The Brand Dilemma- To Spend or Not To Spend on Advertising in Pandemic

To believe Christopher Nolan knew a thing or two about creative agencies. A line of his “.. dropped at the first sign of trouble” coincides the best with creative agencies. And the pandemic displayed this mentality to a great extent. When a firm faces any trouble or as Nolan said “...when the chips are down”, finances are hit first.

And how does any firm recoup? Simple, dice the advertising budget. This is an industry norm of sorts to reduce the budgets allocated to advertising. However, in 2021, firms that resorted to cutting their advertising costs are being left behind. Their more active competitors are eating into the market share. And this is a big reflection of how important consistency is with regards to branding and advertising. 

Now, to answer the dilemma in short, advertising costs must not be cut. Why? Read along to know why going dark can harm a brand.

Past instances of Advertising during uncertain times

Advertising during uncertain times is a controversial topic with a simple conclusion. Budget, the mood of the target audience, purchasing power, and every factor considered, the solution is simple; do not stop advertising. 

The great recession of 2008 mirrored the same. Back then, ad spending in the US came down by 13% via newspapers, magazines, radio, etc. And this reduction didn’t serve the purpose and hurt the brands.

Furthermore, research has proved with conclusive evidence that maintaining or even increasing the advertising budget during uncertain times can yield great returns. Back in 2021, firms that have stuck with their marketing efforts have remained in the public’s eye. Moving on, when can we expect these efforts to pay off? Read along.

Delayed return on Investment

This is a common fact with advertising during uncertain times. Brand managers do not see improvements in their internal metrics by sticking to their campaigns.

However, it is practical to understand that their visibility will pay off when normalcy returns. The lockdown and other restrictions are forcing people to spend more time-consuming content. 

This is a great time for brand-building. While marketing products or services can happen, brands should also consider advertising their core values. This gives enough reason to build an emotional connection with the audience. And when will all this pay off? Shortly when normalcy returns. By building an emotional connection, people tend to invest in the brand’s products. Brands can leverage this to maintain customer loyalty. 

Tonality of Advertising 

Consumers observe brands and their advertising patterns. Surveys show that the public is considering purchasing from brands that have invested efforts in marketing during the pandemic. An astounding group of people has also opined their consideration of how brands are helping the public during these distressing times. 

Therefore, brands must reconsider their advertising tones in the coming days. A slightly less aggressive marketing campaign can work well. And compensating this with advertisements that help the public is going to work wonders. 

Brands, hear us out, stick to your advertising budget and invest in marketing efforts. Slight tweaks to traditional methods can enhance your brand’s visibility by leaps and bounds. This is a fearful time, and thereby a great time to be brave with advertising. Advertisements showcasing qualities like empathy and care are the need of the hour. You can leverage influencer marketing and brand collaborations to grow your business in these times. Do this well and watch your returns skyrocket.