Is Tariffmania The Time to Go Quiet?

The world shook when Donald Trump ignited the tariff war.

As one of the most disruptive figures in modern geopolitics, his policies have sent tremors through markets and boardrooms alike. Businesses worldwide are now bracing the ripple effects of shifting supply chains, rising operational costs, delayed investor decisions; and all these are merely tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Moments like these often trigger a series of reactions where companies freeze initiatives, slash budgets and adopt the observatory posture to wait out and see what’s coming behind the mountains and lurking beneath the shadows, or smoke, whichever is more detrimental to their turf and territories. Common are also for communications and marketing to go first because, well the megaphones don’t work when the waters are choppy.

But the truth is - silence during a crisis isn't a strategy.

In times of uncertainty, your stakeholders — customers, investors, partners etc — need to hear from you and in fact more, not less. Even your spouse demands some kind of response when things are down.

Looking back at the most recent global crisis of the pandemic hit 2020, brands that maintained consistent communication weathered the storm better.

• IKEA Singapore launched the “Making Home Count” campaign during Covid-19 — a heartfelt, homemade film honouring those staying home. This initiative reshaped existing campaigns to align with current trends, demonstrating how brands can adjust their messaging during crises.

• Airbnb, for example, didn't just announce cutbacks; they wrote a heartfelt open letter explaining their decisions. It wasn’t just transparent — it was human.

• Nike didn’t stop advertising; they pivoted their messaging to “Play inside, play for the world.”

These brands didn’t hide. They stayed visible and relevant.

That’s the key: staying present in the market isn’t about shouting. It’s about showing up with clarity, consistency, and value.

It’s about reminding people that you’re still here, still solving problems, still pushing forward; still in the game.

That’s also where people like us usually come in.

Through the things we do in our business, we help businesses like yours navigate tough climates with smart, sustainable communication pieces and strategies. Whether you're repositioning to weather the storm, strengthening your thought leadership posture or simply need the right words to say something important laced with sensitivity, we bring two decades of experience to the table and help tailor that tone and voice.

We've helped clients in property, HR, tourism, tech and more to remain in the spotlight and we do so even when the game keeps changing or when the umpire shifts the goal posts.

By and large, our approach isn’t flashy. It’s focused, strategic and usually built for long-term equity.

So if you're wondering if the Donald-Non-Sensical-Tariff-Trump era is a time to scale back on communications, consider this instead: this might be the moment your market needs to hear from you most.

This article was also posted on LinkedIn on 18 April 2025.