $2 billion, which makes it the sixth-highest-grossing film of all time, even though it wasn’t released in China.

Prediction: Theaters will be used mostly for big tentpole releases and optimized with IMAX and other features that will incentivize people to leave their homes. Meanwhile, smaller films that are critically acclaimed will (like the Oscar-winning “CODA”) mainly be viewed on streaming platforms.

Amazon: The pandemic has been very good to Amazon. Facing uncertainty about in-person shopping, many consumers opted for Amazon. As a result, Amazon’s sales soared during the pandemic, as consumers grew accustomed to buying items online.

Prediction: With its hands in everything from grocery delivery to streaming services, Amazon is well positioned for the 2020s even if another pandemic surfaces.

Videoconferencing As “Zooming” became a verb, many remote workers got used to videoconferencing. That caused some to wonder whether everything from in-person meetings to industry get-togethers will be affected.

Prediction: There will be less incentive to hit the road when one can do everything from participate in industry meetings to see a doctor at home. Telehealth is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.5%, according to Vantage Market Research.