The role of culture in a global crisis

While the jury is still out on how much and how deeply the world will change following the coronavirus pandemic, there is no doubt that the it has disrupted life, livelihoods and health across countries and cultures. Consumption cycles have not stopped, but various aspects are reshaped through different contexts and needs – placing greater demands on brands.

As some of the universal aspects of the current pandemic playing out, we also see very different approaches, strategies and responses across the globe. Underpinning these differences is the role that culture plays in shaping our behaviour.

Culture kicks in stronger in times of crisis. In times of uncertainty, culture anchors consumers to the familiar, providing meaning and helping them to cope with any anxiety that arises.

This paper shows that government messaging and personal responses to the crisis have been shaped by culturally relative concepts, highlighting the importance of understanding cultural drivers and local nuances.

Without a deeper cultural understanding, brands may struggle to build meaningful, authentic and intuitive engagement now and in a post-COVID-19 world.

Ipsos believes that now is one of the best times to invest in cultural profiling across different markets. This can help to:

• Know the drivers and dimensions that define cultural identity for your consumers – across countries, segments and regions.
• Understand the role that your brand can play in helping consumers cope with their uncertainty in culturally nuanced way.
• Build authenticity and simplicity in your engagement with consumers through these uncertain, evolving times.

Read more about Ipsos’ cultural transferability solution and approaches to cultural profiling.