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Reimagining Content for a COVID world: Ten Critical Dos and Don’ts for Brands

Reimagining Content for a COVID world: Ten Critical Dos and Don’ts for Brands

Published

3 years ago

on

Reimagining Content for a COVID world: Ten Critical Dos and Don’ts for Brands

By Linda von Rosenvinge, Data Intelligence and Content Lead at Greater Than One

 

COVID-19 has dramatically altered many of the traditional means of communication and education in the medical community.  As often happens in a major crisis, innovations have evolved at lightning speed. Healthcare audience outlooks and expectations have also taken permanent turns.

Have you adjusted your digital content strategy for this new world?  How will your brand communicate, educate and support patients and HCPs?

A successful shift requires commitment, imagination and compassion. It begs for a broader definition of content calibrated for these times and respect for each individual’s experience. This guide will help you assess and elevate your current approach.   

Imaginative Content for a COVID World: Dos and don’ts

  1. Don’t stop at information: Today many brands view content as information, period. Imagine that “content” doesn’t stop there but extends to tools, skills, connections and experiences offered to audiences. Many patients and their HCPs interact for only a few minutes and now often virtually. This often leaves large gaps digital content can help fill.
  2. Do deliver utility: Great content strategists continually think about how they can best fill their audience’s immediate and long-term needs. Especially early in a crisis, immediate utility trumps everything Content with immediate utility must be the backbone of any COVID content plan.

    Prioritize content that helps answer urgent questions and supports action. Patients may need to understand when they should contact their HCP, their local treatment options, and how they can safely continue treatment. Offer disease and care tools, guides, and connections to resources they may need.  

  3. Don’t stand for sterile: In healthcare’s regulatory environment, content can become flat and feel cold. Explore ways to communicate warmth and humanity while remaining compliant.  This can be accomplished through a visually inviting digital environment that features photos/videos of people and uses calming or neutral colors. Insist on striking a warm, affirming tone in copy wherever possible.  Introduce further humanity through stories, quotes and by inviting feedback.

Use “you” when addressing your audience, avoid overly clinical detail and use visuals paired with clear text to convey concepts.

  1. Do embrace empathy: Much human contact has been blunted if not killed by the COVID era’s social and emotional Patients, HCPs, and caregivers across the board are struggling.
    The Center for Disease Control has tracked markedly increased stress, fear and worry related to COVID itself, as well as its economic and social fallout. Many people with chronic disease or mental health conditions exhibit worsening symptoms.

Science has proven that seriously ill patients need more than their medication to get well—they need human support.  As Fosha, Siegel and Solomon explain in: The Healing Power of Emotion: Affective Neuroscience, Development & Clinical Practice…

Linda von Rosenvinge, Data Intelligence and Content Lead at Greater Than One

“We are hardwired to connect with one another, and we connect through our emotions. Our brains, bodies, and minds are inseparable from the emotions that animate them…these emotions can become powerful catalysts for the transformations that lie at the heart of the healing process.”

Appropriately demonstrating empathy is one of the hallmarks of an advanced healthcare brand. Create content with an affirming, empathetic tone.  Facilitate positive connections via social media, disease support groups or other forums among virtual “neighbors” in COVID. Bring patients positive, relatable voices.

Telemedicine is providing effective human connection for many patients. Examine how you can use content to optimize telemedicine interactions that benefit patients during and beyond the call.

  1. Don’t make assumptions: Without sufficient, fresh data, don’t assume you know where your audience is in their health or COVID journey.   Experiences across individual communities and individual people will vary as health, social and economic ramifications strike unevenly. Some communities are experiencing an intense COVID impact for the first time, others for the second. 
  2. Do Customize or Personalize: Branded content designed to help patients understand their disease or designed to help HCPs learn about new treatments is often generic.

    Patient characteristics for customization to consider include: culture/ethnicity, values, health literacy, beliefs, influences, social support system, content preferences.  For HCPs, consider how their specialty has been impacted COVID, their practice type and setting.

Personalizing content for the individual is content’s holy grail and will be an essential component of personalized medicine. Choose to personalize as you build deeper audience insights and gather individual patient or HCP data. (You’ll also need permissions from audiences to be compliant.)

  1. Do Co-Create: Especially in a rapidly evolving environment, co-creation should be a pillar of your content strategy. Adopt a collaborative approach between the brand, experts and the intended audience.   Solicit and apply your audience’s own feelings and opinions about what they need and want.  Their feedback will help your content achieve bona fide utility and true empathy.
  2. Do Use Content Archetypes: This pandemic calls for content archetypes—types of content that play to ancient brain preferences, stir positive emotion and mesmerize. They help audiences better comprehend and retain information and instructions. Here’s a rundown on this neurologically-attuned content:

Narrative

Narrative appeals to our ancient, social brains and deeply stirs emotions. In turn, emotions imprint information in our brains.  Stories from and about disease peers, caregivers, and/or friends can reveal COVID impact as a “shared but separated” experience, which brings people closer. Relevant narrative nurtures a sense of belonging-a core need for those in any state of isolation.  Brands that tell stories build lasting bonds with audiences.

Sound and Motion/Video
For an array of reasons video continues to explode as a content type across audiences. It is easy to consume, engages multiple senses and boosts comprehension and retention of information when done well. Employ sound and motion to tell a story and you have a blockbuster piece of content.

Interactivity

Content that offers interactivity can create a trancelike immersion for audiences which can be both healthy and productive. Interactive websites, games and videos all apply.  Immersion boosts comprehension and retention of information, so is particularly appropriate for audiences under strain.

  1. Don’t neglect to make your content discoverable

Your audiences must be able to easily discover your content to ensure it works for your brand. Ensure you have a sound digital search strategy and that your web properties are well-organized, easy to navigate and optimized for search.  Create shareable content and provide the supporting digital functionality that enables shares.  

  1. Do think about what’s next

Although we don’t know when the COVID crisis will completely resolve, life will eventually begin to stabilize. But many things will have shifted. Think about how you will prepare.  How will you innovate?  

Keep an eye on virtual reality, or VR It allows users to experience a sense of presence in a computer-generated three-dimensional environment. VR is leveraged to educate HCPs and patients. as a way to relax patients before the during procedures, and as a lever to accelerate patient progress in both talk therapy and physical therapy.

Look at new ways data can help you personalize content, working with a partner expert in targeting and data applications.

Finally, create your own, prioritized goals for your content and a roadmap to achieve them. Consider engaging a professional content strategy partner to map out the next 2 to 3 years, but expect to revise it as audiences’ needs change.  

 

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Low Iron Levels In Blood Could Trigger Long COVID: Study

Low Iron Levels In Blood Could Trigger Long COVID: Study

Authored by Amie Dahnke via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

People with inadequate…

Published

7 hours ago

on

March 9, 2024

By

Low Iron Levels In Blood Could Trigger Long COVID: Study

Authored by Amie Dahnke via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

People with inadequate iron levels in their blood due to a COVID-19 infection could be at greater risk of long COVID.

(Shutterstock)

A new study indicates that problems with iron levels in the bloodstream likely trigger chronic inflammation and other conditions associated with the post-COVID phenomenon. The findings, published on March 1 in Nature Immunology, could offer new ways to treat or prevent the condition.

Long COVID Patients Have Low Iron Levels

Researchers at the University of Cambridge pinpointed low iron as a potential link to long-COVID symptoms thanks to a study they initiated shortly after the start of the pandemic. They recruited people who tested positive for the virus to provide blood samples for analysis over a year, which allowed the researchers to look for post-infection changes in the blood. The researchers looked at 214 samples and found that 45 percent of patients reported symptoms of long COVID that lasted between three and 10 months.

In analyzing the blood samples, the research team noticed that people experiencing long COVID had low iron levels, contributing to anemia and low red blood cell production, just two weeks after they were diagnosed with COVID-19. This was true for patients regardless of age, sex, or the initial severity of their infection.

According to one of the study co-authors, the removal of iron from the bloodstream is a natural process and defense mechanism of the body.

But it can jeopardize a person’s recovery.

“When the body has an infection, it responds by removing iron from the bloodstream. This protects us from potentially lethal bacteria that capture the iron in the bloodstream and grow rapidly. It’s an evolutionary response that redistributes iron in the body, and the blood plasma becomes an iron desert,” University of Oxford professor Hal Drakesmith said in a press release. “However, if this goes on for a long time, there is less iron for red blood cells, so oxygen is transported less efficiently affecting metabolism and energy production, and for white blood cells, which need iron to work properly. The protective mechanism ends up becoming a problem.”

The research team believes that consistently low iron levels could explain why individuals with long COVID continue to experience fatigue and difficulty exercising. As such, the researchers suggested iron supplementation to help regulate and prevent the often debilitating symptoms associated with long COVID.

“It isn’t necessarily the case that individuals don’t have enough iron in their body, it’s just that it’s trapped in the wrong place,” Aimee Hanson, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge who worked on the study, said in the press release. “What we need is a way to remobilize the iron and pull it back into the bloodstream, where it becomes more useful to the red blood cells.”

The research team pointed out that iron supplementation isn’t always straightforward. Achieving the right level of iron varies from person to person. Too much iron can cause stomach issues, ranging from constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain to gastritis and gastric lesions.

1 in 5 Still Affected by Long COVID

COVID-19 has affected nearly 40 percent of Americans, with one in five of those still suffering from symptoms of long COVID, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Long COVID is marked by health issues that continue at least four weeks after an individual was initially diagnosed with COVID-19. Symptoms can last for days, weeks, months, or years and may include fatigue, cough or chest pain, headache, brain fog, depression or anxiety, digestive issues, and joint or muscle pain.

Tyler Durden Sat, 03/09/2024 - 12:50

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Walmart joins Costco in sharing key pricing news

The massive retailers have both shared information that some retailers keep very close to the vest.

Published

10 hours ago

on

March 9, 2024

By

As we head toward a presidential election, the presumed candidates for both parties will look for issues that rally undecided voters. 

The economy will be a key issue, with Democrats pointing to job creation and lowering prices while Republicans will cite the layoffs at Big Tech companies, high housing prices, and of course, sticky inflation.

The covid pandemic created a perfect storm for inflation and higher prices. It became harder to get many items because people getting sick slowed down, or even stopped, production at some factories.

Related: Popular mall retailer shuts down abruptly after bankruptcy filing

It was also a period where demand increased while shipping, trucking and delivery systems were all strained or thrown out of whack. The combination led to product shortages and higher prices.

You might have gone to the grocery store and not been able to buy your favorite paper towel brand or find toilet paper at all. That happened partly because of the supply chain and partly due to increased demand, but at the end of the day, it led to higher prices, which some consumers blamed on President Joe Biden's administration.

Biden, of course, was blamed for the price increases, but as inflation has dropped and grocery prices have fallen, few companies have been up front about it. That's probably not a political choice in most cases. Instead, some companies have chosen to lower prices more slowly than they raised them.

However, two major retailers, Walmart (WMT) and Costco, have been very honest about inflation. Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon's most recent comments validate what Biden's administration has been saying about the state of the economy. And they contrast with the economic picture being painted by Republicans who support their presumptive nominee, Donald Trump.

Walmart has seen inflation drop in many key areas.

Image source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Walmart sees lower prices

McMillon does not talk about lower prices to make a political statement. He's communicating with customers and potential customers through the analysts who cover the company's quarterly-earnings calls.

During Walmart's fiscal-fourth-quarter-earnings call, McMillon was clear that prices are going down.

"I'm excited about the omnichannel net promoter score trends the team is driving. Across countries, we continue to see a customer that's resilient but looking for value. As always, we're working hard to deliver that for them, including through our rollbacks on food pricing in Walmart U.S. Those were up significantly in Q4 versus last year, following a big increase in Q3," he said.

He was specific about where the chain has seen prices go down.

"Our general merchandise prices are lower than a year ago and even two years ago in some categories, which means our customers are finding value in areas like apparel and hard lines," he said. "In food, prices are lower than a year ago in places like eggs, apples, and deli snacks, but higher in other places like asparagus and blackberries."

McMillon said that in other areas prices were still up but have been falling.

"Dry grocery and consumables categories like paper goods and cleaning supplies are up mid-single digits versus last year and high teens versus two years ago. Private-brand penetration is up in many of the countries where we operate, including the United States," he said.

Costco sees almost no inflation impact

McMillon avoided the word inflation in his comments. Costco  (COST)  Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti, who steps down on March 15, has been very transparent on the topic.

The CFO commented on inflation during his company's fiscal-first-quarter-earnings call.

"Most recently, in the last fourth-quarter discussion, we had estimated that year-over-year inflation was in the 1% to 2% range. Our estimate for the quarter just ended, that inflation was in the 0% to 1% range," he said.

Galanti made clear that inflation (and even deflation) varied by category.

"A bigger deflation in some big and bulky items like furniture sets due to lower freight costs year over year, as well as on things like domestics, bulky lower-priced items, again, where the freight cost is significant. Some deflationary items were as much as 20% to 30% and, again, mostly freight-related," he added.

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Walmart has really good news for shoppers (and Joe Biden)

The giant retailer joins Costco in making a statement that has political overtones, even if that’s not the intent.

Published

11 hours ago

on

March 9, 2024

By

As we head toward a presidential election, the presumed candidates for both parties will look for issues that rally undecided voters. 

The economy will be a key issue, with Democrats pointing to job creation and lowering prices while Republicans will cite the layoffs at Big Tech companies, high housing prices, and of course, sticky inflation.

The covid pandemic created a perfect storm for inflation and higher prices. It became harder to get many items because people getting sick slowed down, or even stopped, production at some factories.

Related: Popular mall retailer shuts down abruptly after bankruptcy filing

It was also a period where demand increased while shipping, trucking and delivery systems were all strained or thrown out of whack. The combination led to product shortages and higher prices.

You might have gone to the grocery store and not been able to buy your favorite paper towel brand or find toilet paper at all. That happened partly because of the supply chain and partly due to increased demand, but at the end of the day, it led to higher prices, which some consumers blamed on President Joe Biden's administration.

Biden, of course, was blamed for the price increases, but as inflation has dropped and grocery prices have fallen, few companies have been up front about it. That's probably not a political choice in most cases. Instead, some companies have chosen to lower prices more slowly than they raised them.

However, two major retailers, Walmart (WMT) and Costco, have been very honest about inflation. Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon's most recent comments validate what Biden's administration has been saying about the state of the economy. And they contrast with the economic picture being painted by Republicans who support their presumptive nominee, Donald Trump.

Walmart has seen inflation drop in many key areas.

Image source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Walmart sees lower prices

McMillon does not talk about lower prices to make a political statement. He's communicating with customers and potential customers through the analysts who cover the company's quarterly-earnings calls.

During Walmart's fiscal-fourth-quarter-earnings call, McMillon was clear that prices are going down.

"I'm excited about the omnichannel net promoter score trends the team is driving. Across countries, we continue to see a customer that's resilient but looking for value. As always, we're working hard to deliver that for them, including through our rollbacks on food pricing in Walmart U.S. Those were up significantly in Q4 versus last year, following a big increase in Q3," he said.

He was specific about where the chain has seen prices go down.

"Our general merchandise prices are lower than a year ago and even two years ago in some categories, which means our customers are finding value in areas like apparel and hard lines," he said. "In food, prices are lower than a year ago in places like eggs, apples, and deli snacks, but higher in other places like asparagus and blackberries."

McMillon said that in other areas prices were still up but have been falling.

"Dry grocery and consumables categories like paper goods and cleaning supplies are up mid-single digits versus last year and high teens versus two years ago. Private-brand penetration is up in many of the countries where we operate, including the United States," he said.

Costco sees almost no inflation impact

McMillon avoided the word inflation in his comments. Costco  (COST)  Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti, who steps down on March 15, has been very transparent on the topic.

The CFO commented on inflation during his company's fiscal-first-quarter-earnings call.

"Most recently, in the last fourth-quarter discussion, we had estimated that year-over-year inflation was in the 1% to 2% range. Our estimate for the quarter just ended, that inflation was in the 0% to 1% range," he said.

Galanti made clear that inflation (and even deflation) varied by category.

"A bigger deflation in some big and bulky items like furniture sets due to lower freight costs year over year, as well as on things like domestics, bulky lower-priced items, again, where the freight cost is significant. Some deflationary items were as much as 20% to 30% and, again, mostly freight-related," he added.

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