Hopefully you are all adjusting as best you can to the new normal, where brands of all descriptions are scrambling to recreate their in-person experience differently. Almost as one it seems we have turned to a heady mix of webinars, WhatsApps, online meetings and Slack channels to achieve the glittering prize of “continuity” wherever possible, and the world of Underscore is no exception.
So as the transitional tests from Week One become our daily norms for the foreseeable future, we thought we should share some early learnings.
1. Connectivity is the key
Now we know what everyone’s bedrooms, cats, kitchens and kids look like, we are certainly more familiar and undoubtedly more connected than we were before.
Our daily kick off meetings have never been so well attended and everybody is desperate to contribute as this may be the best and only chat they have all day.
We also think it’s normal for people to be zooming in from rooms in Hogwarts, Outer Space and even Wales and we know that ‘bedroom beige’ is surprisingly popular in 2020.
2. Communication can be stronger
The challenges that come with working remotely means we now have to be more efficient with our language and vocal when delivering a client brief as at any time a child’s fire engine, a dragged in mouse, a lame fox or even Piers Morgan might loudly interrupt the proceedings from somewhere.
We’ve found that time saved in coffee shops and commuting can be spent looking at the changing picture and finding trends that can help our clients in meaningful ways.
And we’ve seen having everyone in the loop means we have a more flat structure where ideas and offers of help can come from anyone – including family members!
3. Creativity can help
Now the ability to think ahead and simplify complex situations has always had an undoubted value – but possibly never before on this level.
Everywhere we look we are encountering icons and industries that simply won’t exist after this in the way we have always known them, and much like beach bodies are made in the winter, there can never be a time deemed early enough to start rethinking and planning for ‘the time beyond’.
We know that nothing in the future will be fixed by just adding a shiny new website or pushing a cute campaign… the world ahead wants a bit more heart and a bit more ‘give’ from its brands – think more NHS than possibly… BHS. All brands are under the microscope at the moment, from British Airways to EasyJet to Virgin Atlantic so at Underscore we’re helping our clients to understand what makes them important so they can make a more meaningful connection with the people that really matter – their customers and their staff.
The future is certainly looking different, but if that future is more together then let’s embrace the positives and adapt as that future starts now.
Our best team moments so far:
During team quiz night, one Underscorian answered the question ‘Name a job where you work shifts’ with the answer ‘Graveyard’.
We had a Disney zoom background challenge and the dis-knee slapping winner was Zoe with her Jungle Book theme. We apologise if that pun was hard to bear.
We attempted to deliver an April Fool Joke over Zoom using a stuffed Rhinoceros (long story).