The Marketing Architects

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how attention metrics reveal the true value of media platforms. They discover that not all impressions deliver equal attention and learn why excess share of voice works best when paired with high-attention media placement.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Attention and Effectiveness to ESOV and Beyond, Part Two"[02:00] Not all media impressions are created equal[04:00] How attention varies by platform and pricing gaps[05:00] Active vs. passive attention and the 2.5-second rule[07:00] Attention elasticity amplifies creative performance[08:00] ESOV still works, but placement matters  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Brittain, R., & Field, P. (2023). Attention and Effectiveness: To ESOV and Beyond Part II. Advertising Council Australia. https://advertisingcouncil.org.au  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Research shows brands that over-invest in short-term performance marketing alone can cut their ROI by 20-50%. But when they shift to a balanced strategy with 40-60% brand building, ROI jumps by an average of 90%.In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle how marketers can implement effectiveness principles without massive budgets. They explore how Dollar Shave Club drove 12,000 subscriptions with a $4,500 video, discuss the ideal channel mix for limited funds, and share practical tools making creativity more accessible than ever. Plus, discover which marketing tactics to protect when budgets get tight.Topics covered: [01:00] Brand and performance balance research[02:30] Dollar Shave Club's $4,500 success[05:20] Optimizing a $1 million media budget[09:00] AI tools for creative production[15:45] Convincing CFOs to invest in brand[29:00] Marketing budget showdown game  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  2025 The Australian Article: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/growth-agenda/brand-and-performance-ads-create-multiplier-effect-for-business-growth/news-story/4cd2d4896b58020979384f2b57a74122 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob explore the paradox between consumers' stated privacy concerns and their willingness to share data for small incentives, revealing how privacy regulations affect the entire advertising ecosystem.Topics covered:   [01:00] "Privacy and Consumer Empowerment in Online Advertising"[02:00] GDPR's impact on ad platforms and consumer behavior[04:00] How data sharing affects product pricing[05:00] The privacy paradox explained[07:00] New privacy-friendly ad models[10:00] Balancing personalization with cultural imprinting  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Choi, W. J., & Jerath, K. (2021). Privacy and Consumer Empowerment in Online Advertising. Forthcoming in Foundations and Trends in Marketing. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4017940   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Jordan Rossler, VP of Media Analytics at Marketing Architects, shares his expertise on TV advertising and cost efficiency. He introduces the "Everything Works at Zero" principle, arguing that a single impression can be the most effective. The discussion delves into the surprising impact of pricing structures in linear vs. streaming TV and the hidden costs of targeted ads. Rossler also challenges common beliefs about frequency and highlights how using cost-efficient buys can outperform premium ones. A must-listen for anyone interested in maximizing ROI!

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 platform design influences marketing outcomes, revealing that each digital ecosystem creates unique challenges and opportunities that impact advertising effectiveness.Topics covered: [01:00] "Platform Research in Marketing"[04:00] How network effects shape platform economics[05:10] The interaction between organic and paid content[06:45] The impact of reviews and platform manipulation[07:15] Self-preferencing and the ethics of content labeling[09:30] Platform-specific insights for marketers  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Sen, A., Lambrecht, A., & Newby, J. (2025). Platform Research in Marketing. Carnegie Mellon University and London Business School.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Think of brand as a turbocharger for your paid ads. It warms people up before they meet your call to action or come into market. But when is the right time to start investing in brand building over pure performance marketing, especially as a digital-first company?This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore when performance marketing reaches diminishing returns and why it's so difficult for marketers to shift budget toward brand. Plus, they share real client examples of how brand investment transformed businesses, including Old Spice's reinvention that increased sales 125% in just three months, and outline metrics beyond traditional brand studies that prove brand's impact on your business.Topics covered: [01:00] Research on brand equity's impact on ecommerce[03:30] Signs your performance marketing is reaching diminishing returns[09:00] How brand acts as a turbocharger for paid advertising[15:00] Client success stories from brand investment[20:00] Old Spice's brand reinvention that increased sales 125%[28:00] Better ways to measure brand impact beyond brand studies  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  Mokha, Anupreet. (2021). Brand Equity, Brand Satisfaction, and Brand Loyalty: A Study of Select E-Commerce Industry. International Journal of Online Marketing. 11. 34-50. 10.4018/IJOM.2021070103.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Discover how Bayesian modeling is shaking up marketing attribution. The discussion highlights the shortcomings of traditional models and explains why simpler methods are still in use. Key insights reveal the rapid decay of ad effects and the hidden interactions that traditional methods overlook. This approach offers deeper insights into customer behavior and emphasizes the need for clarity along with predictive power. Gain a comprehensive understanding of how various marketing elements contribute to sales.

94% of advertisers are concerned about how tariffs might impact their budgets according to an IAB survey. Of those planning cuts, 60% expect a 6-10% decrease in ad spend, while 22% anticipate cuts of 11-20%.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what the research says about marketing during economic downturns. They discuss how brands that maintain or increase spending during tough times consistently gain market share, why creative thinking matters more than ever, and the smartest ways to adjust your strategy if budget cuts are unavoidable.Topics covered: [01:00] Current economic landscape and marketer uncertainty[05:00] Predicted impact of tariffs on US media ad spending[07:00] Research showing companies that increased ad spend by 50% during recession saw 1.5% market share growth[09:00] Creative marketing examples from economic downturns[13:00] Ways to reduce marketing spend without damaging your brand[17:30] Where to double down if you have available budget[21:00] Finding personal comfort rituals during uncertain times  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  Tellis, Gerard & Tellis, Kethan. (2009). A Critical Review and Synthesis of Research on Advertising in a Recession. Journal of Advertising Research. 49. 10.2501/S0021849909090400. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228272297_A_Critical_Review_and_Synthesis_of_Research_on_Advertising_in_a_Recession   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 AI transforms workplace collaboration. A groundbreaking Procter & Gamble study reveals that individuals using AI match team performance, while AI-human teams produce superior results. Topics covered:   [01:00] "The Cybernetic Teammate: A Field Experiment on Generative AI Reshaping Teamwork"[03:00] Field experiment setup and methodology[04:35] How AI helps break departmental silos[05:10] Improved emotional experience when working with AI[06:05] AI integration beyond productivity[07:00] AI-human collaboration creating "blended intelligence" To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: Dell’Acqua, F., Ayoubi, C., Lifshitz, H., Sadun, R., Mollick, E., Mollick, L., Han, Y., Goldman, J., Nair, H., Taub, S., & Lakhani, K. (2025). The Cybernetic Teammate: A Field Experiment on Generative AI Reshaping Teamwork and Expertise. Harvard Business School Working Paper No. 25-043 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Only 15% of brand assets are truly distinctive. And just 19% of logos achieve "gold" status in recognizability according to a study by Ipsos and JKR. So which marketing strategy matters more: differentiation or distinctiveness?In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob debate whether brands should focus on meaningful differentiation or memorable distinctiveness. The hosts explore research showing that while differentiation plays a more limited role than traditionally assumed, distinctiveness is crucial for getting into consumers' consideration sets. They also examine how category dynamics impact which strategy dominates and share real-world examples of brands that excel at either approach. Topics covered: [01:00] Research from Rob Myerson on Byron Sharp's distinctiveness claims[03:00] The case for focusing on distinctiveness in marketing[06:00] Why differentiation gives brands resilience and pricing power[09:00] How category dynamics impact strategy importance[12:30] The role of distinctiveness in TV advertising effectiveness[19:00] Examples of brands excelling at distinctiveness vs differentiation  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  2021 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/what-does-byron-sharps-research-really-tell-us-about-differentiation/en-gb/4314 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.