Marketing in the K-shaped economy

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, WARCTony de Vizio, Global Partnerships Director, CaratAnna Hamill, Senior Editor - The WARC Podcast, WARCChapters:[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 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