The Practicalities of Combining Brand and Sales

Performance marketing has crowded out brand building. One executive even admitted, "We're great at performance marketing, but our brand sucks." Nike learned this the hard way when they pivoted too hard toward performance and lost what made them famous.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle marketing's most persistent divide: brand versus performance. They explore why organizations still separate these teams despite evidence they work better together, how TV bridges both goals, and practical ways to measure success across the funnel. Plus, hear why emotional storytelling doesn't mean sacrificing sales activation.Topics covered: [01:00] Why performance marketing has taken over budgets[03:00] The problem with prioritizing what's easy to measure[11:00] Developing creative that drives both brand and sales[14:00] Why TV belongs in both the brand and performance buckets[17:00] Measuring TV's impact across short-term and long-term goals[20:00] How AI is transforming TV into a flexible, digital-like channel  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2023 Harvard Business Review Article: https://hbr.org/2023/05/how-brand-building-and-performance-marketing-can-work-together2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/mark-ritson-takes-on-the-brand-performance-debate/en-gb/6874 2025 Marketing Architects and WARC report: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/FullFunnelGet 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 underdog brand stories resonate with consumers and drive purchase intent. They reveal how combining disadvantage with determination creates powerful brand connection, especially when purchases feel personal. Topics covered:   [01:00] "The Underdog Effect: The Marketing of Disadvantage and Determination through Brand Biography"[02:00] What makes an underdog brand biography work[03:00] Four studies testing underdog brand performance[05:00] Cultural differences in underdog appeal[06:00] Why identity matters in underdog branding[08:00] When underdog stories don't work as well To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter  Resources: Paharia, N., Keinan, A., Avery, J., & Schor, J. B. (2011). The underdog effect: The marketing of disadvantage and determination through brand biography. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(5), 775–790. https://doi.org/10.1086/656219  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Over the next few years, the US is hosting global sporting events unlike anything we've seen before. The FIFA World Cup, LA Olympics, and ongoing NFL season create massive opportunities for brands to connect with audiences.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob break down live sports advertising strategy. Learn why sports should be the seasoning, not the meal, and how to balance premium pricing with reach efficiency across today's fragmented media landscape.Topics covered: [02:00] How sports buying has changed since 2000 [08:00] Using sports as a surgical reach engine [10:00] Why co-viewing makes sports valuable but risky [14:00] TV spots versus sponsorships and activations [22:00] Risks of over-concentrating in sports [24:00] Planning for long-term sports effectiveness  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2024 AdvertisingWeek Article: https://advertisingweek.com/americas-golden-era-of-live-sports-why-brands-need-to-think-bigger-and-smarter/ 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 Mixture of Experts model uses AI to uncover four distinct consumer segments that traditional econometric models miss entirely. They reveal why assuming all consumers behave the same way leads to missed opportunities and how dynamic segmentation can transform marketing strategy.Topics covered:   [01:00] "How Do Consumers Really Choose? Exposing Hidden Preferences With the Mixture of Experts Model"[03:00] Four hidden consumer segments uncovered by AI[05:00] Why traditional models oversimplify consumer behavior[06:00] The power of discount thresholds in promotion-driven buying[07:00] How AI creates flexible, realistic customer pictures[08:00] Why consumers are more like a zoo than a herd of cows  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Vallarino, D. (2025). How Do Consumers Really Choose? Exposing Hidden Preferences with the Mixture of Experts Model. arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.05800.   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 poultry is the third most popular pet in America, behind dogs and cats? It's surprising stats like this that reflect the rural lifestyle trends driving growth at Tractor Supply Company.This week, Elena and Rob talk with Kimberley Gardiner, CMO of Tractor Supply. Learn how she measures marketing impact through business outcomes, builds teams grounded in humility, and why she rejects the brand versus performance marketing debate. Plus, hear the undeniable impact of connecting directly with customers.Topics covered: [04:00] Transitioning from automotive to Tractor Supply marketing[10:00] Using marketing strategically as a business driver, not cost center[15:00] Investing marketing dollars for measurable returns[18:00] Customer metrics that matter: traffic, transactions, basket size[22:00] Why brand marketing versus performance marketing is a false choice[26:00] What Kimberley learned about rodeo after joining Tractor Supply  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/marketers-improvement-financial-fluency/Kimberley Gardiner’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberley-sweet-gardiner/ 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 challenge the common myth that 80-95% of new products fail. They reveal that while failure rates are significant, they're about half as bad as widely believed, with context and resources playing crucial roles in determining success.Topics covered:   [01:00] "How Common is New Product Failure and When Does It Vary?"[02:00] One in four fail within the first year, 40% by year two[03:00] Why big, competitive categories have higher failure rates[04:00] Growing categories surprisingly show more failures than stable ones[05:00] Brand size and trajectory impact new product survival[07:00] Why retail creates natural barriers that improve odds  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Victory, K., Nenycz-Thiel, M., Dawes, J. et al. How common is new product failure and when does it vary?. Mark Lett 32, 17–32 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-021-09555-x   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

A German professor compiled a list of 55 questionable Cannes award entries. And he’s far from the only one. Yet the industry keeps creating marketing to win awards over actual performance.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Nick Asbury, creative writer and author of The Road to Hell: How Purposeful Business Leads to Bad Marketing and a Worse World. Nick challenges brand purpose, arguing it produces formulaic campaigns while the research supporting it is fundamentally flawed. Topics covered: [04:00] How the 2008 financial crash sparked the purpose movement[12:00] The real story behind Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign data[18:00] Why for-profit companies lack social license to lead causes[21:00] Nick's crowdsourced fact-checking of Cannes award entries[26:00] Debunking the Gen Z purpose myth after the 2024 election[29:00] What respectful marketing looks like without purpose  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/Nick Asbury’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-asbury/?originalSubdomain=uk Nick's Substack: https://nickasbury.substack.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 why cringeworthy ads spread faster than good ones. They reveal how vicarious embarrassment drives word-of-mouth and why brands might benefit from being talked about badly rather than not at all.Topics covered:   [01:00] "That's So Cringe-Worthy: Understanding What Cringe Is and Why We Want to Share It"[03:00] The difference between empathetic embarrassment and cringe[04:00] Why Pepsi's Kendall Jenner ad generated more discussion than polished Super Bowl spots[05:00] How social comparison drives cringe sharing[06:00] Brand loyalty as a shield against cringe backlash[07:00] Recovery strategies for cringeworthy moments To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Escoe, Brianna & Martin, Nathanael & Salerno, Anthony. (2025). That's So Cringeworthy! Understanding What Cringe Is and Why We Want to Share It. Journal of Marketing Research. 62. 10.1177/00222437241305104.   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Big brands don't narrow cast. They want to be known everywhere their category can be part of your life. And there's a reason for that strategic choice.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by research professor Jenni Romaniuk from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. Jenni breaks down why consistent distinctive assets matter more than aesthetics, how mental availability drives brand growth, and why targeting light buyers is critical for long-term success. Plus, learn why differentiation might not be as important as you think for building a successful brand.Topics covered: [04:00] Origin of distinctive assets research and why good branding matters[12:00] When brands should change or evolve their distinctive assets[19:00] What category entry points are and why they drive mental availability[23:00] How to prioritize category entry points for maximum impact[28:00] Why light buyers are essential for risk mitigation and growth[33:00] Why differentiation might not be necessary for brand success  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2022 Contagious Article: https://www.contagious.com/iq/article/jenni-romaniuk-on-distinctive-assetsJenni Romaniuk’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenni-romaniuk-2746884/?originalSubdomain=au 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 discover that authenticity in advertising isn't what most marketers think it is. They explore four distinct dimensions of authenticity and reveal why the most "real" ads don't always drive the best results.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Does it Pay to Be Real: Understanding Authenticity and TV Advertising"[02:00] The four dimensions of authenticity in advertising[03:00] Why brand essence beats heritage and realism[05:00] When unrealistic ads outperform everyday scenarios[07:00] How product type and brand size affect authenticity strategy[08:00] Why user-generated content isn't always the answer  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Becker, Maren, Nico Wiegand, and Werner Reinartz. “Does It Pay to Be Real? Understanding Authenticity in TV Advertising.” Journal of Marketing Research. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022242918815880 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.