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 creative advertisements can actually hurt the performance of regular ads shown alongside them. They discuss why brands with smaller budgets should still prioritize creativity to avoid getting lost in the mix.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "The Power of Creative Advertising: Creative Ads Impair Recall and Attitudes Towards Other Ads"
• [03:00] How creative ads affect surrounding regular ads
• [04:35] The dramatic drop in recall when creative ads are repeated
• [05:10] Why regular ads are judged more harshly after creative ones
• [06:30] The "Super Bowl effect" and competitive ad environments
• [07:00] Creating memorable ads on smaller budgets 

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Jin, H. S., Kerr, G., Suh, J., Kim, H. J., & Sheehan, B. (2022). The power of creative advertising: Creative ads impair recall and attitudes toward other ads. International Journal of Advertising, 41(3), 1-21. 
 

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Marketers only accurately predict the outcome of an A/B test 52% of the time. With today's viewers constantly multitasking, creative has seconds—not minutes—to make an impact. But many brands still rely on outdated approaches, leading to forgettable commercials.

In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Chief Creative Officer Steve Babcock to discuss Marketing Architects' new report on TV creative effectiveness. They explore why strategy must come first, why pretesting is no longer optional, storytelling lessons from marketing effectiveness research, and how AI is enhancing (not replacing) human creativity.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] New research on what makes TV creative effective in 2025
• [05:00] Why the old creative playbook no longer works
• [08:00] Finding the "elephant in the room" for strategic development
• [13:00] How AI-powered pretesting is changing creative development
• [21:00] The cost of "dull" advertising that evokes no emotion
• [25:00] Using AI as a creative engineering tool
• [36:00] The future of "shootless" video production 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
2025 Marketing Architects Report: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/NewRules
 

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 emotions outweigh logic in advertising effectiveness. They discuss research showing emotional responses are nearly twice as powerful as cognitive factors in driving purchase intent across nearly all product categories.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "The Power of Effect: Predicting Intention"
• [02:00] Rational vs. emotional decision-making
• [03:00] The AdSAM non-verbal research tool
• [05:00] Where emotion dominates across product categories
• [06:45] The one category where logic outperforms emotion
• [09:30] Creating ads that evoke the right feelings 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
Morris, J. D., Woo, C., Geason, J. A., & Kim, J. (2002). The power of affect: Predicting intention.Journal of Advertising Research, 42(3), 7-17. 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

CTV ad revenue is projected to reach $28 billion this year, but 39% of advertisers still cite transparency in ad placements as a major concern. Is Connected TV delivering on its promises or falling short?

This episode, Elena and Angela are joined by Chief Media Officer Catherine Walstad to discuss the state of CTV advertising. They explore the maturing optimism around streaming TV and share practical advice for navigating this complex but essential channel. Learn why CTV shouldn't be viewed as either brand or performance marketing, but as a powerful complement to linear TV.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] CTV usage and ad spend projections through 2026
• [03:30] Current marketing sentiment around CTV advertising
• [06:00] Defining CTV, OTT, and streaming terminology
• [09:00] Is CTV delivering on its ROI promises?
• [11:00] CTV's role in both brand and performance marketing
• [18:00] Why CTV advertising has high CPMs and hidden costs
• [21:00] CTV measurement challenges and solutions
• [27:00] How fragmentation impacts advertisers and viewers
• [29:30] Emerging CTV trends like shoppable and interactive ads 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2025 eMarketer Article: https://www.emarketer.com/content/5-things-know-about-ctv-advertising-platforms
2025 Ad Exchanger Article: https://www.adexchanger.com/tv/buyers-say-ctvs-transparency-problem-remains-a-roadblock-to-investment/
 


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 humor in advertising drives stronger brand recall and sales despite its 37% decline over the past two decades. They reveal why creating memorable, relatable comedy leads to measurable business results.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "What's Working in Humorous Advertising"
• [02:30] The decline of humor in modern advertising
• [03:45] Data proving funny ads outperform competitors
• [05:10] How humor magnifies brand memories
• [06:05] Why humor drives brand fame
• [07:20] Balancing humor with brand connection 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
WARC. (2025). What’s Working in Humorous Advertising. WARC Strategy. Retrieved from WARC. 
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Only 90% of marketers see an ROI boost when they add brand building to performance marketing. Yet American marketers still struggle to prioritize effectiveness over efficiency, with many optimizing for lower costs rather than long-term business growth.

This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Lexi Wolf, Head of Advisory at WARC North America, to explore how marketing effectiveness is gaining momentum in the U.S. Lexi breaks down key findings from WARC's groundbreaking "Multiplier Effect" research, revealing why brand and performance marketing aren't opposing forces but rather complementary strategies that multiply each other's impact. Plus, learn how top marketers create creative platforms that drive both long-term equity and immediate sales.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] The state of marketing effectiveness in the U.S. versus other regions
• [05:30] Why marketers struggle with marketing marketing itself
• [10:30] How effectiveness principles should be directional, not prescriptive
• [17:00] The "advertising doom loop" and how to escape it
• [20:00] Why strong brands make your entire marketing funnel more efficient
• [24:00] Creating creative platforms that work for both brand and performance
• [32:00] Resources for marketers new to effectiveness principles 

 






To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
2023 WARC Report: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/in-the-us-its-time-to-talk-about-marketing-effectiveness/en-gb/6132
The Multiplier Effect Report: https://page.warc.com/the-multiplier-effect-report
 

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 uncover what design elements actually drive direct mail success. They explore research showing that opening and keeping mail require different strategies, with personalization playing a critical role in campaign effectiveness.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] "The Effects of Mailing Design Characteristics on Direct Mail Campaign Performance"
• [02:45] The impact of extreme personalization
• [03:40] Why opening rates don't correlate with keeping rates
• [05:10] Design elements that increase open rates
• [06:00] Features that make people keep mail instead of tossing it
• [07:30] Finding the balance between brand building and direct response 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter 
 

Resources: 
Feld, S., Frenzen, H., Krafft, M., Peters, K., & Verhoef, P. C. (2013). The effects of mailing design characteristics on direct mail campaign performance.International Journal of Research in Marketing, 30(2), 143-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2012.07.003 
 

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AI video tools have created lifelike Coca-Cola trucks, festive scenes, and even Angela's face in today's episode. These jaw-dropping demonstrations highlight how rapidly AI video has evolved and the debate this technology is creating.

This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Seth Woodall, Director of AI Visual Arts at Misfits & Machines and creator of the viral "Pepperoni Hug Spot" commercial. Together, they explore the state of AI video creation, misconceptions about the technology, and what's next for marketers looking to incorporate these tools. Plus, discover why AI-powered creative techniques will become standard production methods and indistinguishable from traditionally created work.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] The controversy behind Coca-Cola's AI holiday commercial
• [07:00] How Seth created the viral "Pepperoni Hug Spot" AI commercial
• [15:45] Why AI video expertise is hard to find in traditional agencies
• [18:00] Predictions for AI video quality improvements
• [21:30] AI tools like Comfy UI, Flux and LoRAs
• [26:00] Common misconceptions about how AI video is created
• [29:30] The democratization of high-quality video creation 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources: 
NBC News 2024 Article: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/coca-cola-causes-controversy-ai-made-ad-rcna180665
Pepperoni Hug Spot Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSewd6Iaj6I
 

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 Dirichlet model challenges common beliefs about brand loyalty. They reveal why most consumers aren't deeply loyal to specific brands and why reaching new customers matters more than increasing loyalty.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] "The Dirichlet: A Comprehensive Model of Buying Behavior"
• [02:00] What products do we buy without brand loyalty?
• [03:45] How brand share predicts buying behavior
• [04:30] Why acquisition drives loyalty, not vice versa
• [05:00] Most buyers are light buyers who purchase infrequently
• [06:00] The shocking truth about Coca-Cola's customer base 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.


Resources: 
Goodhardt, G. J., Ehrenberg, A. S. C., & Chatfield, C. (1984). The Dirichlet: A comprehensive model of buying behaviour.Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (General), 147(5), 621–655. 


Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In Peter Field's article "Challenger Thinking is How Brands Drive Growth," he states that challenger brands aren't born just from unique founders or lucky circumstances. Challenger thinking is actually how brands grow.

This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Marketing Architects founder Chuck Hengel to talk about marketing like a challenger brand. Chuck shares stories from creating and marketing HurryCane (the first walking cane to stand on its own) and Stuffies (a children's toy with hidden pockets), revealing key insights about broad audience targeting, distinctive brand assets, and why every department contributes to marketing success.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] What defines a challenger brand
• [04:45] Why marketing should connect to every business function
• [09:00] The consumer insight that created the HurryCane
• [14:00] The importance of brand fame and broad mental availability
• [16:00] Finding and targeting the right audience for Stuffies
• [22:00] The power of "smashable branding" and distinctive assets 

 





To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. 
 

Resources:  
The Challenger Project Article: https://thechallengerproject.com/blog/2019/peter-field-on-challenger-brands?utm_source=chatgpt.com
 

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.