What happens if brands cut their advertising spend due to COVID-19?

Kantar, the research firm, has conducted various studies that help map out the results from increasing, maintaining or decreasing adspend at a time of crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why it matters

Capital expenditure faces pressure as the impact of COVID-19 intensifies, meaning that adspend will inevitably receive heightened scrutiny. Understanding the impacts of cutting spend can help marketers protect budgets and plan for the future.

Takeaways

  • If it is not possible to continue advertising as normal, understanding where, when and how long a brand can “go dark” offers an indication of likely performance over time.
  • Planning for multiple scenarios, and demonstrating the likely drop offs in market share that result from cutbacks of different sizes, will be an important exercise.
  • Speaking the language of the C-suite, rather than...

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