Let’s take a minute to talk about the namesake of this dreaded virus. The one we would all rather be thinking about right now. Yes, we’re talking about the refreshing summertime beer – Corona. Corona is the only lager that we regularly place a lemon wedge in. Playing the game of trying to suspend it in the neck of the bottle without it dropping into the body of the bubbly beer. You would never consider drinking your Budweiser this way – straight from the bottle, and jazzing it up with a hint of citrus. This, of course, is a great marketing ploy from the brand. Which we act upon subconsciously, similar to relating Christmas with Coca Cola’s infamous red Santa, which is now ingrained into global culture.

There are a few myths behind the legendary lemon slice but there is one which seems to be the most believable. This virus isn’t the first Corona to come up against nature’s barriers. With Corona being a sweeter lager compared to its competitors, and originating in sweltering Mexico, the original Corona had its own (albeit literally and problematically smaller) enemies: flies. To stop a Hitchcock style swarm attacking anyone who dared drink their lager, the brand opted to suggest customers serve their drinks in the bottle, with a perfectly sized lemon slice wedged in the bottle neck. From what was once a simple solution to a problem affecting sales, the brand transformed their decision from necessity to clear branding identity. Unfortunately for the beer, its name will be remembered for all the wrong reasons and as it stands, could fail. But with a re-brand and a good bit of marketing they could turn the bad press on its head. Especially as they clearly have a team of proven marketing moguls.

Now, in a time of global crisis, you might be wondering why you are reading an anecdote about Mexican flies’ aversion to citrus. Well we are a small business, like many of you out there, who are wondering what on Earth is going to happen to the economy over the next few months. As I’m sure many of you are, we are thinking about how we can keep our industry moving. Discussing alternative tactics to keep companies strong through this uncertain time. And the fable of the Lemon and the Lager has a perfect moral: adapt and overcome.

While we are not sure how many interiors based companies will profit from adding a Sicilian lemon to all orders, there are definitely a number of options to make sure your company keeps moving during a time where shops have been ordered to close, and customers have been advised not to leave their homes. It seems too large to comprehend right now, how we will get through this unscathed, but there are options.It just means that while there may be postponed product launches, and less orders on the books, the one gift companies have right now, is time.

Moving a business into a digital direction can seem overwhelming and too time consuming to be a priority when whole teams are busy with photoshoots and huge orders. By all means is this situation is an unprecedented hit to businesses small and large, but it may be the time to consider alternative routes. Orbital will be on hand with a mini-series as tech experts in the furniture and interiors industry. From arming sales agents with digital packs rather than swatchbooks, to how you can make the most of video conferencing apps to maximise sales. We will also be looking at how trends will be affected, and how customer perceptions of online shopping for big ticket items will be transformed forever. How to stay ahead of the curve and come out on top. We will be posting ideas on how to keep your business moving and innovating in a time of such upheaval. After all, a virtual space is a safe place.

And you can of course rely on us to continue to deliver our favourite puns throughout. See how many Cloud based puns you can spot in our upcoming posts.