Measures by the South African integrated marketing communications and design industry (IMCD) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree Master of Art and Design (Communication Design) In the Department of Visual Communication Faculty of Arts and Design, Tshwane University of Technology.The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a dramatic shift in how consumers spent their time and money, impacting where, when, and how goods and services would be provided in the future. This dramatic shift would affect how the Integrated Marketing Communications and Design (IMCD) industry would respond, considering its role in promoting economic recovery and growth after the pandemic. The study focused on the South African IMCD industry and investigated areas affected by the pandemic and the industry's response to the pandemic. A qualitative, case-based approach, using semi-structured questions, identified and analysed the IMCDs' response and enabled inferred perspectives and recommendations. A thematic framework and interpretive approach guided the methodology. The population comprised 45 organisations from the Association for Communication and Advertising in South Africa (ACA), with head offices in Johannesburg or Pretoria. Of the 45 organisations approached, 15 companies participated. Assistants contacted each member and conducted and recorded the interviews. A transcription was made of the recordings. Participants received copies of the transcriptions for validation. A manual analysis of the transcripts, assisted by ATLAS.ti, allowed for the collation and theming of the data. The study identified five areas impacted by the lockdown and five measures that members took in response to these impacts. The IMCD industry was inadequately prepared for the pandemic, and management styles had to be re-evaluated by being more altruistic and acknowledging human capital's vital role in business sustainability. The IMCD also recognised the need for flexible, innovative, and honest leadership in its approach to clients, staff, and suppliers, as well as reevaluating business offerings and employee skill sets. Organisations in the IMCD industry with global networks benefitted through more collaboration and resource sharing across their international offices. Online and digitally orientated organisations before and during the pandemic performed better than IMCD organisations that relied on human contact with target markets such as eventing, hospitality, tourism, and beverages. The IMCD industry’s response was to become hybrid in their engagements with employees and externally with their clients, acknowledging the need to maintain agency culture by expecting staff to come into the office a few days a week whilst using the balance of the time to work from home. Accelerating to a deeper tech-integrated operational environment meant exploring existing software and using new digital tools to improve productivity and employee accountability. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for industry growth and the repositioning and retooling of methods, processes, and service offerings. Furthermore, the pandemic could be viewed as a litmus test for organisational sustainability, forcing organisations to close or adapt