Accord Marketing chief client officer Maria Payne says ongoing uncertainty means brands must continue to be flexible in their messaging
With recent travel traffic light changes, new quarantine announcements, double-jab debates, an Action Day protest and now a new health secretary, it’s hard to say whether we’re full or empty. Perhaps we’re just tired.
It’s been a month and a half since a traffic light system was implemented to support the return to overseas travel. Within this time, however, it feels as though there have been more questions than answers, more teases than triumphs. Portugal came and went; Malta’s here but quarantine is on the cards; and we now have an emerging green watchlist that may or may not change at any time.
We’ve watched demand soar and fall after each government announcement. Each time, the countries in question see a surge in search, clearly showing that people will always want to know more. But are those who are willing to get away to a new green light destination, at the drop of a hat, dropping off?
As a flawed system wears thin, it’s hard to say whether this interest is converting to intent. Following on from the government revealing green list countries on May 7, website traffic for Accord’s overseas travel clients increased by an average of 15% (compared to the weekends before and after the announcement) and actions were up by around 1%. However, seven weeks later, following on from the latest announcement on June 24, traffic saw a 6% increase whilst actions dropped by 7% on comparable weekends. It suggests that although people want the information, they aren’t necessarily doing much with it – as time goes on and our faith in the system declines.
As we reflect on what has and hasn’t worked, it’s clear a major problem lies in confidence. As marketers, we have to remind ourselves what constant change does to a consumer’s already impatient mindset.
Above anything, brands must empathise and demonstrate they understand their frustration. To some extent, this level of transparency and honesty will resonate better with consumers than pretending everything is running smoothly. Take On the Beach’s bold decision to withhold holiday bookings until the end of August. Back in May, the national press saw a very different style of travel ad – one that featured a candid letter from On the Beach’s CEO announcing its decision to hold back, pretty much saying: “we get it.”
As a result, On the Beach has seen a rise in consideration and awareness levels; up 85% and 45% respectively according to YouGov data. The brand’s new chief marketing officer, Zoe Harris, told The Drum: “I’ve never seen so many emails from people saying thank you and I hope it pays off.” It goes to show that being that level-headed with people can work.
But perhaps there’s a new direction ahead. Despite three clear colours, the traffic light system is very much a grey area. What isn’t so grey, however, is a future of overseas travel that allows fully-vaccinated travellers to fly with no need for quarantine. This was raised amid the madness last week and, upon reflection, is a decision that provides a lot more clarity than a traffic light system ever could. Nobody can un-vaccinate; it’s as black and white as that.
With more European countries allowing fully-vaccinated UK residents to arrive without quarantine and continued supporting evidence that vaccines protect people from Covid-19 variants, it’s making more and more sense to let this be the game-changer that saves our summer – or, failing that, just our year.
With its seamless rollout, the vaccination programme continues to impress. And with a recent postponing of “Freedom Day”, announced on June 14, it appears that things are ramping up even faster than before. From May 1 to June 14, each day, on average 0.24% of the population were being vaccinated; from June 14-24, this figure jumped to 0.30% – a quarter higher than before. Clearly the government is supportive of a fully-vaccinated status for travel. And, ideally, they are hoping as many people as possible can be in that double-jab position by the time local restrictions are lifted for good and the world feels freer.
And actually, let’s remind ourselves that people’s attitudes towards the vaccine have noticeably improved with time. Back in October 2020, just 49% of the UK population said they would “definitely” take the vaccine. By April 2021, that number had increased to 63%. As of June 24, 65% of the population has had their first vaccination.
All of this is not to say we’re giving up on green lists – there will always be some willing to do what it takes to escape (no doubt Malta and the Balearics will see a sharp intake of tourists in July and August). But as travel experts, we acknowledge that a traffic light system is not what it should be. It’s a two-way street that’s increasingly hard to navigate.
As June draws to a close, we’re positively looking forward to a future of travel that allows fully-vaccinated travellers to holiday more freely, in a different system that affords way less room for confusion.
So far, secretary of state for transport Grant Shapps has announced that this notion could come into play “later in the summer”. Of course, there are some questions that need answering, including what this means for family travel, as currently there is no vaccination programme in place for under-18s. But it makes a lot more sense for consumer confidence, for our impressive vaccination programme and, undoubtedly, the survival of our industry if this is the way forward.
So, what does this mean for marketing? Brands should consider that by the end of July, most over-40s will have received their second jab, so this market should be of higher focus when a double-jab rule is implemented. In terms of demand, we may be heading to a new peak season this autumn, when children will be back at school regardless. However, first and foremost, brands should stay aware of people’s varying levels of confidence and tailor messages accordingly. Remember, people’s concern will range from Covid-19 itself to trusting a system that works one day but doesn’t the next.
We might be tired but we’re holding on. Let’s keep an eye on what’s going well and most importantly, how we’re all feeling.