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Marketing in a downturn: Pause, pivot, and outpace the pack

By July 14, 2025No Comments
Hand drawing a strategic play diagram with X’s and O’s — symbolizing a marketing plan during a downturn

When they freeze, you move.

The market’s jittery. Budgets are under the knife. And once again, marketing in a downturn gets the side-eye. But cutting visibility in a crisis? That’s how brands disappear. This post breaks down a better play:

  • How to pause without freezing

  • Pivot without flailing

  • And move with strategy, not desperation

Because downturns aren’t dead ends.
They’re openings.

Let’s not pretend this is business as usual.

The economy’s chaotic. Budgets are tight. Execs are side-eyeing spreadsheets like they might bite. And marketing? It’s usually the first to get the axe.

Classic move. Also, short-sighted.

At Outmark, we’ve been around since 1997, so we’ve seen this movie before. And we’re here to say: you don’t have to fade into the background just because the market’s moody.

We’ve helped our clients thrive through recessions, pivots, and full-blown economic freakouts. Here’s what works.

 

Step one: Pause (but not like that)

Freezing is not pausing.

Pausing with purpose is about clearing the clutter. Looking under every rock. Getting brutally honest.

Start with the Seven C’s:

  • Company: What’s changed under your own roof?
  • Category: What’s shifting in your market?
  • Customer: What do they need right now?
  • Collaborators: Who can help you pivot or punch above your weight?
  • Culture: What’s the internal temperature?
  • Channels: Where are your people actually hanging out?
  • Competition: Who’s flailing? Who’s stepping up?

Then evaluate: What’s dead weight? What’s worth doubling down on?

Finally, plan like it matters. Because it does.

This isn’t the moment for filler content or autopilot posts. This is the moment for clarity. Relevance. A pulse.

 

Step two: Pivot with purpose: Rethinking marketing in a downturn

Here’s where most brands flinch. Because marketing in a downturn ain’t just reacting—it’s about reshaping what’s next.

We call our approach pivoting to potential.

Three real questions. Zero fluff:

  1. What can we do?
  2. What does the market actually need?
  3. What’s financially doable?

The overlap? That’s your sweet spot.

A few real-world shifts from Outmark clients:

  • A hitch company started making home gym equipment. (And accidentally launched a lifestyle brand.)
  • A signage client paused, retooled, and started producing sneeze guards and safety graphics for schools.
  • An IT provider shifted messaging fast to meet surging demand for remote work solutions.

None of these were flukes. They came from listening hard, moving fast, and staying smart.

 

Step three: Proceed with clarity: Smart marketing in a downturn

Now, move.

Not with a bullhorn. With a plan. You see, marketing in a downturn is about relevance, not volume. 

Start with your best relationships—your existing customers. It’s 25 times more expensive to win over someone new than to keep the ones you have. And 85% of small biz owners say word-of-mouth is their top growth channel.

So get real. Get helpful. Get personal.

At the same time, don’t go dark to your broader market. When competitors go quiet, it’s your chance to speak up.

Media costs are down. Attention is up. That’s what we call extra share of voice.

It’s not theoretical:

  • Kellogg’s went big on ads during the Great Depression. Post didn’t. Kellogg’s won.
  • Amazon launched the Kindle during a crash. It changed the game.
  • Toyota kept marketing while VW pulled back. Now Toyota’s #1.

In short: The brands that keep showing up win.
When competitors panic, smart brands press play

During COVID, we worked with a range of companies that chose to lean in instead of sit out:

  • A managed service provider who shifted their campaigns to focus on remote work solutions and cloud migration, and kept the leads flowing.
  • A cloud tech firm that pivoted from in-person events to digital content and webinars that generated new opportunities in a down market.
  • A national graphics company that launched new products for schools and businesses that adapted to new safety protocols.
  • A manufacturer that retooled operations to serve a whole new audience and sparked a whole new brand in the process. 

Different industries. Same result: relevance, revenue, and resilience.

It’s not luck. It’s process.

Strategy > scramble.

 

Sam Walton said it best

Asked how he’d respond to a recession, the Walmart founder said:

“I thought about it. And decided not to participate.”

That’s not denial. That’s defiance. The smart kind.

You can panic and pull back. Or you can approach marketing in a downturn the way resilient brands do: with clear moves and zero flinch. We know which one grows brands.

If you’re ready to talk, we’re here. No pitch. No pressure. Just real marketing help from people who’ve been here before.

Let’s make smart moves. Even when the economy doesn’t.

Press Play

When the competition pulls back, there’s ground to grab.
Outmark
® helps you take advantage with strategy built for right now.

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