Run For The Hills?

In recessions you typically see a migration of ad spend from brand awareness to performance.  This has been true in the online world before and it will be true this time.  In fact, great companies emerge from recessions.  John Battelle's book Search chronicles Google's rise as a search provider during the bubble burst in 2001.  The good news is that you as a startup company have options. You've done the right things by now and have raised money (if not look at this post and this post).

Advertising is not dead and display advertising is not dead.  Nielsen reported recently that display advertising is down 6% Y0Y.  This is a great time for you to sell the value of your unique audience.  Again, I don't believe that display adveritisng is dead.  Adotas did a nice post on this recently.

For you consumer Internet folks reading this blog, now is the time for you to focus in your core proposition as a consumer internet brand.  If your team is solid, you'll come up with some exciting new ideas, products, and come out stronger next year.  Look to companies from the last recession for inspiration like Google and Specific Media (they invited the pop-under ad during the Web 1.0 bust).