How brands are reinventing themselves in the pandemic

Dubai - Business heads talk about lessons learnt over the past 18 months and new strategies to incorporate changes in the UAE market

As the UAE explores new frontiers in its golden year —which also happens to be the year of the Expo 2020 Dubai — one thing that cannot be wished away is how Covid has altered us inalterably. But the great thing about this market is how pieces can always be picked up, and new beginnings can be made: in business models, in product offerings, in leadership visions, in supply chains… Since being aligned with a positive outlook has been the lie of land, let’s hear it from those who are holding the reins of the future — and changed — landscape that will unfold in the times to come.

Ayshwarya Chari and Shraddha Barot Amariei, Founders, 1115inc (SME consultancy)

1115inc was a business born during the pandemic, driven by the needs of the pandemic. We realised SMEs often do not have the (much needed) access to the kind of consulting expertise provided by the bigger multinational consultancies. So, we decided to combine our skill sets in e-commerce and marketing to offer an affordable, consolidated, end-to-end service for SMEs starting from the digital business strategy all the way to project managing the technology, setting operational processes and supporting with marketing.

Businesses across the board are realising that digitisation isn’t optional anymore. It is no longer an ‘if’ but really a matter of when, how fast and how big. Some traditional businesses need help with the adaptation to the current mindset and aggressive online pace. This is where we step in and help with the transition.

E-commerce is here to stay. While UAE malls have always had the edge with the concept of ‘shoppertainment’, the pandemic has driven home the convenience of shopping in your pyjamas.

1115inc regularly runs micro-surveys on behalf of our clients, speaking to their customers. Across various segments and verticals, we have seen that price followed by free delivery are the biggest drivers in terms of decision making.

Another positive trend we have noticed is that we are moving away from the cash on delivery (COD) mentality: in one survey, nearly 72 per cent of respondents said they preferred to pay online rather than use COD! This is also validated by what we see happening in terms of everyday transactions in the stores we monitor under our portfolio.

The key to pivot always begins with the client’s leadership. As consultants, we are able to offer solutions and drive the transformational pace but the leadership is who brings it home and really gives innovation life. We have had clients who drove innovation during the pandemic digitising swiftly and efficiently to be able to offer their customers seamless service. From Booktopia setting up a B2B platform to facilitate online book fairs for schools to TKD Lingerie offering ladies virtual bra fittings, SMEs truly accelerated this age of commerce in the UAE, that is now here to stay.

Richard Nicoll, Chief Strategy & Capability Officer, Liquid (Omnicommerce agency)

So much has happened in the past 18 months for us, it does feel a little like after the Gold Rush! If 2020 was the year of a massive yet hasty migration online for both shoppers and brands, 2021 and certainly 2022 will be the time for brands and retailers to take a more strategic approach to their e-commerce activities. FMCG brands have had to rethink their go-to-market strategies and those not already selling online have had to act quickly to encourage their shoppers onto e-commerce.

In the Middle East, that has meant a huge uptick in traffic towards online marketplaces such as Amazon and Noon.com. In addition, there is an increasing array of grocery aggregators such as Instashop, NowNow and El Grocer, as well as shopping online at the big grocery stores like Carrefour, Lulu and Spinneys.

Pre-pandemic e-commerce was not always front and centre of brand marketing efforts; however, in the past 18 months, selling online has become a major focus for brands and their distributors — so what was once considered niche is now core.

Brands have had to learn quickly how to play and win in multi-brand, online retail environments. They’ve needed to rethink their content, activation planning, ratings and review acquisition and search strategies to ensure their products are seen as the most desirable option.

With new brand-building functionality integrated into marketplaces, brands are heavily investing in ever richer content that’s created to convert views into buys. They’re also setting up shop with their own brand stores, built entirely on marketplace platforms.

Targeted content created specifically for commerce will help shoppers shop and prove to be the key battle between the online and offline worlds. In the Middle East, physical retail has always been a key cultural activity, so we expect this to return stronger too, with retailers investing significantly in digitisation in a bid to offer a seamless experience between channels.

Sanjay Vazirani, Art of Dum (F&B)

The pandemic has taught us most of all gratitude. As an organisation, the lessons learnt are 1) Segregating good expense and bad expense; 2) Staying frugal, by keeping fixed costs low and aligned with long-term business survival and variable cost mapped to revenue; 3) Getting an intelligent mix of in-house and outsourced talent pools; 4) Staying focused on our core brand ethos; 5) Moving the hygiene protocol from aesthetically clean to clinically clean and following it as a religion more than just compliance; 6) Moving towards minimalism and sustainability. There is a strong desire to return to the essence: quality, hygienic and delicious food with less extravagance — minimalism and ‘Less Is More’ is the mantra of the day.

It was a challenge but we approached it as an opportunity. It gave me a chance to go back to the drawing board and work on increasing cost-effectiveness without cutting corners. We conceptualised and introduced a cloud kitchen brand ‘Art of Dum’, which uses recyclable packaging and zero plastic. We have reoriented our product offerings for catering and have moved towards less interactive and assistive service.

As we link the world communities with delicious food, we’re also elevating our business practices through our set of shared values of socially responsible growth and sustainability strategy. Operating in a responsible and sustainable manner is central to protecting and adding long-term value to our business. We’re on a journey when it comes to our sustainability work. We are proud of the progress we’re making.