The Marketing Architects

This summer, consumers dug into their wallets to attend concerts, watch movies in theaters, and enjoy sporting events in person. But as economic concerns grow, can the summer’s spending keep up for retailers’ crucial holiday sales season? This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Strategy Director Kyle Lewis to discuss the trends retailers can expect during the holiday shopping season and how they can cultivate positive experiences to support sales going into 2024. Starting with the fact that the real holiday shopping season began months ago. Topics covered: [01:30] Economic predictions for the holidays[03:30] Recapping last year’s holiday shopping trends[06:00] Consumer intent is high for spending this year[09:30] The shopping season started earlier than ever[19:00] The importance of simplifying customer experiences[21:30] How Marketing Architects sold a child’s toy during the holidaysTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast. Resources: 2023 CNN Business Article: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/21/economy/consumer-spending-winter-outlook/index.htmlGet more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Do digital ads have your attention, really? What about your audience’s attention? Marketers have shifted from traditional channels to digital ones—but the long-term returns of TV, radio, and print have been difficult to replicate. According to Data2Decisions and DDB, digital attribution techniques overestimate the business effects of search by a factor of two and underestimate the impact of TV by a factor of 10. In this week’s episode, Rob, Angela, and Elena discuss digital advertising’s effectiveness, profitability, and greatest pitfalls. Conversations range from the dominance of Google, Meta, and Amazon to tactical advice for creating digital ads that capture and retain viewer attention. Topics covered: [01:00] Reviewing WARC’s “The Third Age of Effectiveness”[04:30] How much do marketers spend on digital advertising?[07:30] How effective is display advertising?[10:00] Digital advertising’s greatest challenges[13:00] Creative best practices for memorable digital ads[16:00] How traditional channels like TV boost digital effectivenessTo 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.

In 2023, Google will rake in $57 billion from search. Their dominance in the market has left marketers heavily dependent on Google’s platform even as prices rise, making it both necessary for success online... and a massive headache. This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Director of Analytics Jordan Rossler to discuss how marketers can improve the effectiveness of their SEM investment—while reducing their dependence on Google. Because no brand that wants to compete online can fully avoid Google. But they can level the playing field. Topics covered: [01:20] Recapping Google’s antitrust trial[03:00] Marketing Architects’ history with Google in radio[05:00] The FTC’s case against Amazon[08:00] Why is search so important for marketers?[13:30] How branded keywords save money[18:30] How unique calls-to-action in TV affect searchTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast. Resources: 2023 ABC News Article: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/amazon-antitrust-lawsuit-long-arduous-journey-ftc-1038621492023 Reuters Article: https://www.reuters.com/technology/five-things-know-about-google-antitrust-trial-it-hits-halfway-mark-2023-10-12/Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Despite a surplus of data and advanced targeting capabilities, marketers aren't targeting as well as we think we are. And it’s hurting performance. IJRM recently found many targeted campaigns have to double their click-through rate to outperform untargeted ones. Another study from Truthset discovered nearly half of data used for ad targeting is incorrect. So is targeting really what marketers have been promised? This week, Angela, Elena, and Rob dig into the classic targeting vs reach debate to explore the most cost-effective ways to engage your audience. Topics covered: [01:30] Reviewing studies from IJRM and Truthset[06:00] How low-quality data affects marketing performance[09:00] The history of targeted advertising[12:00] Defining targeting vs hypertargeting[16:00] How leaning into reach can alleviate targeting’s challenges[17:30] Mass customization and the future of targetingTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast. Resources: 2023 Ad Age Article: https://adage.com/article/measurement/nearly-half-data-used-ad-targeting-wrong-truthset-study/25211362023 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/content/feed/Targeted_online_ad_campaigns_face_profitability_problem/8660Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Despite a heightened focus on growth, businesses frequently sideline creativity. Even though unconventional thinking is exactly what’s needed to reach new levels of success. Demand for chief creative officers has declined by 4% since 2018. And marketing roles increasingly prioritize analytical skills over creative talent. This week, Rob and Elena are joined by Chief Creative Officer Steve Babcock to discuss the growing creativity gap and how to fix it. Surprisingly, the answer might not be about hiring more people with “creative” in their title but instead encouraging creativity across all areas of the organization. Topics covered: [05:00] What is the creativity gap?[07:00] Creativity vs artistic ability[10:00] The importance of tying creativity to results[12:00] Domino’s Pizza tracker as an example of creativity driving business results[17:00] Restrictions can encourage creativity[20:00] The future of creative roles in businessesTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast. Resources: 2023 Deloitte Digital Press Release: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/is-the-creativity-gap-holding-up-business-transformation-deloitte-digital-and-lions-analysis-launched-ahead-of-2022-cannes-lions-international-festival-of-creativity-indicates-yes-301568677.html2023 MarketingDive Article: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/dominos-pizza-pinpoint-delivery-QSR-marketing/653011/Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

How do you defend marketing’s value through economic changes, a narrowing focus on ROI, and changing ideas about how to build a memorable brand? This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Mary Kyriakidi, Global Thought Leader at Kantar. Mary is the author of Kantar’s evidence-based report “Modern Marketing Dilemmas” which explores some of the most contentious and widely debated topics in marketing today... and what the research says about those topics’ answers. Topics covered: [02:30] How common debates in marketing inspired Kantar’s report[03:45] ROI is only part of accurate marketing measurement[08:00] The role of brand in driving future buyers[13:30] How to measure and evaluate brand equity[18:00] Difference vs differentiation in building brand[23:00] The future of marketing effectivenessTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast. Resources: Connect with Mary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-kyriakidi-4a5a4a57/2023 Kantar Report: https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/modern-marketing-dilemmasGet more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Connected TV. Podcasts. TikTok. Even virtual reality. They all offer advertisers new opportunities to reach potential customers. But emerging channels are inherently risky. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob dig into eMarketer’s report on the mismatch between the channels consumers spend time with and those marketers invest in most. They also explain why that mismatch can sometimes be the right decision. Because with emerging channels, starting small is often a smart approach, even if you fall behind consumer trends for a bit... so long as you use that time to build your strategy for later.Topics covered: [01:30] Reviewing eMarketer’s “US Time Spent with Media Forecast”[04:30] Meta has the largest discrepancy between consumer time and ad dollars[07:00] The complexity of emerging channels like CTV[09:00] The difficulty of measuring radio and podcasts[14:00] Why a mismatch between consumer behavior and ad spend can make sense[17:30] How Annika Streaming solves CTV’s biggest challengesTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast. Resources: 2023 eMarketer Report: https://content-na1.emarketer.com/us-time-spent-with-media-forecast-20232023 Behind the Numbers Podcast: https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/podcast-daily-imbalance-between-time-spent-ad-dollars-trying-sell-nfl-sunday-ticket-fate-of-huluGet more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The term "marketing effectiveness" has gained attention lately, but what does it really mean? And what’s stopping marketers from developing truly effective work? The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) recently investigated this exact question with a survey of more than 300 marketers. This week, Angela, Rob, and Elena are breaking down the definition of marketing effectiveness, discussing the findings of the WFA’s report, and sharing their own thoughts on how to reach, measure, and educate others on the value of marketing and its impact on the business. Plus, they’re sharing their favorite resources for leveling up your own marketing activities. Topics covered: [02:00] The WFA’s “Creating a Global Culture of Marketing Effectiveness” report[06:30] The need for greater collaboration in marketing and between departments[08:30] What is the definition of marketing effectiveness?[12:30] Including both short- and long-term results to determine effectiveness[15:00] The challenge of measuring marketing results[17:30] The hosts' favorite effectiveness resourcesTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast. Resources: 2023 WFA Report: https://wfanet.org/knowledge/item/2023/08/23/Creating-a-Global-Culture-of-Marketing-EffectivenessGet more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Podcast discusses the success of Barbie's marketing strategy and how marketers can replicate it on a smaller budget. Topics covered include category design, lightning strikes, and the importance of making bold strategic moves to stand out from competitors.

Research from System1 and Pinterest found that digital ads rated highly for emotion resulted in a staggering 90% average increase in brand favorability. And this isn’t the first time research has proven emotion’s effects on ad performance. The IPA reports that 43% of emotional ad campaigns lead to very large business effects across sales, market share, loyalty and new customers, compared to only 23% of rational campaigns. Clearly, emotion is a valuable creative lever. But how do you use it well? This week, Angela, Elena, and Rob are talking about making sure customers feel your ads, which emotions are most effective in driving positive brand associations, and why humor can be an overlooked but incredibly impactful emotion when used correctly. Topics covered: [01:30] Research proves ads that tap into emotion perform better[04:30] Why positive emotions drive greater brand equity than negative ones[07:00] The role of humor in driving ad performance[10:00] Why the right emotion varies by industry[12:00] How pretesting lets you push boundaries in creative[16:00] How to use marketing channels to amplify emotional connectionsTo learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast. Resources: 2023 MarketingTech Article: https://www.marketingtechnews.net/news/2023/jul/24/emotional-digital-ads-drive-brand-lift-and-recall/2023 Kantar Article: https://www.kantar.com/company-news/digital-ads-which-evoke-strong-emotions-are-four-times-more-likely-to-drive--brand-equity2022 Kantar Article: https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/advertising-media/how-to-get-humour-right-in-advertising2023 The Drum Article: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2023/02/28/heart-over-head-why-you-should-move-away-rational-marketing2021 The B2B Institute Report: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-creativeGet more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.