'We’re sophisticated consumers of information. Brands are fighting for our attention, determined to demonstrate their relevance, and in doing so, protect their existence. Corporate institutions are no different, and in pursuit of our custom, are increasingly borrowing communication techniques from consumer brands,' writes Leo Cooper, design director at Creative Studio, FleishmanHillard Fishburn.

The global pandemic has taught us that all businesses want to appear compassionate in this time of crisis. From the ads that pop up on our social media feeds to the emails that fill up our inboxes, there’s no shortage of messaging to the effect of we’re here for you. This comes as no surprise. We now expect all businesses, both corporate and consumer, to show new levels of humanity towards their customers. This palpable shift in audience expectation is causing businesses to re-evaluate the way they communicate – but what precipitated this step change?

Bombarded with a constant stream of messaging, from all manner of electronic devices, we have necessarily become more sophisticated consumers of information. Customers, becoming less receptive to the daily deluge, are now judiciously blocking out the noise, becoming more selective about what they consume, and being mindful of provenance. As such, over the years, consumer brands have adapted to survive, learning that more meaningful communications – that speak directly to the customer’s needs and resonate with their experiences – are more likely to succeed. Now, swathes of corporate brands are following suit – moving with the times by adopting those same customer-centric messaging strategies.

This more authentic style of communication not only helps corporate brands to attract the savvy, spoilt-for-choice customers of the digital age, but it also provides an opportunity for these brands to transform their perception in the eyes of their customers, and wider society. Indeed, the financial crisis amplified a sentiment that had been growing for years: a societal sense that big corporate institutions didn’t have our interests at heart. And, twelve years on, that sense of distrust lingers. The years following the crisis have seen businesses address this loss of faith by amplifying the value and security they offer – and demonstrating this in practice with real-life customer scenarios – just like consumer brands have been doing for years.

The far-reaching effects of the crisis have also meant that rules of corporate governance have become stricter to stimulate good conduct and transparency. Businesses are encouraged to show how they are responding to environmental and social responsibility challenges. Indeed, there has never been a time when it has been more important for businesses to demonstrate that they are doing good – for their customers, employees and wider society. Shoppers have long been choosing consumer brands based on ethical considerations, and they are waking up to the behaviour of corporate brands too, which is becoming a differentiator in overcrowded markets. For this reason, whether sincerely meant or not, it is vital that corporate brands are seen to care, and communicate a more responsible, empathetic message.

Given the context of the last twenty years, it is easy to see how corporate brands have necessarily evolved to resemble consumer brands. And at this time of global crisis, the widespread messaging to the tune of we’re all in it together – regardless of the nature of the company – only serves to demonstrate how the worlds of corporate and consumer branding have collided. In the midst of a pandemic (and the sea of noise that comes with it) the only brand messages that matter are those that are customer-centric. Indeed, we want corporates who care. These brands are humanising their communications accordingly; they’re morphing into their consumer counterparts, and that can only be a good thing.