Marketing Remains a Critical Activity

During times of recession and economic uncertainty, businesses often cut what they might feel are “unnecessary” expenses. Oftentimes, marketing, PR and other comms activities fall under that umbrella. However, it is the brands who retain the strongest voice while others are cutting back that usually come out of difficult times in better shape than their peers.

That’s the conclusion drawn by the Harvard Business Review in a recently published piece , which argues that companies that have bounced back most strongly from previous recessions usually did not cut their marketing spend, and in many cases actually increased it.

The HBR says businesses should focus on smart advertising during recessions, that should reflect the challenges that consumers are encountering. “Consumers in a downturn want to see brands show solidarity. Successful brand advertising during a recession not only injects humor and emotion, but also answers for consumers the question: How can we help?” the article notes.

With the right marketing and branding messages, companies can come out of this crisis — and indeed any others — with stronger customer loyalty.