Marketing in the K-shaped economy, with Tony de Vizio | The WARC Podcast

2026 has been a challenging year for marketers, with constant upheaval forcing consequential decisions. Amid all this: the impact of the K shaped economy. WARC's Catherine Driscoll and Carat's Tony de Vizio join Anna Hamill to discuss marketing in economically challenging times, based on insights from WARC's recent report 'Marketing In The K-Shaped Economy'. Guests: Catherine Driscoll, EMEA Commissioning Editor, WARC Tony de Vizio, Global Partnerships Director, Carat Anna Hamill, Senior Editor - The WARC Podcast, WARC Key takeaways: 1. Look beyond income to financial resilience. Similar-income households can behave very differently depending on assets, debt, housing costs, savings, and financial buffers. [03:09] 2. Don’t plan around an “average consumer.” People may trade down in one category and pay a premium in another; marketers should focus on the occasion, need, and brand’s clear reason to win. [07:31] 3. Prove value instead of relying on discounts. For financially pressured consumers, value can mean quality, reliability, convenience, or emotional reward—not simply the lowest price. [19:27] Chapters: [00:00] Intro: Marketing in the K-shaped Economy [00:09] What Is the K-Shaped Economy? Setting the Marketing Context [02:28] A Two-Speed Consumer Reality: Hermes vs Buy Now Pay Later [03:09] How the K-Shaped Economy Changes Demand, Resilience and Marketing [05:46] Top of the K: Affluent Consumers Driving Global Marketing Spend [07:31] The End of the “Average Consumer” and What It Means for Marketers [10:33] Mid-Market Brands in a K-Shaped Economy [11:55] Redefining Value in Marketing: Beyond Low Price to Emotional Return [14:07] Category, Occasion and Pricing Strategy in a K-Shaped Economy [17:29] Marketing to Affluent Consumers: Luxury Lessons on Depth and Pricing Power [19:27] Marketing to Pressured Consumers: Value, Dignity and Life-on-a-Budget [22:00] How Technology Accelerates the K-Shaped Economy [24:07] K-Shaped AI Adoption and Strategic Questions for Marketing Leaders Supporting Resources on WARC.com: The WARC Guide to Marketing In The K-Shaped Economy: https://www.warc.com/en/article/the-w... The two-speed consumer economy: Why divergence, not recovery, now shapes growth: https://www.warc.com/en/article/the-t... For 40 years, WARC has been providing the marketing industry with rigorous, unbiased evidence and expert effectiveness guidance. The WARC Podcast publishes a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday. Subscribe to The WARC Podcast here: https://www.warc.com/en/warc-podcasts Sign up to daily WARC News for free: https://www.warc.com/en/latest Book a demo: https://www.warc.com/en/subscribe #marketing #business #economy #pricingstrategy #marketingstrategy #consumerbehavior #recession