Boardrooms will be buzzing with new financial year planning and budgeting exercises. One of the critical components and a discussion that returns year on year is, when and how much should we spend on marketing? It’s a discussion that repeats itself every few months, often shaped by the same logic.

The answer is usually framed by business cycles. Peak seasons get budgets. Lean months trigger pauses. Marketing becomes a tap that can be turned on when demand is visible and turned off when uncertainty rises. This thinking feels logical. Maybe not so much.

BCG research in Building Lasting Brand Equity in the Age of AI shows that companies cutting brand investment must spend significantly more later to recover lost mindshare. For every dollar saved through near-term brand cuts, nearly $1.92 is required to regain lost share. It is also where long-term brand value quietly erodes because customers don’t start noticing brands when they’re ready to buy.

They notice them much earlier, when they are forming opinions, building familiarity, and deciding whom to trust. By the time peak season arrives, the decision is often already half-made. This critical element that often gets overlooked, is the hidden cost of going silent. Seasonal spikes do deliver results. Enquiries rise. Conversions move. That matters.

But when brands disappear in the “off” months, they don’t pause, they fade. Rebuilding lost salience later costs far more than maintaining presence in the first place. Consistent marketing works not because it is louder, but because it compounds.

Each campaign adds a layer of clarity.
Each message reinforces credibility.
Each appearance builds memory.

Over time, consistency creates mental availability, something no last-minute burst can manufacture. It is important to know that consistency here doesn’t mean sameness. This is not an argument for uniform spending throughout the year. The shape of marketing should change:

• Brand building during quieter periods
• Demand capture during peak seasons
• Sharper spikes when intent is highest

Campaigns will vary. Channels will evolve. Messaging will adapt. What should not change is the commitment to being present and relevant. The smartest brands don’t ask, “Should we market now?” They ask, “How should we show up at this moment?”

AI Changes Execution, Not the Principle

AI has transformed how brands plan, personalise, and optimise campaigns. It improves efficiency and precision. What it does not change is a fundamental truth: brands are built over time, not over quarters. Technology can accelerate impact but only if there is a consistent brand story to amplify.

A Better Boardroom Question

Perhaps the real question isn’t, “Is this the right time to spend?” But rather, “What will it cost us to disappear?” In a crowded, fast-moving market, silence is rarely neutral. It is often a strategic setback. Brands that understand this don’t just win seasons. They earn trust, year after year.

BCG Reference: Building Lasting Brand Equity in the Age of AI