The Marketing Agency Talk

“In good times people want to advertise, in bad times, they have to.”

~ Bruce Barton

co-founder BBDO (Batten Barton, Durstine and Osborn) Agency

I believe many people in the advertising industry acknowledged, understood and embraced the wisdom whole heartedly shared by Bruce Barton. We did it with the clients’ interest at heart and in mind.

However, many chose to believe that we are desperately trying to milk them dry in the hard time because we are not making enough when almost every Tom, Dick and Harry has tightened the purse string. We are professionals in the advertising arena and we make no apology whatsoever to earn our keeps through our consultation, creative works and production supports. However, to imply that we act like scumbags to elicit money immorally and unethically is unacceptable.

In good times, everyone is jolly and is in a high spirit to indulge himself/herself by splurging on feel-good product/services. In bad times, everyone is worried about not making ends meet and they started to count every dime before deciding to make a purchase. If a marketer stops marketing and advertising at bad times, they are simply telling their customers and prospects that he/she is not worthy of their consideration. Out of sight, out of mind, out of consideration. When good times come, these same marketers will find it much tougher to woo back the customers they have lost in the period of silence.

However, how to market and advertise if you are a small business? How to do so when there is a global slow down? Well, Calvin Warr has written an interesting post with an equally interesting title call A 500lbs Gorilla will Beat a 100lbs Human Anytime … that adequately addressed the questions. I agreed with him that small businesses should avoid the gorilla at all cost.