Optimistic survey reveals positivity in the face of adversity for marketeers

• New post-coronavirus survey of marketeers commissioned by The Copy Club highlights marketeers are optimistic about the future

• Almost 70% have been financially affected by taking a pay cut (22%), being furloughed (24%) or have been made redundant (18%)

• Freelancers have been hit the hardest

• More than half are enjoying working from home more than they thought 

• 80% want more flexibility in the future and a staggering 98% agree that working from home will be more acceptable

Marketeers are feeling optimistic about the future despite almost 70% being financially affected by Covid-19, according to new research. 

Results from a study called The Big C****** Survey commissioned by The Copy Club, a network of marketeers in small or entrepreneurial businesses who get together in fun settings, have shown that over two thirds are feeling optimistic and over half are enjoying working from home.  

Of those respondents who are still in employment, twice as many people say “work is busier than usual” than “our business has really slowed down”, showing the hard work that is going into adapting to the new normal. 

Lottie Unwin, Founder of The Copy Club, said: “The resilience of the marketing community in the face of adversity is inspirational. There is a lot of hustling to keep income coming in and levelling up skills, testament to the dynamic, creative individuals who make up our community.”

With 76% of respondents claiming that focus on learning and development is important now more than ever, Unwin added: “We have taken our physical networking events online, with Copy Chats most days (our version of a webinar, but intimate and informal). We’d been talking about running events that our community could join from their desks with a coffee for so long, and this has been the impetus to do it. We’ll absolutely keep doing them after this all ends.”

Although a positive percentage of the survey was keen to focus on self-development, it can also be an overwhelming task.

Copy Club member, Rebecca Underwood was furloughed at the end of March. She said: “I felt a lot of pressure to make the most of this extra time. I considered partaking in an e-learning course, developing new expertise or strengthening existing knowledge that would support my career development. I’m yet to start a course, as I have found the prospect of e-learning quite daunting. 

“There is too much choice of companies offering e-learning, from brands such as Google to accredited training companies such as the IDM and CIM. At a time when we are all connecting digitally, I’m yet to find an proper e-learning course that feels relevant and that takes a modern approach to learning for the 21st century.”

Unwin believes there is a problem with navigating the sea of online courses. “It’s incredible how e-learning is giving everyone access to critical training. It means you no longer need to start your career in a big business to develop yourself, which absolutely used to be the case. It’s challenging though – there is so much out there, it requires a lot of impetus from the individual. With Copy Club courses we really focus on creating a community around the learning experience so you’re accountable to others”. 

However, the full picture of the survey was not all positive as the community were facing real adversity with almost 70% financially affected, the survey revealed freelancers were hardest hit in the wallet and were also more worried about their mental health than the employed. 

For freelancers, many were already working from home before the lockdown so there was less of a culture shock to working remotely, however for some freelancers, they now have the added challenge of juggling children at home alongside work.

Lizzie Carr, Innovation & Strategy Consultant at Little Big Innovations and mum of two, said: “My main priority has to be the safety and happiness of my family, then of course fulfilling my work commitments. My work does give me a sense of normality in an otherwise childcare crazy day. I believe it’s critical to give 100% to every job and each client, but I have needed to find new ways of working – often early in the morning.

“There are ups and downs. Some days I worry whether I’m earning enough, other days I’m thankful for the work I do have – a small amount is better than nothing.”

Unwin added: “Our community predicts house arrest will last until the end of August, and after that we can’t all go back to normal right away. The resounding feeling is that the impact on the way we work will go beyond the lockdown with 88% of respondents sure that our work habits have now changed for good. I am so delighted to see that a staggering 98% agree that working from home will be more acceptable”.  

The program of Copy Chats run every day and raises money to support Corona relief efforts in Delhi. The events, like How Brands Do Marketing, are aimed to both inspire marketers for the future or Digital Marketing If You Feel Like You’re Faking It is aimed to teach core skills for the future.