It’s an unusual time, to say the least. But Americans are reacting to the coronavirus pandemic and resulting stay-at-home orders partially by retreating to a number of familiar activities, including hanging out with other household members and spending time on hobbies. The need to stay occupied and entertained at home has led to a boom in sectors like video gaming—but also lower-tech crafts, toys and games.

Over the past few weeks, online grocery stores and meal kits have seen a stream of orders coming in, not only from existing customers, but also new ones looking to avoid physical stores during the pandemic. Plant-based meal company Splendid Spoon is one of those receiving demand.

Earlier this year, the onset of the global pandemic led to huge surges in news readership, but CPMs actually declined because keyword blocking on terms like “COVID” and “coronavirus” diverted ad dollars away from the most-read articles. By extension, these tools kept advertisers away from some of the most meaningful opportunities to engage consumers with the right message at the right time.

Faced with a global pandemic, consumers leaned into certainty. Forty percent of shoppers said materials and craftsmanship earned their confidence in a brand.

After years of steady increases, time spent on social media by US social network users fell last year. Those figures will flatten as the intensity of Facebook usage starts to moderate and activities such as digital video and video games draw more time and attention.

Innovations Show Renewed Promise During Pandemic

A day after launching in Ulta Beauty stores, foot care brand Barefoot Scientist received unfortunate but inevitable news: Ulta's locations would have to close due to the pandemic. For the relatively new company, it was disheartening that consumers wouldn’t be able to test its products in-store. But like other brands coping with the pandemic, Barefoot Scientist has learned to adapt and focus on the present.

It's resulted in a net gain compared with pre-pandemic times.”. According to the Canada Media Fund, there was a clear shift to podcasts with a heavy pandemic focus. “Ça s’explique” at Radio-Canada and “Front Burner” at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) were two examples.

China's major digital companies and retailers—who are continually leveraging omnichannel tools to not only connect with consumers amid the pandemic, but also help businesses—are playing a significant role in the economic recovery.