The Marketing Architects

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 h...

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:...

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, deb...

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 discuss how dynamic content in video ads captures and holds attention, emphasizing that movement and change are crucial for making ads more enga...

Up to 50% of business value comes from brand. Plus, strong brands tend to outperform the stock market, justify higher prices, and drive customer loyalty. So why is brand building often seen as nothing more than an extra cost?  In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob dig into the real value of brand. They explore how to measure brand's impact, creative best practices for building brand, and which c...

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 discuss how sponsoring sports events can boost brand perception and sales. They explore the importance of engaging participants in experiential...

Brands spend billions every year to run TV ads during the most popular programs. But are these expensive timeslots worth it?  This week, Elena, Angela, Rob, and special guest VP Media Ron Blevins explore common misconceptions about media quality. Learn why low-cost inventory doesn't always mean low quality, how to evaluate media beyond traditional metrics, and where brands can find opportunities t...

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 discuss why first-party data is more reliable and cost-effective than third-party data. They learn that investing in first-party data is essenti...

NBC Universal paid nearly $8 billion for Olympic broadcast rights through 2032. But is sports marketing really worth the cost? This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob dive into the world of sports marketing as the Summer Olympics kick off. They explore the surprising scale of sports advertising, the evolution of athlete endorsements, and whether Olympic sponsorships are worth the premium price tag. Plus...

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 discuss how marketers can leverage framing and decoy effects to sway consumer choices and boost confidence in their decisions. Topics covered:  ...

Removing TV from a marketing campaign can reduce its impact by 39%. That’s a massive drop—and evidence of the impact including TV in your marketing mix has. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss the most effective marketing channel combinations. They explore how TV boosts other channels' performance, the creative challenges inherent to multi-channel campaigns, and the complexities of buying an...

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 dive into the new world of Large Language Models (LLMs), revealing how AI models are shaking up market research with impressive accuracy. They a...

Artificial intelligence is taking over the world of market research with its ability to accurately predict human responses. But how can you best use AI to help make informed decisions about your business? This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob dive into the world of AI-driven market research, exploring the latest advancements in and practical applications of large language models (LLMs) for better u...

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 discuss research showing that starting customer surveys with open-ended positive questions can boost spending and loyalty by reinforcing positiv...

How much should your competition influence your marketing strategy? When should you focus on them? And when does it make more sense to ignore them?    In this episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob discuss competition in marketing. Together, they review strategies for brands navigating competitive pressure and share real-world examples of how some companies have positioned themselves against their rivals...

Every marketer dreams of crafting unforgettable, creative campaigns. But what does creativity really look like? How can you consistently achieve it? And why do so many campaigns fall short of the mark? This week, we’re tackling these questions head-on. Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by VP of Creative Vivienne Wan to uncover the secrets of creativity in advertising and how you can harness this p...

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 discuss how loyalty programs boost spending, especially among light and moderate buyers, when tailored rewards are offered. They learn that cust...

Why has America fallen behind the world in marketing effectiveness knowledge? And what can we do to catch up? This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by professor, consultant, and columnist Dr. Mark Ritson. Based on his experience as both a marketing academic and practitioner, Mark shares his thoughts on the state of marketing effectiveness in the US, what we can learn from the history of...

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 psychological targeting enhances digital marketing performance. Together, they explain how matching ads to audience traits can offer...

Did you know AI influencers drive more engagement than real humans do? Or that consumers buy less, not more, from your brand the longer they’re a customer? Or why you always buy the large popcorn at the movie theater, even though you’d be happy with a smaller size? This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are sharing some of their favorite (and most surprising) research on marketing principles and con...

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 learn about the value of using irrelevant attributes to set your brand apart from competitors. They explore why even meaningless differentiation...

Connected TV is one of the most popular new marketing channels of 2024. According to eMarketer, CTV ad revenue will reach $28 billion this year. But it’s also one of the most complex and confusing channels.  This episode is dedicated to fixing that. Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Director of Advanced TV Marrika Zapiler to break down how CTV works and why it’s attracting so much attention rig...

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 take a closer look at the impact celebrities have on consumer buying decisions. Plus, they dig into the psychological and biological reasons as...

Advertising is on its way out. Or so marketing professor Scott Galloway suggested in his recent interview on the Uncensored CMO podcast.  We (naturally) found this concerning. So this week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are taking a good, hard look at whether advertising really impacts business growth. They review how much the biggest and most innovative brands in the world really spend on advertising, h...

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 us to click and share online content. Is virality just luck, or is it strategic? Discover how emotions and planning play a p...