The Analytics Power Hour

#264: When the Analyst’s Toolbox Includes Assessing the Zeitgeist with Erika Olson

Feb 4, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Erika Olson, co-founder of fwd., shares her expertise on brand strategy, drawing insights from her work with major brands like Nike and L'Oréal. She highlights the challenges of quantifying brand effectiveness when data is lacking and emphasizes the importance of intuitive judgment and cultural context. The conversation touches on the shift towards 'quiet luxury' in branding, the necessity of authentic brand strategies, and the evolving consumer narratives that influence marketing decisions. Erika's real-world examples illuminate these complex topics beautifully.

01:08:15

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Episode guests

Erika Olson

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Effectively measuring brand impact requires a structured approach that combines qualitative insights with quantitative data to ensure alignment with market positioning.

Brands must navigate the complexities of shifting consumer perceptions while maintaining their core identity through strategic communication and consistent messaging.

Embracing a test-and-learn mentality allows brands to experiment with their strategies, leading to better understanding and adaptation in dynamic market environments.

Deep dives

The Challenges of Measuring Brand

Accurately measuring brand impact presents significant challenges for marketers. Many professionals suggest that branding is a top-of-the-funnel investment, often dismissing it as unquantifiable. The discussion emphasizes the need for a structured approach to assess brand effectiveness, which requires a blend of qualitative and quantitative insights. Without proper metrics, brands risk misalignment with their market positioning, leading to ineffective marketing strategies.

Intro

2min

Navigating Brand Challenges in Marketing

21min

Navigating Brand Positioning in a Shifting Landscape

9min

Navigating the Quiet Luxury Movement and Its Cultural Impact

3min

Crafting Authentic Brand Strategies

10min

Confronting Beliefs and Changing Narratives

12min

Reflections and Recommendations

8min

Exploring Gaming Conventions and Listener Engagement

2min

We all know that data doesn't speak for itself, but what happens when multiple instruments of measurement contain flaws or gaps that impede our ability to measure what matters on their own? Turning to our intuition and triangulation of what's happening in the broader macro sense can often help explain our understanding of our customers' ever-changing choices, opinions, and actions. Thankfully we had Erika Olson, co-founder of fwd. — which in our opinion is essentially the Freakonomics of marketing consultancies — join Tim, Moe and Val for this discussion to dive into some real-world examples of things that are inherently hard to measure and ways to overcome those challenges. For complete show notes, including links to items mentioned in this episode and a transcript of the show, visit the show page.