In recent months, the political climate has shifted the concerns of Canadians from “The cost of groceries has really gone up” to “Am I going to be able to keep my job?”
This sense of insecurity has caused a disruption in purchasing behaviour, with 91% of Canadians now spending more cautiously, restrained by uncertainty about the future.1 For almost half, essential goods have become the priority, and major purchases are being postponed.
B2C brands are quickly feeling the blowback caused by these changes in their customers' behaviour, which is more volatile than in B2B, despite the fact that this sector is also becoming increasingly conservative. To get through this ordeal, brands need to know how to combine empathy with emotion and strategy. Here's how, with eight recommendations for getting started today.
Almost 70% of Canadians are fearful of not being able to cover their essential needs in the next six months.1 Acknowledge their concern—this is the first step towards truly understanding your customers.
Adapt your messages so they feel that they've been heard and understood. When B2C businesses listen, they feed their brand’s empathy and authenticity, two powerful tools for strengthening and even increasing customers’ trust in their business.
When faced with uncertainty, we seek assurance: stability, safety, consistency. Reassure your customers by reminding them of your brand promise—what you guarantee them with every interaction and why you've been there since day one.
Show them that others have already put their trust in you by highlighting concrete proof:
These are strong signals that reassure customers while demonstrating that your B2C brand keeps its promises.
Don't just listen, offer solutions! Your consumers will appreciate having their concerns addressed, but they'll be even more reassured when they see that you're offering concrete solutions.
Think about specific actions you could take to reduce their concerns and limit friction:
Nothing is more inspiring for consumers than seeing their favourite B2C brand understand their situation and take action to lend a hand.
Additional reading: The importance of investing in SEO during tough economic times
When the future seems unclear, people turn to what brings them together. They seek comfort in strong relationships. Be their anchor. This is the time to show your reliability and to strengthen their sense of solidarity.
If your B2C brand has been fortunate enough to build a community—some sectors (such as sports) are more conducive to this than others—focus your efforts on growing it.
For Canadian and Quebec companies, national pride remains a major asset, one that has recently been strengthened by the announcement of tariffs in winter 2025. Despite their financial concerns, Canadians are showing their solidarity:2
Don't hesitate to highlight your origins, for example with a notice on your website or in your newsletter.
Emotional messaging resonates more than purely promotional messaging. Stories are affecting, mobilizing, and reassuring. This is the most powerful tool for creating connections during a difficult period.
Highlight your company history, founders, values, and vision—anything that your clientele might find touching, inspiring, or entertaining.
Put your stories together with empathy and, especially, authenticity. Remind your customers that you're concerned about them, but without being insincere or manipulative. We all know a few B2C brands whose actions never line up with their words!
Today, it's data that is at the helm of B2C brands. In uncertain times such as these, trust data to guide you in the right direction.
If you haven't already, invest in a solid data strategy and a sustainable infrastructure to better orient your business decisions. It has become essential to personalize your offer to customers as well as their experience; this is what makes all the difference in terms of customer retention.
The more technology advances, the more this strategy becomes indispensable. Would you like to exploit the full potential of artificial intelligence (AI)? Then you'll need data. Do you want to maximize customer retention? Then you'll need a data strategy and centralized data governance.
The longer you put it off, the more catching up you'll have to do.
To make the best marketing decisions, don't limit yourself to a single channel or basic reports. Base your decisions on reporting models that integrate all of your marketing channels.
Here are a few examples:
By broadening the scope of your reporting, you'll be able to see the whole picture, make more-informed decisions, and maximize your return on investment (ROI).
What worked for your brand yesterday might not continue to work today. It's time to rethink your strategy.
During precarious times, reducing volatility in your customer base becomes crucial. Focus on customer retention and loyalty in order to protect the revenue you've worked so hard to build in the acquisition phase.
A loyalty program, driven by data, lets you really understand your customers, segment your audiences, and take action when it matters. You will be able to target customers at risk of churning and offer discounts or personalized offers to those who need it most.
Get inspired by the top 10 best loyalty programs in Canada
Don't let uncertainty hold you back. Let empathy, emotion, and authenticity inspire your actions to encourage trust and reassure your customers. Back your decisions with a solid strategy, based on data, to act with precision and efficacy.
This mix of empathy and strategy becomes your compass, guiding you with clarity and confidence through this difficult period.
The team at adviso can help you adjust your business strategy, deploy your data infrastructure, or even optimize your media placements to make your messages resonate. Take the next step today.
1David Coletto (Abacus Data), Vividata – Vivo 2025 conference, June 2025