March 11, 2021 Jonathan Bradford

Ten ways to associate your brand with opening safely after lockdown

Offering an effective Hygiene Policy to the arts and sports venues looking to open could be a brilliant branding opportunity as well as a life save for some venues.

With survival in the balance for many Theatres, Live Music Venues, Sports Stadiums through to community centres the added expense of an effective Hygiene Policy is another stressful project and expense.

SPONSORSHIP, TANDEM PARTNERSHIPS, ENDORSEMENT, BRAND VISIBILITY

However you categorise offering a branded hygiene solution to venues, the value is enormous.

For a venue entrance to have free standing units offering anti bacterial wipes that kill and remove 99.99 of germs and a contactless sanitiser dispenser is essential.

There are so many benefits to a brand for offering this essential but low cost benefit

Logos and brand names displayed as part of an effective hygiene programme in targeted
Increasing visibility for brand in targeted areas
Raise awareness and create a preference for your brand
Generates goodwill in the location and community
Shows association with ensuring Hygiene Policies/A good cause
Metrics to give feedback and footfall to evaluate ROI
Opportunity to boast about brand offering the facilities to help open venues safely
Provide stories for content across social and brand platforms
Enhances company reputation in community
Ensures venues that opening is so highly anticipated can do so safely

UNRIVALED OPPORTUNITY

The arts council guide shows opening requirements in detail. For many venues for whom having to research, implement and pay for a Hygiene Protocol is another headache.

However, this is a fantastic opportunity for a brand or sponsor to get their branding in front of a target audience guaranteed to need to use the product.

The Federation of Small Businesses arehighlighting issues that are being faced with new opening and The Guardian article on What to Expect With Stores Opening has a range of necessities and as with all the essentials include: Hand sanitiser or cleaning stations at store entrances

LAST TO OPEN BUT MOST ANTICIPATED

It's the social and leisure aspects of lockdown that have been most missed and these are the areas which most need support with a hygiene policy as the public are excited to return to their favorite pastimes.

HOW TO GET NOTICED IN THE ARTS AND SPORT

The Hygiene Company offers a range of wipes, sanitisers, dispensers and monitors which are cost effective and visually appealing with something for every venue which promotes a good policy in place.

Budgets are tight but the right products in place will not cost more than the wrong ones. Contactless sanitizer dispensers are less than the cost of coffee a WEEK and a monitor will not only save time and give valuable insights but costs around £1.80 a day including full realtime reporting.

Cleaning and sanitizing stations become part of the furniture and encourage good hygiene practice and offer a new brand awareness

CLEANING STATIONS BECOME VISUAL MERCHANDISING AND A BRANDING OPPORTUNITY

Following the initial ‘gold rush’ then shortages for sanitiser and other hygiene products when the first lockdown hit, the market was flooded with various products and dubious cleaning practices by retailers that previously only had to worry about aesthetic cleaning.

Unlike the US where entry hygiene products such as sanitizers and wipes have been customary for many years, this was rarely seen in UK retailers - with the exception of garages and other places where ‘mess cleaning’ required.

It is now clear in the UK customers really want to take care of themselves and their families, and it is important to message how this is being done when they enter a retailer premises

Images branded for illustration purposes only

THE BIG LEARNINGS FROM THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC

Germs and viruses can be spread - including using sanitizer that itself may carry infection through packaging - hence contactless and auto dispensers essential
Germs needed to be killed and removed - which is why antibacterial wipes have to be part of a hygiene plan.

According to The Hygiene Company, sanitizer alone isn’t enough to keep you safe. Ideally you should be using hand and surface antibacterial wipes made specifically for your hands or your surfaces to kill and REMOVE all germs that could be lying dormant in any germ-breeding space.

Whilst Covid-19 has affected businesses across the world, as we move towards the new ‘normal’ it's clear that Infection Prevention and Control measures are in place for the foreseeable future.

Images branded for illustration purposes only

Its essential for retailers to encourage Browsing to increase impromptu sales

LONG TERM COST EFFECTIVENESS

The speed at which the pandemic altered the way we shop and the shortage of hygiene products lead to an influx of substandard products and some unhygienic santising offers.

Showing that you care about your customers and staff is the first step to opening after lockdown, or to reordering for retailers that have been open as essential shops is best achieved by having a clear infection prevention and control strategy in place.

This also helps building loyalty through trust, goodwill and community is essential for retailers looking at the longer-term game

Following the massive increase in online sales, it is essential to ensure customers not only feel comfortable entering a store, but that retailers can encourage browsing safely and thus make sales.

Whilst visual merchandising to entice customers into a retail premises with a view to engaging shoppers and boosting sales has always been part of a marketing strategy - Hygiene Products can enhance this.