Marketing in an age of unpredictability

How do you create a long-term strategy when everything is changing almost daily? This is how marketers can future-proof themselves, whatever happens.

The business landscape today feels like shifting sand beneath our feet. We’re operating in an environment defined by rapid change, mounting uncertainty and interconnected complexity; one where the rules of engagement are constantly being rewritten.

This constant flux is creating unprecedented challenges for brands. Much of that is being driven by the politics of the US around trade tariffs — particularly for multinational companies — and culture wars. 

The key tactic appears to be to use a bully pulpit to keep everyone on edge and unsure about where they stand. Once everyone is destabilised, it’s possible to demand more and secure agreement that goes beyond what might have been possible with conventional behaviour. 

But this instability is not just political. For marketers, it’s also being created by technology, where platform rule changes can upend assumptions overnight. To take a simple example: a change to the Google algorithm can drive conversion rates dramatically up or down with little warning.

The arrival of AI takes the tech risk up a couple of notches at least. 

Finding a long-term strategy

For marketers, this climate raises a couple of key questions: how can you create long-term strategy when the business and marketing ecosystem in which you operate could change tomorrow? How can you build a brand platform that appeals to all potential consumers, but which doesn’t offend anyone without being anodyne?  

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) recently published research looking at the impact of risk and unpredictability on the work role of the chief marketing officer. 

More than nine out of 10 (93%) agree that the operating environment is less or much less predictable than 12 months ago and it no longer feels like “business as usual” (78%).  

Many are also reviewing where they invest. More than eight in 10 (82%) say the current environment feels like a retreat from globalisation and 68% are actively changing the markets they prioritise for investment.  

Meanwhile, the threat of culture wars means that more than four in five (81%) are taking extra time to review what they stand for and how they articulate positions and values externally.

Pressure to drive immediate growth means half (50%) are now spending more time focusing on short-term objectives and risk management, at the expense of long-term strategic planning. 

The specific risks around choosing the wrong influencer partner mean that 53% are taking additional steps to reduce the potential of these risks. 

Comprehensive governance

In such a climate, there is only one solution that can both keep brands safe and ensure brand platforms are lively and engaging.

Smarter governance.

Marketing organisations need to have clear frameworks that not only mitigate risk but also say where the brand can legitimately go politically, ethically and sustainably on messaging and technology use.  

For some brands — hello, Ben & Jerry’s — this might mean continuing to take on an audience who wants a fight. For others, it might help better define where they want to play, what they want to shout about and what’s true for their brand voice. Clearer, more comprehensive governance will help marketers respond to the increased board scrutiny also identified by the WFA survey.

In our work at Responsible Marketing Advisory, we find that many brands have holes in the way they approach this issue. Some do cover some critical issues, but we often see gaps, particularly around social media and influencer activity, that need to be filled. 

Rules and guardrails

In a world of uncertainty, having rules and guardrails for all your activities will ensure that your marketing is seen as responsible and in tune with your brand.

It mitigates reputational risk and enables you to respond more clearly to your audience. 

The role of governance in meeting the demands of increased board scrutiny has never been more critical. And with the right guardrails in place, marketers can continue to focus on what they do best: building great brands and driving business growth.