The Marketing Architects

This week, we're sharing one of our top episodes from the archive. Enjoy, and we'll be back wiht new content next week!Only half of marketers believe they understand marketing effectiveness principles according to WARC. Even worse, many US marketers lag their global peers in applying these proven frameworks for growth. Elena, Angela, and Rob break down the most important marketing effectiveness principles every marketer should know. They examine why these principles work, how to apply them to your brand, and what happens when marketers ignore them. Plus, learn why broad reach and brand building still matter, even in today's digital-first world.Topics covered:•    [01:00] How one healthcare CMO used marketing effectiveness to secure record budgets•    [04:00] Why broad reach matters more than narrow targeting•    [07:00] The science behind distinctive brand assets•    [10:00] Why light buyers drive more growth than loyal customers•    [14:00] The truth about the 60/40 brand building rule•    [19:00] How excess share of voice predicts market share growth•    [22:00] Mental and physical availability's impact on salesTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.Resources:2023 MI3 Article: https://www.mi-3.com.au/17-04-2023/how-ex-pg-us-marketer-ditched-cohorts-personas-and-restrictive-segmentation-blended-0Get 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 AI shopping agents make purchase decisions and what the results mean for brands that aren't optimized to be found, chosen, or endorsed by an AI. Topics covered: [01:45] "What Is Your AI Agent Buying? Evaluation, Biases, Model Dependence, and Emerging Implications for Agentic E-Commerce"[05:30] AI agents pile onto winner products and ignore everyone else[07:00] Which AI model does the shopping changes everything[08:00] How models respond differently to product position on the page[09:00] Why "Overall Pick" badges dramatically boost selection rates[09:45] How rewriting a product title drove market share from 0% to 41% To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast Resources: Allouah, A., Besbes, O., Figueroa, J. D., Kanoria, Y., & Kumar, A. (2025). What is your AI agent buying? Evaluation, biases, model dependence, & emerging implications for agentic E-commerce. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2508.02630  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Over half of marketers are targeting sub-segments rather than all potential buyers. And 62% aren't even targeting people over 45, a group that accounts for 50% of consumer spending.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle one of the most debated questions in marketing: how do you actually reach the right people on mass channels like TV? They dig into why narrow targeting can quietly shrink your business, how creative can do more of the targeting work than your media buy, and what it really looks like to transition from performance digital to TV. Topics covered:•    [01:00] Les Binet and Will Davis research on budget vs. ROI•    [03:00] Why narrow targeting creates a "death spiral"•    [06:00] Why TV's business impact has increased as media fragmented•    [08:00] How creative can target more effectively than media selection•    [10:00] How a linear TV buy actually works•    [14:00] Brand building vs. activation•    [17:00] How to transition from performance digital to TVTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.Resources:2025 IPA Article: https://ipa.co.uk/news/go-big-or-go-homeGet 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 dig into how branding strategy shapes consumer buying behavior and why the strategy you choose matters less than how consistently you execute it. Topics covered:[01:20] "Impact of Branding Strategy on Consumer Buying Behavior"[02:50] Why branding does the heavy lifting for fast-moving consumer goods[03:15] Four branding strategies: corporate, multi-brand, sub-brand and mono[05:20] When a house of brands beats a branded house[07:00] Commitment over perfection: why execution determines brand powerTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast Resources: Singh, Balgopal (2013), “Impact of Branding Strategy on Consumer Buying Behavior.”Research Journal of Arts, Management & Social Sciences, March 2013 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

94% of pricing power comes from how meaningfully different a brand is perceived to be. So why are so many marketers playing it safe?This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob ditch the safe answers and eat progressively spicier hot wings while doing it. Inspired by the format of Hot Ones, each round brings hotter wings and bolder takes on the marketing strategies most people are afraid to question. From the real cost of over-targeting to why your first-party data obsession may be holding you back, these are the opinions your marketing team needs to hear, even if they sting a little.Topics covered:[01:00] Research on why playing it safe is the riskiest bet in marketing[04:00] Low CPMs on TV aren't a red flag[06:00] Retargeting is overrated and doesn't grow your business[08:00] Most marketers are over-targeting and overpaying for the illusion of precision[14:00] Digital attribution set marketers back a decade[19:00] First-party data obsession is preventing real growth[22:00] Brands should stop producing TV spots like it's 2006To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources:2025 Ad Age Article: https://adage.com/article/opinion/why-playing-it-safe-riskiest-bet-marketing/2603646/2025 WARC and Kantar Report: https://www.warc.com/SubscriberContent/article/warc-exclusive/playing-it-safe-is-not-safe-how-the-most-successful-brands-stand-out/en-gb/147826Get 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 happens when a brand disappears, and which competitors stand to gain the most when a brand gets permanently pulled from the market. Topics covered:[01:45] "Filling the Void: How Competing Brands Can Capitalize on a Brand Deletion"[02:20] Why brands get deleted and how often it happens[04:00] Who actually benefits when a brand disappears?[05:30] The highest-return move competitors can make[07:10] When raising prices backfires[08:20] What manufacturers should stress-test before deleting a brandTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast Resources: Keller, Kristopher O., and Harald J. van Heerde (2026), "Filling the Void: How Competing Brands Can Capitalize on a Brand Deletion." Working paper, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of New South Wales. Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Trust isn't just a feel-good metric. According to an IPA Effectiveness Data Bank analysis of over 800 campaigns, 93% of campaigns that drive very large trust gains also deliver at least one major business effect. This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Catrina McAuliffe, SVP of Brand Strategy at Marketing Architects, to dig into what brand trust really means, how to measure it without turning your brand tracker into a "vibes recital," and what marketers get wrong when they try to advertise their way out of a trust deficit. Topics covered:[01:45] IPA data: trust-building campaigns and business impact[03:00] What a genuinely good brand measurement system looks like[06:00] Why brand health trackers become "vibes recitals"[09:00] How to measure trust in two layers — what people say and what they'll forgive[13:00] How newer brands vs. comeback brands should approach trust differently[18:00] TV as a trust legitimizer and amplifier[21:00] Can you advertise your way to trust?To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: 2024 MarketingWeek ArticleGet 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 ads appearing next to offensive or harmful content can quietly erode consumer trust, and what marketers should do when it happens.Topics covered:[00:45] "Brands in Unsafe Places: Effects of Brand Safety Incidents on Brand Outcomes"[02:00] What counts as a brand safety incident?[04:00] How quickly does brand damage spread?[05:00] Which brands are most at risk?[06:00] Unsafe content versus negative content: there's a difference[07:00] How to respond when an incident occursTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcastResources: Grewal, L. S., Vana, P., & Stephen, A. T. (2025). Brands in unsafe places: Effects of brand safety incidents on brand outcomes. JMR, Journal of Marketing Research, 62(6), 981–1002. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437251349522Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Personalized ads outperform generic ones. But the effect is smaller than most marketers expect, and the hidden costs can quietly undercut your brand.This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob dig into a meta-analysis of 53 studies on ad personalization and what the research actually says about when it works. They're joined by Chief Analytics Officer Matt Hultgren and Director of AI Audio Josh Wilson to discuss the real tradeoffs of personalization and why a new tool called the Mass Customizer could change what's possible for TV advertisers.Topics covered:[01:00] What the meta-analysis reveals about personalization's modest impact[03:00] The reach trap and why narrowing audiences shrinks mental availability[06:00] Why marketers overestimate audience differences[09:00] How to test personalization cleanly using geography and control groups[14:00] Traditional roadblocks in TV production when scaling creative versions[18:00] How the Mass Customizer uses AI to swap voiceover and graphics at scale[21:00] Why CTV breaks the false choice between mass reach and customization  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Yeo, T. E. D., Chu, T. H., & Li, Q. (2025). How Persuasive Is Personalized Advertising? A Meta-Analytic Review of Experimental Evidence of the Effects of Personalization on Ad Effectiveness. Journal of Advertising Research, 65(4), 616–631. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218499.2025.2467763Get 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 when brands should evolve their messaging versus refreshing their creative execution, and why the right answer depends entirely on how old your brand is.Topics covered: [01:00] "Should You Change Your Ad Messaging or Execution? It Depends On Brand Age[02:00] Message versus execution: what's the difference?[04:00] Why younger brands benefit from changing their message[05:00] Why mature brands should protect their core positioning[06:00] The formula for older brands: keep the promise, change the packagingTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcastResources: Pauwels, K., Sud, B., Fisher, R., & Antia, K. (2022). Should you change your ad messaging or execution? It depends on brand age. Applied Marketing Analytics, 8(1), 43–54.Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Many brands treat Connected TV like another form of digital advertising. That's a mistake.This week, we’re sharing a bonus episode with a special presentation from Shoptalk. Catherine Walstad, Chief Media Officer at Marketing Architects, breaks down the most common CTV myths and explains what smarter TV buying actually looks like. From frequency management to targeting accuracy to ad fraud, Catherine covers the traps brands fall into and the strategies that get results.Topics covered: [01:00] Why CTV is not just another digital channel [03:00] How frequency becomes waste faster than you think [04:00] Why premium inventory doesn’t guarantee better performance [05:00] Ad fraud, poor supply, and wasted CTV impressions [06:00] The limitations of IP-based targeting [07:00] Why CTV measurement produces conflicting answers To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.   Resources: Watch: TV Like Digital and Other CTV Myths Catherine’s LinkedIn  

Marketers are being told to stop buying media on CPM. But is that actually good advice?This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Chief Media Officer Catherine Walstad and Chief Analytics Officer Matt Hultgren to dig into one of advertising's most debated metrics. Together, they break down why CPM still matters, where the low-CPM-equals-bad-media logic breaks down, and what actually signals media quality.Topics covered:[01:30] Research on the true cost of dull media[06:00] Why TV outperforms digital on cost per attentive second[07:00] Should marketers stop buying on CPM?[11:00] Where low CPM signals bad inventory, and where it doesn't[16:00] How to identify high-quality media[21:00] Why CPM is king at Marketing Architects[25:00] How to design a test to challenge your CPM assumptions To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.Resources: Think TV/Eat Big Fish/Amplified Report: https://thinktv.ca/research/the-eye-watering-cost-of-dull-media/Elliot Wright Article: https://mediacat.uk/whats-holding-tv-back-culture-not-effectiveness/Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Nerd Alert: What 100 Studies Taught Us About Marketing 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 synthesize findings from 100 Nerd Alert episodes to surface the principles that consistently show up across the research and what they mean for how marketers should think about creative, reach, promotions and measurement. Topics covered: [00:55] “What 100 Studies Taught Us About Marketing”[02:00] Marketing works through memory[03:00] Why creative is a strategic multiplier, not a subjective choice[04:30] Brand growth comes from reach, not loyalty[05:30] Promotions create spikes, not growth[06:00] Why measurement often misleads strategy  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. 

This week, we're resharing a top episode from the archive. Originally recorded a year ago, this episode on the 95/5 rule remains one of our most popular. Enjoy, and we'll be back with new content next week! This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore the 95/5 rule introduced by professor John Dawes in 2021. They discuss how this principle contradicts the familiar 80/20 rule, why it applies beyond B2B categories, and how brands can shift from "hunter" to "farmer" mindsets. The team also covers creative strategies for reaching the 95% who aren't ready to buy yet and why mental availability matters more than immediate conversion. Topics covered: [01:00] Origins of the 95/5 rule and how it contradicts 80/20 thinking [04:00] Why the rule makes sense for B2B but challenges B2C assumptions [07:00] How modern marketing overemphasizes tracking immediate conversions [09:00] Calculating the 95/5 rule for your specific category [12:00] Creative strategies that build memory structures for future buyers [14:00] Shifting from hunter to farmer mentality in advertising strategy [17:00] Brand versus performance marketing balance under this rule To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: The 95:5 Rule: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/955-rule-john-dawes/Why You Should Follow The 95-5 Rule: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-you-should-follow-95-5-rule-tyrona-heath/ Calculate your in-market audience: mymarketcalculator.comGet 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 celebrate 100 episodes by flipping the script. Rob takes the lead to break down How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp, exploring why penetration beats loyalty, why light buyers matter more than most marketers think, and how distinctiveness drives brand growth. Topics covered:   [01:20] "How Brands Grow" by Byron Sharp[02:45] The Law of Double Jeopardy[06:15] Why light buyers drive growth[08:00] Mental and physical availability[10:00] Differentiation vs. distinctiveness[12:15] Four takeaways marketers can apply today  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Sharp, B. (2010). How brands grow: What marketers don’t know. Oxford University Press.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Most brands pile spend into peak weeks. But higher CPMs, more clutter and faster saturation mean you're often paying more to reach the same people. Many of whom would have bought anyway.This episode, Elena, Angela, and VP of Media Analytics Jordan Rosler dig into media flighting: why it became the default, where the strategy breaks down, and what the data says about marginal ROI. They also tackle why shoulder weeks often outperform peak ones, when always-on advertising makes more sense, and how upfronts can quietly undermine the efficiency they promise.Topics covered:•    [01:00] Why media flighting became standard marketing practice.•    [04:00] The difference between blended and marginal ROI explained.•    [07:30] What happens to TV performance when spend spikes in a short window.•    [11:00] When always-on advertising beats a flighting strategy.•    [14:00] How upfronts add rigidity to media planning.•    [16:00] When flighting does make sense for your brand.•    [17:30] How to build a 2026 media plan that's both impactful and measurable.To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.Resources:2026 Digiday Article: https://digiday.com/sponsored/how-a-precise-timing-structure-drives-material-differences-in-marketing-efficiency/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 widely held belief that small brands survive on loyal, niche audiences. They reveal why reach, not loyalty, is the real driver of growth for tiny brands.Topics covered:   [01:20] "Tiny Brands, Big Challenges: The Limits of Loyalty and the Role of Penetration in Driving Growth"[02:10] What counts as a tiny brand?[04:20] Do tiny brands actually have more loyal customers?[06:10] What growing tiny brands have in common[07:20] Why loyalty follows growth, not the other way around[08:00] Why tiny brands need to compete for the whole category To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Barker-Trowse, A., Dunn, S., Graham, C., Sharp, B., & Corsi, A. M. (2026). Tiny brands, big challenges: The limits of loyalty and the role of penetration in driving growth. Journal of Business Research, 204, 115864. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115864  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Only 2.6% of board directors have marketing experience. So how is marketing really being evaluated at the top? And what can marketers do about it?This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Marketing Architects CFO Brent Longwall to break down how finance actually evaluates marketing investments. They cover the root causes of tension between marketing and finance, what makes a marketing pitch credible to a CFO, and how to build a shared language across both functions. If you've ever struggled to justify a brand investment or earn trust with your finance team, this one's for you.Topics covered: [01:45] Marketing's shrinking influence in the boardroom[03:30] The core tension between marketing and finance time horizons[07:00] The three numbers your CFO checks every month[15:00] What makes a marketing investment credible vs. suspicious[23:00] How marketers can speak the CFO's language[25:00] What marketers should stop (and start) saying to finance  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Whitler, Kimberly & Krause, Ryan & Lehmann, Donald. (2018). When and How Board Members with Marketing Experience Facilitate Firm Growth. 10.1509/jm.17.0195?code=amma-site.  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 happens when people feel bombarded by ads on social media and why the real threat to engagement isn't a bad ad. It's platform fatigue.Topics covered:   [01:05] "The Impact of Ad Overload Perception and Social Media on Ad Avoidance Behavior"[02:10] The two theories behind why ads push people away[03:45] How researchers measured ad clutter, fatigue and avoidance[05:55] Why fatigue, not the ad itself, drives avoidance[06:45] Three key takeaways for marketers[08:00] Why TV advertising sidesteps the ad overload problem  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Essa Tayeb, M., Chebbi, T., Badawi, A., Ali Toumi, J., & Louail, B. (2024). The impact of ad overloads perception in social media on ad avoidance behavior: The mediating effect of social media fatigue and goal impediment. Management, 28(2). https://doi.org/10.58691/man/197329   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Tiny brands don't grow through loyalty. They grow through penetration. A study of 400+ brands found that growing brands increased penetration by 135%, compared to just 26% growth from purchase frequency. So where should marketers invest first?This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob introduce the MOO, a seven-step Marketing Order of Operations that gives marketers a clear priority sequence for building effectiveness, from defining the competitive playing field to communicating results internally. The team also covers why even small brands can't afford to ignore marketing effectiveness principles and how to balance short-term performance with long-term brand building.Topics covered: [01:00] Research on tiny brands debunks the loyalty-first growth myth[05:00] Step 1: Define your competitive playing field and category buyers[07:30] Step 2: Build distinctive brand assets that make your brand recognizable[12:30] Step 4: Choose channels for both short- and long-term growth[15:00] Step 5: Build a measurement system that matches your objectives[19:30] Step 7: Communicate results in the language of the business  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2026 Money Guy Article: https://moneyguy.com/guide/foo/Alicia Barker-Trowse, Steven Dunn, Charles Graham, Byron Sharp, Armando Maria Corsi, Tiny brands, big challenges: The limits of loyalty and the role of penetration in driving growth, Journal of Business Research, Volume 204, 2026, 115864, ISSN 0148-2963, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115864.   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 sustainability advertising is so hard to get right and what brands can do to close the gap between what consumers say they value and what they actually buy.Topics covered:   [00:55] "Sustainability Advertising: A Literature Review and Framework for Future Research"[01:50] The gap between sustainable intent and action[04:00] The three levers of sustainability advertising: ad context, source characteristics, and message design[05:30] Why consumers don't trust sustainability claims and when third-party cues help[06:15] The sustainability liability: when "eco-friendly" hurts perceived performance[07:40] What brands can do to make sustainability messaging actually work  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Rathee, S., & Milfeld, T. (2023). Sustainability advertising: Literature review and framework for future research. International Journal of Advertising. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2023.2175300 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

7 in 10 people globally say they're hesitant to trust someone different from them, according to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer. Trust is getting more personal. So where does that leave brands? This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what it really means to build a brand in a world where trust is earned through experience, not messaging. They dig into why the gap between marketing promises and reality is so damaging, how to bridge online and in-person brand moments, and what channels like TV do for brand trust that others simply can't. Plus, hear real-world examples of brands that get it right, from Snickers to Disney to Jeep. Topics covered: [01:00] 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer findings on consumer trust[03:00] How much control marketers actually have over brand perception[06:00] Where marketing promises most often break down[08:30] Why marketers over-index on comms and under-index on product experience[11:00] The moment where brand actually happens[14:00] How TV builds familiarity that carries into other channels[17:00] Real examples of brands bridging TV and in-person experience To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer Report: https://www.edelman.com/trust/2026/trust-barometer 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 narrative ads work even when they say little about the product. The answer lies in image fluency. How easily a story can be pictured shapes how much people like the ad and the brand behind it.Topics covered:  [01:05] "Image Fluency and Narrative Advertising Effects"[01:55] The four steps of ad processing[03:00] How matching visuals change brand attitudes[03:55] Familiar vs. unfamiliar story scenarios[04:35] How to make your ads easier to imagine[05:00] Why clarity matters more than originality  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Chang, C. (2013). Imagery fluency and narrative advertising effects. Journal of Advertising, 42(1), 54–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2012.749087  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Marketers love the idea that premium media makes brands premium. But the research is surprisingly mixed. High involvement content can change how ads land, sometimes helping attitudes, sometimes hurting recall.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle the debate between premium media and efficient reach. They review mixed research on media context effects, break down the extreme cost differences between premium and standard TV placements, and share when high-profile media genuinely outperforms. Discover why sacrificing reach for prestige might hurt more than help.Topics covered: [02:00] Super Bowl advertising performance data[04:00] The history of premium media and costly signaling[09:00] Cost differences between premium and standard TV placements[14:00] When premium media actually performs better[18:00] Creative requirements for premium placements[26:00] Playing "Worth the Premium" game with real scenarios To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Norris, Claire E.; Colman, Andrew M.; Aleixo, Paulo A. (2003). Selective Exposure to Television Programmes and Advertising Effectiveness. University of Leicester. Journal contribution. https://hdl.handle.net/2381/3983  Hartmann, W. R., & Klapper, D. (2016). Super Bowl Ads (Working Paper No. 2139). Stanford Graduate School of Business. https://web.stanford.edu/~wesleyr/SuperBowl.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 explore how privacy first advertising changes digital marketing. They reveal that when individual tracking disappears, platforms must rely on user groups instead. This shifts advertising toward probabilistic targeting, like how TV has always worked. Topics covered: [01:00] "Reach, Measurement, Optimization and Frequency Capping and Targeted Online Advertising Under K Anonymity"[01:45] Privacy forces less tracking, more thinking[02:50] How K Anonymity groups users by shared traits[04:35] Simulating the trade-off between privacy and performance[06:00] Privacy pushes reach-first thinking  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: Gao, Y., & Qiao, M. (2025). Reach measurement, optimization and frequency capping in targeted online advertising under k-anonymity. arXiv preprint arXiv:2501.04882. Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

A single 30-second Super Bowl spot now costs $8 million. Factor in production, celebrities, and amplification, and total campaign costs land between $15 and $50 million. So, are the ads actually worth it?Elena, Angela, and Rob break down this year's Super Bowl commercials through a marketing effectiveness lens. They discuss which brands nailed distinctive assets versus those that let celebrity overshadow strategy, why consistency beats spectacle, and what separates memorable ads from forgettable ones. Topics covered: [02:00] Classic TV commercial effectiveness errors in Super Bowl ads[06:00] Which brands executed distinctive brand assets well[11:00] The Pepsi polar bear debate and brand linkage[20:00] Patterns across effective ads: product as hero and consistency[28:00] Quiet winners that did real work for brands[32:00] Key takeaways for brands not advertising in the Super Bowl To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2026 Adwave Article: https://adwave.com/resources/super-bowl-commercial-cost2026 Billboard Article: https://www.billboard.com/lists/super-bowl-2026-time-performers-commercials-everything-to-know/ 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 makes ads memorable over time, not just minutes after viewing. They reveal how emotion, brand relevance, and AI are reshaping how marketers should think about ad recall and creative testing. Topics covered: [01:00] "Long-Term Ad Memorability: Understanding and Generating Memorable Ads"[02:00] Why short-term recall is a poor proxy for advertising effectiveness[04:00] Emotion as the strongest driver of long-term memory[05:00] How brand relevance affects ad memorability[06:00] AI model Henry predicts and generates more memorable ads[07:00] Practical takeaways for marketers on creative testing  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Khosla, A., Ranjan, A., Torralba, A., Oliva, A., & colleagues. (2024). Long-term ad memorability: Understanding and generating memorable ads. Adobe Research and collaborating universities. Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Streaming now accounts for 47% of all TV viewing. Five of the top 10 most-streamed days ever happened in November 2025 alone. But TV isn't disappearing. It's just fragmented. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by VP of Media Partnerships Nikki Erkkila to discuss the state of modern TV advertising. Together, they break down the biggest misconceptions about streaming versus linear TV, why hyper-targeting can actually limit growth, and how marketers should approach buying Connected TV without losing the power of broad reach. Topics covered: [04:00] How fragmented is the TV landscape really?[10:00] Why CTV feels familiar to digital marketers[16:00] The biggest mistake marketers make with CTV[21:00] Should you buy linear or streaming? (Hint: It's not either/or)[23:00] When is targeting worth the cost?[29:00] How creative strategies can differ in streaming versus linear To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 Nielson Report: https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/nielsens-the-gauge-broadcast-and-streaming-power-historic-month/2026 Awful Announcing Article: https://awfulannouncing.com/streaming/strange-state-sports-fast-tv-tubi.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 emotions, even ones unrelated to purchasing decisions, shape what people are willing to spend. They reveal that disgust suppresses value across the board, while sadness increases openness to new products by motivating a desire for change. Topics covered:   [01:00] "Heart Strings and Purse Strings: Carryover Effects of Emotions on Economic Decisions"[02:00] How disgust, sadness, and neutrality shift buying behavior[03:00] The endowment effect and emotional influence[05:00] Why specificity matters more than positive or negative[06:00] Disgust in advertising: effective or repellent?[08:00] Can annoyance drive brand recall?  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Lerner, J. S., Small, D. A., & Loewenstein, G. (2004). Heart strings and purse strings: Carryover effects of emotions on economic decisions. Psychological Science, 15(5), 337–341.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

44% of marketers say media fragmentation is one of their biggest concerns. But is it really threatening effectiveness—or just exposing weak planning?This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle the fragmentation debate head-on. They explore why reach hasn't disappeared, how creative consistency beats endless platform optimization, and why the smartest response to complexity is simplicity. Plus, hear why doubling down on what works might be better than chasing every new channel.Topics covered: [01:00] Why 44% of marketers worry about media fragmentation[05:00] Mass reach moments and the obsession with live sports[09:00] Creative consistency across channels: IKEA as a model[12:00] Why narrowing targeting actually shrinks growth potential[15:00] Planning fundamentals that prevent fragmentation chaos[18:00] The importance of reinforcement over reinvention To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/warc-talks/staying-effective-in-a-lots-of-little-media-market/en-GB/159439? 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 84% of purchases are decided before shoppers even start looking... and why that changes everything about how you should invest in marketing.Topics covered: [01:00] "How Humans Decide: What Drives Consumer Choice and How Brands Should Respond"[02:00] The two stages of every purchase decision[04:00] Why 84% of purchases are already decided[06:00] Who's easy to influence (and who isn't)[07:00] The touchpoints that actually change behavior[08:00] Three moves to reach primed buyers  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: WPP Media & Oxford Saïd Business School, Marketing Faculty. (2025). How Humans Decide: What drives consumer choice, and how brands should respond. October 2025.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

When brands try to stand out through purpose or activism, they often stumble into controversy. So what's driving these missteps? And how should brands respond when backlash strikes? This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Professor Tyler Milfeld from Villanova School of Business to discuss the hidden risks of brand activism and repositioning. Tyler unpacks why high-profile rebrands fail, when purpose messaging actually works, and how brands should respond when they face backlash. Plus, learn why doing nothing might be better than apologizing. Topics covered: [04:00] Why most repositioning efforts fail[09:00] The credibility gap in brand purpose[12:00] When pro-social brands don't benefit from purpose ads[18:00] How brand power changes the rules for activism[21:00] The worst response to brand activism backlash[29:00] Why great insights matter more than shiny objects[32:00] Marketing communication needs more fun To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 MediaPost Article:https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/411321/what-drives-brand-repositioning-and-why-do-these.htmlVillanova University Page: https://www1.villanova.edu/university/business/faculty-and-research/faculty-by-department/[email protected]&xsl=bio_longTyler Milfeld’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-milfeld/ 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 examine why treating statistical significance as proof can mislead marketers. They reveal how relying on a single P-value creates blind spots and why smart decisions require looking at the full picture of evidence.Topics covered: [01:00] "Statistical Significance and Statistical Reporting, Moving Beyond Binary"[02:00] What statistical significance actually means[04:00] When significant results don't matter for business[05:00] Building a toolkit approach beyond P-values[06:00] Practical importance versus statistical significance[08:00] Avoiding single-test tunnel vision  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: McShane, B. B., Bradlow, E. T., Lynch, J. G., Jr., & Meyer, R. J. (2024). “Statistical Significance” and statistical reporting: Moving beyond binary. Journal of Marketing, 88(1), 1–20.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Only 21% of creatively awarded campaigns actually drive business results. But when ideas reach the very top of creative excellence, effectiveness doubles to 44%. So what separates the winners from the rest?This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Chief Creative Officer Steve Babcock to discuss what makes creative truly effective in 2026. They explore why most award-winning work fails to drive growth, the danger of over-personalization, and why fewer ideas executed longer beats constant reinvention. Plus, hear Steve's contrarian take on creative awards, the role of AI in advertising, and why durability matters more than novelty.Topics covered: [01:00] Why only 21% of award-winning creative is effective[09:00] Durability beats novelty in creative effectiveness[15:00] Over-personalization is hurting creative campaigns[21:00] Balancing emotional and rational messaging[24:00] AI's role in creative work and the "human leap"[32:00] Steve's advice: commit to fewer ideas for longer  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  2025 WARC Article: https://ethicalmarketingnews.com/highly-awarded-creative-ideas-are-significantly-more-effective-new-warc-research-reveals 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 B2B brands struggle with physical availability and how marketers can reclaim control over where and how their products are sold. They break down three key strategies: presence, prominence, and portfolio management.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Easy to Find: Being Where B2B Buying Happens"[02:00] Mental vs. physical availability[03:00] Presence: Showing up where buying happens[05:00] Prominence: Building owned vs. rented visibility[07:00] Portfolio: Protecting your core products[08:00] The lighthouse and harbor analogy  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Nenycz-Thiel, M., & Romaniuk, J. (2025, November). Easy to find: Being where B2B buying happens. Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Research from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute proves 18% of established brands grow market share by 5% or more in a single year. The real question isn't whether growth is possible—it's how to sustain it.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what separates the 7% of brands that maintain growth over multiple years from the rest, covering fundamentals like mental and physical availability and the tension between board pressure and patient strategy.Topics covered: [01:00] Why growth isn't rare for established brands[04:00] Only 7% of brands sustain meaningful growth over three years[06:00] How consistency beats novelty for long-term success[09:00] What it means to become a category leader[13:00] Creative fundamentals that build mental availability[17:00] Physical availability matters as much as mental availability[21:00] Playing "Grow or Go" to evaluate marketing decisions  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/established-brands-grow/ 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 brand presence and timing shape viewer memory. They reveal why showing your brand early and often for at least two-thirds of the ad is critical for recognition.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Brand Recognition in Television Advertising: The Influence of Brand Presence and Brand Introduction"[02:00] How brand presence affects recall[03:00] The cost of delayed brand introduction[04:00] The two-thirds rule for optimal recognition[05:00] Building memory structures through creative[06:00] Why storytelling techniques can backfire  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Gerber, C., Terblanche-Smit, M., & Crommelin, T. (2014). Brand recognition in television advertising: The influence of brand presence and brand introduction.Acta Commercii, 14(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v14i1.223  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

When your grandma starts asking ChatGPT for recommendations, you know search has fundamentally changed. Josh Blyskal from Profound tracks billions of real AI search queries, and his data reveals a massive shift in how consumers discover and evaluate brands.This week, Elena, Rob, and Jonathan sit down with Josh to discuss answer engine optimization (AEO) and what marketers need to know right now. Josh explains why traditional SEO tactics like domain authority matter less in AI search, how different engines cite content, and the surprising power of FAQs in product discovery. Plus, learn why SEOs have never had a better opportunity to become heroes in their marketing organizations.Topics covered: [04:00] When AI search shifted from novelty to cultural necessity[06:00] How ranking signals differ between ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity[09:00] Why domain authority matters less for AEO than traditional SEO[14:00] Tracking real user prompts across the marketing funnel[19:00] How instant checkout in ChatGPT changes brand visibility strategy[22:00] Why FAQs increased citations by 848% in top-performing domains[26:00] Why SEOs should lead the AEO charge at their companies To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 Profound Article: https://www.tryprofound.com/guides/what-is-answer-engine-optimizationProfound Website: https://www.tryprofound.com/Profound LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tryprofound/Josh Blyskal’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-blyskal/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Highly engaging music can double your return on media investment. Yet most brands treat music as an afterthought, leaving millions on the table.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Roscoe Williamson, Global Strategy Director at MassiveMusic. Together, they dig into groundbreaking research proving music is a tangible driver of marketing effectiveness. Roscoe shares findings from a study with the IPA that tested hundreds of UK TV ads and reveals which types of music increase brand fame, willingness to pay, and campaign ROI.Topics covered: [01:00] The history of music in advertising from jingles to sonic ecosystems[09:00] Why longer-form music has been a black hole in effectiveness research[14:00] How engaging music can double return on media investment[17:00] Examples of brands using music to drive effectiveness[23:00] Why CMOs should mandate music testing for campaigns over $1 million[27:00] The future of sonic branding and generative AI music  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: IPA & Massive Music Report: https://resources.massivemusic.com/sound-science-whitepaperRoscoe Williamson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roscoewilliamson/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Reach beats creative. That's the contrarian truth most marketers miss. A 2x better creative won't beat 100x greater reach. And yet brands keep choosing frequency over breadth, hyper-targeting over scale. This week, we're sharing a special recording from Brandweek. Angela is joined on-stage by Dale Harrison. Together, they dig into reach primacy: the idea that ongoing reach, not creative brilliance, drives share of market. They explore why brand recall at purchase matters more than top of mind awareness, how forgetting forces you into always on campaigns, and why light buyers fuel growth. Plus, learn how AI driven media buying slashes TV costs while expanding reach across linear and CTV. Topics covered: [01:00] Why reach is more powerful than creative effectiveness[03:00] Brand recall at purchase and the 95-5 rule[06:00] Reach as a rate, not a number[11:00] The danger of hyper-targeting on CTV[13:00] Why TV gets unfairly labeled as expensive[16:00] Using multiple measurement models to prove TV performance  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  Watch: The Math Behind Smarter TV Advertising: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/blog/watch-the-math-behind-smarter-tv-advertisingDale Harrison’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalewharrison/Angela Voss’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamvoss/ 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 gift-giving experiences shape emotions, relationships, and brand perception. They reveal why the best brands focus on creating memorable experiences rather than just selling products during the holidays. Topics covered:   [01:00] "Gift Experience in Marketing: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda"[03:00] What marketers get wrong about holiday gifting[05:00] The four key elements of gift exchanges[06:00] Three stages of gift-giving: gestation, presentation, and reformulation[07:00] Why experiential gifts outperform material ones[08:00] Making the giver the hero  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: Tyagi, H., & Rahman, Z. (2025). Gift experience in marketing: A systematic review and future research agenda. Indian Institute of Technology.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Measuring marketing's impact is hard. There's no silver bullet. And if someone tells you there is, they're probably selling you something that only tracks clicks.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Chief Analytics Officer Matt Hultgren to tackle one of marketing's most persistent challenges: measurement. They explore why so many campaigns fail before they even launch, how to balance short-term performance with long-term brand building, and why the best marketers use multiple models to find the truth.Topics covered: [02:00] Why human behavior makes measurement messy[04:00] The planning problem causing measurement failures[06:00] Choosing your North Star metric[08:00] Balancing immediate CAC with long-term brand growth[10:00] Using multiple models to triangulate the truth[13:00] Quantifying TV's halo effect across channels[15:00] Incrementality testing vs MMM vs synthetic controls To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 Marketing Architects Report: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/Long-and-Short  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 whether "only at Target" labels actually drive sales or if they backfire. They reveal how exclusive features can sometimes make products less appealing when customers see them as trivial or disconnected from real value.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Do Products Labeled Retailer Exclusive Affect Consumer Behavior"[02:00] How scarcity influences buying decisions[03:00] Testing exclusivity with vacuums and Blu-Rays[04:00] Why adding more exclusive features can hurt sales[05:00] In-store experiences versus exclusive labels[06:00] When exclusivity feels meaningful versus trivial  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Upshaw, D., Amyx, D., Upshaw, A., & Hardy, M. (2023). Do products labeled retailer “exclusive” affect consumer behavior?Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness  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. GoodRx broke their industry’s mold with a prairie dog sidekick and singing cowgirl. But behind the bold creative lies a data-driven philosophy that challenges everything performance marketers think they know.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob sit down with Ryan Sullivan, CMO of GoodRx. Ryan shares his evolution from hardcore performance marketer to someone who questions the very foundations of digital attribution. Learn why he's skeptical of multi-touch attribution, how GoodRx measures success through triangulation, and why increasing "surface area" matters more than hyper-targeting.Topics covered: [05:00] Why brand search attribution is misleading[08:30] The hidden costs of programmatic display advertising[15:00] GoodRx's unique challenge of reaching out-of-market consumers[19:30] Creating distinctive brand assets with the Savings Wrangler[32:00] Building confidence through triangulated measurement[36:00] The concept of "free marketing" and reducing control To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 eMarketer Article: https://www.emarketer.com/content/goodrx-s-new-feel-good-campaign-seeks-break-through-healthcare-advertising-noiseRyan Sullivan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjsullivan/GoodRx Website: https://www.goodrx.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 telling people a product isn't for them can boost interest among the right audience. They discuss why exclusion signals expertise and how persuasive framing builds stronger connections with core customers than traditional persuasive messaging.Topics covered:   [01:00] "This Article is Not for Everyone: The Impact of Persuasive Framing on Consumer Response to Product Messages"[02:00] Examples of brands using exclusionary messaging[04:00] Why persuasive ads outperform persuasive ads[05:00] Target specificity and specialized positioning[06:00] The steakhouse billboard and flexing for your audience[07:00] Marketing takeaways: filtering builds credibility  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Wallach, K. A., Blair, S., & Tanenbaum, J. L. (2025). This article is not for everyone: The impact of dissuasive framing on consumer response to product messages. Journal of Consumer Research. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucaf034  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Elderly intoxicated people pay 33% more attention to ads than sober viewers but remember half as much. That's just one reason why optimizing solely for attention can backfire spectacularly.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Marc Guldimann, CEO of Adelaide. Marc explains why Byron Sharp is right about attention being wasteful when misused, but wrong about dismissing it entirely. The team explores how attention should measure media quality, not creative sensationalism or audience manipulation.Topics covered: [01:00] Why optimizing for maximum attention creates unintended consequences[06:00] Where Byron Sharp gets attention metrics right (and wrong)[13:00] The problem with legacy verification companies' attention metrics[18:00] How Adelaide rates media quality like a credit rating agency[23:00] Why cost-plus agency models create perverse incentives[28:00] YouTube podcasts and premium CTV as today's best media bargains  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2022 The Media Leader Article: https://uk.themedialeader.com/sharp-is-right-chasing-fleeting-attention-is-a-waste-of-money/Marc Guldimann’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guldi/Adelaide Metrics Website: https://www.adelaidemetrics.com/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Hyper-targeting is paying more to ignore your future customers. That's the reality most brands face today. They've optimized themselves into tiny corners while competitors copy each other into oblivion. That’s just one tip of many in this week’s episode.Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle why marketing feels so bland and how to fix it. They share 10 research-backed strategies to stand out in 2026, from expanding your audience to investing in underpriced media. Plus, hear which brands broke through the noise this year and what marketers can learn from their bold moves.Topics covered: [01:00] Why brand conformity is killing differentiation[05:00] Building AI agent teams for creative breakthrough[11:00] The 60/40 rule for brand vs performance spend[14:00] Hunt for underpriced media to boost efficiency[16:00] Why emotional campaigns outperform rational ones[21:00] Brands that stood out in 2025  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  Brand Strategy Insider Article: https://brandingstrategyinsider.com/competing-on-sameness-the-marketing-mistake-of-our-times/ 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 skippable and non-skippable ads affect brand recall, salience, and conversions. They discover that the choice between ad types matters less than how engaging your creative is, and that the skip button creates surprising attention effects.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Make Ads Skippable or Not: The Impact of Ad Type on Brand Recall, Salience and Conversion Rate"[03:00] Eye tracking reveals the skip button effect[04:00] Which format drives better brand recall?[05:00] Non-skippable ads win on long-term salience[06:00] The gravitational force of the skip button[07:00] Front-load emotion to stop the scroll  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Bauerová, R., & Kopřivová, V. (2025). The impact of ad type on brand recall, salience, and conversion rate. Silesian University in Opava.   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Budget explains 89% of profit variation in award-winning campaigns. ROI? Just 11%. Yet 65% of senior marketers still believe ROI is the biggest contributor to success.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss new research from Les Binet and Will Davis that reveals a major misunderstanding at the heart of modern marketing. For years, marketers have obsessed over efficiency: optimizing clicks, proving short-term ROI, and doing more with less. The team breaks down why budget and reach matter more than most realize, how to escape the "death spiral" of shrinking investments, and what it means to go big or go home with your marketing plan.Topics covered: [01:00] Why budget is 8x more important than ROI for driving profit[03:00] Defining marketing efficiency vs marketing effectiveness[11:00] Making the case internally for bigger budgets and broader reach[13:00] How this research should change your channel planning[19:00] Balancing efficiency and effectiveness in your marketing mix[21:00] What creativity at scale really looks like  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 IPA Effectiveness Conference Article: https://ipa.co.uk/news/go-big-or-go-home/ 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 why advertising during major sporting events often backfires. Clutter and distraction crush ad effectiveness before and during events. The sweet spot? Right after, when buzz lingers but noise clears.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Going for Gold: Investigating the (Non)sense of Increased Advertising Around Major Sport Events"[01:40] Does ramping up ad spend during events actually work?[03:00] How researchers measured advertising effectiveness around events[04:00] Short-term sales impact drops over 50% during events[05:00] The only way to break through: dominate share of voice[06:00] What does "after the event" advertising actually mean?  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Gijsenberg, M. J. (2014). Going for gold: Investigating the (non)sense of increased advertising around major sports events. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 31(1), 2-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2013.09  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.