National Biz Talk Radio: Remembering Who You Are In A Post COVID-19 World
Matt Watson joins Frankie Boyer on Biz Talk Radio to discuss the marketing landscape and the importance of brand identity in a post-COVID-19 world.
Remember who you are. That has been the guiding principle at Watson Creative since the shelter-in-place order pushed the studio into remote operation. As businesses navigate unprecedented challenges, it has never been more important to return to the fundamentals of identity: why you exist, what drives your work, and who stands with you.
Following an interview with NFL legend Brett Favre, Watson Creative CEO and founder Matt Watson spoke with host Frankie Boyer about the pandemic’s impact on Portland-area clients and how brands can rediscover their core and position themselves for innovation on the other side. Below are highlights from the conversation.
Interview Highlights
Remembering who you are
“Remember who you are. Wake up, and you are here in the place of no place. A place where parks and schools are closed. Where beaches, forests, and mountains are closed. Where restaurants, bars, and shops you love, support, and champion are closed. A place where cities are sick and dying. A place where nobody knows what happens next—or when the forces that have taken everything away will relent.
And yet, it is here in this place that you remember—the work and the working hard. You remember the failing and striving. You remember the lives that shaped you. The stories that made you. The ideas that inspired you. The sweat and tears that bled from you. You remember the love and the reasons and the whys. You remember who you are.”
Written by Associate Creative Director Ian Miller and designed by Creative Director Angi Arrington, this reflection embodies not only Watson Creative’s perspective but also the lived experiences of the business leaders we serve. In the past weeks, we have witnessed the dismantling of small, mid-sized, and even large global businesses. Some organizations have been reduced to a fraction of their former teams—one local agency, for example, went from about eighty employees to six.
The loss is not only operational; it is cultural. Institutional knowledge, momentum, and identity shift overnight. My hope—for them and for everyone—is that on the other side of this, they emerge not only stronger but with a renewed clarity of purpose.
Gaining Perspective on What’s Important
I resonate deeply with the act of rethinking what we want out of life and what holds true meaning. We often become consumed by careers, growth targets, or, in my case, the demands of building a business. But when volatility strips away those constructs, what remains?
You are left with your health.
You are left with your family.
You are left with the lives you touch.
Remembering who you are becomes both a grounding force and a mission statement. It is a call to consider legacy—what we will leave behind.
This is also the message we have been sharing with clients: this moment is a profound timeout for individuals and for brands. You cannot control the market. You cannot control the timing. Digital buys are down nearly seventy percent; risk aversion shapes every decision.
But one thing remains firmly within your control: your brand, your identity, your values. Our guidance has been simple—lead with empathy, and find ways to inspire hope within your community.
From the Ashes, Innovation
This period of disruption is a form of creative destruction. The entire market has been overturned, reshuffled, and redefined. It resembles a forest fire: devastation across the landscape, and beneath it, the quiet beginnings of renewal.
When the forest floor is scorched, new growth emerges—growth that would not have surfaced otherwise.
Peter Drucker famously said there are two driving forces in business: innovation and marketing. The old market has burned down. The environment has changed completely. And what exists now is fertile ground for innovation.
Shifts in consumer behavior have created powerful opportunities, especially for small businesses willing to pivot and rethink their approach. Yes, there is loss. But there is also potential—for reinvention, for renewed clarity, and for building something stronger than before.
