In this morning’s paper, there was yet another article about the importance of maintaining marketing spend during an economic downturn. Wise council, for sure, as virtually every study I’ve seen shows that those brands that continue to invest in marketing during times of economic uncertainty emerge from the downturn much stronger than their more cautious competitors.

Why is this? In the best of times, brands that spend more are, as a rule, more visible. It’s a fact of life: awareness costs money. This effect is magnified during economic downturns, especially when competitive noise and media costs are reduced. Those who maintain or increase marketing spend in a recession are capturing a greater share of mind at a significantly lower cost.

As John Vanderzee, a former advertising manager for the Ford Motor Company, said during the 1990-91 economic slump, "Anybody who retrenches because of the recession has really got his head in the sand." He then added that spending money on marketing during a recession is a must. According to Vanderzee, a recession is an excellent opportunity to leverage your brand.

Unfortunately, while the evidence tells us to spend, the powers that be more often than not tell us to cut back. History shows it is the rare management team that fully understands the true ROI upside. Few have been willing to put their careers on the line and do what many would consider to be counterintuitive, especially when cutbacks in times like these are unlikely to be questioned.

Whether or not you are in the position to maintain or increase your budget, there are a number of things you should do to improve your situation regardless.