The Marketing Architects

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. 

Less than half of ads are correctly attributed to the right brand after viewing. And it takes two to three years of consistent investment before a brand asset truly feels like it belongs to you.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what it actually means to build distinctive brand assets. They dig into Mark Ritson's latest column for Marketing Week, break down the research on what makes assets memorable, and share why most marketers quit way too soon. Plus, test your own knowledge with a distinctive assets quiz.Topics covered: [01:00] What distinctiveness actually means for your brand[04:00] Why creativity and distinctiveness aren't the same thing[09:00] Why you need seven brand cues to boost recall to 100%[14:00] Brands that nailed distinctiveness over decades[18:00] Balancing creative freshness with brand consistency[22:00] How to measure if your assets are truly distinctive  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 The Drum Article: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2025/10/06/mark-ritson-we-know-what-distinctive-marketing-looks-now-let-s-agree-what-call-it 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 consumer response to advertising behaves more like a phase transition than a smooth curve. They discuss saturation points, tipping points, and why some channels scale differently than others.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Symmetry Scaling Laws and Phase Transitions in Consumer Advertising Response"[03:00] Three parameters: marketing effectiveness, response sensitivity, and behavioral sensitivity[04:00] Which parameter matters most for TV?[05:00] Testing against traditional models[06:00] Network effects and audience clustering  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Marín, J. (2024). Symmetries, scaling laws and phase transitions in consumer advertising response [Preprint]. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2404.02175   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

OpenAI just launched its first global brand campaign. And instead of using algorithms or AI-driven stunts, they turned to the most old-school playbook of all: TV ads. Shot on film. With human directors. Real actors. 30-second spots about everyday moments tied back to ChatGPT.This episode, Elena and Rob break down OpenAI's new TV campaign and what it reveals about the enduring power of brand in an AI-driven world. They discuss why even the most advanced tech companies still need emotional storytelling and broad reach to grow, how AI is already transforming marketing workflows, and what separates strong brand strategy from ineffective branding. Plus, hear their takes on which brands are crushing it today.Topics covered: [02:00] Breaking down OpenAI's new TV ads[10:00] Why tech companies struggle with branding and naming[15:00] Ways AI is already giving marketers superpowers[20:00] Why brand will become even more important as AI advances[28:00] Google's brand strategy and compelling storytelling[34:00] How to keep your brand strong in the age of AI  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 The Drum Article:https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2025/09/30/mark-ritson-chatgpt-s-new-ads-show-even-ai-can-t-deny-the-brand-building-power-tv 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 Americans watch over 40 hours of TV and video weekly. They examine how viewing habits evolved from 1992 to 2017, revealing that despite digital disruptions, total viewing time keeps growing—and 92% still happens on TV sets, not phones. Topics covered:   [01:00] "Why Do People Watch So Much Television and Video? Implications for the Future of Viewing and Advertising"[02:00] Average viewing climbed from 35 to 41 hours weekly[04:00] Live TV dropped to 74%, but TV sets dominate[06:00] EEG studies reveal TV's relaxation effect[08:00] Digital video now rivals traditional TV viewing[10:00] Why entertainment trumps complicated messaging  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Wilbur, Kenneth C. 2023. “Why Do People Watch So Much Television and Video? Implications for the Future of Viewing and Advertising.” Journal of Advertising Research 63, no. 1: 16–31. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-2023-003   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Most digital marketers treat brand building like performance marketing. They run two-day tests, allocate 0.2% of budget, or recycle performance creative for reach campaigns. It fails every time.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Kevin Goodwin, SVP of Strategy and Growth at New Engen. Kevin shares how his agency evolved from pure performance marketing to embracing effectiveness principles, why digital gets unfairly dismissed by brand marketers, and the specific ways marketers sabotage their own digital brand-building efforts.Topics covered: [00:04] Kevin's journey from finance to digital marketing at Zulily[00:08] How iOS 14 and rising interest rates forced New Engen to evolve[00:13] Why measurement is critical for digital brand building[00:16] What digital marketers get wrong about brand campaigns[00:20] Why marketers should challenge platforms for better brand-building tools[00:23] Preparing for the death of the click in an AI-driven world  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  2025 Tom Roach Article: https://thetomroach.com/2025/01/12/brand-building-in-the-platforms/ Kevin Goodwin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-goodwin-12b4243a/Kevin's Substack: https://kevingoodwin.substack.com/aboutNew Engen Website: https://newengen.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 situations where more product options overwhelm consumers and where they help. They reveal how task difficulty, preference uncertainty, and shopping goals determine whether large assortments drive satisfaction or paralyze decision-making.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Choice Overload: A Conceptual Review and Meta-Analysis"[02:00] When task difficulty triggers choice overload[03:00] Why product structure matters more than quantity[03:00] How preference uncertainty amplifies overwhelm[04:00] Decision goals: browsing versus buying[05:00] Why curated stores outperform massive malls  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Chernev, A., Böckenholt, U., & Goodman, J. (2015). Choice overload: A conceptual review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 25(2), 333–358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2014.08.002  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Nielsen finds radio paired with TV can boost ROI by 20%. Podcast ads deliver 70% recall and drive purchase action for 22% of listeners immediately after hearing an ad.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore why audio is such a powerful marketing tool. They share how Marketing Architects' roots in radio shaped their advertising philosophy, explain why sound creates lasting memories and emotional connections, and discuss the future of audio from smart speakers to AI-driven experiences.Topics covered: [03:00] How early radio work shaped Marketing Architects' approach[07:00] Campaign that proved the power of testimonials in audio[13:00] Four ways brands can use audio to build distinctive assets[17:00] Brands getting sonic branding right today[22:00] Advantages and disadvantages of podcast advertising[27:00] Where audio advertising is heading in the next five to ten years  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: WARC Study: https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/bestprac/what-we-know-about-radio-and-audio-effectiveness/en-GB/109845?2025 eMarketer Article: https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcast-ads-turn-listener-attention-measurable-action 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 lifestyle brands compete for limited consumer self-expression. Once people express themselves through one brand, their appetite for additional identity-driven brands declines.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Competing for Consumer Identity Limits to Self-Expression and the Perils of Lifestyle Branding"[02:00] Identity saturation and its effect on brand preference[03:00] Why thinking about favorite brands reduces enthusiasm for new ones[04:00] Symbolic versus functional brands[06:00] What happens when your unique brand becomes mainstream[07:00] Reversing identity saturation through uniqueness threats  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Chernev, A., Hamilton, R., & Gal, D. (2011). Competing for consumer identity: Limits to self-expression and the perils of lifestyle branding. Journal of Marketing, 75(3), 66–82. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.3.66  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

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. 

Real buying decisions are habitual. They're often emotional. Nudges assume people carefully weigh options, but in reality, they just grab what's familiar or easy.This week, Elena and Angela explore the gap between behavioral theory and marketing reality. They discuss why popular psychological insights like loss aversion, anchoring, and choice architecture often fall short when applied to actual campaigns. Plus, they share which behavioral principles still work in real-world marketing and why mental availability beats nudges for driving sustainable growth.Topics covered: [01:00] Why behavioral economics experiments don't always translate to real marketing [04:00] The most powerful behavioral principle that works repeatedly [06:00] How Apple masters anchoring and framing to shape perception of value [09:00] Why real buying behavior is habitual and emotional, not deliberate [11:00] The behavioral economics principle that's been overhyped [13:00] How mental availability compares to behavioral tactics like nudging [15:00] The one behavioral insight to keep in your marketing toolbox  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2024 Behavioral Economics in Consumer Decision-Making Study: https://mideastjournals.com/index.php/mejelss/article/view/4  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 how our brains decide whether we like an ad in just three seconds, revealing that early emotional impact matters more than dramatic endings for advertising success.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Neural Signals of Video Advertisement Liking: Insights into Psychological Processes and their Temporal Dynamics"[02:00] How fast people decide if they like or dislike an ad[03:00] Brain activity shifts from emotion to social cognition to evaluation[04:00] Early neural signals predict population-level ad performance[05:00] First 10 seconds matter more than the ending[06:00] Why early branding beats waiting until the end  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Chan, Hang-Yee, Maarten A. S. Boksem, Vinod Venkatraman, Roeland C. Dietvorst, Christin Scholz, Khoi Vo, Emily B. Falk, and Ale Smidts. 2024. “Neural Signals of Video Advertisement Liking: Insights into Psychological Processes and Their Temporal Dynamics.” Journal of Marketing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437231194319 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

A 2020 study found that only the right brand architecture strategy maximizes reputation spillover while preventing underinvestment. But most companies make this critical decision based on emotion rather than data. This week, Elena, Rob, and Director of Brand Beth Kuchera explore when to use one brand across everything versus splitting them up. They reveal the five ways brand architecture impacts business success and share why getting this wrong can waste expensive "brain space" that's impossible to recover. Topics covered: [01:00] Research on branded house versus house of brands strategy[05:00] Five ways brand architecture helps or harms your business [10:00] Strategic upsides and downsides of branded house approach [14:00] Creative challenges of extending versus building new brands [17:00] Resources as the most important decision-making factor [24:00] Measuring brand effectiveness across multiple products  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Yu, Jungju, A Model of Brand Architecture Choice: A House of Brands vs. A Branded House (May 28, 2020). Yu, J. (2021). A model of brand architecture choice: a house of brands vs. A branded house. Marketing Science, 40(1), 147-167., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3116284 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3116284  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 consumer-created brand nicknames can backfire when brands adopt them officially. They reveal why "nickname branding" hurts performance across key metrics and shifts power dynamics in ways that damage brand perception.Topics covered: [01:00] "BMW is Powerful, Beamer is Not: Nickname Branding Impairs Brand Performance"[02:00] What nickname branding means and why brands do it[03:00] Speech Act Theory and power dynamics in marketing[04:00] When trying to be cool backfires spectacularly[06:00] Competent vs. warm brands and nickname effects[07:00] Transactional vs. communal messaging with nicknames  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Zhang, Zhe, Ning Ye, and Matthew Thomson. 2024. “BMW Is Powerful, Beemer Is Not: Nickname Branding Impairs Brand Performance.” Journal of Marketing 89 (1): 135–??. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429241266586  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Marketing budgets are a mess right now, says Mark Ritson. His solution? A simple, three-step system inspired by triple-cooked chips: spend 5-10% of revenue, balance long and short-term investment, and measure each piece properly.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle one of the trickiest questions in marketing: how do you set a budget that actually drives growth? They explore Ritson's budgeting system, why marketers struggle to secure investment, and the frameworks needed to justify balanced spending.Topics covered: [01:00] Mark Ritson's three-step budgeting system[04:00] High-growth companies spend far more than 5-10%[11:00] The 60/40 rule and why most brands fall short[15:00] Setting measurement expectations for brand vs performance spend[20:00] How performance backgrounds shape budgeting approaches[26:00] Keeping unallocated budget for real-time opportunities  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2022 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-triple-cooked-chips-marketing-budgets/ 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 creates both immediate sales and long-term brand value through an integrated approach that connects thinking, feeling, and doing.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Discovering How Advertising Grows Sales and Builds Brands"[02:00] Do marketers design campaigns for both short- and long-term goals?[04:00] The integrated hierarchy framework: think, feel, do[05:00] Five years of soft drink brand data across 30,000 interviews[07:00] Why this brand's path was experience, then think, then feel[08:00] Advertising's direct impact on feelings and immediate sales  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Bruce, N. I., Peters, K., & Naik, P. A. (2012). Discovering how advertising grows sales and builds brands. Journal of Marketing Research. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.11.0060  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

75% of shoppers say they go to Amazon to find new products, even if they saw the brand elsewhere. Yet many companies still resist being there, missing massive opportunities for growth.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob dive into physical availability, the often-overlooked "place" in the marketing mix. They explore why D2C brands are rushing back to retail, share real campaign examples where distribution made the difference, and discuss what physical availability means in an AI-first world. Topics covered: [02:00] Why "place" is the forgotten P in the marketing mix[06:00] How D2C brands discovered the limits of digital-only strategies[10:00] Real campaign examples where physical availability made the difference[15:00] Brands doing physical availability right today[19:00] Expanding your thinking about "place" beyond shelf space[23:00] Brands we'd buy more if they were easier to find  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/4ps---place-physical-availability-the-marketing-factor-youre-likely-overlooking/70102025 AdAge Article: https://adage.com/article/marketing-news-strategy/state-dtc-warby-parker-rare-beauty-draper-james/2603761/ 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 the harsh truth about marketers' ability to judge their own brand elements. They explore why we're terrible at predicting how consumers will respond to our logos, colors, sounds, and taglines.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Assessing Branding Strength: Comparing Marketer Judgment and Consumer Data for Brand Identity Elements"[02:00] Only 2% of marketer predictions are accurate[04:00] Why we love our brands like our own dogs[05:00] When marketers actually get it right[06:00] Why teams beat individuals at brand judgment[07:00] Don't trust your gut alone  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Graham, C., & Lowrey, T. M. (2023). Assessing branding strength: Comparing marketer judgement and consumer data for brand identity elements. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 40(4), 977–996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2023.06.006  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Only 40% of Fortune 500 marketing leaders actually hold the title Chief Marketing Officer. But average CMO tenure is now 4.3 years, up from last year. So is the CMO role really disappearing? New research from Spencer Stuart challenges the "CMO decline" narrative everyone loves to share. This week, Elena and Angela explore why this story gained traction, what effective marketing leadership looks like today, and how first-time CMOs can stay relevant. Plus, they share which brands they'd love to lead for one year. Topics covered: [01:00] Spencer Stuart's 2025 Fortune 500 CMO research findings[07:00] Only 40% of marketing leaders use the CMO title[10:00] Should CMOs handle roles beyond traditional marketing?[12:00] What effective marketing leadership looks like today[17:00] Biggest challenge facing first-time CMOs[22:00] How companies should treat the CMO role differently  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 Spencer Stuart Report: https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/cmo-tenure-study-2025-the-evolution-of-marketing-leadership 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 third-party audience targeting often delivers worse accuracy than random guessing, with demographic targeting hitting the right audience only 24.4% of the time compared to 26.5% accuracy from random targeting.Topics covered:   [01:00] "How Effective is Third Party Consumer Profiling and Audience Delivery"[02:00] The difference between first-party and third-party data[04:00] Study results: 59% accuracy sounds good until you learn random targeting hits 26.5%[05:00] Raw data accuracy drops to worse than random at 24.4%[07:00] Interest-based targeting performs better than demographic targeting[08:00] Third-party audiences are "economically unattractive"  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Lambrecht, A., Tucker, C., & Wiertz, C. (2019). How effective is third-party consumer profiling and audience delivery? Evidence from field studies. Marketing Science Institute Working Paper Series, 19-105.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

On average, brand equity accounts for over 30% of a company's value, yet most marketers still chase vanity metrics instead of measuring what drives real business results.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Kantar's Mary Kyriakidi to unpack findings from Kantar's Diary of a CMO Report. Mary explains why meaningful difference beats distinctiveness alone, how brands can build pricing power instead of defaulting to promotions, and what separates successful CMOs in the boardroom. Plus, learn about Kantar's meaningful, different, and salient framework and why brand equity should be treated as a financial asset.Topics covered: [04:00] Why meaningful difference drives growth beyond distinctiveness alone[09:00] How Kantar's meaningful, different, and salient framework works[14:00] The promotion trap that destroys pricing power and brand equity[16:00] How brands build pricing power through meaningfulness and difference[21:00] What CMOs need to gain credibility in the boardroom[23:00] Common mistakes when measuring brand performance  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Kantar's Diary of a CMO Report: https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/diary-of-a-cmoMary Kyriakidi's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-kyriakidi-4a5a4a57/?originalSubdomain=uk 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 perceived brand simplicity creates higher consumer expectations that backfire when failures occur. They explore why simple brands face harsher judgment than complex ones when things go wrong.Topics covered: [01:00] "Keep It Simple: Consumer Perceptions of Brand Simplicity and Risk"[02:00] Simplicity versus vagueness in marketing[03:00] How simple brands create lower risk perceptions[04:00] YouTube TV's confusing interface betrays simple expectations[05:00] Mental simplicity equals fewer moving parts[06:00] The white couch analogy for brand disappointment  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or join our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: Light, N., & Fernbach, P. M. (2024). Keep it simple? Consumer perceptions of brand simplicity and risk. Journal of Marketing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437241248413 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Marketing can't force people to buy what they don't need. According to Dale Harrison, 65-90% of market share within a category is determined by brand recall at purchase.This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Dale Harrison, former experimental physicist turned marketing effectiveness expert. Dale breaks down the NBD-Dirichlet model that governs consumer behavior, explains why most growth stories have nothing to do with brilliant marketing, and reveals why reach (not targeting) drives market share. Plus, learn about the mathematical reality behind brand loyalty and why your job as a marketer is to make subtle nudges, not force outcomes.Topics covered: [04:00] Marketing as hacking brains, not forcing behavior [13:00] The NBD-Dirichlet model explained through consumer purchase patterns [22:00] Why brand loyalty is actually polyamorous repertoire buying [26:00] Two ways brands grow: organic category growth vs. market share theft [38:00] Effective CPM vs. total CPM and the targeting efficiency trap [42:00] Share of voice correlation to market share success  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  2024 LinkedIn Article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-marketing-creates-revenue-dale-w-harrison-84v7c/Dale Harrison's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalewharrison/ 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 assumption that older consumers stick with older brands. Real purchase data from over 88,000 grocery trips shows older shoppers buy a mix of brands based on size and relevance, not age or nostalgia.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Examining Older Consumers' Loyalty towards Older Brands in Grocery Retailing"[02:00] What the data revealed about older shoppers[04:00] Do these findings apply beyond grocery categories?[05:00] Financial services and credit card research[06:00] Cars, durables, and 25 years of cross-category data[08:00] Your brand preferences are like your closet  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Phua, P., Kennedy, R., Trinh, G., Page, B., & Sharp, B. (2020). Examining older consumers' loyalty towards older brands in grocery retailing. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 54, 101893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101893:contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Most B2B marketers in tech are marketers in name only. They're really just tool operators. That's according to Liam Moroney, founder of Storybook Marketing, who believes the industry has lost sight of fundamental marketing principles.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Liam to discuss the false dichotomies plaguing marketing effectiveness. From brand versus performance to long-term versus short-term thinking, these binaries are actively harming growth. Liam shares his journey from demand gen tool operator to brand advocate and how to make brand measurement more tangible for skeptical executives.Topics covered: [04:00] Crisis of confidence in the demand gen mindset[11:00] How the B2B tech industry avoids the word "brand" entirely[15:00] The problem with demand generation as a concept[19:00] Making brand marketing tangible through operational metrics[23:00] Share of search as an accessible brand measurement tool[29:00] Why B2B advertising looks so generic and how it's changing  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2020 Tom Roach Article: https://thetomroach.com/2020/11/15/the-wrong-and-the-short-of-it/ Liam Moroney's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liammoroney/ 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 sonic logos, those brief musical signatures lasting just five or six seconds, can boost brand perception and ad effectiveness as much as full-length background music. They explore optimal placement strategies that maximize emotional impact.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Small Sounds, Big Impact: Sonic Logos and Their Effect on Consumer Attitudes, Emotions, Brand and Advertising Placement"[02:00] How sonic logos differ from jingles[03:00] Happy versus sad sonic logos in testing[04:00] Placement matters: beginning versus end positioning[05:00] Primacy and recency effects in audio branding[06:00] Why so few brands invest in sonic logos  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Scott, S. P., Sheinin, D., & Labrecque, L. I. (2022). Small sounds, big impact: Sonic logos and their effect on consumer attitudes, emotions, brands and advertising placement. Journal of Product & Brand Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-06-2021-3507:contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Getting marketing effectiveness principles to stick at major companies is harder than proving they work. Even when the data shows brand activity drives 65% of sales, internal structures and human psychology work against long-term thinking.This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Simon Peel, managing partner at The Other Lot and former Global Head of Media at Adidas. Simon shares how Adidas discovered that brand activity was driving 65% of sales across all channels, not the digital performance marketing in which they were heavily invested. He reveals the internal battles, years of education, and structural changes needed to make effectiveness principles stick at large organizations.Topics covered: [01:00] Why Adidas publicly admitted their digital advertising mistakes[10:00] The marshmallow effect and why humans default to short-term thinking[16:00] Differences between US and European adoption of effectiveness principles[20:00] Why measurement needs econometrics, randomized tests, and attribution[26:00] How light buyers drove 80-90% of revenue at both Adidas and Haleon[30:00] Why AI will perpetuate bad media buying practices  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  2019 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/adidas-marketing-effectiveness/2019 Institute of Practitioners in Advertising Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbT8TqBUgOsSimon Peel's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-peel-28a83215/?originalSubdomain=uk 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 small rituals before consuming products can dramatically enhance enjoyment and make experiences more memorable. They reveal why structured, meaningful movements work better than random gestures and how brands like Jeep, Oreo, and Apple have mastered the art of ritual-driven engagement.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Rituals Enhanced Consumption" [02:00] The Jeep Wrangler ducking ritual and community building [03:00] Four experiments on chocolate bars, carrots, and lemonade [04:00] Why delay after rituals increases anticipation and enjoyment [05:00] Personal involvement: doing versus watching rituals [06:00] Brand examples: Oreos, Starbucks, Disney, and Guinness [07:00] Apple's unboxing experience as the ultimate ritual  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Vohs, K. D., Wang, Y., Gino, F., & Norton, M. I. (2013). Rituals enhance consumption. Psychological Science, 24(9), 1714–1721. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797613478949  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Does advertising nudge your memory? Change your mind? Or make you feel something? The answer isn't as simple as you think.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob examine five leading theories of how advertising works. They debate memory nudging versus persuasion models, explore why emotional ads outperform rational ones, and reveal which approaches actually drive business results.Topics covered: [02:00] Memory nudging theory and mental availability from Ehrenberg-Bass[08:00] When persuasion models change consumer minds[13:00] Why emotional priming outperforms rational advertising[18:00] Cultural branding and why most brands can't pull it off[21:00] Signaling theory and how expensive media builds credibility[24:00] Which advertising theory each host likes most[26:00] Mandela Effect game connecting memory to brand recall To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: 2020 Ehrenberg-Bass Institute Study: https://marketingscience.info/what-is-the-effect-of-advertising-on-mental-market-share/  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 the true cost of turning off advertising spend. They explore research across 365 US brands showing market share declines by 10% after one year, 20% after two years, and 30% after four years of going dark.Topics covered: [01:00] "When Brands Go Dark: A Replication and Extension"[02:00] Market share drops 10% after one year of going dark[04:00] Brand size and trajectory predict decline severity[05:00] Low frequency categories suffer most without advertising[06:00] Light buyers are first to forget your brand[07:00] Mental availability matters more than shelf availability  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Phua, P., Hartnett, N., Beal, V., Trinh, G., & Kennedy, R. (2023). When brands go dark: A replication and extension. Journal of Advertising Research, 63(2), 172–184. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-2023-009  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  

AI agents heavily rely on structured data like pricing and star ratings while largely ignoring flashy visuals or banners. Traditional SEO strategies may actually harm your chances of being recommended by AI systems.This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Jonathan Elfreich, Head AI Architect at Misfits and Machines, to explore how AI is changing marketing. From SEO to GEO optimization to AI-driven TV advertising, learn what marketers need to know about preparing for a world where machines make purchasing decisions.Topics covered: [04:00] How AI differs from automation and learns from data [09:00] Why traditional SEO strategies harm AI citation results [14:00] Building brand memories in AI systems like ChatGPT [18:00] How well-known brands have advantages in AI recommendations [21:00] Short-term changes happening in TV advertising with AI [24:00] Long-term vision for personalized, generated TV content [28:00] The importance of targeting and mass customization  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources:  2025 AdExchanger Article: https://www.adexchanger.com/data-driven-thinking/marketing-to-machines-a-new-performance-strategy-in-the-age-of-ai-agents/ 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 animal images consistently create more favorable attitudes toward ads and brands than human models. They reveal how biophilia, pet love, and trust drive effectiveness. Plus learn when using animals can backfire.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Effectiveness of Animal Images and Advertising"[02:00] Biophilia drives receptiveness to animal ads[03:00] Pet lovers smile more at animal advertisements[04:00] Baby animals trigger caretaking reflexes[06:00] Animals project trustworthiness onto brands[08:00] When animals backfire as consumer stand-ins To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Keller, B., & Gierl, H. (2020).Effectiveness of animal images in advertising. Marketing ZFP–Journal of Research and Management, 42(1), 3–32. https://doi.org/10.15358/0344-1369-2020-1-3  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 features the one and only Mark Ritson and remains one of our most popular episodes to-date. Enjoy, and we'll be back with new content next week!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 brand betrayal triggers actual psychological pain and revenge-seeking behavior, making betrayed customers far more dangerous than merely dissatisfied ones.Topics covered:  [01:00] "Insights into the Experience of Brand Betrayal: From What People Say and What The Brain Reveals"[02:00] When brands don't disappoint but actually betray[03:00] Brand betrayal creates deep psychological loss[05:00] Brain scans reveal betrayal activates pain centers[07:00] How Domino's recovered from brand betrayal To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Reimann, M., MacInnis, D. J., Folkes, V. S., Uhalde, A., & Pol, G. (2018). Insights into the experience of brand betrayal: From what people say and what the brain reveals. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 3(2), 240–254. https://doi.org/10.1086/697077 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

At any given time, 95% of potential B2B buyers aren't in-market for your product. Only 5% are actively shopping. Most people your ads reach won't buy anytime soon.This week, 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 the fundamental principle 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: John Dawes: The 95:5 Rule: https://johndawes.info/the-955-rule/ Tyrona Heath: Why You Should Follow The 95-5 Rule: https://tyronaheath.com/2022/08/11/why-you-should-follow-the-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 explore how dynamic retargeting ads often underperform generic brand ads. They discover that timing and customer readiness matter more than personalization.Topics covered:   [01:00] "When Does Retargeting Work? Information Specificity in Online Advertising"[04:00] Why personalized ads can underperform generic ones[05:00] Customer journey signals that predict ad effectiveness[06:00] Review site visits as high-intent indicators[09:00] Broad reach versus moment marketing strategies[11:00] Lab study confirms field experiment results  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Lambrecht, A., & Tucker, C. (2013). When does retargeting work? Information specificity in online advertising. Journal of Marketing Research, 50(5), 561–576. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.11.0503  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.