How strong brands can survive these turbulent times

It’s tough out there. Everyone is feeling the pressure from an unprecedented convergence of complex challenges. No brand is unscathed. But strong brands of any size can thrive. Let’s explore how you can bring calm to chaos and create meaningful, measurable impact.

Research tells us these five things are keeping industry leaders up at night right now:

 

1. Geopolitical uncertainty – costs are being directly impacted.
A global report by Coface on Political and Social Risk states, ‘Geopolitical risk is now a lasting reality for global trade’. This means businesses must expect and plan for potential disruptions to supply chains, increased regulatory complexities and the need to diversify markets. Brands need resilience and agility to overcome this.

 

2. Economic ups and downs – it’s hard to see what’s around the corner.
According to the ONS, 3 in 10 trading businesses (29%) reported that economic uncertainty is directly impacting their business. This manifests in fluctuating demand, increased operational costs and heightened investment risks, so brands need to be more cost-efficient and nimble.

 

3. Digital transformation – AI is creating fear and delay.
A recent survey by ANS in collaboration with YouGov found that 35% of UK businesses cite a lack of internal expertise as the primary hurdle to implementing AI solutions, which means they need to focus on upskilling existing teams and investing in new talent.

 

4. Talent crisis – navigating pay gaps and talent shortages.
50% of HR leaders report retention issues, primarily due to uncompetitive salaries, and 49% of businesses struggled to hire in the last year, based on the Michael Page 2025 Salary Guide. To overcome this, businesses need to align their pay scales with industry averages, focus on building an internal brand that engages and motivates, and invest time and energy in developing high-performing teams.

 

5. Sustainability goals – prioritising this is hard amidst the unrest.
Capgemini Research Institute found that over 60% of UK businesses (of all sizes) plan to increase their sustainability spending in 2025. But this is giving way to other priorities as the Government relaxes its commitment to reaching Net Zero. It is more vital than ever that brands stay on track with their sustainability mission and use strategic messaging to communicate their plans to both internal and external audiences.

 

Turning headwinds into tailwinds

We know these challenges are significant, but the good news is that STRONG BRANDS are more resilient. They’ll do more than just survive; they’ll bounce back quicker. History has proved this. Just look at Airbnb during COVID-19. Travel stopped overnight, and their revenue dropped by 67%. They used their ‘Belong Anywhere’ positioning to build campaigns around domestic travel and remote work stays. They reduced their performance marketing spend and upped their brand investment, and created more trust, safety and community messaging. In 2021, Airbnb reported its “best year ever”, with full-year revenue of $6 billion, a 25% increase over 2019. Building a strong brand, pivoting when needed and never going ‘dark’ is the key to sailing through change.

At SHARP, we’re dedicated to helping brands overcome current business complexities confidently, quickly and easily with our
Co-Create by SHARP methodology. Here’s why it works: 

  • Keeps you close to your customers: Co-Create by SHARP gets into your customers’ heads and hearts, so you can build your brand and campaigns around what matters to them when their worlds are upside down.
  • Offers real-world, real-time insights: With your customers or staff in the room, we can instantly understand their needs and perspectives. Our Co-Create by SHARP workshops harness the power of collaboration to generate ideas, which are then turned into distinctive strategies and creative.
  • Builds an audience-led strategy: Within a day, we can solve a business challenge and shape a strategy that is agile enough to help navigate ever-changing customer journeys and expectations.
  • Crafts the BIG idea: Using creative sprints, we can create a bundle of brilliantly engaging and response-driving ideas that resonate, based on current audience insights.
  • Responds to results: Having a great idea is just the beginning. Co-Create by SHARP creates strategies and campaigns with tracking built in so you can respond and pivot at pace. We believe in optimising, identifying opportunities, maximising ROI and constantly learning and improving. This has worked effectively for many of our clients, including Aqua, OVO, Barbour ABI, and BWH Hotels GB, whose tactical campaign generated almost £1 million in revenue in just four days.

As a creative consultancy driving change with a standout strategic approach, we work with uncompromising leaders to build a better world and help them find the clarity needed to act with confidence, no matter the markets. Our unique approach combines strategic thinking with measurable marketing activities. Through the power of our Co-Create by SHARP, we deliver exceptional brand performance by uniting critical thinking and creative excellence.

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