As Tariffs Hit, Big Companies Double Down on Marketing

  Rassegna Stampa, Social
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Amid a new round of tariffs, a weak jobs report, and fresh concerns about the global economy, a number of top corporate executives across sectors appear determined to defend one of their most prized assets: their brands.

“As for marketing, our plans are unchanged,” Tracey Joubert, chief financial officer (CFO) of Molson Coors, the brewer behind Coors Light and Blue Moon, told analysts during a recent Q2 earnings call. “We intend to continue to put the right commercial pressure behind our key brands and innovations, including our core power brands.”

Justin Picicci, CFO of Ralph Lauren, said during an August 7th earnings call that the fashion brand would continue to play offense despite the uncertain economic climate by “investing in our brand, our products, our experiences, and our capabilities to better serve and create lasting connections with our customers.”

In its latest quarter, Ralph Lauren increased its investment in marketing to 7.5% of sales, up from 6.7% the same time last year.

Rick Dierker, CEO of consumer goods manufacturer Church & Dwight, indicated during an August 1st earning call that decreasing marketing dollars was not an option for the CPG company—even if that means it takes a short-term hit on earnings. “We are going to protect that marketing spend,” he told analysts.

Data shows some companies may see declines in revenue if consumer anxiety over tariffs and inflation persists. Recent figures from research firm Gartner, for example, suggest more than two-thirds of U.S. consumers have already begun to adjust their day-to-day spending habits, whether that means cooking more meals at home or buying budget-friendly brands at the grocery store.

Still, companies are staying committed to keeping their brands’ top of mind. Amit Banati, CFO of Kenvue, noted on an early August earnings call that while the consumer health company would be more selective about which brands it invested in, the maker of Tylenol, Listerine, and Band-Aid planned to “continue supporting our brands at a higher level than last year.”

And during an August 6th earnings call, Chris Kempczinski, CEO of McDonald’s, explained the company’s recipe for success in this economy requires three ingredients: value, menu innovation, and marketing.

“In this environment, you got to go three for three,” said Kempczinski. “If you go one for three, if you go two for three, you’re not going to be putting up the kind of performance that I think we would all aspire to.”

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