This paper examines how marketing contributes to building and communicating resilience in businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), during crises such as pandemics, financial downturns, and natural disasters. Drawing on a mixed-methods study (global SME surveys, executive interviews) and secondary case evidence, we find that effective marketing strategies (e.g. digital engagement, adaptive messaging, brand management) help firms adapt and recover. Key findings include: (1) Firms that increased digital marketing and social media use during crises were more likely to maintain customer relationships and sales (Cuffie, 2022); (2) Transparent, value-driven communication (e.g. on safety or social contribution) preserved trust and loyalty (Maclean, 2024); (3) SMEs leveraged agile marketing (new product offerings, repositioned branding) to seize emerging opportunities (Hansen, 2025). These insights echo prior research showing digital tools and strategic communication bolster resilience. Our results highlight that even resource-constrained SMEs can leverage marketing capabilities (e.g., agile campaign design, customer engagement platforms) to withstand shocks. For practitioners, this underscores the need to protect marketing budgets during downturns and to actively communicate firm strengths and intentions. For researchers, our study integrates marketing and resilience literatures, suggesting new directions on how marketing practices and capabilities (especially in digital media) foster SME adaptability and recovery in global crises.
Keywords: marketing strategy, business resilience, crisis communication, small and medium enterprises, digital marketing, stakeholder trust.
Introduction
In an increasingly volatile and unpredictable global environment, businesses face an ever-growing range of crises, ranging from natural disasters and economic downturns to pandemics and geopolitical instability (S&P Global, 2025). These events test the capacity of firms not only to withstand shocks but to communicate effectively with stakeholders during and after the disruption. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, severely disrupted supply chains, shifted consumer behavior overnight, and forced companies to pivot their operational and marketing strategies under pressure (Harapko, 2023). Amidst such turbulence, business resilience , an organization's ability to absorb and recover from adverse events, has become a critical determinant of long-term sustainability and competitive advantage (Duchek, 2020).
Historically, the literature on resilience has focused heavily on operational continuity, supply chain management, and risk mitigation (Christopher & Peck, 2004). However, marketing’s role in cultivating and communicating resilience has been less explored, despite its strategic importance in shaping public perception, maintaining customer trust, and signaling organizational adaptability. Marketing serves as the crucial interface between a firm and its stakeholders, customers, investors, employees, and regulators, especially during times of crisis. A well-executed marketing response can reduce uncertainty, build brand equity, and foster loyalty (He & Harris, 2020). Conversely, missteps in crisis communication can damage a brand’s credibility and erode consumer confidence (Coombs, 2007).
Strategic marketing communication plays an important role in crises by both protecting a company’s image and proving it can respond strongly. The Resource-Based View (RBV) of the firm points out that strong brand equity, positive stakeholder relationships, and good corporate communication are advantages that can help a business stay ahead over time (Barney, 1991). They are most useful during times of crisis, as firms need to deal with the unknown, reorganize their activities, and keep stakeholder’s calm. Marketing goes beyond basic duties and acts as a strategic tool that enables a company to stay solid, reach its goals, and recover from challenges with communication (Lennick-Hall et al., 2011).
The Dynamic Capabilities Theory (Teece et al., 1997) highlights that marketing should monitor the market, take advantage of opportunities, and adapt internal processes as needed when facing shocks. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, brands focused their messaging on empathy, unity, and health, in line with what people cared about at that time (He & Harris, 2020). Such instances illustrate marketing’s flexibility and ability to strengthen an organization by linking its skills with the external world.
Despite the support from these theories, there is still limited research on how marketing supports resilience in businesses, especially during serious crises. Most studies either examine crisis communication in isolation or focus narrowly on brand reputation management, neglecting the broader strategic role that marketing can play in enhancing organizational robustness and adaptability (Frandsen & Johansen, 2011).
Research Problem and Question
This research addresses the gap by investigating how marketing strategies and communication practices contribute to the development and reinforcement of business resilience during times of crisis. The central research question is:
«What is the role of marketing in building and communicating business resilience during times of crisis?"
The remainder of this paper is organized as follows. Section 2 presents a comprehensive literature review , synthesizing previous studies on marketing’s role in crisis management, organizational resilience, and strategic communication. This is followed by the Materials and Methods (section 3), which outlines the research design, including the use of surveys and semi-structured interviews with marketing professionals and SME leaders across different global regions. The Results and Discussion (section 4) reports the key findings of the empirical research, highlighting themes and patterns in how marketing contributes to perceived business resilience. Finally, the paper concludes by summarizing the key contributions, identifying limitations, and offering recommendations for future research and managerial practice (section 5).
Literature Review
Conceptualizing Business Resilience in Crisis Contexts
Business resilience is defined as an organization's capacity to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and adapt to incremental changes and sudden disruptions to survive and prosper (Towler, 2020). In the context of crises, be they economic downturns, natural disasters, or pandemics, resilience becomes a critical determinant of an organization's ability to maintain operations and safeguard stakeholder interests.
Research indicates that resilience is not merely about recovery but also involves the capacity for transformation and innovation in response to adversity (Roberts, 2022). This dynamic perspective underscores the importance of proactive strategies, including effective communication and stakeholder engagement, in building organizational resilience.
The Strategic Role of Marketing in Crisis Management
Marketing plays a pivotal role in crisis management by shaping stakeholder perceptions, maintaining customer relationships, and facilitating communication (vorecol.com, 2022). By using effective marketing tactics, organizations can strengthen their brand, show that they care about others, and display their ability to continue functioning through crises.
According to the Resource-Based View (RBV), brand equity and customer relationships are valuable resources that can help an organization remain competitive during difficult times (Barney & Clark, 2007). The marketing department is crucial in using the organization’s assets to help it continue to work well despite obstacles.
On a related note, the Dynamic Capabilities Framework highlights the need for organizations to connect, develop, and change their competencies as the outside world changes rapidly. To adjust their strategies during crises, organizations rely on dynamic capabilities like market sensing and customer engagement in marketing.
Resilience in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs may encounter different issues when it comes to building and sharing resilience due to their scarce resources and less formal settings. Their ability to adjust and build strong relationships with customers can help businesses during crises.
Evidence suggests that SMEs that are proactive when using marketing and communication methods are better equipped to manage crises. During the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses that stayed in touch with customers and updated their marketing methods handled the problems better (Hossain et al., 2022).
Enhanced resilience among SMEs is now strongly linked to digital transformation. SMEs can connect with consumers, continue business, and respond to market changes by using these tools during a crisis (Sagala & Őri, 2024).
Building Resilience through Marketing Capabilities:
Strong marketing helps organizations become more resilient, especially for SMEs dealing with the challenges of the digital era. SMEs that use marketing insights and sophisticated data analysis find out more about their customers and foresee changes in their preferences (Omowole et al., 2024). This makes it easier for them to respond to new trends and update their products to match what people need. In addition, SMEs can deal with old resource limits and extend their reach to new clients by selecting digital marketing tools like interacting with customers on social media, maximizing search results, and setting up strong online sales systems (Nuseir et al., 2023). Such capabilities are essential during disruptions, since they permit companies to earn money from various sources and still keep in touch with clients, even if direct meetings are not possible. If businesses use new marketing techniques such as virtual reality or highly individualized interactions with customers, they can differentiate themselves in the marketplace and offer appealing value propositions. The ability to quickly adapt and adjust marketing efforts is essential for business survival. It means being able to notice and answer quickly to changes in the economy, what customers prefer, and moves from competitors by promptly creating and applying the right marketing tools (Business, 2025). With agile marketing methods, SMEs can test different strategies, learn what works, and modify their marketing swiftly when the environment is uncertain (Katare, 2022). Seamlessly bringing marketing skills into other important functions like product creation, day-to-day routines, and serving customers unifies the business and gives it added strength. By clearly explaining their advantages, building a strong brand, and fostering positive relationships, SMEs can access essential investment, secure major partnerships, and explore new markets and various channels for distribution, supporting their strength in disruptive times (Hokmabadi et al., 2024). To keep up with digital platforms becoming more important during crises, companies need to improve their digital knowledge and put effort into digital marketing so they can be found, keep in touch with customers, and grab new opportunities as they come up (Hokmabadi et al., 2024).
Communicating Resilience through Marketing:
Continued and clear communication with customers during a crisis is important for letting them understand what is happening and for keeping their confidence in the company, Wagner (2024) emphasized. Clear, transparent, and prompt communication helps businesses manage their reputation and continue to build trust with customers during challenging times. Empathy should be included in marketing messages during a crisis since it helps create an authentic connection with people who may be feeling nervous and vulnerable. Companies can use social media platforms to provide updates on the crisis in real time, manage customer queries, dispute any false news or claims, and instruct stakeholders to look at reliable information. Being consistent in messaging across different marketing channels while reflecting the core values of the company is very significant. In addition, taking active steps in crisis communication helps businesses look after their staff and maintain their operations, showing others that they can easily manage and recover from difficulties. Xibei restaurant’s situation during the COVID-19 pandemic shows how being honest helped consumers understand and feel for the company, leading to more support and sustainable responses to the crisis (Dong, 2020).
Strategic Marketing Actions for Resilience:
When a crisis occurs, businesses should adjust their marketing methods to match the shifting economic situation and what consumers are doing (McKinsey & Company, 2020). A major part of this adaptation is making sure that brands provide value and stay important to consumers struggling with their uncertainties. When organizations strategically ally with other businesses during a crisis, they can save costs, share tools, and attract more customers, which strengthens their staying power through collaboration (Brooks, 2024). Occasionally, offering low prices or longer warranties on products may be a smart strategy to motivate purchases during difficult economic periods. Maintaining agility in the overarching marketing strategy is crucial for ensuring that it remains aligned with the shifting business goals and the continuously evolving circumstances of the crisis (Elali, 2021). Finally, consistently working to maintain brand equity and overall visibility through sustained and strategically adjusted marketing efforts is essential for long-term resilience. Organizations that approach marketing as a vital investment during a crisis are demonstrably more likely to sustain growth and achieve a faster recovery in the post-crisis period compared to those that resort to impulsive and drastic cuts in their marketing budgets (Zulfikar, 2023).
Table 1
Key Marketing Strategies for Building and Communicating Business Resilience During Crises
Strategy Category |
Specific Actions |
Building Resilience through Marketing Capabilities |
Understand and anticipate customer needs through data analytics |
Leverage digital marketing for expanded reach and business continuity | |
Develop innovative and differentiated value propositions | |
Cultivate marketing agility and adaptability | |
Integrate marketing with other organizational functions | |
Access external resources and partnerships | |
Communicating Resilience through Marketing |
Maintain consistent customer communication |
Ensure clear, transparent, and timely messaging | |
Emphasize empathy in communication | |
Utilize social media for updates and engagement | |
Maintain consistent messaging aligned with company values | |
Employ proactive crisis communication | |
Strategic Marketing Actions for Resilience |
Adapt marketing approaches to the changing environment |
Focus on value and relevance for consumers | |
Establish strategic alliances | |
Consider flexible pricing and offerings | |
Maintain agility in marketing strategy | |
Preserve brand equity and visibility |
Materials and Methods
To understand how marketing helps maintain business resilience during a crisis, this work uses a qualitative approach within the context of interpretivist epistemology. The use of qualitative approaches is valuable when examining how organizations deal with challenges and disruptions in specific contexts (Yousafzai, 2023). Since resilience and marketing are both complex and depend on unique situations, the study employs two main qualitative methods: interviews with marketing and business leaders and detailed analysis of companies affected by recent major crises.
Table 2
Reasons to choose Qualitative Research
Why Qualitative Research? | |
Reasons |
Description |
Depth of Insight |
Quantitative methods could measure trust and loyalty numerically but would fail to uncover the nuanced reasons behind consumer preferences and behaviors (Bryman & Bell, 2011). |
Subjective Interpretations |
Trust and resilience are subjective constructs, better understood through open-ended exploration than standardized surveys. |
Flexibility |
The iterative nature of qualitative research allows the researcher to adapt questions based on emerging themes. |
Two important theories guiding this research are the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capabilities Theory. The RBV highlights how marketing departments contribute to cultivating brand equity, customer connections and reputation capital within the firm (Srivastava, 2001). Access to these resources allows businesses to stay strong through difficult periods. Dynamic Capabilities Theory adds to this perspective by pointing out that businesses can respond to environmental changes by reorganizing and updating their marketing strategies (Teece, 2010). By combining these frameworks, the research process becomes better guided and helps explain how marketing supports resilience.
Semi-Structured Interviews
The heart of the investigation includes 16 semi-structured interviews held with marketing executives, business owners, and crisis communication consultants in diverse industries like retail, hospitality, healthcare, and technology. Organizations were chosen for participation using purposive sampling, which helped represent different sizes, types of structures, and experiences with crises. We recruited staff through the help of professional contacts, social media outreach, and by asking established industry figures for recommendations. Virtually all participants served as marketing leaders or communicators during recent challenges, which often included the COVID-19 pandemic, global supply failures, and regional economic problems.
The interviews were held virtually on Zoom or Microsoft Teams and lasted for 45 to 75 minutes. The questions in the interview protocol focused on how participants decided on strategies, used communication tools, applied marketing strategies, and thought about organizational learning in crises. Open-ended questions were applied to let the interviewees respond freely and to follow up on their first replies (Easterby-Smith et al., 2008). The interview guide was developed based on a review of prior literature in crisis communication, strategic marketing, and business resilience (Teece, 2010; Coombs, 2007). The questions were designed to explore perceptions, strategies, and practices related to marketing’s role before, during, and after crisis events. The table below outlines the main interview questions used in the study.
Table 3
Interview Questions
Sr. No. |
Interview Questions |
Q1 |
How did your organization’s marketing strategy evolve during the crisis period (e.g., COVID-19, supply chain disruptions)? |
Q2 |
What specific role did the marketing team play in shaping the company’s response and communications during the crisis? |
Q3 |
How did your brand messaging change in terms of tone, content, or frequency during the crisis? |
Q4 |
What marketing channels proved most effective in reaching and reassuring stakeholders during the disruption? |
Q5 |
Can you describe any challenges your marketing team faced in maintaining brand consistency and consumer trust? |
Q6 |
To what extent did marketing decisions influence internal alignment across departments (e.g., HR, operations, executive leadership)? |
Q7 |
How important was real-time communication and transparency in building customer trust during the crisis? |
Q8 |
Did your organization introduce any new marketing tools, technologies, or practices specifically for crisis management? If so, how effective were they? |
Q9 |
In your experience, what aspects of your marketing approach most contributed to organizational resilience and recovery? |
Q10 |
Based on your reflections, what strategic marketing lessons would you carry forward into future crisis preparedness? |
The interviews were conducted through online platforms based on participant availability. Online interviews are suitable for participants with busy schedules and located in different geographical regions. This format offered flexibility and cost-effectiveness (James & Busher, 2016). All interviews were recorded (with consent) to ensure accuracy during transcription and analysis.
Case Study Analysis
Besides the interviews, the study included detailed case studies of four organizations, two large firms and two SMEs: Procter & Gamble (P&G), Zoom Video Communications, Dishoom, Beneath Your Mask, that managed to continue operations with the help of marketing through crisis situations. We analyzed several companies, among them a worldwide consumer goods company that put new emphasis on health and safety during the pandemic, a tech startup that swiftly changed its online ads due to changing customer trends, a local restaurant chain that relied on community-based advertising to keep customers and an internet retail business that adapted their social media platforms to remain honest and trustworthy.
To gather data, we consulted press releases, CEO letters, investor presentations, third-party reports, and media interviews. We cross-checked information in the public domain with what was learned during interviews, where possible. They not only aligned with the interview results but also showed how different marketing functions are applied when resources are limited.
Comparing case studies allowed the team to observe similarities and differences in organizations from different sectors and types (Bartlett & Vavrus, 2017). While large firms benefit from strong brands and professional marketing efforts, SMEs depend on being able to respond fast, staying sincere to their customers, and engaging locally. In both cases, marketing became a key bridge between the firm and its stakeholders, helping build trust, maintain continuity, and allow for flexibility.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical clearance for the study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Before beginning the study, participants were made aware of its goal, their option to withdraw whenever they wished, and that their responses would be kept confidential (Bain, 2017). Before the interviews began, each participant consented in writing (Bain, 2017). Participant names were changed to pseudonyms or were not used to ensure complete anonymity.
Results and Findings
It highlights the discoveries made through semi-structured interviews and a case study analysis, demonstrating the key role of marketing in helping businesses remain strong and communicative during crises. The analyzed results are grouped under key themes that were discovered during inductive thematic analysis, and these themes are interpreted with the help of the RBV and Dynamic Capabilities Theory frameworks.
1. Marketing as a Strategic Driver of Crisis Response
Marketing was repeatedly acknowledged as vital in developing and delivering crisis response strategies in all the interviews. Marketing departments were viewed by participants as both communicators and major contributors to decisions that steered the organization. Companies that exhibited resilient behavior placed marketers alongside crisis response specialists, allowing them to receive real-time information about operations (Shekarian et al., 2022).
One marketing executive at a mid-sized healthcare SME stated:
«We were included in strategy discussions from the moment we started. The leadership understood that how we presented our information would determine whether customers stayed with us and trusted us through these unclear times.»
Thanks to this integration, companies could implement empathetic, well-informed campaigns that fit well with real operational improvements, an example being how Procter & Gamble adjusted their products to focus on health during the pandemic (Porath & Boissy, 2023).
2. Emergence of Empathetic and Transparent Communication
The use of empathetic and transparent messages to maintain trust with buyers was a key finding in both interviews and case studies. They highlighted that resilience includes how the brand is seen by others, so the perception of stability, trustworthiness, and social responsibility is very important.
This was particularly evident in the case of Beneath Your Mask , where founder-led social media storytelling conveyed authenticity and acknowledged supply chain disruptions without damaging customer relationships (Shopify, 2021). Similarly, Dishoom used emotional storytelling and heritage-based branding to maintain community connection (Dishoom, n.d.).
Interviewees highlighted tactics such as:
– Acknowledging uncertainty without sounding alarmist.
– Humanizing brand communications through leadership visibility.
– Creating two-way communication channels (e.g., feedback surveys, live chats).
Table below summarizes communication tactics employed:
Table 4
Communication tactics employed by SME's
Tactic |
Frequency in Interviews |
Example Application |
Leadership Messaging |
11/16 |
CEO video updates |
Empathetic Tone |
14/16 |
Emotional social media posts |
Real-Time Customer Interaction |
9/16 |
Instagram Live Q&A |
3. Rapid Digital Transformation and Marketing Adaptation
Marketing teams were instrumental in accelerating digital transformation efforts. Several participants described the pandemic as a «digital tipping point» that forced firms to pivot from traditional marketing to data-driven, omni-channel strategies almost overnight.
Zoom Video Communications serves as an archetypal case. Its marketing team shifted quickly to targeted vertical-based messaging, focusing on education, healthcare, and small businesses (Chen & Zou, 2023). Interview participants from tech firms noted similar changes:
«We condensed a 12-month digital roadmap into three weeks. We built email campaigns, revised our SEO strategy, and retargeted our ad spend in real time.»
SMEs similarly adapted by leveraging low-cost digital tools. Interviewees from smaller firms cited WhatsApp marketing, localized influencer outreach, and Instagram product storytelling as key pivots.
4. Customer-Centric Innovations and Co-Creation
Resilient firms also viewed marketing as a conduit for customer feedback and innovation (Moreno et al., 2024). Several participants used marketing platforms not just to promote, but to listen. Insights gathered through email surveys, online reviews, and customer support tickets informed product and service redesigns.
For example, Dishoom co-created its home meal kits based on customer requests captured via newsletters and social media polls. Similarly, an interviewed marketing manager from a DTC skincare brand noted:
«We turned our marketing inbox into a mini research lab. People told us exactly what they needed, and we launched two new products based entirely on that input.»
This theme links directly to the Dynamic Capabilities perspective, where marketing served as both a sensing and responding mechanism.
5. Internal Brand Alignment and Employee Engagement
A less visible but equally critical function of marketing during the crisis was internal alignment. Several participants described how their marketing teams facilitated communication within the organization, ensuring consistency between external brand promises and internal operations.
In the case of P&G , internal brand alignment ensured that frontline employees (e.g., factory workers, delivery staff) understood and supported the company's revised public messaging (Reed, 2018). Internally circulated newsletters, employee-focused FAQs, and internal webinars helped bridge potential disconnects.
An SME founder noted:
«We realized our employees were our first audience. If they didn’t buy into our message, it wouldn’t resonate outside either.»
6. Long-Term Brand Equity and Resilience Mindset
Finally, the findings revealed that marketing's contribution to resilience extended beyond immediate crisis survival to long-term brand equity building (Huang & Farboudi Jahromi, 2020). Participants stressed that every message sent during a crisis contributes to the brand's memory in the customer's mind.
This forward-thinking approach was exemplified by Zoom , which used the crisis to not only address immediate needs but also to reshape its long-term brand positioning around accessibility, security, and inclusion (Chen & Zou, 2023). Similarly, interviewees frequently mentioned that crisis response marketing served as an «equity-building exercise».
Figure 1 below illustrates the emergent conceptual model derived from these finding
Fig. 1. Marketing Resilience Framework
7. Cross-Case Patterns and Variations
While common themes emerged across firms, some sectoral and size-based differences were observed:
– Large firms (e.g., P&G, Zoom) used robust internal teams and established media networks to scale communications quickly.
– SMEs (e.g., Dishoom, Beneath Your Mask) relied more on authenticity, founder visibility, and community-based storytelling.
The table below contrasts the resilience strategies by firm size:
Table 5
The resilience strategies by firm size
Dimension |
Large Firms |
SMEs |
Communication Scale |
Mass media, omnichannel |
Direct, localized, personal |
Resources |
Dedicated media teams |
Founders and lean marketing teams |
Innovation Drivers |
Data analytics, tech stacks |
Customer co-creation, feedback |
Brand Equity Leverage |
Legacy brand strength |
Emotional storytelling |
These differences highlight the flexibility of marketing strategies based on organizational context, while affirming the core role of marketing as a resilience-building function across the board.
Discussion
This research investigated the role of marketing in building and communicating organizational resilience during periods of crisis. Through detailed case studies and interview-based insights, the findings demonstrate that marketing is not merely a reactive communication tool but a proactive strategic enabler of resilience. Across firms of different sizes and sectors, marketing departments emerged as critical agents in fostering agility, trust, and brand coherence. These insights enhance the theoretical understanding of dynamic capabilities and provide clear implications for marketing strategy during volatile conditions.
1. Marketing as a Strategic Enabler of Resilience
This research demonstrates that marketing has shifted from a simple tool to a key part of making an organization more resilient. Effective companies like Procter & Gamble and Zoom swiftly adapted their advertising approaches to respond to new social needs. At P&G, the idea of health and hygiene became a main focus in different marketing campaigns. As one marketing director pointed out during interviews, the company was focused on making people feel safe and comfortable every day, not just promoting soap.
It is also consistent with Teece’s (2010) dynamic capabilities framework, suggesting firms that notice, grasp, and reshape resources promptly tend to do better in challenging times. Marketing, in this regard, acted as both a sensor of market sentiment and a mechanism for strategic execution.
For SMEs like Dishoom and Beneath Your Mask , the resilience-building function of marketing was expressed through relational depth and local authenticity. A co-founder of the skincare brand reflected, «We had to be real with our audience, we shared what we were going through, and they responded with trust.» This transparency strengthened brand loyalty even when logistical challenges affected delivery timelines and product availability.
2. Communication Channels and Stakeholder Trust
An equally significant insight from both data and literature is that resilient firms managed crises not by withdrawing, but by communicating more, more frequently, more transparently, and more empathetically . Across interviews, marketing professionals emphasized that silence creates fear, whereas presence builds reassurance. As a communications lead at Zoom stated, «When demand surged and privacy concerns hit, our instinct wasn’t to defend, we started a weekly update series, brought in external experts, and made sure we were the first to tell our side of the story.»
Such practices align with Coombs’ (2007) situational crisis communication theory (SCCT), which underlines the significance of message framing, empathy, and speed in shaping public perception. Firms that integrated marketing and corporate affairs functions were notably more successful in crafting a consistent narrative that could evolve with the crisis.
The multichannel approach, leveraging email, social media, websites, and live video, was common across resilient organizations. Particularly in SMEs, platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp were not only marketing channels but community spaces . A Dishoom manager noted, «Instagram was our dining room while our real doors were closed; we used it to share stories, recipes, and culture, not just promotions.» This level of brand intimacy converted loyal customers into brand advocates, even in the absence of direct services.
3. Reframing the Brand and Innovating Value Propositions
Another key observation is the ability of marketing teams to reposition value propositions under pressure. In resilient firms, the crisis became an opportunity to recalibrate brand purpose and offer content or services that matched the emotional and practical needs of consumers. Beneath Your Mask transitioned from product-led messaging to wellness-led storytelling, creating content around mental health, routine-building, and authenticity.
This agility resonates with (Roberts, 2022), who argue that firms with strategically empowered marketing functions are more responsive to environmental volatility. In this study, companies that relied on traditional, campaign-driven marketing models struggled to adapt, while those that operated with iterative, audience-focused strategies flourished.
An executive at P&G commented, «We didn’t just launch campaigns; we listened, adjusted, and co-created narratives with our consumers.» This emphasis on dialogue over broadcast allowed firms to develop real-time campaigns that were both relevant and relational, key elements of marketing-driven resilience.
4. Organizational Differences: Corporates vs. SMEs
The contrast between corporate and SME approaches further validates existing research. Large organizations possessed robust infrastructures, media reach, analytics, and legal support that enabled scalable and coordinated crisis responses. However, SMEs benefited from speed, authenticity, and tighter feedback loops. A marketing consultant working with both segments remarked, «In SMEs, the founder is often the marketer, and that gives the message a human heartbeat that corporates sometimes lack.»
These findings suggest that while scale provides resources, authenticity and agility remain differentiators. Marketing resilience is thus not contingent on budget, but on brand clarity, speed of execution, and stakeholder orientation (Sagala & Őri, 2024).
5. Implications for Theory and Practice
Theoretically, this study bridges marketing strategy with resilience theory, expanding on the work of scholars like Teece (2010) and Coombs (2007). It reinforces the argument that marketing is a core organizational capability in turbulent times, one that shapes not only external narratives but internal alignment and stakeholder cohesion.
From a practical standpoint, firms should institutionalize marketing into their crisis governance structures , rather than treating it as a reactive unit. Marketing leaders should be trained in risk literacy , stakeholder psychology, and agile execution. Organizations should invest in current technology platforms and plan for different scenarios.
According to one expert, «You uncover your resilience in times of crisis. Either your mistakes become visible or your strong points become obvious through marketing».
Conclusion
The objective of this research was to investigate how marketing helps a company stay strong and communicate its resilience during challenging times. The research relies on interviews and investigations of firms from various areas, big like Procter & Gamble and Zoom, and small like Dishoom and Beneath Your Mask, to show that marketing is necessary to handle disruptions and maintain trust with stakeholders.
The results indicate that resilient organizations relied on marketing to: (1) update their brand messaging and fit it to new societal trends; (2) stay in contact with stakeholders by being open, caring, and prompt; and (3) maintain trust and loyalty by reinforcing common themes in uncertain times. Although the methods used differed among organizations and industries, corporations gained an advantage from their size and infrastructure, and SMEs did so by being sincere, flexible, and well-connected.
The dynamic capabilities theory (Teece, 2007), stakeholder communication theory and situational crisis communication theory (Coombs, 2012) are among the key theoretical frameworks applied by this study, adding new insights into the role of marketing under tough and critical situations. It underlines those marketers should play a key role in crisis preparation, not just focus on handling aftermath or sending quick messages.
Practically speaking, the study highlights that companies should develop their marketing flexibility, learn to understand stakeholders, and collaborate across departments. Businesses that give marketing leaders important tasks and fast access to data are better able to update their brand stories, keep customer loyalty, and recover from challenges. Furthermore, the research supports rethinking how marketing fits into organizations, shifting it from its traditional role to a key driver of flexibility and growth.
Ultimately, the research affirms that being resilient is more than enduring a crisis; it involves growth, change, and improvement. With the qualities of clarity, empathy, and agility, companies can depend on marketing to counter disruption and thrive. The success of crisis-resilient organizations in the future is tied to their ability to see and implement the role of marketing in uncertain scenarios.
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