Marketing Planning Amid Uncertainty
How can marketers plan for uncertainty?
In a world that seems to be constantly changing, planning for uncertainty is a necessity. For marketers, this couldn't be more true. In a time affected by global political and/or cultural tensions, climate change, inflation, a possible recession, as well as fast-paced technological changes, marketers and brands need to be agile to meet the needs and wants of consumers — and to speak with consumers authentically if they want to not only connect but find solutions to pain points.
To survive in this landscape means navigating purpose, fostering brand love, and leveraging technology as key strategies; this can come in the form of elevating brand relationships and deepening consumer engagement authentically, as written by Anne Bahr Thompson, author of DO GOOD, for ANA: "In my work with brand leaders across sectors over the years, I've consistently seen that the answer lies in adopting human-centric values alongside sincerely bringing purpose to life. Time and again, I've witnessed how integrating intuition, creativity, and humanness into the fabric of brand development and organizational culture profoundly elevates emotional connections with people, regardless of their segment or stakeholder classification."
Thompson also noted that "to create real value, the principles underlying purpose and sustainability must be core elements embedded into day-to-day activities, influencing how we think, behave, and interact with one another. Practically, this means embracing increased transparency, ethical practices and committing to integrating purpose and sustainability narratives into overarching brand storytelling, rather than seeing them as independent campaigns. By doing so, brands can guide us into a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future. Yet, courage is needed to step into what feels relatively unproven."
In another ANA piece, Thompson emphasized the business case for prioritizing purpose in uncertain times, writing, "To be sustainable, purpose must be woven into all aspects of operations, from product quality to employee engagement — not solely a marketing communications tool. The evolution from "cause marketing" to "operational purpose" reflects a deeper integration of values into operations and value-creation across a business, making purpose a core strategic imperative rather than a marketing asset. Deloitte has supported this with research demonstrating that high-growth brands are 66 percent more likely to see purpose to guide employee decision-making."
Crucially, it's important for brands to realize that "going dark" isn't the answer. Kris Tremaine, senior managing partner at Phaedon, wrote in an ANA Knowledge Partner piece that "investments in marketing and R&D efforts can be the first to go when companies need to reduce budgets amid economic uncertainty. However, this can be a fatal flaw, as disrupting those teams can significantly impact your connection to your consumers. You have invested in connecting with your consumers — think it through before cutting the link to them. An in-depth HBR study examining companies after the last major recession found that the most successful companies not only cut fewer employees relative to their peers, but also increased their investments in R&D and marketing efforts."
The following resources provide insight on how marketers can plan for uncertainty, including economic instability, business volatility, inflation, and recessions.
Resources
- How Will Trump 2.0 Affect Marketing and Advertising? ANA, January 2025.
Donald Trump pulled off a remarkable comeback when he was reelected for a second term. Confidently predicting anything related to the once and soon-to-be president has proven to be a fool's errand. But unlike most new administrations, hints about the priorities and tenor of Trump 2.0 can be drawn from the President-elect's first term that ended just four years ago. If the past is prologue, Trump 2.0 is likely to roil the country in myriad ways, including the marketing and advertising industry. Even before Trump takes office, the advertising industry faced headwinds, judging by planned 2025 media budgets. - Finding Advertising's Anchor in the Storm: Ahoy, TV. ANA, January 2025.
None of us are strangers to turbulence. Today's advertisers face real or perceived challenges in a time marked by unpredictable stock market fluctuations and an increasingly polarized political climate. The market volatility, driven by inflationary pressures, interest rate adjustments, and global economic uncertainties, is rippling across industries, making it tricky for companies to forecast and confidently allocate their advertising budgets. There's a delicate balance between maintaining brand visibility and managing financial risks. It's natural to go looking for an anchor.
In such an environment, strategic advertising decisions are crucial to weather the storm, seize opportunities, and play them out for the longer term. TV represents your media plan's throughline — an anchor in the broader media mix. With its unparalleled reach and the ability to integrate first-party data in a privacy-first manner, TV offers a solid foundation in uncertain times. It's the medium that ensures broad audience engagement and adapts to the evolving regulatory landscape, providing both stability and growth potential. - Consumer Sentiment and the Changing Political Landscape: Implications for AI, Data, and Privacy. ANA, March 2025.
Consumer sentiment played a pivotal role in shaping our upcoming political landscape with a Trump administration and a Republican-controlled Congress. In this session, Jason Hartley of PMG explored how consumer feelings about the economy and privacy concerns are likely to impact upcoming legislation on artificial intelligence, data protection, and privacy rights. Dive into the potential changes and their implications for businesses and individuals alike in the coming year. See the full presentation by clicking here. - Elevating Brand Relationships: A New Era of Purpose and Humanity. ANA, December 2024.
Taken together, ongoing market uncertainty, shifting consumer sentiment and digital transformation are demanding a fundamental evolution in the operational ethos for purpose-led brand development. In our rapidly changing landscape, the ability to adapt while maintaining meaningful connections is more crucial than ever. - Navigating Purpose Through the Next Four Years and Beyond. ANA, December 2024.
With Donald Trump in the presidency for a second term, brands are likely facing an even more polarized socio-political environment. The stakes for being purpose-led have never been higher, as public expectations — and scrutiny — around corporate commitments will continue to intensify. Purpose has evolved to be more than simply a marketing communications campaign, branding tool or HR engagement initiative; it's now a beacon that has the potential to bridge divides, inspire resilience and foster unity.
In a world grappling with uncertainty, purpose offers leaders a way forward — guiding business decisions and influencing how their brands engage with society at large. In the next four years, purpose can serve as a rallying point, motivating brands to rise above the moment's challenges and envision a more connected, hopeful future. - The Value of Corporate Reputation. ANA, November 2024.
What is the difference between brand and corporate reputation? The truth is — brand is a component of corporate reputation. They are both responsible for shaping public perception. And they both influence trust and loyalty.
Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, disruptive technology, the flowing momentum of ESG and DEI, and a continued distrust in media, organizations are taking a more cautious approach to brand building, but a strong corporate reputation requires the long game. Find out how with this research from Bloomberg Media. - How to Foster Brand Love During Economic Uncertainty. ANA, July 2024.
We have heard the word "unprecedented" too many times in recent years, but it's hard to think of any other word to describe what our society is going through. Coming off a global pandemic and moving into historically high inflation and a possible global recession, with market highs in between, consumers are feeling the pressure. And with prices rising across the supply chain, brands too are feeling the pinch as wallets tighten while consumer expectations rise simultaneously.
When looking at companies who have succeeded through economic hard times in the past, a shared key thread is a deep understanding of their consumers. During unsure times, there is fear and increased scrutiny around spending, so knowing how to show up for your consumers and meet them where they are is table stakes. The brands that are intentional in their efforts and keep their customers at the core of all they do have a real opportunity to truly connect on a human level. So how can brands accomplish this? Here are a few best practices to consider as we all weather this storm together. - The Trust Factor: Driving Business Performance in Uncertain Times. ANA, June 2023.
Economic uncertainty. Employee churn. Cost-conscious consumers. For any brand leader, navigating today's marketplace is complex, competitive, and always changing. So how do you leverage trust to drive business growth? What does that look like for employees and consumers? And how do you avoid pitfalls like greenwashing or consumer activism? In this session, Simon Mainwaring, founder and CEO of We First and a New York Times bestselling author, shared insights from his work with Leah Smith, SVP and CMO at MINA Group, a restaurant management company that develops and operates full-service dining concepts. Here, learn how trust can build and sustain your business so that it thrives in challenging times. Full presentation available by clicking here. - 4 Ways to Optimize Return on Ad Spends (ROAS) in Uncertain Economic Times. ANA, May 2023.
With federal interest rate hikes coming in hot and inflation top-of-mind, the digital advertising industry is on edge, trying to plan effectively for upcoming quarters. Pile on the continued economic uncertainty, layoffs, and tech takeovers; understandably, budgets are tightening while the pressure to perform intensifies.
For marketers and advertisers facing tightening budgets, advertising campaigns and strategies are being evaluated closely and scrutinized to determine which spending should stay and which needs to go. This evaluation leans heavily on reviewing data, specifically return on ad spends (ROAS), and determining the best way to avoid deep cuts while keeping advertising campaigns active. This is the perfect opportunity to focus on ad spend optimization. - Navigating the New Uncertainty. ANA, May 2023.
According to a recent paper from the McKinsey Global Institute, we have entered a period of change that is less like a traditional business cycle and more akin to "a cluster of earthquakes ... reshaping our world." The whitepaper compares this current transformation to the aftermath of World War II or the fall of the Soviet Union in terms of its structural upheaval and enduring impact. Assuming we've entered a stage in which uncertainty is the new normal, then marketing leaders must implement strategies to make their organizations better able to pivot with agility and respond rapidly to shifting customer demands and marketplace imperatives. - How to Create a Marketing Operations Strategy During Economic Uncertainty. ANA, April 2023.
Dr. Debbie Qaqish of The Pedowitz Group provided actionable insights on creating a comprehensive revenue marketing operations strategy that will enable your organization to align its marketing activities with its overall business objectives, improve operational efficiency, and drive revenue growth. - Navigating the Marketing Industry During Economic Uncertainty. ANA, March 2023.
Insider Intelligence's Jeremy Goldman took a deep dive into how the marketing world is changing and provided perspective on how marketers can thrive in a time of economic uncertainty. Sharing six insights on how marketers should respond to a shifting landscape, Goldman offered guidance for marketing decisions based on emerging trends in consumer behaviors.
The Marketing Knowledge Center actively connects ANA members to the resources they need to be successful. You can visit the ANA website to engage with the MKC in three ways.
- Explore content to access best practices, case studies, and marketing tools. Our proprietary content includes Event Recaps, which share actionable insights from conference and committee presentations.
- Connect with our ASK Expert team in real time for customized answers to your specific marketing challenges.
- Stay on top of trends with Pulse issues, which explore how new technologies and innovations will affect marketers and consumers alike.
Source
"Marketing Planning Amid Uncertainty." ANA, 2025.