That Cost Is Sunk. Move On.

TL;DR If it isn't working, stop doing it.

The marketer, and everyone at some time, face a unique paradox: maintaining conviction in our strategies while ruthlessly abandoning them when they fail.

This tension defines, in some way, life.

Picture this scenario: You've invested months and a significant percentage of your budget in a campaign. The creative team delivered their best work. The strategy seemed without flaws. But the market response is quite underwhelming. Data shows a different approach would perform better.

What now?

Many of us defend past decisions, doubling down on failing campaigns. We point to the research, time invested, and executive buy-in we secured. We resist walking away from work representing our best thinking that failed. This attachment creates marketing inertia. While competitors pivot quickly based on feedback, organizations clinging to past investments continue pushing messages that fall flat and strategies that drain resources without delivering results.

Smart marketers make decisions based on tomorrow's potential, not yesterday's investment. They understand marketing requires experimentation, producing both wins and failures. When campaigns underperform, they analyze data, extract lessons, and pivot without hesitation.

This approach means separating professional identity from specific outputs. Your value comes from your ability to learn and adapt, not from defending every concept you've produced. Strong leaders create cultures where pivoting based on evidence is celebrated, not seen as a failure.

Marketing tests hypotheses about human behavior. Each campaign represents your best current hypothesis. When feedback contradicts this, rejecting sunk costs means gaining insight, not losing work. Keep creating meaningful marketing, then use your head to walk away when it doesn't work.

Your audience will tell you what resonates and your job is to listen, regardless of past investment.