In the latest episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc Binkley and Vassilis reflect on their conversation with Jane Ostler Chief Insights officer at Kantar.

Marc and Vassilis discuss the challenges brands face in a rapidly changing environment, particularly focusing on the impact of AI on branding and marketing strategies. They explore the concept of 'sea of sameness' in branding, the importance of distinguishing between trends and strategy, and the unique challenges faced by small brands. The conversation emphasizes the need for strategic clarity and the irrefutable principles of brand growth, regardless of technological advancements.

You won't want to miss it!

Takeaways:

• AI can contribute to a sea of sameness in branding.
• Brands must avoid dullness and strive for uniqueness.
• Understanding the difference between strategy and tactics is vital.
• Small brands face unique challenges in acquiring customers.
• Brand growth principles remain constant despite changing technologies.
• Trends should not replace core marketing strategies.
• Strategic clarity is essential for effective marketing execution.
• Small brands should focus on encouraging customer switching.
• The market is constantly changing, requiring adaptability.
• Innovation is crucial for brand differentiation.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast and Themes

00:55 - The Sea of Sameness and AI's Role

08:30 - Trends vs. Strategy in Marketing

14:15 - The Unique Challenges of Small Brands

19:54 - Core Principles of Brand Growth

Jane Ostler, Chief Insights Officer at Kantar, joins V and Marc to discuss 20 years of BrandZ data and what it reveals about brand growth. We explore the Meaningful, Different, Salient framework, why relative difference beats absolute uniqueness, and how marketers can separate strategic principles from tactical noise. Jane explains how small brands can compete without massive budgets, why trends shouldn't replace strategy, and how AI risks creating a "sea of sameness." From the Blueprint for Brand Growth to 2026 marketing trends, this conversation challenges conventional thinking about differentiation and brand building.

Jane Ostler is Chief Insights Officer at Kantar, where she leads the global BrandZ study, now in its 20th edition. She was a lead author of the Blueprint for Brand Growth, a comprehensive analysis based on billions of data points that established the Meaningful, Different, Salient (MDS) framework. Jane oversees Kantar's research into brand equity, marketing effectiveness, and consumer behaviour, producing reports including Marketing Trends 2026, Media Reactions, and Outstanding Innovation. Her work proves that strong brands consistently outperform stock market indices and that brand equity has measurable financial value.

[00:00] Introduction: Relative difference vs. absolute uniqueness

[01:34] The Meaningful, Different, Salient (MDS) framework

[03:50] Four principles of brand growth from the Blueprint

[05:56] Trends vs. principles: Understanding the difference

[08:24] Should marketers stop chasing trends?

[10:45] Current marketing trends for 2025-2026

[15:30] AI visibility strategy and LLM optimization

[22:15] How to measure marketing effectiveness

[28:40] BrandZ Top 100 brands insights

[38:46] Can small brands compete with limited budgets?

[43:43] The "sea of sameness" risk from AI

[45:07] Where to learn more about Kantar's research

BrandZ 2025 Report (20th Edition)

https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/brands/brandz

Annual ranking of the world's most valuable brands with comprehensive brand equity analysis

Blueprint for Brand Growth

https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/brands/blueprint-for-brand-growth

Kantar's comprehensive study analyzing billions of data points on what drives brand growth, including specific guidance for small brands

Marketing Trends 2026

https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/campaigns/marketing-trends-2026

Data-backed analysis of emerging marketing trends including creators, AI visibility, and experiential marketing

Media Reactions Report

https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/advertising-media/media-reactions

Research on media channel effectiveness and consumer response

Outstanding Innovation Report

https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/innovation/outstanding-innovation

Analysis of innovation strategies and brand growth through new product development

Jane Ostler on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/janeostler/

Kantar on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/kantar/

Kantar Website

https://www.kantar.com

In our latest episode, Marc and Vassilis discuss the evolving landscape of advertising and marketing, focusing on the impact of AI technologies. They explore how AI can outperform human copywriters in ad creation, the implications of Amazon's layoffs due to AI automation, and the changing nature of marketing jobs.

The conversation also delves into the ethical concerns surrounding hyper-personalization in advertising, Google's new JourneyAware bidding strategy, and the importance of brand priming in consumer decision-making. The episode concludes with a creative Christmas campaign that exemplifies the blending of advertising and entertainment.

Key Takeaways:

• AI can outperform human copywriters in ad creation.
• Amazon's layoffs signal a shift towards AI automation.
• Marketing jobs are evolving due to AI advancements.
• Hyper-personalization in advertising raises ethical concerns.
• Google's JourneyAware bidding focuses on user context.
• 84% of purchases are decided before shopping begins.
• Word of mouth is a powerful influencer in marketing.
• Creative campaigns can effectively engage consumers.
• AI is reshaping the advertising landscape.
• Marketers must adapt strategies to leverage AI technologies.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Personal Updates

02:45 - AI in Advertising: A Game Changer

05:29 - The Impact of AI on Job Markets

08:26 - The Future of Advertising: Automation and AI

11:27 - Hyper-Personalization in Digital Marketing

14:05 - Google's Journey-Aware Bidding: A New Era

17:03 - Conclusion and Future Implications

21:15 - The Complexity of Incremental Outcomes

23:15 - Marketing Moments: Understanding Consumer Decisions

28:14 - Influence and Receptivity in Marketing

32:21 - Creative Advertising: Blurring Lines Between Entertainment and Marketing

News Links:

Can genAI actually write better paid search ads than humans?

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nico-neumann-3021b32_can-genai-actually-write-better-paid-search-activity-7394635382283239424-vTRH/

Amazon lays off hundreds across its ad tech, analytics, and sales teams — and says AI is the reason.

https://www.marketingweek.com/amazon-layoffs-ai/

Will AI mean better adverts or 'creepy slop'? By MaryLou Costa

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg4y4z169go

Google Tests “Journey-Aware Bidding” — Search Gets a Little More… Emotional?

https://searchengineland.com/google-tests-journey-aware-bidding-to-optimize-search-campaigns-464729

The Marketing Moment

How Humans Decide - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jameshurman_under-16-of-people-will-buy-your-product-activity-7394639418369880066-Biih/

Ad of the Week

Waitrose serves up festive romcom starring Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson

View ad here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWeYKBXmCRs

Phil (Wilkinson) meets Keira at a Waitrose cheese counter, their shared love of food sparks a quirky romance.

Classic rom-com beats: meet-cute, food montage, surprise domestic gesture (turkey pie under a tea towel) and a playful nod to the iconic cue-card scene from Love Actually (“Please say you don’t have cue cards”)

Directed by Molly Manners; emphasises food as the love-language centerpiece.

Why it stands out:

It blurs the line between advertising and entertainment, leaning into narrative, character and emotion rather than straightforward product-first messaging.

It leverages star power (Knightley) plus comedic contrast (Wilkinson) to create “pop” and shareability.

It uses the insight that food & shared meals = emotional currency in rom-coms (and by extension, in festive retail ads) — the brief treats the supermarket not just as backdrop but as the catalyst for connection

In this PostPod episode, Marc and Vassilis discuss the complexities of digital advertising, emphasizing the importance of understanding viewability versus visibility, the pitfalls of cheap media, and the critical role of creative quality. They reflect on insights from recent guests and explore strategies for effective marketing, including the need for internal awareness and organizational change. The conversation highlights the challenges marketers face in navigating the digital landscape and the necessity of questioning data and media choices to drive better outcomes.

Takeaways

• Viewability does not guarantee visibility in advertising.
• Cheap media can lead to higher long-term costs.
• Creative quality is essential for effective advertising.
• Marketers should focus on ads that are actually seen.
• Internal awareness of media effectiveness is crucial.
• Challenging partners on media quality is necessary.
• It's important to measure effectiveness, not just efficiency.
• Organizational change is needed to adapt to new marketing realities.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

05:55 - Insights from Guests and Industry Connections

09:07 - The State of Digital Advertising

12:03 - Viewability vs. Visibility in Media

14:56 - The Cost of Cheap Media

15:53 - The Double Jeopardy of Challenger Brands

16:49 - Innovative Media Strategies for Startups

18:04 - Conclusion and Future Considerations

18:33 - The Importance of Creative Quality in Advertising

20:15 - Addressing the Accountability Gap in Marketing

22:52 - Practical Steps for Marketers

25:40 - Raising Internal Awareness of Marketing Challenges

27:47 - Navigating Organizational Resistance to Change

In this episode of The Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc and Vassilis sit down with Adam Morgan (Eat Big Fish) and Dr. Karen Nelson-Field (Amplified Intelligence) to talk about one of marketing’s most overlooked money pits — dull media.

You’ve heard of dull ads — but what about dull media?

From perfume that smells like burning money to attention metrics that flip our measurement logic upside down, this conversation exposes how marketers might be wasting more budget on where they show up than what they show.

Together, they unpack:

• Why the real cost of dullness might live in your media plan, not your creative.
• The massive gap between viewable and actually seen impressions.
• How cheap CPMs can quietly destroy ROI.
• Why challenger brands suffer most when attention is lost.
• And why the smartest marketers start from one brutal truth: nobody cares — so make them.

It’s a lively, insightful, and often hilarious conversation that will make you rethink everything from your media mix to your measurement frameworks.

Key Takeaways

• Dull media wastes more money than dull creative.
• Attention metrics are becoming the new standard.
• “Viewable” ≠ “Seen.” Stop confusing impressions with impact.
• The cheapest media often delivers the lowest ROI — a false economy.
• Challenger brands face double jeopardy when cutting corners on attention.
• Budget pressure is no excuse for bad planning.
• Attention isn’t a metric — it’s a design principle.
• Marketers must challenge models built on impression volume.
• Setting the bar higher is the only way to make media work harder.
• Removing waste and reinvesting in effective attention drives better results.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Dull Media and Marketing Waste

03:06 - The Cost of Dull Media vs. Dull Creative

06:00 - The Impact of Media Delivery Mechanisms

08:55 - The Concept of Seen vs. Unseen in Advertising

12:02 - Innovative Approaches to Highlighting Media Waste

15:01 - Attention Metrics and Their Importance

18:06 - The Challenge of Changing Industry Standards

20:53 - The Role of Budget Pressures in Media Choices

26:48 - Challenging Assumptions in Media Engagement

30:34 - The Cost of Dull Media

34:06 - The Double Jeopardy for Challenger Brands

38:46 - Understanding Attention as a Design Principle

42:30 - Setting the Bar Higher for Media Effectiveness

Supporting Links:

The Extraordinary Cost of Dull - System1 Group

The Cost of Dull Media | Dr Karen Nelson-Field (amplified.co)

Le Cout Dennui - The 198bn Cost Of Dull Media

In this episode, Vassilis and Marc explore things that caught their attention over the last couple of weeks. Key stories they highlight include:

• Ehrenberg-Bass Is Probably Right. Until It Isn’t. A piece by G Douglas
• Why marketing’s old rules still work in a new world, by Mark Pritchard
• 7 Focus Areas as AI Transforms Search and the Customer Journey in 2026
• Love Over Clicks, by Paul Worthington

For the marketing moment, Vassilis goes into his experience at the Millennium Alliance, CMO Forum, while concluding with the 'Ad of the week' where Marc details Skip the Dishes latest advertising campaign, highlighting its innovative approach to storytelling and brand positioning.

Enjoy the show!

Takeaways

• Ehrenberg-Bass principles are evidence-based but should not be dogma.
• Creativity is essential in marketing, even in established categories.
• Mark Pritchard emphasizes timeless marketing fundamentals.
• AI is reshaping customer journeys and search behaviours.
• Brand love can lead to economic durability.
• Skip the Dishes campaign cleverly uses storytelling to eliminate conflict.
• Marketers must adapt to AI's role in their processes.
• Emotional surplus can create pricing power for brands.
• Consistency in brand messaging is crucial across channels.
• The future of marketing involves collaboration with AI.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Marketing Insights

02:43 - Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and Marketing Principles

05:33 - The Importance of Creativity in Marketing

08:19 - Timeless Marketing Lessons from Mark Pritchard

11:05 - AI's Impact on Search and Customer Journey

16:21 - Navigating the New AI Landscape

22:00 - The Concept of Brand Love and Emotional Surplus

27:26 - Marketing Moment: CMO Forum Insights

33:08 - Ad of the Week: Skip the Dishes Campaign

Recorded live in Banff at The Gathering 2025, this special on-location episode of The Sleeping Barber Podcast brings together three conversations and a recap from hosts Vassilis Douros and Marc Binkley.

The episode explores how belonging, creativity, and technology are shaping the next chapter of marketing — from AI and the creator economy to the deeper values that connect brands and people.

Ryan Gill, co-founder of The Gathering and Cult, shares the philosophy behind the event’s enduring success and what it takes to preserve its soul as it grows. His perspective on leadership, belonging, and the responsibility of “being good guests” in Banff underscores a broader lesson for marketers — scale only matters if it deepens connection.

Vanessa Hope Schneider, Head of Marketing at Descript, reframes AI not as a threat but as a creative ally. She challenges marketers to take an “AI vacation” — dedicating uninterrupted time to learn and experiment — and reminds us that curiosity, not fear, should guide adoption. Her examples of AI co-creation, from “vibe-coded” design tools to custom GPTs for audience personas, reveal how AI can amplify human creativity rather than replace it.

Caroline Murphy, CMO of Meta4 Interactive, takes us inside the evolving world of in-game brand experiences. She describes how brands can authentically show up inside ecosystems like Fortnite and Roblox by co-creating with gamers, designing “playable stories” that enhance — not interrupt — gameplay. It’s a new kind of “digital physical availability,” meeting audiences where they already live, play, and connect.

Together, these conversations capture the evolving state of marketing: human connection grounded in creativity, powered by technology, and measured by meaning — not just metrics.

Timestamps

• 00:00 – Welcome to The Gathering 2025 in Banff, Alberta
• 02:10 – Reflections on connection, belonging, and “no badge attacks”
• 05:35 – The state of marketing effectiveness & long-term partnerships
• 09:25 – Ryan Gill on scaling connection without losing soul
• 16:40 – Leadership, values & “unreasonable hospitality”
• 22:50 – Vanessa Hope Schneider on AI, creativity & taking an “AI vacation”
• 31:00 – Coexisting with AI — where humans add the magic
• 36:40 – Carolyn Murphy on the creator economy & in-game brand storytelling
• 44:10 – How brands show up authentically in Roblox & Fortnite
• 51:15 – Measurement, co-creation, and the next era of engagement

There's a lot of marketing effectiveness research out there. Binet and Field. Byron Sharp. Jenni Romaniuk. The Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. Karen Nelson-Field. Peter Field. System1. The Effies and the IPA databank. If you're trying to absorb all of this while doing your actual job, it's overwhelming.

So we're making it simple: Eight fundamentals. These aren't tactics or channels. They're the underlying truths that emerge when you look at decades of research across thousands of brands, dozens of categories, and 50+ countries.

In this episode, V and Marc break down:

1. Strong Force vs. Weak Force - Why only 5% of buyers are ready to purchase right now, and why you need to build memory with the other 95%
2. Growth Comes From Reach, Not Loyalty - Why big brands aren't more loved, they're just more bought
3. Easy to Mind, Easy to Find - Mental and physical availability: being thought of and being findable
4. Bothism: Balance Short & Long - Why you need both brand building (60%) and sales activation (40%)
5. Creativity & Emotion Multiply Effectiveness - Why emotional campaigns are 11x more effective than rational ones
6. Fame & Consistency Build Memory - Why you should stop rebranding and commit to distinctive assets for decades
7. Making Promises & Building Trust - Why your entire organization needs to deliver on what marketing promises
8. Investment Drives Return - Why share of voice predicts share of market

The pattern across all eight? They require playing a longer game than most marketers are willing to play. Time and consistency win. These are the laws of gravity for marketing—you can ignore them, but they're still operating.

Whether you're in B2B or consumer, whether you're a CMO or running a small marketing team, these fundamentals apply. The question isn't "Do these apply to my business?" It's "How do I apply these to my specific context?"

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction & Overview

"We took 39 sources... synthesized it all into eight fundamental principles"

01:04 - Episode Opening

V and Marc introduce the episode and explain what fundamentals mean

03:36 - List of 8 Fundamentals

Quick overview of all eight principles

04:36 - Fundamental #1: Strong Force vs. Weak Force

How advertising actually works - the 5/95 rule

11:46 - Fundamental #2: Growth Comes From Reach, Not Loyalty

Why penetration beats retention

19:06 - Fundamental #3: Easy to Mind, Easy to Find

Mental and physical availability

27:45 - Fundamental #4: Bothism - Balance Short & Long

The 60/40 split and why you need both

38:03 - Fundamental #5: Creativity & Emotion Multiply Effectiveness

Why emotional campaigns are 11x more effective

46:31 - Fundamental #6: Fame & Consistency Build Memory

Distinctive assets and the danger of rebranding

54:14 - Fundamental #7: Making Promises & Building Trust

Why your whole organization owns the brand promise

01:00:11 - Fundamental #8: Investment Drives Return

Share of voice predicts share of market

01:08:22 - Synthesis & Wrap-Up

The pattern across all 8: Time and consistency

REFERENCES

Strong vs. Weak Force

Advertising: Strong Force or Weak Force? Two Views an Ocean Apart https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02650487.1990.11107151 

The weak force school vs the strong force school https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/swocc/the-weak-force-school-vs-the-strong-force-school/en-gb/88053? 

Les Binet How Advertising REALLY works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9EDJs3evCI

Andrew Ehrenberg Advertising: Strongly Persuasive or Nudging? https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288306321_Advertising_Strongly_persuasive_or_nudging

Byron Sharp, Malcolm Wright & Gerald Goodhardt Purchase Loyalty is Polarised into either Repertoire or Subscription Patterns   https://www.marketingscience.info/wp-content/uploads/staff/2015/08/7539.pdf 

Growth Comes From Reach, Not Loyalty

Byron Sharp: "How Brands Grow" (Chapters on Double Jeopardy and penetration) https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560

Romaniuk & Sharp: "How Brands Grow Part 2" (B2B evidence) https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-Including-Emerging/dp/0190330023/ref=pd_bxgy_thbs_d_sccl_1/140-1332947-4400340 

Ehrenberg-Bass: Decades of analysis across 50+ countries https://marketingscience.info/marketing-theory-evidence-practice/ 

Binet & Field Long & Short of It: Brand penetration is the primary driver of share growth https://www.amazon.ca/Long-Short-Balancing-Long-Term-Strategies/dp/085294134X

Marketing’s 60/20 Pareto Law Byron Sharp, Jenni Romaniuk, Charles Graham https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338094423_Marketing's_6020_Pareto_Law

Easy to Mind, Easy to Find

Byron Sharp: "How Brands Grow" (Chapters on Double Jeopardy and penetration) https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560

Romaniuk & Sharp: "How Brands Grow Part 2" (B2B evidence) https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-Including-Emerging/dp/0190330023/ref=pd_bxgy_thbs_d_sccl_1/140-1332947-4400340 

Ehrenberg-Bass: Decades of analysis across 50+ countries https://marketingscience.info/marketing-theory-evidence-practice/

Herbert Simon’s work on Satisficing https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/satisficing.asp 

The market-based assets theory of brand competition https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096969892300317X 

Jenni Romaniuk: "Building Distinctive Brand Assets" (mental availability framework) https://www.amazon.ca/Building-Distinctive-Brand-Assets-Romaniuk/dp/0190311509/ref=sr_1_1 

B2B Institute and Jenni Romaniuk:  Category Entry Points in a B2B World https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/cep-in-b2b 

Binet & Field: Fame beats uniqueness from the Long & Short of It https://www.amazon.ca/Long-Short-Balancing-Long-Term-Strategies/dp/085294134X

Karen Nelson-Field, Adam Morgan & Peter Field The Cost of Dull Media https://www.amplified.co/resources/cost-of-dull 

Bothism: Balance Short & Long

Mark Ritson coined the term: https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-bothism-cure-marketers-fascination-conflict/

Binet & Field: "The Long and the Short of It" (the foundational work on this) https://www.amazon.ca/Long-Short-Balancing-Long-Term-Strategies/dp/085294134X

Binet & Field: "Effectiveness in Context" (updated findings) https://www.thinkbox.tv/research/reports/effectiveness-in-context-free-download

Mental & Physical Availability Byron Sharp: "How Brands Grow" (Chapters on Double Jeopardy and penetration) https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560

5 / 95 Rule John Dawes https://marketingscience.info/the-955-rule-why-b2b-growth-starts-long-before-the-purchase/

WARC the Multiplier Effect https://page.warc.com/the-multiplier-effect-report 

Creativity & Emotion Multiply Effectiveness

The B2B Effectiveness Code https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/the-b2b-effectiveness-code 

Binet & Field: "The Long and the Short of It" (creativity analysis) https://www.amazon.ca/Long-Short-Balancing-Long-Term-Strategies/dp/085294134X

Lions & WARC Creative Effectiveness Ladder https://www.lionscreativity.com/creative-effectiveness-ladder

Paul Dyson & Kantar - The advertising multipliers that matter are not what marketers think https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/advertising-media/the-advertising-multipliers-that-matter-are-not-what-marketers-think

System1 & IPA The Power of Compound Creativity https://system1group.com/compound-creativity-system1-ipa

System1 & Effies The Creative Dividend https://system1group.com/the-creative-dividend

Peter Field: "The Crisis in Creative Effectiveness" (creativity declining over time) https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-reports/the-crisis-in-creative-effectiveness

IPA The link between creativity and effectiveness https://srh.agency/assets/documents/dispatch-1466161111_Creativity_and_Effectiveness.pdf 

Karen Nelson-Field: "Attention Economy" research (emotion drives attention) https://www.amazon.ca/Attention-Economy-How-Media-Works/dp/9811515395 

System1, Peter Field & Adam Morgan The Extraordinary Cost of Dull https://system1group.com/the-extraordinary-cost-of-dull

System1 & WARC: How Creativity Boosts ROI - emotional response predicts long-term effectiveness https://system1group.com/how-creativity-boosts-roi 

LinkedIn B2B Institute: "The Effectiveness Code" (emotion in B2B)  https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/the-b2b-effectiveness-code 

Fame & Consistency Build Memory

Jenni Romaniuk: "Building Distinctive Brand Assets" (the definitive work on this)

Binet & Field: Fame beats uniqueness or persuasion https://www.amazon.ca/Long-Short-Balancing-Long-Term-Strategies/dp/085294134X

Byron Sharp: "How Brands Grow" (consistency in execution)   https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560

VCCP UK & Karen Nelson-Field Hacking the Attention Economy https://www.vccp.com/uk/news/2025/may/hacking-the-attention-economy-vccp-media-and-dr-karen-nelson-field-reveal-1-5-second-formula-for-effective-digital-advertising 

Ehrenberg-Bass Institute & Nicole Hartnett What happens when brands stop advertising? https://marketingscience.info/when-brands-stop-advertising/ 

Nielsen Budgeting for the Upturn - does Share of Voice Matter https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2009/budgeting-for-the-upturn-does-share-of-voice-matter/ 

Promise & Meaning Create Trust

Kantar: BrandZ analysis (meaningful brands grow faster) https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/blueprint-for-brand-growth 

Edelman Trust Barometer (trust in brands declining, but matters for purchase) https://www.edelman.com/news-awards/only-one-third-of-consumers-trust-most-of-the-brands-they-buy 

B2B Institute & Roger Martin Promise to the Customer https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/making-a-promise-to-the-customer 

B2B Institute & Roger Martin Promise to the Business Customer  https://business.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/business/en-us/marketing-solutions/resources/pdfs/making-a-promise-to-the-business-customer-final.pdf 

Investment Drives Return

Binet & Field: Excess Share of Voice (ESOV) research https://www.amazon.ca/Long-Short-Balancing-Long-Term-Strategies/dp/085294134X

IPA: Recession marketing analysis https://ipa.co.uk/initiatives/effworks/effworks-ft-reports/advertising-in-recession 

John Philip Jones Ad Spending: Maintaining Market Share (eSOV) https://hbr.org/1990/01/ad-spending-maintaining-market-share

IPA, Les Binet & Will Davis Go Big or Go Home https://ipa.co.uk/news/go-big-or-go-home/ 

In this week’s Barber’s Brief, Marc and Vassilis dive into stories that had the marketing world buzzing — from Lululemon’s founder publicly calling out the brand’s leadership to Google breaking SEO dashboards everywhere after removing the num=100 parameter. They explore new research proving creators are better brand builders than sales drivers, and then welcome Dr. Nicole Hartnett from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute to unpack her team’s latest findings on how marketers misjudge brand strength compared to consumers.

They wrap up with the Ad of the Week — Dove’s “Change the Compliment,” a heartfelt campaign challenging how we praise young girls. It’s insightful, funny, and filled with marketing lessons that stick.

Key Takeaways

Lululemon’s identity crisis: Founder Chip Wilson’s fiery WSJ ad claims the brand lost its creative edge chasing quarterly profits — a reminder of what happens when finance outweighs product and brand.

Link: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1397187/000119312525234754/ck0000000000-ex99_4.pdf

Google’s “num=100” chaos: 77% of sites saw keyword visibility drop, exposing years of phantom SEO data. Your reports might look worse… but they’re actually more accurate.

Link: https://searchengineland.com/google-search-rank-and-position-tracking-is-a-mess-right-now-461984

We’ve been using creators wrong: Groundbreaking research proves creators build brand love, not just clicks — performing on par with TV in the short term, and even better long-term.

Link: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2025/10/08/ground-breaking-research-proves-we-ve-been-using-creators-wrong-all-time

Marketing Moment – Brand misjudgment: Dr. Nicole Hartnett reveals marketers consistently overestimate fame and underestimate the uniqueness of their assets — the “false consensus effect” in action.

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41262-025-00395-y

Special Guest: Dr. Nichole Hartnet: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-hartnett/

Ad of the Week – Dove’s “Change the Compliment”: A beautifully simple message — stop telling girls they’re pretty, and start telling them they’re powerful, kind, and creative.

Link: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2025/10/10/dove-urges-people-change-how-girls-are-complimented

Timestamps:

00:00 – Cold open & Thanksgiving banter

02:00 – Lululemon in a Nosedive: Chip Wilson’s WSJ ad

10:00 – Google’s “num=100” parameter and the SEO data meltdown

18:00 – New IPA research: We’ve been using creators wrong

26:00 – Marketing Moment: Dr. Nicole Hartnett on brand misjudgment

46:00 – Ad of the Week: Dove’s “Change the Compliment”

57:00 – What’s next on The Sleeping Barber Podcast

Follow Our Updates⁠⁠

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/

https://www.sleepingbarber.ca

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/

Join Marc and Vassilis as they reflect on their conversation with Dr. Augustine Fou, of FouAnalytics.

They delve into the complexities of digital marketing, focusing on ad fraud, data integrity, and the challenges marketers face in a rapidly evolving landscape. They also discuss the importance of understanding the incentives behind ad fraud, the necessity of educating leadership on marketing metrics, and the philosophical underpinnings of advertising. They even cover some practical tips for marketers to navigate these challenges effectively.

Takeaways

• Ad fraud is often a result of misaligned incentives within organizations.
• Marketers must take responsibility for understanding and addressing ad fraud.
• Data integrity is crucial; not all data is trustworthy.
• The audience expansion networks are a significant source of ad fraud.
• Marketers need to educate their leadership on the nuances of digital marketing metrics.
• Decision-making in marketing can be influenced by the fear of indecision.
• Practical tips, like turning off audience expansion networks, can mitigate fraud.
• Understanding the broader context of advertising is essential for effective marketing.
• The $300 billion ad fraud industry presents both challenges and opportunities for marketers.
• Speed and agility in decision-making are critical in the digital marketing landscape.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Initial Thoughts

01:45 Ad Fraud and Incentivization Issues

05:12 The Complexity of Reporting and Data Integrity

09:00 Understanding the $300 Billion Fraud Industry

12:39 The Goalie Paradox and Decision Making in Marketing

16:25 Practical Tips for Marketers

20:15 The Philosophy of Advertising and External Factors