During an economic slowdown, jumping to cost cutting can damage long-term brand health, but with prudent and thoughtful portfolio management, brands can still find ways to grow.

Focus on three areas

According to Anna Soisalo, Executive Director, Strategy & Product – Europe at agency ustwo, most prudent decisions brand owners can use to drive growth during an economic slowdown fall into three areas: 

1. revising horizons; 
2. improving what’s already good; 
3. planning to exit recession well.

A reassessment and reprioritisation of all of the products and brands in the portfolio will be needed to unearth what is working and what is not,...