[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":74},["ShallowReactive",2],{"i-material-symbols:language":3,"i-material-symbols:person":8,"i-mdi:instagram":10,"i-mdi:youtube":12,"i-ri:linkedin-fill":14,"i-ri:twitter-x-line":16,"i-ri:facebook-fill":18,"post-how-these-3rs-can-future-proof-your-business-in-an-uncertain-economy":20,"i-material-symbols:person-outline":68,"i-material-symbols:calendar-month":70,"i-mdi:schedule":72},{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":7},0,24,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M8.125 21.213q-1.825-.788-3.187-2.15t-2.15-3.188T2 11.988t.788-3.875t2.15-3.175t3.187-2.15T12.013 2t3.875.788t3.175 2.15t2.15 3.175t.787 3.875t-.787 3.887t-2.15 3.188t-3.175 2.15t-3.875.787t-3.888-.787M12 19.95q.65-.9 1.125-1.875T13.9 16h-3.8q.3 1.1.775 2.075T12 19.95m-2.6-.4q-.45-.825-.787-1.713T8.05 16H5.1q.725 1.25 1.813 2.175T9.4 19.55m5.2 0q1.4-.45 2.488-1.375T18.9 16h-2.95q-.225.95-.562 1.838T14.6 19.55M4.25 14h3.4q-.075-.5-.112-.987T7.5 12t.038-1.012T7.65 10h-3.4q-.125.5-.187.988T4 12t.063 1.013t.187.987m5.4 0h4.7q.075-.5.113-.987T14.5 12t-.038-1.012T14.35 10h-4.7q-.075.5-.112.988T9.5 12t.038 1.013t.112.987m6.7 0h3.4q.125-.5.188-.987T20 12t-.062-1.012T19.75 10h-3.4q.075.5.113.988T16.5 12t-.038 1.013t-.112.987m-.4-6h2.95q-.725-1.25-1.812-2.175T14.6 4.45q.45.825.788 1.713T15.95 8M10.1 8h3.8q-.3-1.1-.775-2.075T12 4.05q-.65.9-1.125 1.875T10.1 8m-5 0h2.95q.225-.95.563-1.838T9.4 4.45Q8 4.9 6.912 5.825T5.1 8\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":9},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M9.175 10.825Q8 9.65 8 8t1.175-2.825T12 4t2.825 1.175T16 8t-1.175 2.825T12 12t-2.825-1.175M4 20v-2.8q0-.85.438-1.562T5.6 14.55q1.55-.775 3.15-1.162T12 13t3.25.388t3.15 1.162q.725.375 1.163 1.088T20 17.2V20z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":11},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M7.8 2h8.4C19.4 2 22 4.6 22 7.8v8.4a5.8 5.8 0 0 1-5.8 5.8H7.8C4.6 22 2 19.4 2 16.2V7.8A5.8 5.8 0 0 1 7.8 2m-.2 2A3.6 3.6 0 0 0 4 7.6v8.8C4 18.39 5.61 20 7.6 20h8.8a3.6 3.6 0 0 0 3.6-3.6V7.6C20 5.61 18.39 4 16.4 4zm9.65 1.5a1.25 1.25 0 0 1 1.25 1.25A1.25 1.25 0 0 1 17.25 8A1.25 1.25 0 0 1 16 6.75a1.25 1.25 0 0 1 1.25-1.25M12 7a5 5 0 0 1 5 5a5 5 0 0 1-5 5a5 5 0 0 1-5-5a5 5 0 0 1 5-5m0 2a3 3 0 0 0-3 3a3 3 0 0 0 3 3a3 3 0 0 0 3-3a3 3 0 0 0-3-3\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":13},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"m10 15l5.19-3L10 9zm11.56-7.83c.13.47.22 1.1.28 1.9c.07.8.1 1.49.1 2.09L22 12c0 2.19-.16 3.8-.44 4.83c-.25.9-.83 1.48-1.73 1.73c-.47.13-1.33.22-2.65.28c-1.3.07-2.49.1-3.59.1L12 19c-4.19 0-6.8-.16-7.83-.44c-.9-.25-1.48-.83-1.73-1.73c-.13-.47-.22-1.1-.28-1.9c-.07-.8-.1-1.49-.1-2.09L2 12c0-2.19.16-3.8.44-4.83c.25-.9.83-1.48 1.73-1.73c.47-.13 1.33-.22 2.65-.28c1.3-.07 2.49-.1 3.59-.1L12 5c4.19 0 6.8.16 7.83.44c.9.25 1.48.83 1.73 1.73\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":15},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.94 5a2 2 0 1 1-4-.002a2 2 0 0 1 4 .002M7 8.48H3V21h4zm6.32 0H9.34V21h3.94v-6.57c0-3.66 4.77-4 4.77 0V21H22v-7.93c0-6.17-7.06-5.94-8.72-2.91z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":17},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M10.488 14.651L15.25 21h7l-7.858-10.478L20.93 3h-2.65l-5.117 5.886L8.75 3h-7l7.51 10.015L2.32 21h2.65zM16.25 19L5.75 5h2l10.5 14z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":19},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M14 13.5h2.5l1-4H14v-2c0-1.03 0-2 2-2h1.5V2.14c-.326-.043-1.557-.14-2.857-.14C11.928 2 10 3.657 10 6.7v2.8H7v4h3V22h4z\"\u002F>",{"postType":21,"id":22,"author":23,"date":26,"modified":27,"title":28,"slug":29,"seoTitle":28,"seoDescription":30,"excerpt":31,"trimmedExcerpt":32,"content":33,"readingTime":34,"featuredImage":35,"postCategory":41,"relatedPosts":46},"post",62446,{"id":24,"name":25},"author-05180903010007211414","Erica Gunn","2022-11-21T15:16:53","2025-11-19T13:10:55","How these 3Rs can future-proof your business in an uncertain economy","how-these-3rs-can-future-proof-your-business-in-an-uncertain-economy","What better talents to have in uncertain economic times than understanding customers’ thinking and the ability to turn changing trends into compelling campaigns?","What better talents to have in uncertain economic times than understanding customers’ thinking and the ability to turn changing trends into compelling campaigns? These traditional marketing superpowers are great in the good times, but they are priceless right now when inflation is causing rising prices on Main Street, falling stock prices on Wall Street and […]","What better talents to have in uncertain economic times than understanding customers’ thinking and the ability to turn changing trends...","\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What better talents to have in uncertain economic times than understanding customers’ thinking and the ability to turn changing trends into compelling campaigns?\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These traditional marketing superpowers are great in the good times, but they are priceless right now when inflation is causing rising prices on Main Street, falling stock prices on Wall Street and supply chain issues rumble on. Whenever a downturn threatens, attention inevitably turns to questions of budgets, structures, and productivity. The answer is the 3Rs: rethink, resist and refocus. It’s a framework CMOs can use to help future-proof their business in uncertain times. Here’s how it works:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-1--1-rethink-customer-attitudes\">1. Rethink customer attitudes\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The irony of bad economic weather is that the mindset shift in business and among buyers often happens before the storm really takes hold. It’s what lies behind the classic line from Walmart founder Sam Walton. When asked, “What do you think about a recession?” he replied, “I thought about it. I do not wish to participate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"450\" src=\"\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184331\u002F3r-future-proof-business-1.jpg\" alt=\"A person considering various options of spending behaviour represented by different symbols.\" class=\"wp-image-62454\" srcset=\"\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184331\u002F3r-future-proof-business-1.jpg 880w, \u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184331\u002F3r-future-proof-business-1-450x230.jpg 450w, \u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184331\u002F3r-future-proof-business-1-768x393.jpg 768w\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We often decide in advance what’s going to happen — or not going to happen — and it adds to the uncertain climate. In 2009, amid the global financial crisis, John Quelch and Katherine Jocz of Harvard Business School \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhbr.org\u002F2009\u002F04\u002Fhow-to-market-in-a-downturn-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">published a helpful piece\u003C\u002Fa> that proposed four customer mindsets. Quelch and Jocz argued these four mindsets were a better way to try to “read” customers during a downturn than more conventional segmentation, such as age or other demographics. The four groups are:\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Slam-on-the-brakes.\u003C\u002Fstrong> This group fears the worst so decides to preempt the downturn and cut spending and postpone decisions.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Pained-but-patient.\u003C\u002Fstrong> This group worries and may economize but is optimistic for the long term. As economic conditions deteriorate, they tend to move to slam-on-the-brakes.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Comfortably well-off.\u003C\u002Fstrong> This group continues business as usual but is less conspicuous and more selective about it.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Live-for-today.\u003C\u002Fstrong> This group also carries on as usual and is unlikely to change their “consumption behavior unless they become unemployed,” according to Quelch and Jocz.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you work in B2B, as I do, you might wonder if there’s quite the devil-may-care fourth category as “live-for-today” — perhaps only the earliest-stage startups. But some sectors traditionally fare better than others through downturns and recessions and might fall into the “comfortably well-off” category — healthcare, for example.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, here’s the challenge for CMOs: Apply this lens to your customers. How might it affect your marketing strategy? What proportion of your customers falls into each mindset? How might you adapt campaigns, messaging, or tactics accordingly?\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-2--2-resist-the-obvious-budget-cut\">2. Resist the ‘obvious’ budget cut\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every experienced CMO knows that advertising and marketing budgets are seen as soft and the easiest to cut during a downturn. But there’s evidence that it’s an expensive long-term strategy. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.marketingweek.com\u002Ffight-dont-freeze-how-to-recession-proof-your-brand\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research into the global financial crash shows\u003C\u002Fa>:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Two-thirds of losses in incremental sales during the last recession were driven by lower investment in media, not because brands’ ROI was declining. And, on average, brands that reduced media investment suffered an 18% loss in incremental sales. However, the brands that maintained or increased their media investment during the recession came out stronger – in both the short and long term – and saw a 17% growth in incremental sales and ROI.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There was a pay-off for brands that maintained or increased media spending during the financial crisis, while others were cutting back because of the relative increase in the share of voice and exposure. Long term, the brands that cut back will have to invest in reclaiming their lost visibility. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fhbr.org\u002F2020\u002F08\u002Fdont-cut-your-marketing-budget-in-a-recession\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Research published in \u003Cem>Harvard Business Review\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fa> into the performance of U.K. consumer goods brand Reckitt Benckiser — the company behind brands like Dettol, Clearasil, Gaviscon, and Durex — following the 2008 crash found:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“Increasing its advertising outlays by 25% in the face of reduced marketing by competitors, Reckitt Benckiser actually grew revenues by 8% and profits by 14%, when most of its rivals were reporting profit declines of 10% or more. They viewed advertising as an investment rather than an expense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">CMOs take note: The “obvious” budget cut may not be the wisest.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-3--3-refocus-on-tech-and-productivity\">3. Refocus on tech and productivity\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inefficient processes and a martech stack that slows your team down rather than speeds them up are the enemies of productivity. And when the economic weather is turning, there’s no better time to focus on improving workflows, investing in the right marketing technology, and streamlining operations.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I’ve always advocated some simple rules:\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cul class=\"wp-block-list\">\u003Cli>If it’s a repetitive task, look to automate it.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>If multiple team members need to access something, put that work in the cloud so they can share it wherever they are working.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003Cli>If budgets for new creative campaigns are going to be tight, make sure your team has the means to resurface the great content you’ve commissioned in the past. But to recycle it, you have to be able to find it quickly.\u003C\u002Fli>\u003C\u002Ful>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A host of brands, from \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.salesforce.com\u002Fcontent\u002Fblogs\u002Fus\u002Fen\u002F2017\u002F08\u002Fhow-to-recycle-content-in-email-marketing.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Patagonia to Foot Locker\u003C\u002Fa>, have turned recycling content into art, taking snippets from one channel — whether video or social — and repurposing it for another. In a downturn, if you have easy access to your content assets, this can become an easy win and a productivity boost for the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cfigure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\">\u003Cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"450\" src=\"\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184330\u002F3r-future-proof-business-2.jpg\" alt=\"A female CMO in a superhero cape points towards the sky with an ascending curve on a screen in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-62455\" srcset=\"\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184330\u002F3r-future-proof-business-2.jpg 880w, \u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184330\u002F3r-future-proof-business-2-450x230.jpg 450w, \u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184330\u002F3r-future-proof-business-2-768x393.jpg 768w\" \u002F>\u003C\u002Ffigure>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There’s a simple message for CMOs: Take the time now to refocus on tech and productivity.\u003Cbr \u002F>\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc-4--the-3rs-are-about-thinking-differently\">The 3Rs are about thinking differently\u003C\u002Fh2>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rethink, resist, and refocus are about doing what marketers are great at: thinking differently. The all-too-human instinct in times of challenge is to hunker down and do less of everything — the leadership equivalent of Quelch and Jocz’s “slam-on-the-brakes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But let’s remember where we started: CMOs have superpowers. We understand customer needs. We read and play trends. If we give our teams the right tools to imagine a campaign, they’ll create something out of (almost) nothing or, at least, find a clever new take on somewhere we’ve been before. We can future-proof our businesses in a downturn by smart investment in our marketing. These 3Rs can show us how.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u003Cem>Originally published on \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Fforbescommunicationscouncil\u002F2022\u002F08\u002F26\u002Fhow-these-3rs-can-future-proof-your-business-in-an-uncertain-economy\u002F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forbes\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>",5,{"url":36,"url_md":37,"alt":38,"height":39,"width":40},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.canto.com\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184331\u002F3r-future-proof-business-Feature.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.canto.com\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2022\u002F11\u002F19184331\u002F3r-future-proof-business-Feature-450x263.jpg","A male CMO in a superhero cape points towards an ascending curve while a person using a laptop lookes puzzled.",700,1200,[42],{"id":43,"slug":43,"title":44,"path":45},"industry-insights","Industry insights","\u002Fpost-category\u002Findustry-insights\u002F",[47,54,61],{"featuredImage":48,"postId":49,"slug":50,"title":51,"description":52,"path":53},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.canto.com\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2020\u002F03\u002F19192346\u002FFiloli-Hyacinth-Yellowstone-Pool-March-450x338.jpg",41869,"creative-spotlight-john-williams-filoli","Creative Spotlight: Cultivating creativity with John Williams from Filoli","John Williams is Marketing Manager of Filoli Historic House & Gardens. He shares insights about his career and gives advice to aspiring creative professionals.","\u002Fblog\u002Fcreative-spotlight-john-williams-filoli\u002F",{"featuredImage":55,"postId":56,"slug":57,"title":58,"description":59,"path":60},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.canto.com\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2025\u002F11\u002F11202806\u002Fagency-growth-feature-450x225.jpg",71866,"the-new-agency-growth-formula","The new agency growth formula: How operational resilience protects profit and fuels creativity","Discover how agencies can protect profit, boost creativity, and achieve sustainable growth through digital operational resilience and DAM technology.","\u002Fblog\u002Fthe-new-agency-growth-formula\u002F",{"featuredImage":62,"postId":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"description":66,"path":67},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.canto.com\u002Fcdn\u002Fen\u002F2019\u002F09\u002F19193822\u002FSix_Senses_Laamu_aerial_5636-ORIGINAL-450x206.jpg",33916,"creative-spotlight-joe-rahim-inspirato","Creative Spotlight: Vacationing for work with Joe Rahim from Inspirato","Joe Rahim is digital asset manager at Inspirato. He talks about his career from art school to managing the production of the incredible vacation imagery.","\u002Fblog\u002Fcreative-spotlight-joe-rahim-inspirato\u002F",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":69},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M9.175 10.825Q8 9.65 8 8t1.175-2.825T12 4t2.825 1.175T16 8t-1.175 2.825T12 12t-2.825-1.175M4 20v-2.8q0-.85.438-1.562T5.6 14.55q1.55-.775 3.15-1.162T12 13t3.25.388t3.15 1.162q.725.375 1.163 1.088T20 17.2V20zm2-2h12v-.8q0-.275-.137-.5t-.363-.35q-1.35-.675-2.725-1.012T12 15t-2.775.338T6.5 16.35q-.225.125-.363.35T6 17.2zm7.413-8.587Q14 8.825 14 8t-.587-1.412T12 6t-1.412.588T10 8t.588 1.413T12 10t1.413-.587M12 18\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":71},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M12 14q-.425 0-.712-.288T11 13t.288-.712T12 12t.713.288T13 13t-.288.713T12 14m-4.712-.288Q7 13.426 7 13t.288-.712T8 12t.713.288T9 13t-.288.713T8 14t-.712-.288M16 14q-.425 0-.712-.288T15 13t.288-.712T16 12t.713.288T17 13t-.288.713T16 14m-4 4q-.425 0-.712-.288T11 17t.288-.712T12 16t.713.288T13 17t-.288.713T12 18m-4.712-.288Q7 17.426 7 17t.288-.712T8 16t.713.288T9 17t-.288.713T8 18t-.712-.288M16 18q-.425 0-.712-.288T15 17t.288-.712T16 16t.713.288T17 17t-.288.713T16 18M5 22q-.825 0-1.412-.587T3 20V6q0-.825.588-1.412T5 4h1V2h2v2h8V2h2v2h1q.825 0 1.413.588T21 6v14q0 .825-.587 1.413T19 22zm0-2h14V10H5z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":73},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M12 20a8 8 0 0 0 8-8a8 8 0 0 0-8-8a8 8 0 0 0-8 8a8 8 0 0 0 8 8m0-18a10 10 0 0 1 10 10a10 10 0 0 1-10 10C6.47 22 2 17.5 2 12A10 10 0 0 1 12 2m.5 5v5.25l4.5 2.67l-.75 1.23L11 13V7z\"\u002F>",1789621306147]