Marketing's Blind Spot: Why Policy Is Now Every CMO's Strategic Imperative

I recently wrote a piece for Ad Age arguing that the traditional marketing mix is fundamentally incomplete in today's environment. For decades, marketers have relied on the 4 Ps framework (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) as the foundation of their strategic planning. But as recent events have demonstrated, there's a critical fifth element that can no longer be ignored: Policy.

When President Trump declared April 2nd "Liberation Day" and imposed sweeping tariffs on global imports, CMOs across Fortune 500 companies found themselves scrambling. The data is stark and undeniable: since January, we've witnessed dramatic declines in global sentiment toward American brands, with FedEx down 37%, Chevron down 33%, and Coca-Cola down 28%.

This isn't a temporary disruption—it's evidence of a permanent shift in how policy directly impacts every aspect of marketing strategy.

In my 25+ years working at the intersection of political communications and brand strategy, I've observed policy gradually moving from the background to the strategic center of marketing decisions. The traditional boundaries between political and commercial communications haven't just blurred—they've dissolved entirely.

My article, which originally appeared in Ad Age on April 22nd, introduces the concept of Policy as the Fifth P and outlines what this means for the modern CMO.

You can read it here if you register for free with the Ad Age website.