Every crisis brings the same question to the boardroom: “Where should we cut first?” Too often, the answer is marketing. Having worked with brands across industries for more than 25 years, I have seen this pattern repeat itself time and again. Yet the reality is clear: marketing is not a cost to be trimmed during uncertainty—it is one of the most strategic investments a company can make for its future.
Brands are not tested when they retreat into silence, but when they manage to make their voices heard with the right tone and message. So how should CMOs and marketing leaders navigate these turbulent times? And where should they focus? Let’s revisit why strategic marketing is indispensable—especially in times of crisis.
1. A Perception Crisis is More Dangerous Than a Financial One
In times of crisis, customers look for more than just products or services—they seek guidance, transparency, and trust. These expectations shape how brands are perceived. Marketing teams are not just campaign builders; they are the architects of how the brand presents itself under pressure. Research shows that 63% of consumers believe “how a brand behaves during a crisis is as important as the quality of its products or services.” This underlines why managing perception is not just communication—it is strategy.
2. Brands That Go Silent Risk Being Forgotten
Crises are moments when customers pay closer attention than ever. Brands that remain visible and consistent are remembered as resilient and responsible. Those that go silent, on the other hand, risk losing not only visibility but also the trust that takes years to build.
3. Data-Driven Strategies Create Real Differentiation
Having the right message is not enough—it must reach the right person, at the right time, through the right channel. Data-driven strategies allow marketing to move beyond intuition and anchor decisions in robust insights. Research shows that marketing teams with high data maturity achieve up to 20% higher revenue growth. In uncertain times, data—not instinct—is what drives results.
4. Crises Are Opportunities for Repositioning
Periods of uncertainty are not only about risk; they are also opportunities to rethink, simplify, and clarify. Companies that redefine their value propositions can provide more meaningful solutions. Marketing serves as the lever that carries this transformation. With the right strategy, a crisis becomes less of a threat and more of a chance to reinvent the brand.
5. Silence Opens the Door to Competitors
Brands that continue communicating during crises often emerge stronger in the long run. Those that stop talking risk ceding both visibility and relevance to competitors. Bold yet balanced communication builds trust and reinforces brand equity. Silence, on the other hand, is not a strategy—it is an open invitation to others to take your place.
6. Research Turns Intuition Into Strategy
Crises demand quick decisions—but there is a difference between speed and haste. Research is the tool that bridges this gap. As customer behaviors, purchase motivations, and media habits shift rapidly, only data-driven insights can ensure brands deliver relevant and impactful messages. Research doesn’t just highlight what not to do—it clarifies what to do, and when to do it. Listening to the customer’s voice is the first step in turning intuition into meaningful action.
Final Word for CMOs: Don’t Ask “How Much Should We Spend?” Ask “How Do We Become More Meaningful?”
The key question in times of crisis is not about cost-cutting—it is about value creation: “How can we communicate our value to customers in a more meaningful, consistent, and effective way?” Marketing should never be halted in a crisis—it should be repositioned. What brands need is not silence but strategy, not panic but planning, not guesswork but insight. The strategic leadership CMOs demonstrate today will not only shape the present but also determine their brand’s future position.
Gökçe Özer
Marketing & Business Development Director, XSIGHTS
#ResearchFirst
#StrategicMarketingNow
