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After a year marred by store closures and budget cuts, marketers enter a new chapter more optimistic and more cautious.
Retail marketers were up against a challenge unlike anything taught in business schools last year. The pandemic and its economic fallout caused a chain reaction across every retail category and, inevitably, marketing. When nonessential retailers closed stores, furloughed employees and switched growth strategies, marketing departments had to bear the brunt of significant budget reductions.
"It's been a really significant year of upheaval for marketers across all industries," said Ewan McIntyre, vice president, analyst at Gartner for Marketers. "I think from a retail perspective that is just as pronounced, if not more pronounced, than any industry."