No time for doom and gloom: finding positivity in a post-lockdown world

By Shimon Cohen, chairman, the PR Office,

As lockdown continues and we are beginning to understand from other countries what the realities of life after COVID-19 might look like, the UK stands at a crossroads.

As with many of life’s most impactful moments, the coronavirus-mandated lockdown has tested how we perceive ourselves. In holding a mirror up to the nation, we have seen some of the best of Britain – Nightingales, the 'Clap For Our Carers' weekly street gatherings and Captain Tom. But we are also seeing pessimism dominate the daily discourse. For us to flourish, a post-lockdown Britain must be one that does not mourn for a previous way of life, but one that embraces a new reality.

The crossroads on which we now stand is perfectly illustrated by the news reported in The Times today that holidaymakers could face a four-hour wait at airports.

The notion that the flight experience will be 'very uncomfortable' compared to pre-pandemic levels of service will prompt a collective groan for many – myself included. As a previously prolific traveller, the odious prospect of several hours stuck in a terminal is enough to inspire a sense of dread, whatever the location. Let alone inevitable increases in airfares.

But this only tells us half of the story. There is another side to this narrative. One that embraces the positivity that has shone through the lockdown. If we are brave, we will not look at this with doom and gloom. We will look at this as a great opportunity to showcase the vast potential that we have in this country.

To peer back behind the curtain of coronavirus is to look at a world at the peak of internationalism. Cheap flights, underpinned by accessible business and holiday locations, made international travel the focus. We looked at conferences as media opportunities to showcase new initiatives or to pitch our 'spokespeople as renown experts'.

Our new reality is quite different. It is essential that we embrace local travel and look for different ways to promote our stories. Just as we have welcomed colleagues and clients into our homes via video chat during the lockdown, so too after lockdown must we look to adapt and fast.

There are a vast range of new opportunities created by this new set of circumstances.

For most, holidays will have to be local in the future. This, in turn, will boost other sectors of the economy. Hotels, roads and rail should all receive huge investment to boost their credibility as viable alternatives to cheap holidays abroad.

Likewise, PR professionals should look for new opportunities to promote their causes. Our PR strategy cannot be one that bemoans what we have lost, but one that celebrates what we now have. As the country has been brought together by this crisis, it is our responsibility to capture that optimism as we look to plan for the rest of the year.

This means going beyond the traditional ways of thinking. As a creative industry, we must now be just that. We must look for new ways to promote our clients and the work that they can do. As always, those who adapt fastest will be the most successful.

Of course, this is not to belittle the pressure that we find ourselves under. It is vital we give support to whoever needs it. However, we cannot let the negatives cloud our communications strategy.

Positivity must be at the forefront of how we move out of lockdown. To echo the sentiments of the Prime Minister, this is not a time for the doomsters and gloomsters.

Photo by Laura Pratt on Unsplash