Borrell Crisis Marketing Resources
In response to the coronavirus crisis, we are offering resources to help tell the story of what happens when companies maintain their marketing and advertising during difficult times. The resources include ongoing research and insights, webinars, video messages, and downloadable slide decks.
Jump to latest: Podcast Recorded Webinar Slide Deck Video Research Report Testimonials Helpful Articles
Podcast

Media’s ‘Survival of the Fittest’ Scenario Comes True — And Why TV Is Immune
Even before the pandemic, local media companies were going dark at a rate of 6 per week. Gordon & Corey discuss how things have accelerated as scores of print and broadcast companies have gone belly-up in the past two months. The only one in a comfortable position is broadcast TV. The podcast features an interview with TEGNA President & CEO Dave Lougee, who describes how TV’s transformation since the last big economic downturn a decade ago has put the industry in an insulated and enviable position.
Podcast

Sappy Messaging and Warning Signs: COVID-19’s Effect on Marketing
(Cue the maudlin piano music) In these unprecedented times, Gordon & Corey are here for you. That’s why they’ve teamed up with Fruity Pebbles…. Episode 21 takes a look at how marketers are struggling to remain in sync with consumers who seem to be suffering media overload. The podcast also identifies marketing decisions that equate to warning signs that a business might not make it through the crisis.
Report

What Local Advertisers Are Thinking: Borrell’s Late-April SMB Panel Results
This report, normally available only to Borrell subscribers, is being offered free. It contains 15 pages of insights from our monthly panel survey. Questions focused on how local businesses have changed their messaging, where they’re getting marketing advice, how long they feel the impact will last, and how they’re planning to adjust their ad spending in the coming months. And appendix offers 156 responses, categorized by business type, showing what these businesses have changed in order to maintain customer relationships.
Webinar
Our “Grand Reopening” Webinar is 35 minutes and discusses how post-COVID marketing will occur in three phases. In the end, it all seems to point toward deals and promotions becoming a big part of marketing messages in the coming months.
Click on link to access the articles
Advertising Age is Tracking Marketers’ Reponse to Coronavirus
Source: Advertising Age
Marketers have adjusted their creative messaging since mid-March
Source: Media Post
Tips for Restaurants Marketing during the Crisis
Source: Modern Restaurant Management
Insights on what consumers are shopping and doing more of now
Source: Smartbrief
How Top Marketers are Navigating Advertising and Management During COVID-19
Source: Forbes
A VIDEO LOCAL AVERTISERS SHOULD SEE
Gordon Borrell, our CEO, tells the story of how the perfect marketing storm has been created, and how local businesses can avoid being swept away by it. The video runs six minutes and is meant to share with local advertisers. Our suggestion: feature it during a webinar for local businesses who might be concerned about marketing.
“The Perfect Marketing Storm of 2020” video used six graph images to illustrate the story. We’ve put them together in a slide deck in case you’d like to use them in your presentations or compile your own video story. The images may be used publicly with appropriate attribution and Borrell copyright notations. To download the slide deck, click the link to the right.
Podcast

NO HAND-WRINGING AMONG THE MASTERS OF LOCAL MARKETING
This episode looks at how skilled local marketers are viewing the crisis, and how one broadcaster has sprung into action and created a dynamic library of more than 600 examples of crisis marketing messages for ad-sales reps. The show features an interview with the Vice President of Digital Media Sales for Nexstar Media Group, Bill Caudill, who talks about how the company’s 1,800 reps have pivoted.
Report

BORRELL BUSINESS BAROMETER: IMPACT OF CORONAVIRUS
Borrell March 16-29 Business Barometer report illustrates where SMBs’ heads are amid the crisis. pre-crisis. The report, normally available only to Borrell subscribers, is being made available free to anyone. The 23-page report offers details on how SMBs plan to spend or cut advertising, plus several pages of comments to open-ended questions about how media and agencies can help.
Webinar
‘IDEAS’ ARE THE NEW CURRENCY FOR LOCAL ADVERTISERS
This webinar represented advertisers’ quick pivot from “what do we do?” to “give us ideas!” It had nearly 2,000 registrants for the initial webinar, and sparked a flood of requests to conduct this webinar for advertisers in local markets. It features our chief analysts – Gordon Borrell, Corey Elliott, and Jim Brown, in a 40-minute webinar packed with useful research charts, ideas, and graphics.
Added March 18, 2020
Webinar
WHAT AD BUYERS NEED FROM AGENCIES & MEDIA
Our original webinar, conducted March 18, generated huge response from media companies and agencies. We outlined how crisis marketing worked and aligned it with research to show what local businesses needed most. The 45-minute webinar is suitable for any company in need of understanding how reps should be responding, and what they can do to help customers in crisis.
Hire Us To Help!
Our 45-minute webinars for local businesses attract an average of 250 leads in the form of registrants who basically raise their hands and say, “Help me figure out how to keep buying advertising.” By bringing in national experts to help local businesses understand how to navigate the crisis with marketing, you’re seen as helping the community. Here’s what recent customers had to say.
“We’ve driven nearly 400 new leads through our sales funnel in this time of uncertainty. That’s a huge advantage in the marketplace.”
Greg Stapleton, New Business Manager- Times Union (Hearst)
“Not only did we have an incredible response from our current advertisers, but many local businesses we don’t currently work with also attended, which will provide significant leads for our sellers.”
Todd Handy, Chief Digital Officer- Beasley Media Group
“THANK YOU for helping us pull off the webinar, it was a HUGE success that provided HUGE value to our clients and chamber partners. After the webinar, by the end of the day we already had two sales calls booked.
Gina Shoenrade, Director of Digital-Daily Herald Media Group
“The Borrell webinar was both informative to our advertisers and drove a significant number of leads for our sellers. The seminar was an opportunity to reinforce our messaging to advertisers with 3rd party expert data and insights. The leads and the seminar content provided us with a warm introduction to a conversation with our clients, another touchpoint opportunity to strengthen partnerships and develop new opportunities.”
Kelli Frieler, Executive Director of Digital-Leighton Broadcasting