Not sure what we can get from this article as there are so many variables... What "digital" spend was cut: paid search? online video? paid social media? brand vs. product oriented?
What was the impact of non-marketing drivers like distribution, price, promo, competition, and the economy?
What was the impact of (new) ad creative?
Maybe take it as they are under pressure to cut expenses and cutting marketing, digital and likely non-digital, certainly helps.
I don't think it really matters. The reality is that the Ad space is ridden with fraud, poorly performing networks, platforms and methods and I believe we will see an increase of companies dropping spending in digital advertising or at least consolidate around what works and internalize their ad buying (which has been done by ad buyers who literally rip customers off in the fees they take compared to the value they deliver)
Talking about fraud, bad websites, etc. means that it's largely display advertising.
As a user, good-riddance. As a marketer, good-riddance. It's an awful platform with WAY too much money in it right now. The rise of improved algorithms for targeting promised new paths to customer acquisition but has largely been a way to bring in lots of money without delivering true results.
What was the impact of non-marketing drivers like distribution, price, promo, competition, and the economy?
What was the impact of (new) ad creative?
Maybe take it as they are under pressure to cut expenses and cutting marketing, digital and likely non-digital, certainly helps.