Covid-19 and Marketing; the Case of Slovenian Media Ad Spend

Abstract

The epidemic introduced many unknowns into marketing. It was not clear how consumers would react to the sudden crisis, specifically whether brands would increase or decrease the amount of their advertising. Covid-19 influenced some core marketing concepts, among them media ad spend. Covid-19 and the related crisis have changed the nature of advertising towards digitalization, changed communication, and strengthened marketing power. The Slovenian media ad spend, which changed remarkably over two years, was influenced by the uncertain situation concerning advertisers, measures taken by the health authorities and, consequently, the reactions of consumers, citizens, and customers. After the initial decline in 2020, the gross media pie in Slovenia was already larger in 2021 than before the crisis. Keywords: Covid-19, marketing, advertising, media ad spend, consumer behavior