In this episode of Brain Driven Brands, Sarah and Nate play a rapid-fire game of Smash or Pass with some of the most overused, misunderstood, and quietly dangerous ideas in modern marketing.

We tear into things most teams can't say out loud… and the ones they're afraid to admit: – Why you can't optimize an emotion that was never there – Why most "testing" is really just for the founder's ego – How beautiful creative can hide a serious idea drought – Why iteration can be growth (but usually isn't) – And how creative fatigue is often just leadership fatigue in disguise

This isn't a how-to episode. It's a how-are-you-thinking episode.

We talk about idea tracking vs. concept hoarding, empathy vs. data, AI vs. taste, speed vs. depth—and why most ads fail because they're answering questions no customer ever asked.

If you're running paid media, managing a creative team, or quietly wondering why "doing more" keeps working less… this one will feel uncomfortably familiar in a good way.

(Listen for the moments where we disagree. That's where the real insight lives.)

Original tweet:https://x.com/SarahLevinger/status/1994428068220273056?s=20

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CoHost: Nate Lagos

Twitter: https://x.com/natelagosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natelagos/ Tactical and Practical Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tactical-practical/id1752915534

CoHost: Sarah Levinger

Learn more at: https://www.tetherinsights.io/ Twitter: https://x.com/SarahLevingerLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlevinger/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarah.levinger/ Watch me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKwfjt_7PU5N_2fTfHemXXg