Communication During a Pandemic

Although the literature on crisis communication is quite vast, business communication related to global crises (e.g., natural disasters) is largely unexplored. This chapter aims to fill this gap and shed light on brand communication strategies during a pandemic. A netnographic study was carried out with the purpose of identifying brand positioning and communication strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and of understanding the engagement of brands' followers during that period. The study included four brands of large Brazilian companies and comprised the analysis of brands' feed on Instagram during the first five weeks of the outbreak in Brazil. Findings enable to identify two distinct profiles: unprepared brands and leading brands. The chapter provides valuable clues for both managers and researchers dealing with crisis communication.