I spent a lot of time at the budget table this week, talking through cuts to 2009 spending. As we all debated the merits (and drawbacks) of every possible place to trim costs in our P&L, the image of a pork barbecue diagram suddenly popped into my head, and I scribbled this cartoon on the back of the P&L. All while nodding attentively to our supply chain goals for next year. Sorry, Andy.
I suspect there are quite a few "budget cut barbecues" cooking at the moment. And with even more than the usual pressure to trim marketing investments in favor of trade promotions. There's also plenty of short-term pressure for tactics that could hurt the brand long-term.
We're all going to feel pressure to cut, cut, cut but I think it's even more important than ever to be thoughtful about what needs to be trimmed (and remember not to spoil what needs to grow). The best barbecue is cooked slow.
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