• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

It may seem like a paradox, but recessionary periods actually provide fertile grounds for marketers to grow their brand's market share if they're prepared to think long-term. Vaile had spent his year at Harvard following the fortunes of 250 firms. Using secondary data and an occasional survey, he followed these companies through the recession and into the growth period that ensued. Tracking both advertising investment and annual revenues, Vaile was able to divide the firms into three groups: those that did not believe in advertising, those that cut back advertising during the Depression and those that increased it. His results demonstrated that companies that increased their ad budgets during the recession grew sales much faster than their rivals – not only during the downturn but also beyond it. Companies that decreased their advertising spend saw their sales decline both during the recession and then for the following three years. In relative terms, these companies actually underperformed even those that elected to do no advertising at all.

Digital Media

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The coronavirus crisis will test us all, but marketers need to think long-term, build their brands, protect their staff and honour their values.

Digital Media

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

In contrast, good marketers can and will be doing a lot more than comms. In fact, you can make a very strong argument that the best Covid communications over the next five treacherous months is no Covid communications at all. Get on with the business, with the brand, and with making tangible and impactful changes to the rest of the business. You don’t have to feel the nation’s pain, you just need to ensure the wheels of business keep turning. Marketing has a lot more levers to pull than just advertising and better-run brands are currently pulling them, while ignoring the big, stupid, red ‘Covid-19 campaign’ button that is flashing over in the corner. So, I have an idea. Rather than dwell on all the inane Covid advertising fluff out there, let’s focus on some of the other more substantive tactical efforts from companies that are getting on with it. And given we are talking about the mighty four Ps – a concept ridiculed by marketing muppets because it is 60 years old, and respected by proper marketers for exactly the same reason – why don’t we look at three superior examples of responding to Covid-19 with the other Ps for a change?

Digital Media