[slg]

>Because the economy sucks in general

But to be clear the economy does not currently "suck in general" hence the confusion over blaming "the current macroeconomic environment".

These companies (including advertisers) are trying to get out in front of an economic downturn that hasn't yet materialized. And if it does materialize, all these companies will have a hand in causing it due to their reduced spending and layoffs which we know has potential to cause an economic slowdown.

[Supermancho]

> But to be clear the economy does not currently "suck in general"

To be clear, what you say has little effect on reality. The decreased discretionary spending, housing market approaching a complete freeze, layoffs (those not being publicized in the news), inflation impacting every vertical, and the various shuttering businesses (survived covid, but died anyway), are what makes it "suck". This is not quantitative, but it is the sentiment.

[slg]

>This is not quantitative, but it is the sentiment.

I'm looking forward to our first "just bad vibes" recession in which all the quantitative numbers behind what you describe are mostly fine, but we are just going to "sentiment" ourselves into a recession anyway.

[Kye]

Belief in a coming downturn can cause one just as easily as some more tangible factor. Intro econ was a long time ago, but I think this is one of those It Is Known type things.