COVID-19 – A Climate of Advertising Opportunity

Posted On March 25, 2020

A lot of business owners struggle to cut costs and keep their head above ground during tough economic times like this corona-virus driven recession. Some times, the advertising budget gets cut back or worse – chopped out! Back in 2008, the last recession saw U.S. ad spending drop 13% across the board.

I was a senior account manager executing multi-faceted marketing campaigns for a national multimedia company back then. That was 12 years ago and I have several advertiser clients from that recession that are still with me today. They did not cut their ad budget, and have reaped BIG rewards as a result – and they’ll tell you the exact same thing!

“I was asked what I thought about the recession. I thought about it and decided not to take part.”

– Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart

Now, to be clear – I’m not here to tell you it’s going to be easy. I’m also not here to tell you that there won’t be a need for change.

I’m here to tell you that whether you believe me or not, there is a real opportunity for businesses here. Those that are willing and capable to utilize this ‘down’ time to gain market share will see increased sales and market share on the other side as a result.

Don’t take my word for it – i’m a potentially biased owner of an advertising agency. Instead, take the word of An entire CENTURY of data and studies that directly support this fact. This shows that advertisers that maintain or grow their ad spending see INCREASED sales and market share both during and after the recession. Google it for yourself. I have witnessed this in real time with my own advertiser clients back in 2008 that are still with me in 2020.

If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out why the data shows it’s a good idea to advertise during a recession, here’s a few reasons why it works:

• As competition ‘falls off’ the advertising radar, they lose market share for their service or product. This is a prime opportunity for your business to establish it’s brand and amidst less ‘noise’, invite customers to start coming to you. The effect of your ad dollar is multiplied when the recession ends.
• In some cases, this is a ‘buyers market’ for advertisers. Recessions can bring along lower rates for advertising products.
• COVID-19 and recession climates offer a unique opportunity for advertisers, particularly local businesses, to change their message to one of hope and support for their community. It’s a tasty anecdote for a population gripped by fear, and an approach that resonates strongly with potential customers.
• Advertising during times like this will convey corporate stability.
• This offers a period of time to reflect and re-evaluate your marketing strategy from top to bottom. Become more refined and strategic with what you say and how you spend your ad dollars. Seek new ways to measure your campaigns. Get creative.

“When times are good you should advertise. When times are bad you must advertise”

– Popular marketing adage

The Tomlinson Ad Agency can help your business fine tune, execute, and maximize it’s advertising on all levels. We’ve structured our business to be lean and efficient, which is a major benefit to local advertisers. We are experts in online, traditional, and creative advertising and we specialize in small to medium sized local businesses in the Carolina’s and Georgia.

Are you getting the most out of the ad dollars for your business’ marketing and advertising?

My cell phone is always on, and my direct number is 864-421-4471 for business owners wanting to get better results from their advertising. Especially during these tough times – let’s talk! We can help. Call me and we’ll schedule a free consultation.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

-Matt Tomlinson, Founder – Tomlinson Ad Agency 864-421-4471 Matt@TomlinsonAdAgency.com