Now Is Not the Time to Go Quiet

When things feel uncertain, the first reaction is usually to cut back. Cut spending. Cut inventory. Cut marketing.

But if you’re a liquor brand that wants to grow—not just get by—this is not the time to be quiet.

Right now, tariffs and trade talk are making things feel shaky in the alcohol world. The government is using these tariffs as a short-term tool. But here’s the truth: tariffs come and go.

What sticks around is how people see your brand. What they remember. What they feel.

When Everyone Whispers, You Shout

During boom periods, everyone’s marketing. Your message gets buried in a sea of seasonal promotions, celebrity endorsements, and glittery campaigns. It’s loud. It's competitive. And the truth is, unless you’re outspending or out-innovating, you're not standing out.

But right now? Your competitors are pulling back. They're freezing budgets. Hitting pause. They're whispering—if they're saying anything at all.

That’s your moment to shout.

Because history favors the bold. According to a McGraw-Hill study of 600 companies during the 1980-85 recession, businesses that maintained or increased their marketing saw 256% higher sales than those that pulled back. Similar patterns appeared during the 2008 financial crisis and even the COVID-19 slowdown. Brands that invested in visibility when others went dark didn’t just rebound faster—they emerged stronger.

You’re Not Spending on Ads—You’re Buying Market Share

Marketing during uncertainty isn’t a cost. It’s a buy-one-get-three-free deal on market share. Your cost-per-impression drops. Your share-of-voice climbs. Your brand becomes the familiar face consumers remember when stability returns.\

In behavioral economics, we know that consistency builds trust. When others disappear and you stay present, you become the brand that shows up when it matters most. And that matters.

Liquor is a Category Built on Emotion

Liquor isn't a widget. It’s lifestyle, aspiration, ritual. People don’t buy gin—they buy sophistication. They don’t buy mezcal—they buy edge. This is not the time to go dark on storytelling.

Now is the time to build affinity, deepen loyalty, and stand apart from the pack. The brands that will win aren’t the ones that wait for the storm to pass—they’re the ones dancing in the rain.

This Moment Won’t Last Forever

These tariffs are being used as tools—not as permanent fixtures. When policy shifts (and it will), there will be a stampede of brands rushing back into the market, trying to reclaim the voice they forfeited. Let them scramble.

If you've been bold—if you’ve held your ground—you won’t need to outshout anyone. You'll already own the conversation.

NOW IS THE TIME TO BE BOLD

The liquor brands cutting budgets today are writing themselves out of tomorrow’s story. Smart brands see the white space—and claim it. Uncertainty doesn't kill opportunity. It clears the path for the bold.