Tactical Budgets Are Shifting. But Don’t Panic!

At the start of this year, things were looking up. Tactical marketing budgets were finally getting the love they deserved. According to the IPA’s bellwether report, spend on sales promotions saw a big boost (+9.4%), with direct marketing hot on its heels (+9.1%). Brands were clearly in “let’s get results” mode, opting for channels that deliver fast, measurable impact.

We were all for it. After all, tactical marketing is our bread and butter. And in a climate where ROI scrutiny is sky-high, it makes total sense to double down on the things that actually move the needle.

But, and there’s always a but, the latest data shows a bit of a wobble.

In Q3, overall marketing budgets still grew (+3.6%), which is good news. But the momentum behind sales promotions slipped slightly into negative territory (-0.9%), their first drop in two years.

So, what’s going on?

Some say it’s caution creeping back in. Others think brands are struggling to balance short-term wins with long-term strategy.

But let’s be clear, this isn’t a crisis.

Tactical isn’t going anywhere. And the brands that keep it in their toolkit consistently, not just when times are good, will be the ones who stay visible, stay valuable, and stay ahead.

Because when trying to shift stock, test a new product, or create a campaign the sales team can actually get behind, tactical still works.

And SPARK’s here to help you make it effortless.