The Marketing Architects

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore what drives ROI for Super Bowl advertisers by examining six years of sales data across nearly 200 media markets. They reveal why some brands see significant returns while others struggle to justify the investment.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Super Bowl Ads"
• [03:00] Top advertising categories during the big game
• [05:00] How viewership impacts beer and soda sales
• [06:00] The importance of owning consumption occasions
• [07:00] Why competing ads can cancel each other out
• [08:00] Building brand associations beyond sales lift 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Hartmann, W. R., & Klapper, D. (2016). Super Bowl Ads. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2385058  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

A 30-second Super Bowl spot now costs over $7 million—a 337% increase since 1999. But does this massive investment drive real results? And what separates the memorable ads from the forgettable ones?

Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what makes Super Bowl ads effective, from creative principles to strategic considerations. Drawing from both successful and failed campaigns, the team shares what marketers should watch for in the commercials during this year's big game plus why even great creative can't save bad strategy.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Why creative isn't the only driver of marketing success
• [02:00] Super Bowl viewership is 10x larger and more diverse than regular NFL games
• [06:00] When Super Bowl advertising makes strategic sense for brands
• [11:00] Creative effectiveness principles for big game ads
• [14:00] Why brand visibility matters more than ever
• [17:00] The importance of cultural relevance in Super Bowl spots
• [21:00] Analysis of successful Super Bowl campaigns through the years 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/content/feed/ritson-marketing-doesnt-start-with-creativity-but-with-diagnosis/en-GB/9602
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how traditional advertising, display ads, and paid search impact brand value during mergers and acquisitions. Their discussion reveals surprising insights about which channels create lasting brand equity.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Digital versus Traditional Advertising and the Recognition of Brand Intangible Assets"
• [03:00] Brand valuations in major acquisitions
• [06:10] Why paid search falls short for brand building
• [07:15] Traditional and display advertising's role in brand value
• [08:30] The relationship between ad spend and acquisition value 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Citation for episode notes: Song, S. X. (2023). Digital versus Traditional Advertising and the Recognition of Brand Intangible Assets. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4675064 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Since 2010, the efficiency of highly creative campaigns has halved according to research by Peter Field. And the cost of dull advertising? U.S. brands would need to spend an additional $189 billion annually to make underperforming ads as effective as top performers.

Elena, Angela, and Rob examine what's driving this creative crisis and how marketers can produce more effective campaigns. From the importance of audience research and strategic planning to creating memorable audio mnemonics and characters, learn what sets successful creative apart. Plus, discover why AI could be the solution to streamlining creative development and improving effectiveness.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] The state of creative effectiveness in modern marketing
• [04:00] How digital marketing changed creative development
• [08:00] The role of attention in advertising effectiveness
• [13:00] Why strategic planning must come before creative
• [17:00] Key elements of effective TV creative
• [24:00] Finding powerful insights that connect with audiences
• [30:00] Recent examples of highly effective creative campaigns 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Another Dull Whitepaper: The Extraordinary Cost of Dull: https://system1group.com/the-extraordinary-cost-of-dull

Selling Creativity Short: Creativity and Effectiveness Under Threat: https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-reports/selling-creativity-short-creativity-and-effectiveness-under-threat
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how cultural imprinting helps brands grow quickly by shifting societal perceptions rather than individual opinions. They reveal why mass media channels remain crucial for building common knowledge about brands.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Branding Cheat Codes for Explosive Growth"
• [02:45] How cultural signals influence purchase decisions
• [04:10] Understanding the third-person effect
• [05:30] Why mass media outperforms digital for cultural imprinting
• [07:15] The challenge of crafting culturally resonant messages 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Williams, R. (n.d.). Branding cheat codes for explosive growth. Wizard of Ads. Retrieved from https://wizardofads.org/branding-cheat-codes-for-explosive-growth/  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

41% of agencies bill by the hour, but only 24% of marketers prefer this model. As AI reshapes marketing, traditional agency structures are cracking. So what comes next?

This week, Elena and Rob tackle the evolving agency landscape. They explore why the term "agency" might disappear within three years, how AI is pushing the industry toward platform-based solutions, and what marketers should look for in strategic partners. Whether you're considering bringing services in-house or evaluating new agency relationships, discover how to navigate the shifting marketing services landscape.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Traditional agency models vs modern alternatives
• [03:30] What marketers really want from agency partnerships
• [12:00] The real cost of bringing services in-house
• [18:00] How AI is transforming agency relationships
• [21:00] Why platforms might replace traditional agencies
• [24:00] What marketing services could look like by 2026 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 


Resources: 
2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/content/feed/if-ai-saves-agency-time-does-charging-by-the-hour-still-make-sense/en-gb/10068
2024 WARC Podcast Episode: https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/warc-talks/why-agency-business-models-are-hurting-effectiveness/en-gb/155118
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how advertising affects consumers' sensitivity to price changes, particularly for premium and niche brands. They discover that even competitors' ads can benefit your brand by increasing category attention.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] "Advertising's Long-Term Impact on Brand Price Elasticity Across Brands and Categories"
• [02:30] How brand equity influences pricing power
• [03:00] Price elasticity explained
• [05:00] Which brands benefit most from advertising
• [06:45] The seasoning effect of category advertising
• [08:15] How luxury brands approach advertising differently 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Ataman, M. B., Pauwels, K., Srinivasan, S., & Vanhuele, M. (2016). Advertising’s Long-Term Impact on Brand Price Elasticity Across Brands and Categories. SSRN. Retrieved from SSRN. 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Broadcast TV accounts for 94% of all attention-weighted video advertising. While a YouTube ad garners just 4.5 seconds of attention on average and a Facebook ad only one second, a TV commercial commands a full 15 seconds of active viewer attention.

Elena, Angela, and Rob reveal four secrets to TV advertising success that most marketers don't know. They explore why TV remains the most effective marketing channel, discuss how audio drives TV commercial performance, and explain why traditional media buying methods are becoming obsolete. Plus, learn why looking beyond immediate results is crucial for measuring TV's true impact on business growth.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] TV delivers 2.6x more market share growth than campaigns without it
• [03:00] Why 74% of households watch both linear and streaming TV
• [06:00] The surprising power of audio in TV commercials
• [14:00] How AI-driven media buying provides 2-3x more reach
• [19:00] Why TV's most important results aren't immediate
• [20:00] The ideal split between performance and brand marketing
• [22:00] Tips for measuring TV campaign effectiveness 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2024 TV's Future is Much More Than Connected Report: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/blog/tvs-future-is-much-more-than-connected
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore a large-scale eBay experiment that challenges common assumptions about paid search advertising effectiveness. They discover that brand-keyword ads often reach customers who would have found the site anyway, and even non-branded keywords generate negative ROI.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] "Consumer Heterogeneity and Paid Search Effectiveness: A Large Scale Field Experiment"
• [02:35] Why marketers avoid clicking paid search ads
• [03:45] eBay's massive experiment design
• [06:00] The surprising impact on frequent buyers
• [07:10] Shocking ROI results
• [08:30] What this means for established brands 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Blake, T., Nosko, C., & Tadelis, S. (2014). Consumer Heterogeneity and Paid Search Effectiveness: A Large-Scale Field Experiment. Econometrica.  


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Last year, marketers were hopeful that the U.S. would embrace marketing effectiveness. Instead, economic uncertainty drove a focus on short-term gains. What does 2025 have in store? And which 2024 predictions actually came true?

In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob review their 2024 marketing predictions before sharing the shifts they believe will shape marketing in 2025. From the growing importance of zero-click content to a complete reimagining of targeting strategy, hear how major changes in technology and consumer behavior will force marketers to adapt. Plus, learn why 2025 might be a particularly turbulent year for agencies. (But in a good way).

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Grading 2024's marketing effectiveness predictions
• [04:00] How TV and offline channels performed in 2024
• [07:00] The current state of AI in marketing
• [12:00] Why zero-click content will dominate 2025
• [16:00] Agencies face an identity crisis
• [19:00] The case for rethinking targeting strategy
• [24:00] Personal predictions for 2025 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
Kantar’s Marketing Trends 2025: https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/marketing-trends
2024 Predictions: Cheers to 2024 Marketing Trends: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/Podcast/TheMarketingArchitects/Episode38 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how attention metrics correlate with profitability across different media channels, diving into new research that reveals surprising insights about the relationship between consumer attention and campaign success.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Maximizing Profit Through Attention"
• [02:00] TV's dominance in attention metrics
• [05:15] Cinema vs. TV vs. digital attention rates
• [07:00] Cost per 1000 attentive seconds
• [08:30] Moving beyond reach and frequency
• [09:45] The balance of attention and persuasion 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Rooney, R., & Basset, D. (2024). Maximising profit through attention. Ebiquity & Lumen. 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Marketing effectiveness topped the charts this year. The most popular marketing articles and podcasts of 2024 centered on marketing fundamentals, effectiveness studies, and evidence-based strategies.

Elena, Angela, and Rob analyze which brands demonstrated marketing effectiveness principles in 2024 and saw results. From Uber Eats' consistent TV strategy to Elf Beauty's physical availability dominance, learn what separated winning brands from the rest. Plus, discover why one luxury automotive brand's dramatic repositioning might be the year's biggest marketing misstep. Yep, we’re talking about Jaguar.

Topics covered: 

• [02:00] US progress in marketing effectiveness
• [06:00] How Uber Eats gained market share through TV
• [10:00] Elf Beauty's path to billion-dollar success
• [14:00] Liquid Death's earned media strategy
• [18:00] Why physical availability still matters
• [29:00] The risks of abandoning brand heritage
• [36:00] Most memorable ads of 2024 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Bud Light learned the hard way that brand assets matter. Their competitor Modelo grew from $4.8B to $6.1B in revenue while Bud Light fell to $3.6B, proving how quickly the market can shift when brands make controversial moves. And that’s just one example from a year filled with marketing lessons.

This week, Elena joins Conor Byrne, host of That's What I Call Marketing, and Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros from The Sleeping Barber as they break down this year's biggest marketing successes and stumbles. They analyze what made some campaigns soar while others failed, explore how AI is revolutionizing creative testing, and debate whether broad targeting really delivers better results than precision campaigns.

Topics covered:  

• [03:00] Budweiser's Clydesdales comeback and what it means for brand assets 
• [10:00] How ELF Beauty's employee ownership model drives marketing success 
• [13:00] The targeting debate: when broad reach fails 
• [21:00] Why some brand purpose campaigns backfire 
• [37:00] The rise of AI in creative production 
• [42:00] Are Byron Sharp's theories wrong? 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
The Sleeping Barber Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sleeping-barber-a-business-and-marketing-podcast/id1609811324

That’s What I Call Marketing Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/thats-what-i-call-marketing/id1615415427

Marc Binkley’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/

Conor Byrne’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrne/
 


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore research showing how consumer behavior has evolved, examining whether value-driven choices truly impact purchasing decisions.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] "Evolution and Trends in Consumer Behavior"
• [02:35] Eight major themes in consumer research
• [03:15] The rise of consumer neuroscience
• [04:00] How sustainable consumption drives research
• [05:30] Values versus price sensitivity
• [07:15] Reality of consumer purchasing decisions 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Lim, W. M., Kumar, S., Pandey, N., Verma, D., & Kumar, D. (2023). Evolution and trends in consumer behaviour: Insights from Journal of Consumer Behaviour. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 22(1), 217–232. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2118 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

AI won't replace humans. But it will dramatically change how we work. And brands that don't commit to AI will eventually find themselves struggling to keep up with savvy competitors, according to tech expert Shelly Palmer. So what’s really at stake here?

In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Shelly Palmer, CEO of The Palmer Group and professor at Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, to discuss AI's impact on marketing. Shelly offers an unflinching look at why marketers are hesitant to adopt AI, how the technology will transform creative work, and what the ongoing battle over AI and copyright means for the industry's future. 

Topics covered: 

• [02:30] How technology and music launched Shelly’s career
• [12:00] Why AI is transforming business productivity
• [17:00] The difference between human creativity and AI execution
• [21:00] Sam Altman's prediction about agencies
• [27:00] The ongoing battle over AI and copyright
• [32:00] Creative ways to experiment with AI tools 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
2024 AdAge Article: https://adage.com/article/special-report-ana-annual-meeting/ana-2024-cmos-agencies-consultants-clash-over-ai/2588996
“Think About This” Newsletter: https://shellypalmer.com/subscribe/
Shelly Palmer’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shellypalmer/
The Palmer Group: https://shellypalmer.com/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how gender stereotypes in advertising affect viewers of both genders, discovering that these portrayals can create negative cross-gender effects that impact brand perception.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Gender Stereotypes in Advertising Have Negative Cross Gender Effects"
• [02:00] Male reactions to gender stereotypes in ads
• [04:35] How stereotypes affect the opposite gender
• [06:10] The influence of presumed influence
• [07:25] Role-based vs. physical stereotypes
• [09:15] Sex appeal vs. stereotypes in advertising 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Åkestam, N., Rosengren, S., Dahlén, M., Liljedal, K. T., & Berg, H. (2021). Gender stereotypes in advertising have negative cross-gender effects. European Journal of Marketing, 55(13), 63-93. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-02-2019-0125 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

In healthcare marketing, product and marketing are inseparable. But in many industries, marketers have become disconnected from the products they promote. What does this mean for marketing effectiveness?

Exact Sciences CMO Jaime LaMontagne joins Elena and Angela to explore how staying connected to product drives better marketing outcomes. Drawing from her extensive healthcare marketing experience, Jaime shares advice on balancing multiple stakeholders, strict regulations, and evolving patient expectations.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Why healthcare marketers must understand their products deeply
• [06:00] Using claims matrices to communicate with different stakeholders
• [14:00] Balancing creative marketing with healthcare regulations
• [18:00] How patient empowerment is changing healthcare marketing
• [23:00] The importance of both brand building and demand capture
• [30:00] Why marketers should "call their baby ugly" 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-liquid-death-product/
Jaime LaMontagne’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaime-lamontagne-marketing100/
Exact Sciences: https://www.exactsciences.com/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by ubscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how sunlight influences consumer spending habits, revealing that brighter days lead to bigger sales across all product categories.

Topics covered:   

• [01:05] "The Effect of Weather on Consumer Spending"
• [02:45] How mood impacts purchasing decisions
• [04:10] Six years of retail data analysis
• [05:30] Artificial sunlight experiments
• [08:20] Weather-based marketing opportunities 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Murray, Kyle B., Fabrizio Di Muro, Adam Finn, and Peter Popkowski Leszczyc. "The Effect of Weather on Consumer Spending." Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, vol. 17, no. 6, July 2010, pp. 512-520. Elsevier, doi:10.1016/j.jretconser.2010.08.006. 


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

36% of US brands and agencies cite frequency management as a top concern this year. And 81% of consumers unsubscribe when brands send too many messages. So when should you worry about showing your ads too many times?

Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what truly causes ad fatigue, why it's different from creative wear-out, and how to prevent both. Plus, hear surprising research on why positive ads wear out faster than negative ones and why video ads tend to cause less fatigue than static ads. 

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Key stats on marketing fatigue across channels
• [03:00] The role of negative vs positive emotions in ad wear-out
• [06:00] What makes CTV a major offender for overly high frequency
• [09:00] The difference between creative wear-out and ad fatigue
• [14:00] Why the "first frequency" drives the most response
• [19:00] Favorite and most annoying ad jingles of all time 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2024 eMarketer Article: https://www.emarketer.com/content/5-key-stats-marketing-fatigue-ctv-email
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

On average, millennials stay with an employer for just two years and nine months. But after 17 years leading marketing at CARFAX's Banking and Insurance Group, Jon-Erik Valetti has cracked the code on marketing and sales alignment.

In this episode, Elena and Angela explore how Jon-Erik transformed B2B marketing within a major consumer brand. From viewing marketing as a revenue center to building a thought leadership strategy that resonates with millennial buyers who make up 75% of B2B buying teams, learn how the Banking and Insurance Group grew from 11 employees to a major revenue driver for CARFAX. 

Topics covered:  

• [01:00] Why millennials job-hop—and what keeps talent long-term 
• [05:00] Creating shared goals between marketing and sales 
• [10:00] Using a flywheel approach to define team roles
• [15:00] Building B2B brands within a consumer company
• [20:00] Why modern B2B buyers want self-guided research 
• [24:00] The marketing experiment that led to angry faxes 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/b2b-marketers-conflict-with-sales/ 
Jon-Erik's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonerikv/
CARFAX Marketing Flywheel: https://514871.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/514871/CarFax%20Marketing%20Flywheel.png 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore why customer participation in product assembly or creation can significantly boost perceived value and brand attachment, even when the result isn't perfect.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "The IKEA Effect: When Labor Leads to Love"
• [02:00] How DIY assembly affects willingness to pay
• [03:15] The universal appeal across DIY skill levels
• [04:00] When the IKEA effect backfires
• [06:45] Applications beyond physical products
• [07:30] AI collaboration and user engagement 

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Norton, Michael I., Daniel Mochon, and Dan Ariely. "The 'IKEA Effect': When Labor Leads to Love." Working Paper, No. 11-091, 2011. 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

For 90 years, Amica Insurance only accepted new customers through referrals. Then they opened their doors to everyone—and discovered they had less than 3% national brand awareness. For a direct-to-consumer insurance company, this sparked a complete marketing transformation.

This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Tory Pachis, SVP of Marketing at Amica Insurance, to explore how he built the case for brand investment during one of the industry's most unprofitable years. Learn why Amica chose emotion over humor in their creative strategy, how they've doubled website visitors year-over-year, and what their Boston Celtics partnership means for growth.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Should brand and performance remain separate?
• [08:00] Transitioning from referral-only to mass marketing
• [14:00] How TV improves paid search efficiency
• [20:00] The strategy behind the Celtics partnership
• [24:00] Moving beyond cost-per-policy metrics
• [31:00] Why long-form advertising still matters 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 


Resource:  
2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/performance-branding-no-such-thing/

Connect with Tory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tory-pachis-7106064/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how brands have lost their cultural authority and face growing consumer resistance. They discuss why authenticity matters more than ever and what it means for marketing strategy.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Why Do Brands Cause Trouble? A Dialectical Theory of Consumer Culture and Branding"
• [02:00] How brand influence has shifted from top-down to consumer-driven
• [04:00] Cultural engineering and its downfall
• [05:00] The rise of postmodern consumer culture
• [08:00] Strategies for authentic brand engagement
• [09:30] Moving beyond calculated authenticity 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Holt, Douglas B. "Why Do Brands Cause Trouble? A Dialectical Theory of Consumer Culture and Branding." Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 29, no. 1, June 2002, pp. 70-90. Oxford University Press. Available on JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/339922.  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

86% of Grammarly's marketing team reports that AI prompt generation tools have positively impacted their productivity. But how should marketers balance AI efficiency with maintaining brand voice and authenticity?

This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Lena Waters, CMO at Grammarly, to discuss how AI is transforming marketing. Together, they explore the evolution of AI tools in marketing, why brand building matters more than ever in the age of AI, and how marketers can effectively measure success across both brand and performance initiatives. Plus, learn why Grammarly's recent TV campaign resonated surprisingly well with the C-suite.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] How Grammarly approaches AI as both user and creator
• [09:00] Maintaining brand voice while using AI tools
• [12:00] Balancing B2B and B2C marketing strategies
• [19:00] Why TV advertising resonates with the C-suite
• [24:00] The danger of over-focusing on bottom-funnel metrics
• [27:00] Lessons from pivoting during COVID-19
• [31:00] Making AI personal while maintaining trust 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/generative-ai-isnt-marketings-future-its-already-part-of-its-present/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore the difference between brand loyalty and repeat purchasing. They discuss how brands can misinterpret habitual buying as true loyalty.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Brand Loyalty Versus Repeat Purchasing Behavior"
• [02:00] Examples of brand loyalty vs. habitual purchasing
• [04:00] Distinction between repeat purchasing and brand loyalty
• [05:10] Brands with the most loyal customers
• [07:00] Surprising entries on the brand loyalty list
• [09:00] Importance of mental and physical availability 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or sign up for our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/Newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Jacoby, J., & Chestnut, R. W. (1973). Brand Loyalty vs. Repeat Purchasing Behavior. *Journal of Marketing Research*, 10(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.2307/3149402 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Brands are spending 3X too much on social media according to new analysis of data from 140 advertisers. The research suggests social spend should drop from 13% to just 4% of media budgets, with the difference reallocated to more effective channels like TV.

This week, EssenceMediacom UK's Chief Strategy Officer Richard Kirk joins Elena, Angela, and Rob to explore research on media effectiveness. They discuss why marketers overvalue digital channels, the resurgence of TV advertising, and how streaming platforms' shift to ad-supported models is changing the media landscape. Plus, hear about the UK's robust marketing effectiveness culture and what US marketers can learn from it.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] New analysis reveals major media mix imbalances
• [06:00] Why 60% of advertising impact comes after three months
• [09:00] How the Media Mix Navigator tool optimizes spend
• [13:00] UK's marketing effectiveness culture and research
• [17:00] Streaming platforms' return to ad-supported models
• [21:00] The resurgence of TV-style advertising formats 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2024 Media Leader Article: https://uk.themedialeader.com/brands-could-be-spending-three-times-too-much-on-social-you-read-that-right/

Profitability 2 Report: https://www.thinkbox.tv/research/thinkbox-research/profit-ability-2-the-new-business-case-for-advertising

Media Mix Navigator: https://www.thinkbox.tv/training-and-tools/media-mix-navigator/media-mix-navigator

Richard Kirk’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richkirkmedia/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this Halloween special, Elena and Rob explore the impact of fear-based messaging in advertising and public health campaigns. They discuss when fear appeals are most effective and how to strike the right balance.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Appealing to Fear: A Meta-Analysis of Fear Appeal Effectiveness and Theories"
• [02:35] Real-world examples of fear-based advertising
• [05:10] Short-term activation vs. long-term branding with fear appeals
• [08:40] The importance of efficacy statements in fear-based messages
• [09:50] Linear vs. curvilinear models of fear appeal effectiveness
• [10:30] How audience characteristics impact fear appeal success 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or sign up for our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/Newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Tannenbaum, M. B., Hepler, J., Zimmerman, R. S., Saul, L., Jacobs, S., Wilson, K., & Albarracin, D. (2015). Appealing to fear: A meta-analysis of fear appeal effectiveness and theories. *Psychological Bulletin*, 141(6), 1178–1204. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039729  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Targeting only consumers who are ready to buy right now is a recipe for inefficient marketing. According to godfather of effectiveness Peter Field, this approach misses most potential customers.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Peter to discuss the state of marketing effectiveness. Peter shares his thoughts on targeting misconceptions, the power of TV advertising, and why marketers need to focus on long-term brand building. Plus, learn why "waste" in advertising can actually be a good thing.

Topics covered:  

• [01:00] Peter's journey from agency life to independent researcher 
• [04:00] The importance of balancing short-term and long-term marketing strategies 
• [09:30] Why TV remains one of the most effective advertising channels 
• [15:45] Common misconceptions about the 60/40 rule for brand building vs. activation 
• [22:30] The dangers of over-relying on performance marketing and digital metrics 
• [29:00] How to think about marketing effectiveness research and data 
• [35:30] Why broad targeting is often more effective than narrow targeting 
• [40:45] The role of brand building in maintaining pricing power during inflation 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/peter-field-tv-underpriced/

The Long and the Short of it: https://www.amazon.com/Long-Short-Balancing-Long-Term-Strategies/dp/085294134X 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how investments in brand value directly and indirectly boost profitability and market value. Using Amazon as a case study, they discuss the importance of balanced marketing investments even in the face of economic uncertainty.

Topics covered:   

• [02:00] Amazon's advertising strategy across channels
• [03:55] The brand value chain and its impact
• [05:10] How brand investments affect financial stability
• [06:05] Current economic sentiment and marketing spend
• [07:40] Long-term benefits of advertising during downturns
• [08:40] Stock price volatility and advertising correlation 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Elsayed, R. A. A. (2023). The effect of investment in the brand value chain on profitability and market value of the firm: lesson of success taken from Amazon. Future Business Journal, 9(19). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43093-023-00196-2 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

90% of CEOs believe they understand marketing's benefits, but only 50% of CMOs agree. This misalignment can significantly impact a brand's growth potential.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob dive into the complexities of the CEO and CMO relationship. They explore common challenges, signs of disconnect, and strategies for building a partnership that drives business results. Plus, test your knowledge of famous marketing decisions in our CEO vs. CMO quiz.

Topics covered: 

• [02:00] McKinsey research on CEO/CMO alignment and growth
• [04:00] How marketing impacts more than just leads and traffic
• [06:00] Signs of CEO/CMO disconnect
• [09:00] The impact of new C-suite titles on marketing roles
• [13:00] Strategies for improving CEO/CMO alignment
• [18:00] CEO vs. CMO: Whose idea was it? 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
The McKinsey Podcast Episode: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/analyzing-the-ceo-cmo-relationship-and-its-effect-on-growth
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how personality traits influence consumer responses to personalized ads, revealing key insights for marketers crafting targeted campaigns.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Personality and Psychological Predictors of Instagram Personalized Ad Avoidance" 
• [02:20] The Big Five personality traits 
• [04:35] Self-efficacy's impact on ad perception 
• [05:10] How personality shapes ad avoidance 
• [06:05] Openness and extraversion in ad reception 
• [07:40] Comparing TV ads to personalized digital ads 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Amarnath, D. D., & Jaidev, U. P. (2023). Personality and Psychological Predictors of Instagram Personalized Ad Avoidance. *International Journal of E-Business Research, 19*(1). https://doi.org/10.4018/IJEBR.323197  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

AI is transforming marketing faster than any one person can keep up. But is the technology living up to the hype, or are we entering a "trough of disillusionment"?

This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Chuck Hengel, Executive Chairman of Misfits and Machines, to explore practical AI use cases in marketing today and exciting possibilities for tomorrow. From AI-powered sales coaching to automated brand management, discover how AI is reshaping the marketing landscape and how you can use it to drive results.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Is AI entering the "trough of disillusionment"?
• [07:00] AI for real-time sales coaching and customer support
• [10:00] Using AI to match brand voice in copywriting
• [12:00] AI for brainstorming and meeting productivity
• [14:00] The future of audio as an AI interface for brands
• [15:45] AI-generated imagery for presentations and ads
• [17:00] AI-powered strategy creation and business insights
• [21:45] AI agents for automating complex marketing tasks
• [24:00] Google's Notebook LM for content summarization 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
2024 InfoWorld Article: https://www.infoworld.com/article/2514409/ais-moment-of-disillusionment.html
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how our brains respond to advertisements at a neural level. They discuss the relationship between emotional arousal and ad effectiveness, revealing insights that challenge conventional wisdom about likability and memorability in advertising.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Measuring Neural Arousal for Advertisements and its Relationship with Advertising Success"
• [02:00] How good are humans at predicting brain reactions?
• [04:00] EEG measurements and ad ratings methodology
• [05:10] High arousal ads are memorable but not always liked
• [07:00] Balancing attention-grabbing with positive perception
• [08:40] The disconnect between likability and persuasiveness
• [10:00] The power of adrenaline in creating memorable experiences 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Eijlers, E., Boksem, M. A. S., & Smidts, A. (2020). Measuring neural arousal for advertisements and its relationship with advertising success. *Frontiers in Neuroscience*, 14, 736. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.00736  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Marketing a 135-year-old B2B brand comes with unique challenges. How do you honor rich history while embracing modern trends? And how can marketing shift from a cost center to a revenue driver in a traditional B2B environment?

Chelsea Sumrow, CMO of First American Title and Insurance, joins Elena and Rob to tackle these questions head-on. She shares her strategy for transforming marketing at an established brand, balancing heritage with innovation, and proving marketing's value to the bottom line.

Topics covered: 

• [05:00] Starting with purpose, not logo redesigns
• [08:00] Building revenue attribution models in B2B
• [11:00] Breaking out of "rinse and repeat" marketing
• [13:00] Empowering teams to be good data storytellers
• [16:00] Connecting upper funnel activity to bottom line results
• [19:00] Using brand perception studies to drive strategy
• [22:00] Why Chelsea loses it over marketing dashboards
• [24:00] The value of moving from specialist to generalist roles 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2023 ResearchGate Article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370741969_EXPRESS_The_Achilles_Heel_of_Established_Brands_The_Effect_of_Brand_Age_on_Consumers'_Brand_Choice
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore Marketing Architects' new report on TV advertising effectiveness, revealing surprising insights about the current state and future of TV.

Topics covered:   

• [00:50] "TV's Future is Much More Than Connected"
• [03:00] When was TV's golden era?
• [05:10] Types of TV people watch today
• [07:45] Growth of live TV viewing
• [09:15] Streaming trends and consumer preferences
• [11:30] How streaming is becoming more like linear TV 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
 

Resources: 
Marketing Architects’ Report: TV’s Future is Much More Than Connected. https://www.marketingarchitects.com/blog/tvs-future-is-much-more-than-connected  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Brand spending on market research has been steadily declining, with the latest IPA report showing a 2.9% drop. Why are marketers shying away from one of the best ways to better understand their audience?

This week, Elena and Rob talk with Sarah Jordan, CMO of Constant Contact, about the importance of audience research for B2B marketers. Sarah shares insights on marketing to small businesses, measuring marketing's impact on growth, and why she believes the concept of "marketing-generated vs. sales-generated" leads needs to go.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Constant Contact's unique small business audience
• [07:00] Marketing's role as a growth driver at Constant Contact
• [12:30] How Constant Contact measures marketing effectiveness
• [15:45] The importance of market research for understanding customers
• [20:00] Sarah's most contrarian marketing opinion
• [22:00] Making customer-centric marketing decisions 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
2023 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/protecting-research-budgets-matters/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how a brand's customer age profile impacts its success. They discuss why attracting both young and old consumers is crucial for long-term growth and stability.

Topics covered:   

• [00:55] "Ageism Kills Brands"
• [01:55] New brands attract younger buyers
• [04:15] Why young-only appeal can lead to failure
• [05:25] Dead brands skew younger
• [06:20] The importance of age-diverse customers
• [07:50] Examples of age-transcendent products 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Anesbury, Z. W., Bellman, S., Driesener, C., & Page, B. (2021). Ageism Kills Brands. Australasian Marketing Journal, *29*(4), 350-365. https://doi.org/10.1177/18393349211017316  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

90% of buyers choose from their initial shortlist of vendors. How can marketers ensure their brand makes it to that list?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Jason Ing, CMO of Gusto, to discuss timeless marketing principles that work across B2B and B2C. Jason shares insights from his experience at P&G, Microsoft, Amazon, and now Gusto on building distinctive brands, measuring marketing effectiveness, and creating customer-centric campaigns that drive growth.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Differences between B2B and B2C marketing
• [09:00] The role of marketing at Gusto
• [11:30] Measuring marketing impact and effectiveness
• [15:45] Balancing traditional and digital media investments
• [23:30] Three key marketing principles: customer centricity, strategy, and psychology
• [34:00] Translating marketing research for non-marketers
• [38:30] Most contrarian marketing opinion
• [42:00] Best and worst marketing decisions 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-applicable-b2b-marketing/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore research challenging the common belief that focusing on heavy buyers is key to driving sales. They discuss how light buyers and non-buyers often hold the most untapped potential for brand growth.

Topics covered:   

• [00:45] "Where is the Brand Growth Potential? An Examination of Buyer Groups"
• [01:00] Converting light buyers to regular customers
• [02:15] Breaking down growth potential across buyer groups
• [03:00] Why light buyers and non-buyers offer more growth opportunity
• [03:50] Challenging the "retention is cheaper than acquisition" mindset
• [04:45] Applying findings to real-world brand strategies 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Trinh, G.T., Dawes, J. & Sharp, B. Where is the brand growth potential? An examination of buyer groups. Mark Lett 35, 95–106 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-023-09682-7 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Is marketing truly intuitive, or should it be treated more like a science? Are American marketers falling behind their global counterparts? And why do so many marketers misinterpret the data they collect?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Byron Sharp, professor of marketing science and director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. They explore evidence-based marketing, challenge common misconceptions, and discuss why many marketing practices aren't as effective as we think. Plus, learn why TV advertising remains a powerful tool for building mental availability and why it's a mistake to expect immediate sales results from brand-building efforts.

Topics covered: 

• [03:00] The problem with marketing effectiveness metrics
• [07:30] How Brands Grow and its impact on marketing
• [11:30] Why luxury brands follow the same rules as mass-market brands
• [16:00] The current state of marketing research
• [22:00] American marketing's reputation for insularity
• [25:30] The future of TV advertising and streaming
• [28:00] Mental vs physical availability in marketing 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 


Resources: How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp: https://www.amazon.com/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how sophisticated advertising algorithms can skew A/B test results, potentially leading marketers to draw misleading conclusions about ad performance.

Topics covered:   

• [00:45] "Where A-B Testing Goes Wrong”
• [02:00] Divergent delivery in online advertising platforms
• [03:00] How user types and targeting policies impact tests
• [04:10] Pizza party analogy explaining divergent delivery
• [05:40] Marketing Architects' approach to testing
• [06:50] Using synthetic audiences for more controlled testing 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Braun, M., & Schwartz, E. M. (2024). Where A-B Testing Goes Wrong: How Divergent Delivery Affects What Online Experiments Cannot (and Can) Tell You About How Customers Respond to Advertising. Journal of Marketing. 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Only 61% of marketing metrics tracked are meaningful to business, brand, and performance. The rest? Vanity metrics. What happens when marketers focus on the wrong numbers?

This week, Elena’s joined by VP Analytics Matt Hultgren to discuss the perils of marketing misattribution. They explore how overvaluing certain metrics can lead to wasted budgets and misguided strategies. Matt shares insights on identifying misattribution, its consequences, and practical steps to improve measurement accuracy. Plus, learn why having your own measurement solution is crucial and why you should be skeptical of any single model claiming to definitively prove marketing’s impact. 

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Key findings from DMA study on marketing effectiveness metrics
• [04:30] Common signs of marketing misattribution
• [07:00] Frequently misattributed metrics and attribution tricks
• [10:00] Long-term consequences of relying on incorrect metrics
• [12:00] Steps to measure the right KPIs and avoid misattribution
• [19:00] Practical tips for marketers with limited budgets 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
2023 Marketing Week Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/wrong-effectiveness-metrics-focus/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how the content of TV shows influences viewer perceptions of advertisements. They discuss new research on the "halo effect," and its implications for ad effectiveness across different TV genres.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "The Influence of Television Content on Advertisement: A Neurophysiological Study" 
• [03:15] Defining the halo effect in TV advertising
• [04:20] Impact of high-quality programs on ad perception
• [05:45] Ranking TV genres by brand value transfer
• [07:10] How different show types impact brand associations
• [08:50] The importance of engaging ads regardless of content 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Frontiers in Psychology. (2024, February 1). The influence of television content on advertisement: A neurophysiological study. *Media Psychology*, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1266906  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

95% of iOS users opt out of ad tracking. A judge ruled Google acted illegally to maintain its search monopoly. And the company backtracked on plans to eliminate third-party cookies... A lot is happening in the world of search.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore the changing landscape of search marketing. They discuss Google's evolving role, the effectiveness of targeting strategies, and how AI chatbots are reshaping search behavior. Learn how to prepare your brand for a future where consumers increasingly bypass traditional search engines in this week’s episode.

Topics covered: 

• [0:47] Google's decision on third-party cookies
• [4:45] Targeting effectiveness: first-party data vs third-party cookies
• [11:00] Impact of the recent antitrust ruling against Google
• [14:47] The state of paid search advertising
• [20:23] How AI chatbots are changing search behavior
• [22:01] Strategies to prepare for the future of search 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 


Resources: 
2023 New York Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/technology/google-antitrust-ruling.html


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We're breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore recent data on CMO tenure, revealing that the role may be more stable than commonly perceived. They discuss surprising statistics about tenure length, differences between B2B and B2C brands, and career progression for CMOs.

Topics covered: 

• [00:55] "The CMO Tenure Study 2024: An Expanded View of CMO Tenure and Background"
• [02:00] Average CMO tenure at Fortune 500 companies
• [03:20] The differences between B2B and B2C brand CMOs
• [04:55] Expanded responsibilities of modern CMOs
• [05:35] Career progression for CMOs after leaving roles
• [06:45] Diversity statistics for CMO positions 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Spencer Stuart. (2024). *CMO Tenure Study 2024: An Expanded View of CMO Tenure and Background*. Retrieved from https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/cmo-tenure-study-2024-an-expanded-view-of-cmo-tenure-and-background  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 
 

Brand extensions gain an average of 8.3% more market share and have 8.7% lower advertising costs compared to new brands entering a category. But they also come with risks. 

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore the world of brand extensions. They discuss research on what makes extensions succeed or fail, share examples of extensions gone right (and very wrong), and debate whether Dyson's new headphones are genius or folly. Plus, learn why Lego might be the greatest brand extension success story of all time. 

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Dyson's extension into headphones
• [04:00] Research on brand extension success factors
• [09:00] Uber's expansion into food delivery
• [15:45] BIC's failed disposable underwear line
• [19:30] Lego's empire of successful extensions
• [23:00] Harley-Davidson's ill-fated perfume launch
• [26:30] Dove's expansion from women's to men's products
• [27:30] Evian's bizarre water bra product 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 




Resources:
International Business & Economics Research Journal Article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265222329_Brand_Extensions_A_Qualitative_Meta-Analysis_Of_20_Years_Of_Marketing_Research/fulltext/5485c1130cf2ef344787c30c/Brand-Extensions-A-Qualitative-Meta-Analysis-Of-20-Years-Of-Marketing-Research.pdf
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob reveal how influencer marketing’s success hinges on aligning the right influencer with the right product for the right audience.

Topics covered:   

• [01:05] “Understanding Influencer Marketing: The Role of Congruence Between Influencers, Products and Consumers”
• [01:21] Examples of good and bad promotion
• [04:35] Influencers in the 18th century
• [05:38] What makes an influencer campaign successful?
• [08:30] The difference between an influencer and a celebrity 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Belanche, D., Casaló, L. V., Flavián, M., & Ibáñez-Sánchez, S. (2021). Understanding influencer marketing: The role of congruence between influencers, products and consumers. *Journal of Business Research, 132*, 186-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.03.067.  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Patagonia. Dove. Ben & Jerry’s. These are just some of the brands that have leaned into purpose-led messaging over the last decade. But could brand purpose be just another marketing trend that misses the mark? 



In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss the rise of brand purpose and its effectiveness as a marketing strategy. They explore the history of corporate social responsibility, debate whether purpose-driven campaigns really drive results, and share examples of brands that get it right (and wrong). Plus, test your knowledge of famous brand purpose statements in a fun guessing game. 



Topics covered:
 
[01:00] Nick Asbury's critique of brand purpose
[04:00] How Dove’s famous campaign misinterpreted data
[07:46] The history of corporate social responsibility and brand purpose
[10:00] Why brand purpose should align with business goals
[14:00] Measuring the success of purpose-driven campaigns 
[17:30] Do consumers care about brand purpose? 
[19:30] The role of purpose in employee engagement 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 



Resources: 
2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/good-intentions-lead-to-bad-marketing-why-purpose-is-missing-the-mark/ 


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss how dynamic content in video ads captures and holds attention, emphasizing that movement and change are crucial for making ads more engaging and memorable.

Topics covered:   

• [00:45] “Influence of Dynamic Content on Visual Attention During Video Advertisements”
• [01:45] Elements that capture attention
• [03:55] Traditional methods vs Dynamic Attention Theory
• [05:10] Is attention influenced by our environment?
• [06:45] The benefits of eye tracking studies
• [11:25] What type of fireworks grab your attention? 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Wooley, B., Bellman, S., Hartnett, N., Rask, A., & Varan, D. (2022). Influence of dynamic content on visual attention during video advertisements. *European Journal of Marketing*. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-07-2022-0309-0566 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Up to 50% of business value comes from brand. Plus, strong brands tend to outperform the stock market, justify higher prices, and drive customer loyalty. So why is brand building often seen as nothing more than an extra cost? 


In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob dig into the real value of brand. They explore how to measure brand's impact, creative best practices for building brand, and which channels are most effective for brand building. Plus, hosts test their knowledge with a quick quiz on the world's most valuable brands. 


Topics covered:
 
[01:00] Kantar research on brand's impact on business value 
[02:00] Brand Finance's Global 500 report highlights  
[08:30] Brief history of branding from ancient Egypt to today 
[12:00] How brand improves pricing power and reduces marketing costs 
[15:45] Brand's impact on perceived product quality 
[18:00] Creative best practices for building differentiated brands 
[19:25] Why TV and audio are so powerful for brand building 
[22:10] Methods for measuring brand value and impact 
 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 


Resources: 
Kantar Brand Valuation Article: https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/brands/brand-valuation-from-marketing-metric-to-boardroom-essential 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss how sponsoring sports events can boost brand perception and sales. They explore the importance of engaging participants in experiential marketing.

Topics covered:   

• [00:40] “An Empirical Exploration of Sports Sponsorship”
• [01:40] Sponsoring at sports games
• [02:35] The value of sponsoring smaller sports events
• [03:40] The three areas of a runner’s perception
• [05:05] Examples of good experimental marketing
• [07:35] Make them excited about the experience! 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Frontiers. (2021). An empirical exploration of sports sponsorship: Activation of experiential marketing, sponsorship satisfaction, brand equity, and purchase intention. *Frontiers in Psychology*. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.677137/full
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Brands spend billions every year to run TV ads during the most popular programs. But are these expensive timeslots worth it? 

This week, Elena, Angela, Rob, and special guest VP Media Ron Blevins explore common misconceptions about media quality. Learn why low-cost inventory doesn't always mean low quality, how to evaluate media beyond traditional metrics, and where brands can find opportunities to gain a competitive advantage. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] Defining media quality
• [05:00] Ron's background and perspective shift at Marketing Architects
• [09:04] Misconceptions about opportunistic media buying
• [12:33] Where brands go wrong when evaluating media quality
• [15:15] Metrics for evaluating true media quality and performance
• [18:00] The future of measuring media quality
• [21:30] What else is undervalued? 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 


Resources: 
2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/how-a-better-understanding-of-media-quality-can-help-unstick-culture/en-gb/6585 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss why first-party data is more reliable and cost-effective than third-party data. They learn that investing in first-party data is essential for accuracy and avoids high costs associated with third party data. 

Topics covered:   

• [00:50] “Is First or Third-Party Audience Data More Effective for Reaching the ‘Right’ Customers?”
• [01:40] How much can Google ads predict your interests?
• [04:25] Comparing performance data with deterministic and probabilistic segments
• [06:35] The resistance of using contextual targeting
• [08:25] Finding the right dancing partner 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Neumann, Nico and Tucker, Catherine E. and Subramanyam, Kumar and Marshall, John, Is First- or Third-Party Audience Data More Effective For Reaching The `Right' Customers? The Case of IT Decision-Makers (May 19, 2023). Forthcoming - Quantitative Marketing and Economics, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4083057 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4083057 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

NBC Universal paid nearly $8 billion for Olympic broadcast rights through 2032. But is sports marketing really worth the cost?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob dive into the world of sports marketing as the Summer Olympics kick off. They explore the surprising scale of sports advertising, the evolution of athlete endorsements, and whether Olympic sponsorships are worth the premium price tag. Plus, hear why many brands could get more for their dollars by looking beyond major sporting events.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] Looking to the 2024 Paris Olympics
• [02:14] Scale of global sports marketing spend
• [06:00] History of athlete endorsements
• [09:00] Notable brand deals for the 2024 Olympics
• [12:00] Pros and cons of micro-influencer athletes
• [13:00] Contrarian view on sports marketing ROI
• [18:30] Alternatives to major sports sponsorships 

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2024 Ad Age Article: https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/2024-summer-olympics-advertisers-sponsors-and-media-plans-paris-games/2566426
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss how marketers can leverage framing and decoy effects to sway consumer choices and boost confidence in their decisions.

Topics covered:   

• [00:40] “Changing Decisions: The Interaction Between Framing and Decoy Effects”
• [01:30] Background on cognitive biases
• [02:25] Framing vs. decoy effect
• [03:10] Congruent vs. incongruent decoys
• [05:55] How do positive and negative scenarios affect decisions? 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Di Crosta, Adolfo, Anna Marin, Rocco Palumbo, Irene Ceccato, Pasquale La Malva, Matteo Gatti, Giulia Prete, Riccardo Palumbo, Nicola Mammarella, and Alberto Di Domenico. 2023. "Changing Decisions: The Interaction between Framing and Decoy Effects" Behavioral Sciences 13, no. 9: 755. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13090755 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Removing TV from a marketing campaign can reduce its impact by 39%. That’s a massive drop—and evidence of the impact including TV in your marketing mix has.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss the most effective marketing channel combinations. They explore how TV boosts other channels' performance, the creative challenges inherent to multi-channel campaigns, and the complexities of buying and measuring across channels. Plus, hear their takes on which two channels they'd choose for a D2C brand campaign (if TV wasn't an option).

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] Kantar study on TV's impact on campaigns
• [03:30] ThinkBox research on channel combinations
• [07:00] Creative challenges of multi-channel campaigns
• [11:00] Media buying across channels
• [13:00] Measuring multi-channel marketing strategies
• [20:00] AI's role in cross-channel marketing
• [24:00] Top channels for D2C brands 

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2023 Kantar Report: https://www.bandt.com.au/kantar-study-finds-removing-tv-could-reduce-a-campaigns-impact-by-39/

2022 Thinkbox TV Article: https://www.thinkbox.tv/research/thinkbox-research/demand-generation#key-findings
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob dive into the new world of Large Language Models (LLMs), revealing how AI models are shaking up market research with impressive accuracy. They also stress the need to blend this cutting-edge tech with traditional methods for better insights and data.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] “Determining the Validity of Large Language Models for Automated Perceptual Analysis”
• [01:20] Using LLMs in market research
• [02:20] Battling skepticism with proof
• [04:25] LLMs can visualize brand similarities
• [06:15] Why there is pushback for adopting LLMs
• [07:50] Combining LLMs with human insight 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Li, Peiyao and Castelo, Noah and Katona, Zsolt and Sarvary, Miklos, Determining the Validity of Large Language Models for Automated Perceptual Analysis (December 6, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4241291 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4241291 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Artificial intelligence is taking over the world of market research with its ability to accurately predict human responses. But how can you best use AI to help make informed decisions about your business?

This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob dive into the world of AI-driven market research, exploring the latest advancements in and practical applications of large language models (LLMs) for better understanding your audience.

Topics covered:   

• [0:47] Exploring AI and market research with LLMs
• [1:03] Study on language models simulating human responses
• [4:45] Synthetic audiences vs. traditional methods
• [11:00] Practical uses of LLMs in marketing
• [14:47] Launching ScriptSooth for pretesting TV commercials
• [20:23] History of pretesting and transition to synthetic audiences
• [22:01] Potential futures of AI 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2023 Cornell University Study: https://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2209.06899
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss research showing that starting customer surveys with open-ended positive questions can boost spending and loyalty by reinforcing positive memories and attitudes, making it a simple yet powerful strategy for increasing sales.

Topics covered:   

• [00:45] “Mere Measurement “Plus”: How Solicitation of Open-Ended Positive Feedback Influences Customer Purchase Behavior”
• [02:13] Asking for feedback brings more sales
• [04:45] Customer commitment and consistency
• [05:25] Positive experience reconstruct memories
• [07:40] Turning causal tasters into food lovers 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Mere Measurement “Plus”: How Solicitation of Open-Ended Positive Feedback Influences Customer Purchase Behavior by Sterling A. Bone, Katherine N. Lemon, Clay M. Voorhees, Katie A. Liljenquist, Paul W. Fombelle, Kristen Bell Detienne, and R. Bruce Money is Journal of Marketing Research, 54(February), 156-170, 2017. The DOI for the article is 10.1509/jmr.14.0232. 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

How much should your competition influence your marketing strategy? When should you focus on them? And when does it make more sense to ignore them? 
 
In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss competition in marketing. Together, they review strategies for brands navigating competitive pressure and share real-world examples of how some companies have positioned themselves against their rivals. Plus, learn why standing out is sometimes easiest when you don’t obsess over your rivals for consumer dollars. 

Topics covered:   

• [1:11] Marketing laws: double jeopardy and duplication of purchase
• [2:14] Risks of over-focusing on competitors
• [5:20] Creating and dominating new categories
• [8:03] Rob's history lesson on category entry points
• [14:04] Potential pitfalls of rebranding
• [17:54] Using different channels as a competitive advantage 

 
 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2018 Building Distinctive Brand Assets Book: https://www.amazon.com/Building-Distinctive-Brand-Assets-Romaniuk/dp/0190311509/ 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Every marketer dreams of crafting unforgettable, creative campaigns. But what does creativity really look like? How can you consistently achieve it? And why do so many campaigns fall short of the mark?

This week, we’re tackling these questions head-on. Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by VP of Creative Vivienne Wan to uncover the secrets of creativity in advertising and how you can harness this power to create effective campaigns.

Topics covered:   

• [0:53] Importance of creativity in marketing
• [5:46] Defining creative marketing
• [9:41] Steps for developing creative ideas
• [12:26] Overcoming creative limitations
• [17:05] How emotional marketing drives action
• [21:48] Successful creative campaign example  

 






To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Neuromarketing Blog: https://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/emotional-ads-work-best.htm
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss how loyalty programs boost spending, especially among light and moderate buyers, when tailored rewards are offered. They learn that customizing incentives based on purchasing habits can enhance a program’s effectiveness.

Topics covered:   

• [00:50] “The Long-Term Impact of Loyalty Programs on Consumer Purchase Behavior and Loyalty”
• [02:30] Loyalty program’s influence on buying patterns
• [03:15] The difference between light, medium and heavy buyers
• [04:50] Immediate rewards… for light buyers?
• [07:15] Loyalty programs resemble a botanical garden 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Liu-Thompkins, Yuping. (2007). The Long-Term Impact of Loyalty Programs on Consumer Purchase Behavior and Loyalty. Journal of Marketing - J MARKETING. 71. 19-35. 10.1509/jmkg.71.4.19. 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Why has America fallen behind the world in marketing effectiveness knowledge? And what can we do to catch up?

This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by professor, consultant, and columnist Dr. Mark Ritson. Based on his experience as both a marketing academic and practitioner, Mark shares his thoughts on the state of marketing effectiveness in the US, what we can learn from the history of marketing, and the importance of balancing research with active testing to discover marketing strategies that really work. 

Topics covered:   

• [04:30] What is marketing effectiveness?
• [07:30] Why Mark created the Mini MBA
• [15:00] How AI will change the future of advertising
• [17:15] Why marketers undervalue TV advertising
• [21:00] The differences between effectiveness and marketing science
• [29:30] Marketing fundamentals don’t change 

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2023 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/effectiveness-ignorance-american-marketing/
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how psychological targeting enhances digital marketing performance. Together, they explain how matching ads to audience traits can offer a more personalized—and effective—approach.

Topics covered:   

• [00:45] “Psychological Targeting as an Effective Approach to Digital Mass Persuasion”
• [01:25] How effective is psychological targeting?
• [02:55] Targeting social media activity
• [06:00] Create ads based on personality
• [07:10] Social media vs. behavioral targeting
• [09:00] Sending ads by tracing breadcrumbs 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Matz, Sandra & Kosinski, M. & Nave, Gideon & Stillwell, David. (2017). Psychological targeting as an effective approach to digital mass persuasion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 114. 201710966. 10.1073/pnas.1710966114. 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Did you know AI influencers drive more engagement than real humans do? Or that consumers buy less, not more, from your brand the longer they’re a customer? Or why you always buy the large popcorn at the movie theater, even though you’d be happy with a smaller size?

This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are sharing some of their favorite (and most surprising) research on marketing principles and consumer behavior. Plus, they dig into how marketers should apply these learnings to their own strategies and campaigns. Prepare to have your mind blown!

Topics covered:

• [01:00] The Law of Buyer Moderation
• [02:30] Why brand loyalty is hard to maintain
• [06:00] How the decoy effect changes how we think about options
• [10:00] AI vs human influencers
• [13:00] Share of voice’s correlation to share of market
• [16:45] What is the mere exposure effect?
• [20:15] How LLMs are changing market research 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2010 How Brands Grow Book: https://www.amazon.com/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560

2023 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/marketing-experts-effective-share-of-voice/

2023 Marketing Science Study: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4241291

The Decision Lab Article: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/mere-exposure-effect 

The Decision Lab Article: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/decoy-effect

 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob learn about the value of using irrelevant attributes to set your brand apart from competitors. They explore why even meaningless differentiation can positively impact consumer preference and make your brand memorable.  

Topics covered:   

• [01:05] “Meaningful Brands from Meaningless Differentiation: The Dependence of Irrelevant Attributes.”
• [01:35] The importance of differentiation in marketing
• [04:15] Consumers value irrelevant attributes
• [07:10] Advertising’s impact in differentiation
• [08:40] Differentiation vs. Distinctive branding 

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Meaningful brands from meaningless differentiation: The dependence on irrelevant attributes. Carpenter, Gregory S; Glazer, Rashi; Nakamoto, KentJMR, Journal of Marketing Research; Aug 1994; 31, 3; ABI/INFORM Globalpg. 339 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Connected TV is one of the most popular new marketing channels of 2024. According to eMarketer, CTV ad revenue will reach $28 billion this year. But it’s also one of the most complex and confusing channels. 

This episode is dedicated to fixing that. Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Director of Advanced TV Marrika Zapiler to break down how CTV works and why it’s attracting so much attention right now. Plus learn how to work around the channel’s complexities to drive performance with CTV campaigns, even as the media landscape continues to change.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] Connected TV viewership and ad revenue
• [03:00] How do marketers feel about CTV?
• [06:00] The history of streaming and CTV
• [12:30] How is CTV ad inventory purchased?
• [19:00] How much does CTV advertising cost?
• [22:00] Targeting options on CTV as the cookie declines
• [28:30] The importance of testing new channels 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2023 Nielsen Report: https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2023/data-driven-personalization-2023-state-of-play-report/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob take a closer look at the impact celebrities have on consumer buying decisions. Plus, they dig into the psychological and biological reasons as to why celebrity endorsements can be so effective.

Topics covered:   

• [00:55] “How Celebrity Status Engaged Direction in Ads Drive Visual Attention to Shape Consumer Decisions” 
• [01:25] Examples of celebrity endorsed products 
• [03:00] Why do celebrity endorsements work? 
• [04:10] Effectiveness is rooted in biology 
• [05:20] Gaze cueing and Gen Z  

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
D'Ambrogio, Simone & Werksman, Noah & Platt, Michael & Johnson, Elizabeth. (2022). How celebrity status and gaze direction in ads drive visual attention to shape consumer decisions. Psychology & Marketing. 40. 10.1002/mar.21772. 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Advertising is on its way out. Or so marketing professor Scott Galloway suggested in his recent interview on the Uncensored CMO podcast. 

We (naturally) found this concerning. So this week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are taking a good, hard look at whether advertising really impacts business growth. They review how much the biggest and most innovative brands in the world really spend on advertising, how advertising connects brands with customers, and why brand storytelling matters. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] Galloway’s interview with Jon Evans on Uncensored CMO
• [06:30] Is advertising as powerful as it used to be?
• [08:30] What happens when you turn off ads?
• [13:00] Why even great products need to advertise to stand out
• [17:00] How Apple has used advertising to grow
• [21:30] The team’s favorite ad campaigns 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Uncensored CMO Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/scott-galloway-on-the-end-of-the-brand-era/id1486335987?i=1000654133403

James Hurman LinkedIn Post: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7191932287385587712/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore what drives us to click and share online content. Is virality just luck, or is it strategic? Discover how emotions and planning play a part.

Topics covered:   

• [00:50] “What Makes Online Content Viral”
• [01:25] What makes something go viral?
• [02:50] Content drives social transmission and virality
• [05:10] High versus low arousal emotions
• [06:05] Why positivity is contagious.
• [09:05] Emotion and content sharing 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Berger, Jonah & Milkman, Katherine. (2009). What Makes Online Content Viral? Journal of Marketing Research. 49. 10.2139/ssrn.1528077. 
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Brace yourselves. This week, we’re covering a highly debated marketing topic: targeting strategy. 

Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by VP Strategy Dan Cleveland to talk about misconceptions around narrow vs broad targeting, problems with hypertargeting, and how CTV targeting is changing the game for TV advertisers. Plus, hear about a new targeting method Dan created with the help of machine learning, called Smart Targeting. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:30] Mark Ritson vs Byron Sharp on targeting
• [02:30] The cost of broad targeting
• [08:00] Brand vs performance marketing
• [12:00] Types of targeting for connected TV
• [15:45] Targeting on CTV vs digital advertising
• [17:30] Fees behind third-party targeting
• [19:30] How machine learning can help solve targeting 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 
Resources: 
2023 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-sgementation-pointless/
 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob revisit the traditional divide between brand and performance marketing. Then, they explore how advertising effectiveness is now being redefined through three dimensions: scale, efficiency, and time. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:20] “Profit Ability 2”
• [02:20] How much has advertising effectiveness changed?
• [05:10] Brand versus performance
• [07:50] How big of an effect do your ads have?
• [08:40] Budget for impact without waste
• [10:15] Short- and long-term payback 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 


Resources: 

• https://www.thinkbox.tv/news-and-opinion/events/the-new-business-case-for-advertising
• https://assets.ctfassets.net/ptzdhtf6t0jg/1QnN6BTbV16BXEPQojyQEc/57b12e6b4a65150f3fac6bd8c2b7a3df/The_new_business_case_for_advertising_event_slides.pdf
• https://www.warc.com/content/article/Event-Reports/Beyond_brand_vs_performance_The_three_dimensions_of_effectiveness/155612 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Did you know marketers will spend more than $650 billion on online ads this year? Or that a surprisingly massive chunk of this spending will be completely wasted?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss Bob Hoffman’s recent book, Inside the Black Box, which highlights one of the dark sides of online advertising—ad fraud. As marketers, we all know ad fraud is a problem. But it might be even worse than we thought. Shockingly, WFA says that by 2025, ad fraud may be the second largest source of criminal income on the planet.

Topics covered:   

• [00:45] Introducing Inside the Black Box
• [02:30] Why programmatic media buying is subject to fraud
• [07:30] What’s wrong with MFA sites
• [12:30] Types of ad fraud
• [16:30] Ad viewability across ad formats
• [19:00] How to prevent and reduce wasted ad spend 

 
 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Inside the Black Box by Bob Hoffman, 2024: https://typeagroup.createsend.com/campaigns/reports/viewCampaign.aspx?d=d&c=FC142680CDB9311A&ID=C0C74A04140F82EE2540EF23F30FEDED&temp=False&tx=0&source=Report
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss the relationship between marketers' intuition and data-driven decisions in ad effectiveness. Listen in as they discover whether instincts or analytics offer the best path to advertising success. 

Topics covered:   

• [00:40] “Marketers' Intuitions About the Sales Effectiveness of Advertisements”
• [01:00] Predicting effective ads is no better than random chance
• [04:25] Intuition versus analytics
• [05:45] The horse racing metaphor
• [06:25] Pushback for CMOs
• [07:40] The importance of pretesting 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Nicole Hartnett, Rachel Kennedy, Byron Sharp and Luke Greenacre (2016), "Marketers' Intuitions about the Sales Effectiveness of Advertisements", Journal of Marketing Behavior: Vol. 2: No. 2–3, pp 177-194. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/107.00000034 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Does mass reach marketing still have value in a world where digital advertising lets brands target their bullseye customer alone?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are discussing the importance of broad reach for business growth, driving long-term demand, and truly effective marketing. Inspired by P&G’s Mark Pritchard’s recent comments on what efficient and effective marketing looks like, they’re talking about everything from the origins of mass reach marketing to reach strategies on digital vs traditional channels.

Topics covered:  

• [01:00] P&G’s Mark Pritchard on reach and growing your market
• [05:30] The origin of broad reach marketing
• [09:00] Why marketing channels have different superpowers
• [11:30] Why engaging decision influencers matters
• [17:00] High reach only works when it’s efficient and high-quality
• [21:00] Creative best practices for high reach campaigns 

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
2024 Performance Marketing World Article: https://www.prweek.com/article/1867218/p-gs-marc-pritchard-the-currency-matters-sales-dollars
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use. 

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore the reasons behind TV advertising's ongoing success—despite all the buzz around digital. Learn more about Peter Field's insights into why TV ads remain a critical part of successful marketing strategies.

Topics covered:  

• [00:55] “Why TV is at the Heart of Effectiveness... and What it Will Take to Keep it There”
• [02:15] Is TV dead?
• [04:45] TV’s delivers slow decay attention
• [07:50] TV’s emotional clout
• [09:25] TV is a trusted media source
• [10:20] Marketing is like a garden 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
https://www.thinkbox.tv/research/nickable-charts/effectiveness-and-planning/tv-at-the-heart-of-effectiveness-by-peter-field#  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Ready to talk politics? Well, political advertising anyway. 

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are exploring how marketers should think about the impact of political ad spend in 2024. (There’s no actual politics allowed). This year, US political ad spend is expected to surpass $12 billion, setting a new record... That’s triple what was spent on the 2016 election, and it’s already affecting media availability. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] The state of US political spend in 2024
• [02:00] How will political spend affect the media market?
• [04:00] Buying national vs local media
• [05:45] The history of political advertising
• [09:30] Using focus groups vs online testing for political ads
• [13:30] Why TV is a top choice for political ads 

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 


Resources: 
2024 Berkely News Article: https://news.berkeley.edu/2024/02/15/deep-data-and-big-money-are-driving-a-new-era-in-political-advertising
2024 eMarketer Report: https://www.emarketer.com/content/us-political-ad-spending-forecast-2024


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how advertising can impact stock prices and boost investor confidence. Research shows successful campaigns often lead to higher stock values by showcasing a company's market presence and consumer demand.

Topics covered:   

• [00:50] “The Impact of Advertising on a Company’s Stock Price”
• [02:10] Stock price is a good metric for judging company success
• [03:20] Advertising decisions for customers vs investors
• [04:50] Do investors recognize the future impact of marketing actions?
• [08:10] Stock price movement benefits and drawbacks
• [09:30] Afterthoughts on the study and TV Advertising 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 

Resources: 
Srinivasan, Shuba and Hanssens, Dominique M, The Impact of Advertising on a Company’s Stock Price (September 8, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4694164 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4694164 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

63% of TV advertisers doubt their ability to accurately measure TV’s impact. And it’s not just TV. Top-of-funnel marketing channels are notoriously hard to evaluate.

But accurate attribution isn’t impossible. This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Director of Analytics Jordan Rossler to break down the report “Everything Wrong with TV Measurement.” They’re covering attribution best practices for brand marketing channels, including the importance of using multiple attribution models to determine success and looking at results with a healthy dose of skepticism. 
 
Topics covered:   

• [01:25] Introducing a new TV attribution report
• [07:30] The Micro, Macro, Business framework
• [10:00] How test structure impacts measurability
• [13:30] All models are wrong, some are useful
• [15:00] How using multiple models can catch data issues
• [16:00] What models are best for measuring TV?
• [19:00] Asking questions with a “challenge everything” mindset 

 




 
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
2024 Marketing Architects Report: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/blog/everything-wrong-with-tv-measurement
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

Once upon a time, Elena and Rob decided to explore the meaning of “brand love” and the use of powerful storytelling. They discovered that brands with a strong story create meaningful connections and fuel brand loyalty. 

Topics covered:   

• [00:46] “The Role of Storytelling in the Creation of Brand Love”
• [01:14] Examples of storytelling
• [03:42] Does storytelling lead to brand love?
• [04:15] What is brand love?
• [05:43] Storytelling in advertising
• [07:00] Emotional connection adds value 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Dias P, Cavalheiro R. The role of storytelling in the creation of brand love: the PANDORA case. J Brand Manag. 2022;29(1):58–71. doi: 10.1057/s41262-021-00254-6. Epub 2021 Oct 6. PMCID: PMC8494506. 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Can marketers tap into psychology to improve the effectiveness of their work? Well, there’s a reason why Dr. Robert Cialdini’s psychology book Influence is a marketing and sales bestseller.

Whether you realize it or not, psychological principles are applied in marketing all the time. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are reviewing the six psychological lessons found in Dr. Cialdini’s classic book. They cover how marketers can use these principles for good (not evil) and how they show up in everything from customer reviews to subscription models.

Topics covered:   

• [01:30] The history of Influence at Marketing Architects
• [03:30] Why we feel obligated to return favors
• [06:00] How consistency shows up in subscription models
• [10:00] The power of social proof
• [12:30] Everyone is more influenced by people they like
• [16:30] How authority affects buying decisions
• [18:45] Why scarcity increases desirability 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
2016 Forbes Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/06/02/why-every-marketer-should-read-influence-the-psychology-of-persuasion/?sh=4c73d5b56d0c 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob explore why some brand names are better than others. Like how the rhythmic and repetitive sounds of names like Coca-Cola, Kit Kat, and Lululemon can sway our feelings and decisions to buy.

Topics covered:   

• [00:54] “The Sound of Brands”
• [02:23] How to choose the right brand name
• [04:48] Ice cream and... cat litter?
• [05:56] How suppressed emotions affect brand name reactions 
• [06:35] How much rhyme is too much?
• [07:00] Positive effect and sound repetition make a difference

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 


 

Resources: 
Argo, Jennifer & Popa, Monica & Smith, Malcolm. (2010). The Sound of Brands. Journal of Marketing - J MARKETING. 74. 97-109. 10.1509/jmkg.74.4.97.   
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

How much has marketing really changed in the last decade? It might not be as much as you think.

This week, Elena and Rob are covering what’s next in marketing, from how younger generations are making new demands of businesses to why it's so hard to keep up with the latest AI developments. But they’re also talking about what doesn’t change. And how marketing for the future is sometimes about focusing on fundamentals. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:15] Some marketing fundamentals never change
• [04:00] How AI is transforming advertising and creative
• [08:00] How to keep up with AI’s evolution
• [09:00] Gen Z’s impact on marketing trends
• [14:00] Why AR/VR is overhyped for marketers right now
• [17:00] How top-performing ad formats are moving to short-form video
• [20:00] Would you rather travel to the future or the past? 

 






To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
2023 Wizard of Ads Article: https://wizardofads.org/the-fundamentals-that-remain/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob are going back in time... sort of. They’re covering nostalgia, what it is, and why it’s become a common and highly effective tool in advertising.

Topics covered:   

• [00:45] “An Involvement Explanation for Nostalgia Advertising Effects”
• [01:00] How some people are extra susceptible to nostalgia
• [02:00] What is nostalgia?
• [03:30] Three types of nostalgia
• [07:00] Why is nostalgia so effective in advertising?
• [10:00] The connections between nostalgia, likeability, and memorability 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Muehling, Darrel & Pascal, Vincent. (2012). An Involvement Explanation for Nostalgia Advertising Effects. Journal of Promotion Management. 18. 100-118. 10.1080/10496491.2012.646222.  
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

At any time, only 5% of a B2B company’s potential customers are in-market. That’s a small group. Which means marketing to the other 95% might be pretty important...

In this episode, Elena and Angela are joined by Peter Weinberg, former Global Head of Development at The B2B Institute from LinkedIn. They’re talking about the contrarian ideas Peter researched and popularized during his time at LinkedIn, including the 95-5 rule, why tight targeting isn’t always the right choice, and the role of creativity in B2B marketing. Stick around, and you’ll even get a sneak peek at what Peter’s doing next! 

Topics covered:   

• [00:30] Introducing Peter Weinberg
• [04:30] How the 95-5 rule leads B2B marketing strategy
• [08:00] Broad vs narrow targeting for B2B
• [12:00] Why top-of-funnel and brand matters for B2B
• [14:00] How should B2B marketers think about TV?
• [19:00] The state of marketing effectiveness in the US
• [25:30] What’s next for Peter?

 






To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
The B2B Institute Article: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-research/trends/95-5-rule

 
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob are talking all things TV advertising. There have been plenty of marketers announcing “TV is dead” over the last decade, but what does research say about TV’s effectiveness today?

Topics covered:   

• [00:45] “Effectiveness and Efficiency of TV’s Brand-Building Power”
• [03:00] What is a gross rating point (GRP)?
• [04:00] A 30-second TV ad is just as effective today as in the 1980s
• [05:00] Does spot length impact effectiveness?
• [07:00] Traditional marketing should still be a focus
• [08:00] How pretesting makes in-market campaigns more successful 

 



To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Effectiveness and Efficiency of TV's Brand-Building Power: A Historical Review 
Frank Findley, Kelly Johnson, Douglas Crang, David W. Stewart 
Journal of Advertising Research Jun 2020, JAR-2020-011; DOI: 10.2501/JAR-2020-011 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Is primetime really the “prime” time for TV advertisers? What does research say about subliminal advertising? And is personalization actually worth the effort?

In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob look at some of the biggest myths and misconceptions in the marketing industry and tackle what research says about each. A word of caution... listening to this episode could challenge deep-rooted beliefs.

Topics covered:   

• [01:30] What happens when marketing debates get controversial
• [06:00] Where did the term “primetime” come from?
• [07:30] Why primetime doesn’t always equal the best performance
• [12:00] The history of the subliminal advertising myth
• [17:30] What research says about the impact of personalization
• [22:00] Where personalization can go wrong  

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
2012 Brand Genetics Article: https://brandgenetics.com/human-thinking/how-brands-grow-speed-summary/
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In this episode, Elena and Rob discuss a study reviewing behavioral advertising’s impact on consumer welfare, with some surprising results. Hint: behavioral advertising’s not as helpful for consumers as you might think!

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] Introducing Behavioral Advertising and Consumer Welfare
• [02:00] Defining behavioral targeting
• [04:30] Study results on behavioral advertising’s impact
• [05:30] How you might interact with behavioral ads
• [06:00] Behavioral vs contextual targeting 

 




To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
Schnadower Mustri, Eduardo and Adjerid, Idris and Acquisti, Alessandro, Behavioral Advertising and Consumer Welfare: An Empirical Investigation (March 23, 2023). Available at:  https://ssrn.com/abstract=4398428  or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4398428 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

The rise of video-driven social platforms. Evolving privacy regulations limiting advertisers’ access to targeting and reporting data. Meta’s dominance finally facing challengers... Social media is changing for good.

In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob unpack the evolution of social media marketing, influenced heavily by Facebook's introduction of dynamic, algorithm-driven experiences. The conversation explores the need for platform diversification, the implications of privacy changes on targeting, and why video content now claims more than half of social ad budgets. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:30] How Facebook transformed social media forever
• [04:00] Snapchat and Reddit’s potential for growth
• [06:30] The risk of over-dependence on Meta
• [08:00] How privacy changes affect social attribution
• [09:30] How to make the most of social video
• [14:30] How to measure the effectiveness of social marketing
• [16:30] Organic vs paid social 

 


To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
2024 Mashable Article: https://mashable.com/article/facebook-changed-social-media
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.

In our inaugural Nerd Alert episode, Elena and Rob get meta by reviewing research on marketing research. They’re looking at the current state of marketing research and why research is more focused right now on tactics than strategies, creating a gap in how we think about the conceptual side of marketing.

Topics covered:  

• [00:30] Introducing Nerd Alert
• [02:00] Overview of “Research in Marketing Strategy”
• [05:00] The four parts of the marketing strategy framework 
• [08:30] How marketing’s short-termism problem shows up in research
• [10:00] Why we need more research on marketing theory 

 



To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 


Resources: 
Morgan, N.A., Whitler, K.A., Feng, H. et al. Research in marketing strategy. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 47, 4–29 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-018-0598-1 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

The old 80/20 rule is simply wrong. The top 20% of buyers actually account for only 50% of sales. So is brand loyalty still the secret to efficient growth or is the smart move to pursue new customers?

In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss the ongoing debate about whether it’s better to focus on building brand loyalty or driving new customer acquisition. The team reviews studies highlighting the importance of emotional connection and positive brand experiences in fostering both customer loyalty and acquisition, leading them to ask whether the two strategies really stand in opposition or could, just maybe, work together.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] What’s the fuss around brand loyalty all about?
• [03:30] How quality and brand experience affect loyalty
• [06:00] Debating acquisition vs retention for growth
• [10:00] The history of ‘double jeopardy’
• [18:00] How effective are loyalty programs, really?
• [21:30] How loyalty programs can be a source for first-party data 

 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
2023 Kantar Article: https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/brands/modern-marketing-dilemmas-is-it-still-ok-to-talk-about-brand-loyalty
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Programmatic advertising is bigger than ever. AI’s transforming media buying. Ad fraud continues to grow. And now, MFA (made for advertising) sites have emerged as top contenders for ad dollars. Clearly, there are a few reasons to be concerned about media quality.

In today's episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are addressing the impact of AI on digital advertising, the rise of made-for-advertising (MFA) inventory, the costs and benefits of offline vs online media, and how much brand safety really matters.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] Global ad spend will double its growth this year, thanks to AI
• [02:30] What are MFA sites?
• [04:00] Balancing cost and quality in media buys
• [08:00] Why low-quality inventory isn’t cost-effective
• [10:30] How offline channels differ from digital
• [14:30] How to judge media quality
• [15:30] AI’s impact on digital advertising 

 


To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast 
 

Resources: 
2023 ANA Report: https://www.ana.net/miccontent/show/id/rr-2023-12-ana-programmatic-media-supply-chain-transparency-study
2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/why-media-quality-will-take-centre-stage-in-2024/en-gb/6531
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Kim Kardashian and Skims. Snoop Dogg’s 'smokeless’ stunt for Solo Brands. And of course, celebrity-packed Super Bowl commercials. What’s the true power of star power in advertising?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are discussing the benefits (and risks) of using a celebrity to promote your brand. Because while celebrities can drive strong attention to your ad, they typically come with high price tags, can feel inauthentic if they aren’t clearly connected to your brand, and can even draw attention away from your product or service through the ‘vampire effect.’ The team talks through when a celebrity might not be the right choice and how to find the right partner when you are pursuing a celebrity endorser.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] The types of celebrity endorsements
• [02:30] The history of celebrities in advertising
• [05:30] How celebrities drive greater attention in ads
• [08:00] The pros and cons of partnering with a celebrity
• [11:30] Using characters vs celebrities
• [13:00] How to choose the right celebrity for your brand
• [17:30] Marketing Architects’ celebrity fantasy draft

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:
2023 Knowledge at Wharton Article: https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/the-marketing-psychology-behind-celebrity-endorsements/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

As a marketer, going all-in on digital can seem like a safe choice. After all, 72% of marketers say digital campaigns are easier to measure than traditional channels. But is digital alone actually what’s most effective?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by SVP Partnerships Jordan Mauer to discuss the ideal balance for online and offline channels. Jordan’s marketing experience includes work for companies like US Bank, Visa, NASCAR, and Shutterfly. And he has strong feelings about the importance of offline channels, including TV advertising, for growing a business.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Digital vs offline channels for brand-building
• [06:30] Why marketers’ bias is usually toward digital
• [07:30] The limitations of online advertising
• [09:45] The biggest barriers to testing offline channels
• [14:00] How to test offline on a budget
• [16:00] Introducing Misfits & Machines!

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:
2023 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/digital-offline-marketer-brand-building/
2020 Marketing AX Borders Article: https://marketingacrossborders.blog/2020/06/13/why-online-media-is-overrated-as-a-brand-building-channel/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

It’s hard enough to agree on definitions for “reach” and “frequency.” Consensus on the ideal balance between the two is just about impossible.

The internet is undeniably divided over this topic, but Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined this week by VP of Analytics Matt Hultgren to finally settle the debate. Which drives better business results—broadening your audience reach or increasing the number of times your target sees your ad? Does this change across marketing channels? Or even industry and type of business? As with many marketing topics, the answers aren’t entirely straightforward.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Defining reach and frequency
• [03:30] Why your first impression is the most valuable
• [06:00] Why is reach vs frequency so hotly debated?
• [09:30] Frequency on linear vs streaming TV
• [13:00] How creative quality affects frequency
• [15:30] How do you plan a campaign optimized for both reach and frequency?

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:
2010 Ehrenberg-Bass Article: https://marketingscience.info/frequency-and-frequency-something-to-watch-out-for/
B2B Institute Article: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-research/trends/reach-maximalism


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The US might be behind in marketing effectiveness—at least according to Mark Ritson. But why? What does the state of marketing effectiveness and research really look like?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Dr. Mitch Olsen, marketing professor and director of undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame, to answer that very question. With rich experience in both the corporate and academic worlds of marketing, Mitch shares his thoughts on the state of marketing effectiveness in the US, the process behind publishing marketing research, and how the next generation of marketers are being taught to prioritize business outcomes in their work.

Topics covered:

• [02:00] Mark Ritson’s take on effectiveness in the US
• [03:30] Mitch’s experience marketing at P&G and transition to academia
• [11:30] The process of publishing marketing research
• [16:30] Is the US actually behind on effectiveness?
• [23:30] What marketing education looks like today
• [26:00] How is TV advertising discussed in the classroom?

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:
2023 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/effectiveness-ignorance-american-marketing/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The biggest ad platforms are leaning into media mix modeling, even when that means giving other ad channels more credit than their own. Why? Well, MMM might just be making a comeback.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by VP Strategy Dan Cleveland and Director of Analytics Jordan Rossler to talk about all things MMM. They’re digging into the pros and cons of the model, how new tools have made MMM more accessible than ever, and the importance of tying marketing investments back to business results.

Topics covered:

• [02:00] Why Facebook, Google and Amazon are adopting MMM
• [04:30] What is media mix modeling (MMM)?
• [05:30] Why marketers aren’t satisfied with last-click attribution
• [10:00] How MMM provides a holistic view of performance
• [13:00] Meta’s Robyn vs Google’s Lightweight
• [16:30] Why MMM struggles to measure brand impacts
• [21:30] How AI will change MMM

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:
2023 Adexchanger Article: https://www.adexchanger.com/measurement/why-facebook-google-and-amazon-are-embracing-media-mix-modeling/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

B2B marketing is behind. Research by BrandFinance shows the top 100 B2B brands have $1 trillion in untapped brand potential... It might just be time for a B2B marketing revolution.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Colin Fleming, EVP Global Marketing at Salesforce. Colin leads a team of more than 600 marketers building Salesforce’s brand and customer base. In this episode, he shares how Salesforce identified the need to lean into brand-building, how to balance brand and performance objectives, and why B2B marketers need to spend more time thinking about the humans on the other end of their work.

Topics covered:

• [02:00] MarketingWeek on why B2B brands are behind
• [03:30] Colin’s experience as a F1 racecar driver
• [08:30] Brand marketing for Salesforce
• [11:15] Marketing effectiveness for B2B
• [14:30] Treating B2B like B2C marketing
• [21:00] Thinking about category entry points (CEPs)
• [24:00] How Salesforce’s forest characters came to life
• [33:00] Using TV’s broad reach for business growth

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:
2023 BrandFinance Report: https://static.brandirectory.com/reports/brand-finance-global-b2b-brands-index-2023-full-report.pdf


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Only 15% of brand assets are truly distinctive. And just 19% of logos achieve “gold” status in recognizability according to a study by Ipsos and JKR. So where are things going wrong?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob talk about what makes assets truly distinctive, the most effective formats for memorability, and whether consistency or creativity plays a larger role in an asset’s success. Plus, quiz yourself along with the hosts as they run through some of the most well-known brand assets used today.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] MarketingWeek’s review of brand assets study
• [04:00] The highest-scoring format for distinctive assets
• [05:30] Why patience matters for distinctiveness
• [09:00] Assets need to be memorable, ownable, and have long-term potential
• [10:00] How distinctive assets have been elevated on TV
• [14:00] Using AI to evaluate brand assets
• [18:00] Distinctive assets quiz

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:
2023 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/15-brand-assets-truly-distinctive-finds-research/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week, we’re resharing one of our top episodes from the archive. Enjoy, and we’ll be back with new content next week!

Brand is far more measurable today than it was even five years ago. So why are we still questioning brand’s value? Maybe because it’s tough to know exactly how to grow brand. Or how to defend its importance to the business. In this episode, Elena, Angela and Rob tackle brand misconceptions from a performance marketer’s perspective, from what it means to build brand awareness to driving tangible business results related to brand growth.

Topics covered:

• [02:00] Brand awareness vs performance marketing
• [05:30] How can marketers defend brand’s ability to drive business results?
• [7:00] Defining brand awareness and measuring brand growth
• [12:00] How to grow your brand
• [16:00] What physical availability looks like for online businesses
• [18:30] What business stage is right for focusing on brand-building?

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:
2020 The Marketing Student Article: https://www.themarketingstudent.com/how-brands-grow/

2013 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/the-long-and-short-of-it-measuring-campaign-effectiveness-over-time/en-gb/1727

2023 BuiltIn Article: https://builtin.com/marketing/mere-exposure-effect

2012 Scientific American Article: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/kahneman-excerpt-thinking-fast-and-slow/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Last year, CTV ad spend reached a record high of $25 billion, and it’s only continuing to grow. A survey by the IAB found marketers plan to increase CTV spending by 14.5% in 2024—more than any other channel.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by VP Media Catherine Walstad to review everything marketers should know about the potential and pitfalls of Connected TV in the upcoming year. Together, they highlight misconceptions about the rise of CTV and explore tactical steps advertisers can take to optimize ad spend, targeting, and attribution for their streaming campaigns.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Streaming and CTV Ad Spend in 2024
• [04:30] The future of TV advertising
• [06:30] CTV’s targeting challenges
• [09:30] Linear vs streaming TV prices
• [12:00] What’s wrong with CTV measurement?
• [15:00] The opportunity for testing creative in CTV
• [23:00] How to drive CTV results for performance marketers

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 eMarketer Report: https://content-na1.emarketer.com/tv-connected-tv-ad-spending-forecasts-2023

2023 IAB Report: https://www.iab.com/research/2024-outlook-a-snapshot-into-ad-spend-opportunities-and-strategies-for-growth/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Two trends are colliding. First, advertisers are tracking their investments more carefully. Second, traditional marketing metrics are under attack as privacy regulations evolve. One possible solution? Attention.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss the rise and relevance of attention metrics in advertising. From how attention goes beyond visibility to the many ways attention is measured, our hosts are exploring the benefits, challenges, and practical applications of attention metrics. They even share their own experience using eye-tracking for TV commercials and how attention impacts performance.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] New attention metrics go beyond viewability and impressions
• [03:30] The problem with attention metrics
• [07:00] Byron Sharp’s perspective on attention
• [08:30] How 3M developed eye-tracking technology
• [13:00] How attention metrics inform TV performance
• [15:00] How viewing context and lack of standards make attention challenging for marketers

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 MarketingBrew Article: https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/why-advertisers-are-excited-about-attention-metrics


2023 MediaPost Article: https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/391258/hey-there-attention-metrics-stifled-by-lack-of-re.html


2022 The Media Leader Article: https://the-media-leader.com/sharp-is-right-chasing-fleeting-attention-is-a-waste-of-money/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

This week we’re taking time off to spend the holidays with our families so we’re republishing one of our top episodes from the archives. We hope you enjoy, and we’ll be back with new content next week.

There are more than 130 marketing metrics. But how many really determine marketing effectiveness? Especially for brand-building channels like TV, radio, and print advertising? In this episode, VP of Analytics Matt Hultgren joins Angela and Elena to discuss how measurement best practices have changed and the importance of using multiple models to understand marketing’s full impact.

Topics covered:

• [01:07] Why marketing measurement is so difficult
• [4:58] Why last touch attribution doesn’t tell the full story
• [11:10] How to set up a measurable TV test
• [16:21] Top-down vs bottom-up marketing measurement
• [20:27] CTV’s ongoing measurement challenges
• [24:35] The micro/macro/business measurement framework

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 The Chartered Institute of Marketing Article: https://www.cim.co.uk/content-hub/editorial/todays-top-five-marketing-challenges/


2021 Ruler Analytics Report: https://www.ruleranalytics.com/resources/attribution-reporting-analysis/


2021 Marketing Architects Article: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/blog/5-tips-for-measuring-tv-performance

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

It’s a podcast takeover! In a special bonus episode, we’re sharing Elena’s conversation with Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros of “The Sleeping Barber” and Conor Byrne of “That’s What I Call Marketing.” Together, they review their favorite marketing trends and campaigns of the year, plus what they’re looking forward to for marketers in 2024. The conversation explores Apple’s distinctive brand assets, how Spotify and Strava make the most of customer data, the potential impact of AI, what brand purpose looks like next year, and much, much more.

Topics covered:

• [00:30] Introducing the podcasters for today’s episode
• [02:00] Top marketing campaigns from the last year
• [15:00] The resurgence of media mix modeling
• [18:30] How marketers should be testing AI in 2024
• [22:30] The growth of creativity in B2B marketing
• [27:00] Why brand purpose is on the decline
• [31:30] The death of hyper-personalization
• [38:00] Influencer marketing’s top challenges
• [43:00] Favorite marketing thought leaders

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
The Sleeping Barber: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sleeping-barber-a-business-and-marketing-podcast/id1609811324


That’s What I Call Marketing: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thats-what-i-call-marketing/id1615415427?mt=2

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Forrester predicts “experience with generative AI” will be written into 20% of new CMO job descriptions next year. They also say brand purpose is out of style and highly practical, results-driven campaigns will soon be in vogue.
In this wrap-up episode for the year, Elena, Angela, and Rob are sharing their own predictions for the biggest marketing trends in 2024. From a focus on effectiveness to the growth of traditional marketing channels to AI completely reimagining the ad industry, there’s a lot headed marketers’ way next year. The good news? Constant change is pretty normal in the industry. So if anyone’s prepared for 2024, it’s marketers.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Forrester’s 2024 marketing predictions
• [05:30] Why brand purpose is less popular
• [07:00] Marketing effectiveness in the US
• [16:00] What the move from AI to AGI means
• [20:00] Why marketers may reevaluate traditional channels
• [21:30] Predictions for 2024

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 Forrester Report: https://www.forrester.com/blogs/predictions-2024-cmos-b2c-marketing/

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

QR codes achieved mainstream status in 2020. But they're more than just a pandemic fad. In 2022, 83 million US smartphone users scanned the codes. And 3 in 4 consumers say they plan to scan the codes in the future.


This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Associate Director of Product Optimization Tilly DeNardo to talk about the future of QR codes in TV advertising. The team dives into Marketing Architects’ research on how consumers perceive the codes in advertising and how to create ads that make the most of their potential, from matching post-scan expectations to creative best practices.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] The growth of shoppable TV ads
• [08:00] The history of QR codes
• [11:00] Why TV advertisers are excited about QR
• [14:30] How QR codes compare to other calls-to-action
• [17:30] How much do consumers trust QR codes?
• [21:30] Creative best practices for using QR codes
  

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 Adweek Article: https://www.adweek.com/convergent-tv/shoppable-ads-smart-tv-samsung-ads-kerv/

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

82% of ANA members say their company has an in-house agency. And now generative AI threatens specialized digital agencies. What does the future of ad agencies look like? Do they have a future at all?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by SVP Client Growth Dhiren Khemlani to discuss the pros and cons of in-housing, the impact of AI on agencies, and the importance of remaining agile and adaptable. Finally, they predict what agencies will look like in the next decade. Or if agencies will be around at all.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Breaking down the rise of in-house agencies
• [03:00] The impact of AI on the ad industry
• [07:00] In-housing vs external agencies
• [18:00] How agencies will need to evolve to survive
• [20:00] The power of human creativity in the age of AI
• [26:00] The future of the agency model

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 Adweek Article: https://www.adweek.com/agencies/ana-study-in-house-agencies/
2023 AdAge Article: https://adage.com/article/agency-news/forrester-report-ai-will-boost-creative-agencies-shutter-digital-shops/2525811

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Only 22% of CMOs feel they have a collaborative relationship with their CFO. And only 39% of financial directors have confidence their marketing team will make smart commercial decisions. The numbers, well, aren’t great.

To uncover the reason for this disconnect, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by CFO Brent Longval. Together, they explore why marketing and finance can end up at opposite ends of the table and how learning to speak the same language can close the gap. There’s work to do on both sides, but it’s worth it... 87% of marketers who do have a collaborative relationship with finance are happy with their ability to measure marketing performance.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] The state of the CMO/CFO relationship
• [05:00] Why finance often sees marketing as another expense
• [10:30] Does your CFO have a finance or accounting background?
• [12:00] Why finance and marketing can easily clash
• [16:30] Building a collaborative partnership with finance
• [21:00] Learning finance’s language
• [24:30] Investing in relationship-building and trust

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/cmo-council-cfo-relationship/

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

This summer, consumers dug into their wallets to attend concerts, watch movies in theaters, and enjoy sporting events in person. But as economic concerns grow, can the summer’s spending keep up for retailers’ crucial holiday sales season?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Strategy Director Kyle Lewis to discuss the trends retailers can expect during the holiday shopping season and how they can cultivate positive experiences to support sales going into 2024. Starting with the fact that the real holiday shopping season began months ago.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Economic predictions for the holidays
• [03:30] Recapping last year’s holiday shopping trends
• [06:00] Consumer intent is high for spending this year
• [09:30] The shopping season started earlier than ever
• [19:00] The importance of simplifying customer experiences
• [21:30] How Marketing Architects sold a child’s toy during the holidays

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 CNN Business Article: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/21/economy/consumer-spending-winter-outlook/index.html

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Do digital ads have your attention, really? What about your audience’s attention? Marketers have shifted from traditional channels to digital ones—but the long-term returns of TV, radio, and print have been difficult to replicate.

According to Data2Decisions and DDB, digital attribution techniques overestimate the business effects of search by a factor of two and underestimate the impact of TV by a factor of 10. In this week’s episode, Rob, Angela, and Elena discuss digital advertising’s effectiveness, profitability, and greatest pitfalls. Conversations range from the dominance of Google, Meta, and Amazon to tactical advice for creating digital ads that capture and retain viewer attention.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Reviewing WARC’s “The Third Age of Effectiveness”
• [04:30] How much do marketers spend on digital advertising?
• [07:30] How effective is display advertising?
• [10:00] Digital advertising’s greatest challenges
• [13:00] Creative best practices for memorable digital ads
• [16:00] How traditional channels like TV boost digital effectiveness

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In 2023, Google will rake in $57 billion from search. Their dominance in the market has left marketers heavily dependent on Google’s platform even as prices rise, making it both necessary for success online... and a massive headache.

This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Director of Analytics Jordan Rossler to discuss how marketers can improve the effectiveness of their SEM investment—while reducing their dependence on Google. Because no brand that wants to compete online can fully avoid Google. But they can level the playing field.

Topics covered:

• [01:20] Recapping Google’s antitrust trial
• [03:00] Marketing Architects’ history with Google in radio
• [05:00] The FTC’s case against Amazon
• [08:00] Why is search so important for marketers?
• [13:30] How branded keywords save money
• [18:30] How unique calls-to-action in TV affect search

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 ABC News Article: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/amazon-antitrust-lawsuit-long-arduous-journey-ftc-103862149


2023 Reuters Article: https://www.reuters.com/technology/five-things-know-about-google-antitrust-trial-it-hits-halfway-mark-2023-10-12/

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Despite a surplus of data and advanced targeting capabilities, marketers aren't targeting as well as we think we are. And it’s hurting performance.


IJRM recently found many targeted campaigns have to double their click-through rate to outperform untargeted ones. Another study from Truthset discovered nearly half of data used for ad targeting is incorrect. So is targeting really what marketers have been promised? This week, Angela, Elena, and Rob dig into the classic targeting vs reach debate to explore the most cost-effective ways to engage your audience.


Topics covered:

• [01:30] Reviewing studies from IJRM and Truthset
• [06:00] How low-quality data affects marketing performance
• [09:00] The history of targeted advertising
• [12:00] Defining targeting vs hypertargeting
• [16:00] How leaning into reach can alleviate targeting’s challenges
• [17:30] Mass customization and the future of targeting

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 Ad Age Article: https://adage.com/article/measurement/nearly-half-data-used-ad-targeting-wrong-truthset-study/2521136


2023 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/content/feed/Targeted_online_ad_campaigns_face_profitability_problem/8660

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Despite a heightened focus on growth, businesses frequently sideline creativity. Even though unconventional thinking is exactly what’s needed to reach new levels of success.

Demand for chief creative officers has declined by 4% since 2018. And marketing roles increasingly prioritize analytical skills over creative talent. This week, Rob and Elena are joined by Chief Creative Officer Steve Babcock to discuss the growing creativity gap and how to fix it. Surprisingly, the answer might not be about hiring more people with “creative” in their title but instead encouraging creativity across all areas of the organization.

Topics covered:

• [05:00] What is the creativity gap?
• [07:00] Creativity vs artistic ability
• [10:00] The importance of tying creativity to results
• [12:00] Domino’s Pizza tracker as an example of creativity driving business results
• [17:00] Restrictions can encourage creativity
• [20:00] The future of creative roles in businesses

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 Deloitte Digital Press Release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/is-the-creativity-gap-holding-up-business-transformation-deloitte-digital-and-lions-analysis-launched-ahead-of-2022-cannes-lions-international-festival-of-creativity-indicates-yes-301568677.html

2023 MarketingDive Article: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/dominos-pizza-pinpoint-delivery-QSR-marketing/653011/

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

How do you defend marketing’s value through economic changes, a narrowing focus on ROI, and changing ideas about how to build a memorable brand?

This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Mary Kyriakidi, Global Thought Leader at Kantar. Mary is the author of Kantar’s evidence-based report “Modern Marketing Dilemmas” which explores some of the most contentious and widely debated topics in marketing today... and what the research says about those topics’ answers.

Topics covered:

• [02:30] How common debates in marketing inspired Kantar’s report
• [03:45] ROI is only part of accurate marketing measurement
• [08:00] The role of brand in driving future buyers
• [13:30] How to measure and evaluate brand equity
• [18:00] Difference vs differentiation in building brand
• [23:00] The future of marketing effectiveness

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
Connect with Mary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-kyriakidi-4a5a4a57/
2023 Kantar Report: https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/modern-marketing-dilemmas

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Connected TV. Podcasts. TikTok. Even virtual reality. They all offer advertisers new opportunities to reach potential customers. But emerging channels are inherently risky.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob dig into eMarketer’s report on the mismatch between the channels consumers spend time with and those marketers invest in most. They also explain why that mismatch can sometimes be the right decision. Because with emerging channels, starting small is often a smart approach, even if you fall behind consumer trends for a bit... so long as you use that time to build your strategy for later.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Reviewing eMarketer’s “US Time Spent with Media Forecast”
• [04:30] Meta has the largest discrepancy between consumer time and ad dollars
• [07:00] The complexity of emerging channels like CTV
• [09:00] The difficulty of measuring radio and podcasts
• [14:00] Why a mismatch between consumer behavior and ad spend can make sense
• [17:30] How Annika Streaming solves CTV’s biggest challenges

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 eMarketer Report: https://content-na1.emarketer.com/us-time-spent-with-media-forecast-2023

2023 Behind the Numbers Podcast: https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/podcast-daily-imbalance-between-time-spent-ad-dollars-trying-sell-nfl-sunday-ticket-fate-of-hulu

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The term "marketing effectiveness" has gained attention lately, but what does it really mean? And what’s stopping marketers from developing truly effective work?

The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) recently investigated this exact question with a survey of more than 300 marketers. This week, Angela, Rob, and Elena are breaking down the definition of marketing effectiveness, discussing the findings of the WFA’s report, and sharing their own thoughts on how to reach, measure, and educate others on the value of marketing and its impact on the business. Plus, they’re sharing their favorite resources for leveling up your own marketing activities.

Topics covered:

• [02:00] The WFA’s “Creating a Global Culture of Marketing Effectiveness” report
• [06:30] The need for greater collaboration in marketing and between departments
• [08:30] What is the definition of marketing effectiveness?
• [12:30] Including both short- and long-term results to determine effectiveness
• [15:00] The challenge of measuring marketing results
• [17:30] The hosts' favorite effectiveness resources

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 WFA Report: https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2023/08/23/Creating-a-Global-Culture-of-Marketing-Effectiveness

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Marketers have been overwhelmed with lessons from the success of the Barbie movie’s marketing strategy. But those lessons only go so far if you don’t have a 150-million-dollar budget to spend.

This week, Rob, Angela, and Elena explore why Barbie’s marketing was so successful and how other marketers could replicate the principles of Barbie’s strategy with smaller budgets. They’re discussing category design, lightning strikes, and the importance of making bold strategic moves to stand out from competitors.

Topics covered:

• [02:00] How Barbie’s marketing drove its success
• [05:00] Why producing Barbie required bravery from Mattel
• [08:30] Reframing marketing as an investment rather than an expense
• [11:30] Defining category design and lightning strikes
• [13:30] The difference between lightning strikes and guerilla marketing
• [16:30] How big moves break through competitive noise
• [18:00] Balancing long-term brand-building with lightning strikes

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.


Resources:

2023 Lochhead on Marketing Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-barbie-can-teach-tech-ceos-about-marketing/id1475593214?i=1000624635808


2022 Category Pirates Article: https://www.categorypirates.com/post/how-to-execute-a-lighting-strike-marketing-strategy-to-drive-sales

2023 Variety Article: https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/barbie-marketing-campaign-explained-warner-bros-1235677922/


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Research from System1 and Pinterest found that digital ads rated highly for emotion resulted in a staggering 90% average increase in brand favorability. And this isn’t the first time research has proven emotion’s effects on ad performance.

The IPA reports that 43% of emotional ad campaigns lead to very large business effects across sales, market share, loyalty and new customers, compared to only 23% of rational campaigns. Clearly, emotion is a valuable creative lever. But how do you use it well? This week, Angela, Elena, and Rob are talking about making sure customers feel your ads, which emotions are most effective in driving positive brand associations, and why humor can be an overlooked but incredibly impactful emotion when used correctly.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Research proves ads that tap into emotion perform better
• [04:30] Why positive emotions drive greater brand equity than negative ones
• [07:00] The role of humor in driving ad performance
• [10:00] Why the right emotion varies by industry
• [12:00] How pretesting lets you push boundaries in creative
• [16:00] How to use marketing channels to amplify emotional connections

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
2023 MarketingTech Article: https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/2023/jul/24/emotional-digital-ads-drive-brand-lift-and-recall/


2023 Kantar Article: https://www.kantar.com/company-news/digital-ads-which-evoke-strong-emotions-are-four-times-more-likely-to-drive--brand-equity


2022 Kantar Article: https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/advertising-media/how-to-get-humour-right-in-advertising


2023 The Drum Article: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2023/02/28/heart-over-head-why-you-should-move-away-rational-marketing


2021 The B2B Institute Report: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-creative


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Nearly half of marketers believe senior stakeholders focus too much on ROI. Because while it’s the top metric the C-Suite cares about, ROI alone doesn’t show marketing’s full impact.

Proving marketing’s value to the business isn’t a new challenge. But it is a persistent one. This week, Elena and Angela are joined by John Wojcik, VP New Business and Solution Development at Brother USA and former CMO at The Zebra, to discuss strategies marketers can use to communicate the value of their work to larger business goals and growth.

Topics covered:

• [02:00] The top marketing metrics senior stakeholders care about
• [04:30] Balancing brand and performance initiatives
• [06:00] How the size and scale of a company affect marketing goals
• [09:30] Advice for pitching leadership on brand efforts like TV advertising
• [16:30] Connecting marketing to a brand’s growth strategy
• [19:00] The importance of relationships for communicating marketing goals

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
Connect with John
2023 MarketingWeek Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Based on an analysis of 2,500 B2B ads, one thing is very clear: B2B needs a new creative formula, one that’s actually effective.

This week, Ty Heath, Director of Market Engagement at The B2B Institute, a think tank funded by LinkedIn, joins Angela, Rob, and Elena to talk about why B2B advertising struggles with creative effectiveness. They cover why marketing to businesses is still marketing to people and explore the ABLE formula’s guide to developing B2B creative that people will remember.
Topics covered:

• [02:00] The problem with B2B ad creative
• [04:30] Connecting brand investments to business results
• [08:00] Why a lack of likeability harms creative effectiveness
• [14:00] What Disney teaches us about applying a consistent creative formula
• [18:00] Examples of B2B ads that aren’t boring
• [23:00] Using the ABLE formula to develop effective creative
• [29:00] Why awareness is the first hurdle B2B marketers need to clear

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.

Resources:
Connect with Ty
2023 Adweek Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The battle over whether marketers should focus on sales or brand results has raged for years now. But while many marketers are now embracing both, this philosophy of “bothism” has only recently been applied to TV advertising.

This week, VP Client Growth Devan Futterer joins Elena and Angela to talk about ways they’ve seen brands set up TV campaigns to drive both long- and short-term results. It starts with a media strategy optimized for reach, requires thoughtfully produced creative, and of course, means measuring results immediately after your campaign launches and months down the road.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Defining bothism and the brand vs performance debate
• [05:00] How to apply bothism to TV advertising
• [06:30] How to measure brand and sales in a TV campaign
• [09:30] TV’s halo effect on other marketing channels
• [12:30] How Nuts.com used TV advertising for short- and long-term results
• [17:00] Recapping principles for successful TV advertising

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.








Resources:
2020 MarketingWeek Article
2021 McKinsey Article
Effectv Report

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Targeting the right customer at the right time is a marketer’s dream—but only if the price is right.

This is the second of three episodes reviewing a report released by Marketing Architects called “Reach, Revenue and ROI: 3 Principles for Effective TV Advertising.” This week, Elena and Rob are joined by VP of Analytics Matt Hultgren to talk about the tradeoffs between targeting and cost, the importance of reach in a media plan, and how to leverage technology to get the most out of traditional media channels.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Reviewing the high costs of traditional marketing channels
• [02:50] How to calculate the value of reach
• [04:15] How creative costs pile up for marketers
• [05:45] Explaining the marketing cost/value debate
• [09:50] How to set up traditional media tests cost effectively
• [13:50] Questions to ask your future television agency
• [15:30] How to decide what to spend on a mass media test
• [17:25] What success on mass reach channels looks like

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.









Resources:

2023 Cost of Super Bowl Commercials
2023 MarketingWeek Article
2023 WARC Article
2023 Marketplace Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Why would anyone market to those who aren’t likely to buy right away or who don’t fit perfectly within your ICP? Actually, there are multiple reasons.

This is the first of three episodes reviewing a report released by Marketing Architects called “Reach, Revenue and ROI: 3 Principles for Effective TV Advertising.” This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Chief Client Officer Whitney Stratten to talk about the power of broad reach marketing, how reach builds mental availability, and how clients have used TV advertising to gain massive levels of reach and build their brands.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Reviewing the power and challenges of brand-building channels
• [04:00] Explaining the rationale behind “Operation Holy Cow”
• [05:30] How Airbnb used brand channels to drive growth
• [08:00] How reach builds mental availability
• [12:00] How Joybird used reach to grow their brand
• [17:00] Using reach to find new audiences

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.









Resources:
2020 WARC Article
2021 The B2B Institute Report
2021 MarketingWeek Article
2022 The Wall Street Journal Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Awareness vs affinity. Reach vs resonance. Even customer acquisition vs loyalty. The debate has many names, and it’s clearly not going anywhere. But what if everyone’s right?

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by SVP Brand Strategy Catrina McAuliffe to break down the purpose of both brand awareness and affinity. Because one thing is very clear: this is far from a simple debate. They’re talking through the definitions of awareness and affinity, the importance of both, how to measure them, and just how intertwined every marketing and brand measure truly is.

Topics covered:

• [02:00] Defining brand awareness vs brand affinity
• [05:30] Why both awareness and affinity are essential
• [08:30] How to measure brand awareness
• [13:30] How to measure affinity and brand positivity
• [17:30] What’s the real value of brand?
• [20:30] What’s the right level of brand affinity?

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.







Resources:
2023 Retail TouchPoints Article
B2B Institute Article
2021 Planet Content Guide

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Earned media is a small part of marketers’ budgets, but it’s a growing focus for brands across all categories. Still, is it really a winning marketing strategy on its own?

Deciding how to prioritize marketing investments across earned, owned, and paid media has been a long-debated topic. Even the definitions of those three categories are contested. This week, Elena, Rob and Angela are diving into the pros and cons of each type of media, why growing challenges in paid digital advertising has more brands considering earned media, and how to allocate budget across all three areas for the best results.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Defining earned, owned and paid media
• [02:30] Why more marketers are leaning into earned media
• [09:00] Earned media’s value depends on your brand and audience
• [12:00] How paid media builds awareness to drive earned media
• [13:30] How Liquid Death’s branding and marketing stunts drive earned media

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.







Resources:
2023 Adweek Article
2023 Search Engine Journal Article
2023 Adweek Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

75% of marketers struggle to link creative activities to commercial returns. And 79% say they have inadequate training to connect creative impact and business outcomes.

Are we in the middle of a creative effectiveness crisis? In this episode, Elena and Rob explore what creative effectiveness really means, how to measure it, and why award shows are so bad at identifying it. They even explore a framework that marketers at brands of all types can use to evaluate the likely impact of their creative work. Because great creative should absolutely translate to business results.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Recapping WARC’s podcast episode from Cannes Lions
• [03:50] Why aren’t creative award shows better at evaluating effectiveness?
• [07:30] How do you measure creative effectiveness?
• [09:30] Explaining the SPARK framework
• [11:30] Why kindling emotion with creative is so challenging
• [13:30] How pretesting can guide creative strategy

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.






Resources:
2019 IPA Report
2019 WARC Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Google announced they would disable cookies for 1% of Chrome users at the beginning of 2024. Now, the pressure is on advertisers looking for targeting alternatives that don’t need cookies. Like contextual targeting.

In this episode, Elena, Angela and Rob are joined by SVP Technology Aaron Lange to discuss what contextual targeting is, why it’s seeing renewed interest across the advertising industry, and how streaming TV advertisers especially can benefit from testing the targeting method. Plus, learn how AI, advancing technology, and in-depth data are making contextual far more advanced than it was before the rise of behavioral targeting.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] What is contextual targeting?
• [04:00] What does the loss of cookies mean for targeted advertising?
• [08:30] How AI and technology are advancing contextual advertising
• [11:30] Why contextual targeting makes sense for streaming advertisers
• [16:30] Could ads be customized to niche audiences and content?
• [21:30] What’s holding brands back from contextual targeting?
• [26:00] What does the future of targeting for streaming TV look like?

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.







Resources:
2023 TechCrunch Article

2023 MarketingBrew Article
2023 ExchangeWire Article
2023 MediaPost Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Following AI news has been quite the rollercoaster ride lately. The technology’s potential is incredible for a wide range of fields. But especially for creative work like copywriting, design, and video editing.

In this episode, Elena and Rob are joined by Marketing Content Designer Greg Brannen to talk about the way AI is transforming creative work and how creatives should feel about that shift. Their discussion covers everything from how technology has changed creative work in the past, to why AI is blending creative roles, to which tools are already saving design time.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Recapping recent AI and ChatGPT news
• [03:00] How Jurassic Park was an example of technology changing creative work
• [12:00] How content creators are being affected by AI
• [14:30] How AI is already simplifying design workflows in Photoshop
• [16:30] Using AI to expand your creative skillset and capabilities
• [23:00] The top AI tools for creatives right now

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.






Resources:
2023 Harvard Business Review Article
2023 BBC Article
2023 Search Engine Journal Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

1,100 marketers were asked if they’d recommend working in their own marketing department to a friend or colleague. The results were a definitive "no.” Clearly, marketing teams need a rebrand.

Results were better among the 11% of companies the researchers identified as “winning marketing organizations” based on sales and profit growth, implying a relationship between a healthy workplace and teams that achieve success. In this episode, Elena, Rob, and Angela explore why marketing has an image problem in the first place, how bad it is, and strategies leaders can use for successful marketing team management such as fostering clarity, aligning marketing efforts with business goals, and investing in team building.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Reviewing marketing’s image problem
• [06:30] Why individual achievement doesn’t translate to management skills
• [09:30] What does a high-performing team look like?
• [13:00] Why brand and performance should be separate teams
• [16:30] The importance of clarifying who owns business growth
• [20:00] The benefits of investing in learning and coaching

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.






Resources:
2023 MarketingWeek Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

For years, Tesla has been the poster child for why not every brand needs advertising. With word-of-mouth alone they became one of the most valuable companies in the world. So why is Tesla now shifting gears into advertising?

CEO Elon Musk publicly claimed to hate advertising, preferring to invest in research and development. But in a recent shareholder meeting, he changed his tune, suggesting advertising as a solution to the company’s recent growth challenges. This week, Elena, Rob and Angela dig into Tesla’s decision, how growing competition is changing the playing field for the company, and why all brands eventually need advertising to grow and reach new audiences.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] Why Tesla is launching advertising for the first time
• [05:30] How advertising affects pricing power
• [12:30] The importance of investing in product quality
• [14:00] Advertising provides greater reach than word-of-mouth marketing
• [16:30] Great advertising isn’t a solution for a bad product
• [18:00] Reviewing Tesla’s first advertisement

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.






Resources:
2022 Statista Chart
2023 Reuters Article
2023 MarketingWeek Article
2023 BusinessInsider Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The “dark funnel” gained attention when marketers realized prospects were beginning the customer journey sooner than they’d thought. And they weren’t measuring it.

The earliest stages of the buyer journey happen before marketers can identify prospects engagement or without those consumers providing any personal information. These dark funnel touchpoints take place through off-site channels like word of mouth, organic social, reviews, third-party communities, and even podcasts. In this episode, Elena, Rob, and Angela are joined by Director of Analytics Jordan Rossler to talk about the challenges (and benefits) of the dark funnel plus how to set your marketing campaigns up for measurement success.

Topics covered:

• [02:30] What is the dark funnel in marketing?
• [07:00] How are privacy changes impacting measurement?
• [09:00] Using multiple models to shed light on the dark funnel
• [13:00] How to use a “How did you hear about us?” survey
• [15:30] Where should marketers start with testing a channel’s effectiveness?
• [17:00] How to approach test design with intentionality
• [20:00] Using creative pretesting to set marketing tests up for success

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.






Resources:
MarketingProfs Article

2021 6sense Blog
2022 LinkedIn Post

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The top 100 B2B brands across the globe are worth a staggering $2 trillion collectively. But they have $1 trillion in untapped brand potential. Talk about missed opportunity, right?

Historically, B2B marketing has been highly rational, focused on features and benefits. But this has come at the price of undervaluing brand-building and awareness. Now, that’s starting to change. In this episode, Angela, Rob and Elena discuss B2B’s emerging focus on brand-building, creativity and reach. Because the truth is that many B2C marketing strategies have just as much relevance for B2B. After all, even as a B2B company, you’re still selling to people.

Topics covered:

• [01:30] Summarizing the study "B2B companies are lagging behind...” from Brand Finance
• [04:30] B2B buying decisions are still made by people
• [08:00] What are the differences between B2C and B2B?
• [13:00] Using characters in B2B creative
• [18:30] Using TV advertising for B2B growth
• [23:30] Telling the same story to all buying decision-makers

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.






Resources:
2023 MarketingWeek Article
2021 The B2B Institute Report
2019 Gartner Report

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Reaching large audiences is powerful. But they still need to be the right large audiences. Because even the biggest brands can't afford to skip targeting. Even on mass-reach marketing channels like TV, radio and print.

In this episode, Elena, Angela and Rob are joined by VP of Strategy Dan Cleveland to discuss the MarketingWeek article “Even sophisticated mass marketers need targeting.” The team explores the marketing industry’s shift toward mass marketing, but homes in on the need to use mass marketing strategically to drive meaningful results. Like how mass marketing does not equal marketing to everyone you possibly can. (And how mass media can be used for performance marketing, too).

Topics covered:

• [02:25] Recapping Mark Ritson’s article “Even sophisticated mass marketers need targeting”
• [05:45] Using mass media for strategic growth beyond digital
• [10:00] How to better define and understand your target audience
• [17:00] Using response to guide targeting for brick-and-mortar businesses
• [20:00] Using incremental reach to drive performance
• [23:00] What does good budget stewardship look like?

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast.






Resources:
2023 MarketingWeek Article

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.