Only half of marketers believe they understand marketing effectiveness principles according to WARC. Even worse, many US marketers lag their global peers in applying these proven frameworks for growth.

Elena, Angela, and Rob break down the most important marketing effectiveness principles every marketer should know. They examine why these principles work, how to apply them to your brand, and what happens when marketers ignore them. Plus, learn why broad reach and brand building still matter, even in today's digital-first world.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] How one healthcare CMO used marketing effectiveness to secure record budgets
• [04:00] Why broad reach matters more than narrow targeting
• [07:00] The science behind distinctive brand assets
• [10:00] Why light buyers drive more growth than loyal customers
• [14:00] The truth about the 60/40 brand building rule
• [19:00] How excess share of voice predicts market share growth
• [22:00] Mental and physical availability's impact on sales 

 





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

Resources: 
2023 MI3 Article: https://www.mi-3.com.au/17-04-2023/how-ex-pg-us-marketer-ditched-cohorts-personas-and-restrictive-segmentation-blended-0
 

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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 what drives ROI for Super Bowl advertisers by examining six years of sales data across nearly 200 media markets. They reveal why some brands see significant returns while others struggle to justify the investment.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Super Bowl Ads"
• [03:00] Top advertising categories during the big game
• [05:00] How viewership impacts beer and soda sales
• [06:00] The importance of owning consumption occasions
• [07:00] Why competing ads can cancel each other out
• [08:00] Building brand associations beyond sales lift 

 





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

Resources: 
Hartmann, W. R., & Klapper, D. (2016). Super Bowl Ads. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2385058  
 

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A 30-second Super Bowl spot now costs over $7 million—a 337% increase since 1999. But does this massive investment drive real results? And what separates the memorable ads from the forgettable ones?

Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what makes Super Bowl ads effective, from creative principles to strategic considerations. Drawing from both successful and failed campaigns, the team shares what marketers should watch for in the commercials during this year's big game plus why even great creative can't save bad strategy.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Why creative isn't the only driver of marketing success
• [02:00] Super Bowl viewership is 10x larger and more diverse than regular NFL games
• [06:00] When Super Bowl advertising makes strategic sense for brands
• [11:00] Creative effectiveness principles for big game ads
• [14:00] Why brand visibility matters more than ever
• [17:00] The importance of cultural relevance in Super Bowl spots
• [21:00] Analysis of successful Super Bowl campaigns through the years 

 





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

Resources: 
2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/content/feed/ritson-marketing-doesnt-start-with-creativity-but-with-diagnosis/en-GB/9602
 

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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 traditional advertising, display ads, and paid search impact brand value during mergers and acquisitions. Their discussion reveals surprising insights about which channels create lasting brand equity.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Digital versus Traditional Advertising and the Recognition of Brand Intangible Assets"
• [03:00] Brand valuations in major acquisitions
• [06:10] Why paid search falls short for brand building
• [07:15] Traditional and display advertising's role in brand value
• [08:30] The relationship between ad spend and acquisition value 

 





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

Resources: 
Citation for episode notes: Song, S. X. (2023). Digital versus Traditional Advertising and the Recognition of Brand Intangible Assets. SSRN. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4675064 
 

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Since 2010, the efficiency of highly creative campaigns has halved according to research by Peter Field. And the cost of dull advertising? U.S. brands would need to spend an additional $189 billion annually to make underperforming ads as effective as top performers.

Elena, Angela, and Rob examine what's driving this creative crisis and how marketers can produce more effective campaigns. From the importance of audience research and strategic planning to creating memorable audio mnemonics and characters, learn what sets successful creative apart. Plus, discover why AI could be the solution to streamlining creative development and improving effectiveness.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] The state of creative effectiveness in modern marketing
• [04:00] How digital marketing changed creative development
• [08:00] The role of attention in advertising effectiveness
• [13:00] Why strategic planning must come before creative
• [17:00] Key elements of effective TV creative
• [24:00] Finding powerful insights that connect with audiences
• [30:00] Recent examples of highly effective creative campaigns 

 





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

Resources: 
Another Dull Whitepaper: The Extraordinary Cost of Dull: https://system1group.com/the-extraordinary-cost-of-dull

Selling Creativity Short: Creativity and Effectiveness Under Threat: https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-reports/selling-creativity-short-creativity-and-effectiveness-under-threat
 

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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 cultural imprinting helps brands grow quickly by shifting societal perceptions rather than individual opinions. They reveal why mass media channels remain crucial for building common knowledge about brands.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Branding Cheat Codes for Explosive Growth"
• [02:45] How cultural signals influence purchase decisions
• [04:10] Understanding the third-person effect
• [05:30] Why mass media outperforms digital for cultural imprinting
• [07:15] The challenge of crafting culturally resonant messages 

 





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

Resources: 
Williams, R. (n.d.). Branding cheat codes for explosive growth. Wizard of Ads. Retrieved from https://wizardofads.org/branding-cheat-codes-for-explosive-growth/  
 

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41% of agencies bill by the hour, but only 24% of marketers prefer this model. As AI reshapes marketing, traditional agency structures are cracking. So what comes next?

This week, Elena and Rob tackle the evolving agency landscape. They explore why the term "agency" might disappear within three years, how AI is pushing the industry toward platform-based solutions, and what marketers should look for in strategic partners. Whether you're considering bringing services in-house or evaluating new agency relationships, discover how to navigate the shifting marketing services landscape.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Traditional agency models vs modern alternatives
• [03:30] What marketers really want from agency partnerships
• [12:00] The real cost of bringing services in-house
• [18:00] How AI is transforming agency relationships
• [21:00] Why platforms might replace traditional agencies
• [24:00] What marketing services could look like by 2026 

 





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


Resources: 
2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/content/feed/if-ai-saves-agency-time-does-charging-by-the-hour-still-make-sense/en-gb/10068
2024 WARC Podcast Episode: https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/warc-talks/why-agency-business-models-are-hurting-effectiveness/en-gb/155118
 

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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 advertising affects consumers' sensitivity to price changes, particularly for premium and niche brands. They discover that even competitors' ads can benefit your brand by increasing category attention.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] "Advertising's Long-Term Impact on Brand Price Elasticity Across Brands and Categories"
• [02:30] How brand equity influences pricing power
• [03:00] Price elasticity explained
• [05:00] Which brands benefit most from advertising
• [06:45] The seasoning effect of category advertising
• [08:15] How luxury brands approach advertising differently 

 





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

Resources: 
Ataman, M. B., Pauwels, K., Srinivasan, S., & Vanhuele, M. (2016). Advertising’s Long-Term Impact on Brand Price Elasticity Across Brands and Categories. SSRN. Retrieved from SSRN. 
 

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Broadcast TV accounts for 94% of all attention-weighted video advertising. While a YouTube ad garners just 4.5 seconds of attention on average and a Facebook ad only one second, a TV commercial commands a full 15 seconds of active viewer attention.

Elena, Angela, and Rob reveal four secrets to TV advertising success that most marketers don't know. They explore why TV remains the most effective marketing channel, discuss how audio drives TV commercial performance, and explain why traditional media buying methods are becoming obsolete. Plus, learn why looking beyond immediate results is crucial for measuring TV's true impact on business growth.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] TV delivers 2.6x more market share growth than campaigns without it
• [03:00] Why 74% of households watch both linear and streaming TV
• [06:00] The surprising power of audio in TV commercials
• [14:00] How AI-driven media buying provides 2-3x more reach
• [19:00] Why TV's most important results aren't immediate
• [20:00] The ideal split between performance and brand marketing
• [22:00] Tips for measuring TV campaign effectiveness 

 





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

Resources: 
2024 TV's Future is Much More Than Connected Report: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/blog/tvs-future-is-much-more-than-connected
 

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 a large-scale eBay experiment that challenges common assumptions about paid search advertising effectiveness. They discover that brand-keyword ads often reach customers who would have found the site anyway, and even non-branded keywords generate negative ROI.

Topics covered:

• [01:00] "Consumer Heterogeneity and Paid Search Effectiveness: A Large Scale Field Experiment"
• [02:35] Why marketers avoid clicking paid search ads
• [03:45] eBay's massive experiment design
• [06:00] The surprising impact on frequent buyers
• [07:10] Shocking ROI results
• [08:30] What this means for established brands 

 





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

Resources: 
Blake, T., Nosko, C., & Tadelis, S. (2014). Consumer Heterogeneity and Paid Search Effectiveness: A Large-Scale Field Experiment. Econometrica.  


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