Adapting in the Face of Uncertainty

Coronavirus. COVID-19. We didn't create it, our audience didn't create it, our clients didn’t create it. But the reality is that here we are - faced with the reality of dealing with something none of us - not even our grandparents - have ever experienced.

So how do we think about the future with Coronavirus? How do we plan for the coming season when we don’t know what will happen next? How do we think about our businesses, our plans, the events we put on that are so crucial to our business?

In times of uncertainty, I find it helpful to grasp onto what is certain and true. To absorb as much information as possible and to assess the facts. What do we know is true, what do we know is certain, and how do we adjust our strategy accordingly?

Here is what we know:

1. We know that at Her Campus Media, our business is in providing community and content to college students all across the country and in helping businesses and brands connect with these students in meaningful and impactful ways. And that right now, we are taking action and supporting college women through this unprecedented time - thinking creatively about what they may need right now, for the short-term, and for the long-term. 

2. We know that we are in a time of great uncertainty when it comes to the immediate future for our audience. Students have been asked to socially isolate, most students are experiencing a college semester that has been moved completely online, and many are being asked to leave campus entirely. Spring Break is canceled. Graduation plans are unknown. Summer internships are up in the air. There is an overwhelming sense of uncertainty.

3. We know that our clients, top brands who have trusted us for the last 11 years with their college marketing dollars, are likewise uncertain about the best path forward. Do they push everything to the fall? Do they throw their marketing plans out the window and start from scratch? 

So what do we do, as the leading media brand for college women nationwide? And what do our clients do as they assess their marketing strategies, tactics, and plans?

Again, we go back to what we know to be true.  And that is this:

1. College students are taking their classes online - spending even more time in front of their computers and devices than ever before.

2. College students are dealing with rising levels of anxiety and looking for resources to help them take productive steps towards an uncertain future. See some of the content written by our team of student journalists over the last few days:

   • 10 Outfit Ideas For Your Online Classes

   • 5 Ways to Stay Busy On Your Own

   • How to Stay Motivated During Online Classes

   • 5 Coping Tips When You’re Afraid of the Unknown

3. College students are looking for both guidance and reassurance, and also distraction. 

Given all of this, we are, of course, modifying our editorial and marketing strategies to reflect the current times. But we are not putting everything on pause. We are not postponing everything until the fall. We are adapting and evolving and making sure that we stay front and center as the media properties that college students rely on for entertainment, education, service, and connection. We look forward to standing hand in hand with our brand partners in helping college women confront an uncertain future with confidence and creativity. 

To adaptation,
Windsor