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 research challenging the common belief that focusing on heavy buyers is key to driving sales. They discuss how light buyers and non-buyers often hold the most untapped potential for brand growth.Topics covered:   [00:45] "Where is the Brand Growth Potential? An Examination of Buyer Groups"[01:00] Converting light buyers to regular customers[02:15] Breaking down growth potential across buyer groups[03:00] Why light buyers and non-buyers offer more growth opportunity[03:50] Challenging the "retention is cheaper than acquisition" mindset[04:45] Applying findings to real-world brand strategies  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Trinh, G.T., Dawes, J. & Sharp, B. Where is the brand growth potential? An examination of buyer groups. Mark Lett 35, 95–106 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-023-09682-7  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Byron Sharp, a professor of marketing science and director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, joins the discussion on treating marketing as a science. He delves into evidence-based strategies and challenges the myths surrounding marketing effectiveness. Sharp emphasizes the importance of mental availability over immediate sales and argues that TV advertising remains vital amidst digital shifts. He critiques the insularity of American marketing and discusses how luxury brands adhere to the same fundamental rules as mass-market brands.

Dive into the pitfalls of A/B testing where sophisticated algorithms can mislead marketers. Discover the concept of divergent delivery in online ads and how it complicates performance analysis. Elena and Rob use a pizza party analogy to clarify these concepts. Learn about the impact of user demographics and targeting on results. They also discuss using synthetic audiences to enhance testing reliability and overcome biases. This engaging discussion bridges the gap between complex research and practical marketing insights.

Only 61% of marketing metrics tracked are meaningful to business, brand, and performance. The rest? Vanity metrics. What happens when marketers focus on the wrong numbers?This week, Elena’s joined by VP Analytics Matt Hultgren to discuss the perils of marketing misattribution. They explore how overvaluing certain metrics can lead to wasted budgets and misguided strategies. Matt shares insights on identifying misattribution, its consequences, and practical steps to improve measurement accuracy. Plus, learn why having your own measurement solution is crucial and why you should be skeptical of any single model claiming to definitively prove marketing’s impact. Topics covered: [01:00] Key findings from DMA study on marketing effectiveness metrics[04:30] Common signs of marketing misattribution[07:00] Frequently misattributed metrics and attribution tricks[10:00] Long-term consequences of relying on incorrect metrics[12:00] Steps to measure the right KPIs and avoid misattribution[19:00] Practical tips for marketers with limited budgets To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  2023 Marketing Week Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/wrong-effectiveness-metrics-focus/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 content of TV shows influences viewer perceptions of advertisements. They discuss new research on the "halo effect," and its implications for ad effectiveness across different TV genres.Topics covered:   [01:00] "The Influence of Television Content on Advertisement: A Neurophysiological Study" [03:15] Defining the halo effect in TV advertising[04:20] Impact of high-quality programs on ad perception[05:45] Ranking TV genres by brand value transfer[07:10] How different show types impact brand associations[08:50] The importance of engaging ads regardless of content  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Frontiers in Psychology. (2024, February 1). The influence of television content on advertisement: A neurophysiological study. *Media Psychology*, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1266906   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

The podcast dives into the shifting dynamics of search marketing, revealing that 95% of iOS users are opting out of ad tracking. A recent antitrust ruling against Google raises questions about the future of its search monopoly. With Google's backtrack on third-party cookies, the focus swings to the importance of first-party data. AI chatbots are revolutionizing user behavior, prompting marketers to rethink their strategies. And amidst serious discussion, there's a light-hearted debate on the perfect chocolate chip cookie!

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 recent data on CMO tenure, revealing that the role may be more stable than commonly perceived. They discuss surprising statistics about tenure length, differences between B2B and B2C brands, and career progression for CMOs.Topics covered: [00:55] "The CMO Tenure Study 2024: An Expanded View of CMO Tenure and Background"[02:00] Average CMO tenure at Fortune 500 companies[03:20] The differences between B2B and B2C brand CMOs[04:55] Expanded responsibilities of modern CMOs[05:35] Career progression for CMOs after leaving roles[06:45] Diversity statistics for CMO positions To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Spencer Stuart. (2024). *CMO Tenure Study 2024: An Expanded View of CMO Tenure and Background*. Retrieved from https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/cmo-tenure-study-2024-an-expanded-view-of-cmo-tenure-and-background   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Brand extensions gain an average of 8.3% more market share and have 8.7% lower advertising costs compared to new brands entering a category. But they also come with risks. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore the world of brand extensions. They discuss research on what makes extensions succeed or fail, share examples of extensions gone right (and very wrong), and debate whether Dyson's new headphones are genius or folly. Plus, learn why Lego might be the greatest brand extension success story of all time. Topics covered: [01:00] Dyson's extension into headphones[04:00] Research on brand extension success factors[09:00] Uber's expansion into food delivery[15:45] BIC's failed disposable underwear line[19:30] Lego's empire of successful extensions[23:00] Harley-Davidson's ill-fated perfume launch[26:30] Dove's expansion from women's to men's products[27:30] Evian's bizarre water bra product To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources:International Business & Economics Research Journal Article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265222329_Brand_Extensions_A_Qualitative_Meta-Analysis_Of_20_Years_Of_Marketing_Research/fulltext/5485c1130cf2ef344787c30c/Brand-Extensions-A-Qualitative-Meta-Analysis-Of-20-Years-Of-Marketing-Research.pdf Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use.In this episode, Elena and Rob reveal how influencer marketing’s success hinges on aligning the right influencer with the right product for the right audience.Topics covered:   [01:05] “Understanding Influencer Marketing: The Role of Congruence Between Influencers, Products and Consumers”[01:21] Examples of good and bad promotion[04:35] Influencers in the 18th century[05:38] What makes an influencer campaign successful?[08:30] The difference between an influencer and a celebrity To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast  Resources: Belanche, D., Casaló, L. V., Flavián, M., & Ibáñez-Sánchez, S. (2021). Understanding influencer marketing: The role of congruence between influencers, products and consumers. *Journal of Business Research, 132*, 186-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.03.067.   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Patagonia. Dove. Ben & Jerry’s. These are just some of the brands that have leaned into purpose-led messaging over the last decade. But could brand purpose be just another marketing trend that misses the mark? In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss the rise of brand purpose and its effectiveness as a marketing strategy. They explore the history of corporate social responsibility, debate whether purpose-driven campaigns really drive results, and share examples of brands that get it right (and wrong). Plus, test your knowledge of famous brand purpose statements in a fun guessing game. Topics covered: [01:00] Nick Asbury's critique of brand purpose [04:00] How Dove’s famous campaign misinterpreted data[07:46] The history of corporate social responsibility and brand purpose [10:00] Why brand purpose should align with business goals [14:00] Measuring the success of purpose-driven campaigns [17:30] Do consumers care about brand purpose? [19:30] The role of purpose in employee engagement 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/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.