For years, marketers have been stuck in an endless debate. Brand or performance? Do we spend on short-term clicks, or invest in long-term brand love? It’s been treated like some sort of marketing Hunger Games, where one must win at the expense of the other.
But here’s the thing. This isn’t a survival game. The latest research, including a study with Kroger, shows the old trade-off mindset is outdated. Brand marketing isn’t just fluffy storytelling. It’s a driver of real sales. And not just today’s sales, but sales that show up months after the campaign ends. In fact, the Kroger study revealed that over 80% of sales lift arrived after the campaign had wrapped.
(Source: BRANDNOMIC$: The Solution to CMO/CFO Misalignment on the ROI of brand?)
While you’re busy worrying about next month’s metrics, your brand is still working quietly in the background, making friends and influencing purchases.
And it gets better. People who feel good about your brand – the brand favorables – aren’t just smiling and nodding. They’re three times more likely to buy compared to non-favorables, according to the same research. So while you’re chasing the next conversion, they’re already halfway to checkout.
(Source: BRANDNOMIC$: The Solution to CMO/CFO Misalignment on the ROI of brand?)
Here’s the kicker: The real impact happens when you focus your campaigns on the right people and LATER activate them at the right time. Your branding campaigns should aim to plant the seed in your customers’ minds, making them “persuadable”. So when they’re nearing their next purchase, you’re right there to unlock up to 16 times higher ROAS.
(Source: The Persuadbles)
So what’s the takeaway here? Simple. Stop thinking of brand and performance as a tug-of-war. They’re not rivals. They’re partners. Brand builds the runway. Performance gives you the lift-off.
In today’s world, brand is performance. It’s high time we start measuring it that way. And if your CFO needs convincing, tell them this. Your brand is your long-term growth plan in disguise.
Connect with us to get started. Let’s unlock smarter marketing together.
Sources and Further Reading
MMA: BRANDNOMIC$: The Solution to CMO/CFO Misalignment on the ROI of brand?
MMA: The Persuadbles
