The news: President Donald Trump reversed course just hours after sweeping tariffs on nearly 60 countries went into effect. For now, most trading partners will face a flat 10% “reciprocal tariff” for 90 days. China remains the outlier, with tariffs rising to 125%.

The market responded with euphoria: the S&P 500 surged 7%, its best day since 2009.

While the short-term market reaction was celebratory, the underlying volatility sent a different signal to executives and marketing leaders: Expect more disruption, not less.

Why it matters: Marketers and advertisers don’t operate in a vacuum—macroeconomic instability changes how companies allocate budget, invest in growth, and engage with consumers.

• Business uncertainty slows—or freezes—investment. Even with a 90-day delay, brands can’t confidently plan international expansion, manufacturing shifts, or even ad budgets if trade policies are subject to presidential improvisation. The unpredictability forces cautious, quarter-to-quarter thinking.
• Hiring plans are in flux. Instead of onboarding full-time marketers or expanding agency partnerships, companies could favor contractors and short-term solutions—undercutting long-term brand strategy and innovation.
• Ad spending could become more reactive. With CFOs demanding agility, marketers will prioritize performance channels and pause bigger brand investments. Campaigns focused on demand generation, ROI, and flexibility may take precedence over splashy, long-term initiatives.

Our take: Trump’s tariff pause may have given the market a breather—but for marketers, the bigger problem is the erosion of long-term business confidence.

• Advertising thrives on predictability. With brands unsure whether the trade environment will stabilize or whipsaw again in weeks, executives will pull back from bold campaigns be more likely to allocate budget to flexible channels, like social media and programmatic advertising.
• The pause may boost consumer and business sentiment temporarily, but media professionals should anticipate more cautious spending, shorter campaign timelines, and tighter approval processes—especially in global and export-exposed categories.

When CEOs, investors, and international partners can’t rely on consistent policy, even good news becomes suspect. Marketers will need to communicate stability, value, and trustworthiness to consumers navigating the same uncertainty. For the advertising and media industries, the 90-day pause isn't a solution—it's a countdown clock. And as long as policy is governed by volatility, brand strategy will continue operating in defense mode.