24/03/20

How digital tech is helping through the coronavirus pandemic

Branding

Needless to say, we are going through unprecedented times, with the Covid-19 pandemic consuming our collective energies. Yet, it has been fascinating to observe how digital technology is being utilised positively and with such imagination to help people stay connected with their loved ones, and for some businesses to continue to function – the best they can.

At an incredible speed, private homes are turning into virtual offices with staff working with video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Skype to conduct live meetings. At Spinach Branding, even though we have always been at the forefront of using new technologies, the current situation has forced us to progress and refine our working techniques, reshaping our business at record speed. And it has been interesting to observe just how much can be achieved remotely and through digital technology.

Likewise, in the weeks since fitness centres and yoga studios were forced to temporarily close, the wellness world has mobilised to form virtual classes, so we stay healthy while in isolation and the teachers make some income. In the wake of gallery and cultural centre closures, the art world is also navigating new and novel ways to share cancelled exhibitions. Some are delving into their archives for a touch of art and cultural history; others are live-streaming their performances for free.

Better still, communities have rallied through simple apps and social media – WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram – to set-up neighbourhood help groups. Ironically, it has taken the virtual world to connect communities physically in ways that many of us living in larger cities have seldom experienced. Who would have thought that social media, platforms which were seen in a more sinister light not that long ago, could harness such positivity?

As leading trend forecaster Li Edelkoort told design publication Dezeen earlier in the month: ‘The impact of the virus will be cultural and crucial to building an alternative and profoundly different world… We will have to pick up the residue and reinvent everything from scratch once the virus is under control. And this is where I am hopeful for – another and better system, to be put in place with more respect for human labour and [work] conditions.’

Spinach Branding is a specialist branding agency based in London. We work with established businesses and start-ups around the world to build and refine their brands. See how we work and get in touch to discuss your brand.