Advertising in the age of Corona: Paper beats screen
With the Corona pandemic, advertising that reaches us at home has regained importance. But which advertising channels work after more than a year of the pandemic, and which don't? A study by Intervista on behalf of Swiss Post sheds light on this.
In the wake of the Corona pandemic, many companies are once again paying closer attention to their spending - including in marketing: advertising expenditure is being cut back or more attention is being paid to the effectiveness of individual channels. In order to provide companies with the best possible support in allocating their advertising expenditure, the market research institute Intervista conducted a study on behalf of Swiss Post in February 2021. In a representative online survey, over 1,000 German-speaking Swiss were asked how their needs and consumer behavior have changed as a result of Corona - and in particular how they perceive advertising.
Fundamental change in consumer behavior
Unsurprisingly, there have been fundamental changes since March 2020. Fifty-two percent of respondents say they have significantly changed their consumer behavior. 18 percent are looking for bargains more often, 20 percent are paying more attention to quality and 30 percent are buying more Swiss products. 44 percent of respondents also expect their consumer behavior to change (further) - so this could be a lasting change.
Mailbox instead of screen
Working in a home office, which affects 53 percent of those surveyed, can be a trigger for other interesting effects. For example, more than half of 18- to 29-year-olds say they often feel screen fatigue, and among 60- to 79-year-olds it's one in five. In response, 42 percent of younger people actively make sure they can enjoy screen-free time. One in three in the older age groups does the same.
One consequence of this screen fatigue: 19 percent value reading on paper more today than before the pandemic. In general, the physical is gaining in importance - and so is the mailbox. For 54 percent of younger people, mail has become more important during the pandemic, with parcels being the main focus, of course. But the greater importance of the mailbox also has consequences for the effectiveness of advertising channels.
Most noticed: addressed direct mail items
Advertising on websites or search engines is heeded by only 18 and 19 percent of respondents respectively. At 26 percent, social networks are also only in the midfield. At 40 percent, advertising on TV is far ahead - also a classic medium that is predominantly consumed at home. However, the most attention is paid to another channel that is also well known: addressed commercials. 48 percent of respondents say they pay attention to these. And when asked which form of advertising was most likely to inspire them to make a purchase, addressed commercials were also named most frequently, at 57 percent.
"The current situation, in which the home plays a much greater role in the lives of the population, opens up new opportunities to reach customers directly," explains Oliver Egger, Managing Director Media and Advertising Market at Swiss Post. "However, the changes in consumer behavior and media use require a rethink in media planning," says Egger.
