THE TARIFF CRASH PLAYBOOK FOR CMOs.
- Lars Silberbauer
- 3 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The markets are crashing... again. This time, it’s not a virus or a housing bubble - it’s tariffs...and masks won't help us 😷 The latest wave of U.S. trade restrictions has triggered global retaliation, disrupted supply chains, and shaken investor confidence big time.
For marketers, the fallout is immediate:
✅ Cautious consumers
✅ Frozen B2B cycles
✅ Slashed budgets
✅ Rising uncertainty
We’ve all been here before...
During the COVID crash, I was leading global brand, marketing & digital for the Olympics - navigating the postponement of Tokyo 2020 and the intense delivery of Beijing 2022. Just rerouting a major film production from Cape Town to Buenos Aires in a few days because of Omicron? Still have nightmares - and probably also still got the high blood pressure to prove it 🫤
Crashes are stress tests, how you respond defines whether your brand just survives - or actually comes out stronger.
What happens when a crash hits marketing?
🔻 Consumer confidence collapses: People tighten their wallets. Spending on discretionary items drops. Price sensitivity skyrockets.
🔻 B2B buying slows to a crawl
Businesses delay decisions & reevaluate vendors
🔻 Global campaigns hit friction
A launch in China or Europe might suddenly face new barriers - from regulation to retaliation.
🔻 Budgets shrink
And marketing is often the first place the CFO looks to trim the fat.
But like every downturn, there’s opportunity for brands that move with intent.
2008: P&G didn’t go dark, they double down on value. Tide became “cost-effective performance” - not just premium laundry hype.
The result: They grew market share while others froze.
2020: Airbnb cut $800M in ad spend - still retained 80% of their traffic.
Nike pivoted to purpose-led storytelling and gave 90,000+ shoes to frontline workers.
The result: Brand trust & massive goodwill due to marketing with empathy.
At the Olympics in 2021/22 we were definitely under pressure Olympic and had to rewrite the playbook twice.
From postponed events to pandemic pivots to global geopolitical chaos, it was a perfect storm.
The big lesson?
You can’t pause your way through a crisis. You have to power through it.
So if you’re a CMO in this tariff-driven crash, here’s your moves:
1️⃣ Reallocate - don’t retreat
2️⃣ Reposition fast (value > vanity)
3️⃣ Maximize owned media
4️⃣ Stay visible, stay real
5️⃣ Align tightly with sales (go talk to them today)
Crashes reveal character:
🥇 2008 rewarded brands with clarity
🥇 2020 rewarded brands with heart
🥇 2025 will reward brands with courage, speed, and precision
You don’t have to be perfect. But you do need to move - and maybe crack a joke while you’re at it.
After all, we’re in marketing, not medicine.
We’re struggling with commercials, not COVID.
The markets will bounce back. It’ll be alright eventually.
But right now?
It’s go time. 💥
