“It’s the economy, forward-thinker.”

Posted by: Paul Koch

“It’s the economy, forward-thinker.”

We became familiar with the expression, “It’s the economy, stupid,” through the campaign strategies of James Cargill in the 1992 presidential campaign amidst a recession. Now, given today’s gloomy economic discussions, allow me a slight revision: It’s the economy, forward-thinker.

Trade has slowed, but it certainly hasn’t stopped. Consumers and businesses still have needs to meet and challenges to solve. And forwarding thinkers are still creating new ways to provide solutions. For example, now, and for the foreseeable future, new ideas are in demand in areas like energy, energy efficiency, healthcare, resource conservation, agriculture, and automotive safety, just to name a few.

It’s no time for entrepreneurs and marketers to slow down. I choose to differ from some recent business publications that suggest “recession-themed marketing.” And I would argue against essentially dumbing down your message as implied by some advisors in the media of late. Rather, stay true to maintaining a solid brand and business objectives –work smarter.

Consider some well-known names and products that have endured challenges by setting themselves apart, not by blending in. There’s the classic example of the Monopoly game being created during the Great Depression and acquired by Parker Bros. More recently, the iPod was launched during a recession in 2001, yet made an impact with a breakthrough campaign. (Apple continues to innovate with the latest iPhone, previewed in March, 2009 as seen here: http://tiny.cc/QpcuH.

So, don’t hold back – stand out. Having a unique strategy, message and design can make all the difference.

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