Advertising in a recession

Looks at how to advertise during an economic downturn.

Executive summary

As I write this, it looks increasingly certain there’s going to be a recession. It will probably be different to ‘normal’ recessions, but many of the lessons about advertising from previous recessions still apply:

  1. Continuing to invest in brand advertising is recommended (if resources are available) but there is a diminished role for short-term sales activation in the current crisis due to consumer demand patterns, with a few exceptions. Data from the 2008 recession shows the value of investing in brand.
  2. Featuring humanity and generosity in advertising are advised: the use of emotions and humor can be helpful....

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