Should You Advertise During a Recession?

Consider this ad from 1935 and how it affects buying today.

Advertising dollars spent during slow times are the best investment a company can make. In 1929, rival cereal makers Kellogg's and Post were in a close race to win the breakfast cereal market. When the Great Depression started, Kellogg's maintained their advertising spending while rival Post cut back.                                                                        
                                                                       
                                                   
 At the end of the Depression, Kellogg's had achieved a category dominance that they maintain to this day. Your ad dollars work harder in slow times. If your company is less active, this is the time to steal market share and share of voice. Just because your customers are not buying at recent levels does not mean they have stopped reading, thinking, or formulating opinions about the companies and brands they buy from.