In this episode of Barber's Brief, Vassilis Douros is riding solo discussing various marketing trends and insights, including the economic implications of the Calgary Stampede, shifts in Google Ads following AI integration, the impact of viral content on brand growth, MasterCard's pivot to experiential marketing, effective retargeting strategies, and Stella Artois' creative campaign for Wimbledon.
Each topic highlights the evolving landscape of marketing and the importance of adapting strategies to meet consumer needs and behaviors.
Follow our updates here:
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/
Takeaways
The Calgary Stampede serves as an unofficial economic indicator.
Attendance at the Stampede is on pace to break records.
Google Ads are seeing a decline in click-through rates post-AI integration.
Longer queries are becoming more common in search behavior.
Viral content does not always correlate with brand growth.
Experiential marketing is becoming more important than traditional ads.
Generic ads can outperform personalized retargeting ads in certain contexts.
Timing is crucial for effective retargeting strategies.
Stella Artois' Wimbledon campaign creatively aligns with cultural events.
Emotional connections in marketing are essential for brand differentiation.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:57 - Calgary Stampede: Economic Indicator
03:14 - Shifts in Google Ads Post-AI
06:33 - The Long and Short of Advertising
07:58 - MasterCard's Experiential Marketing Shift
11:10 - Retargeting: When Does It Work?
17:36 - Stella Artois: Wimbledon Campaign Highlights
Links:
Calgary Stampede: What the 'Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth' says about the economy - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/bakx-calgary-stampede-2025-1.7577533
Google Ads data shows query length shift post-AI Mode - https://searchengineland.com/google-ads-data-shows-query-length-shift-post-ai-mode-458162
Post from Andrew Tindal about the Long & Short (form) of it - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-tindall_advertising-marketing-activity-7346158065483718657-bp2y
Advertising is not working the way it used to’: Why Mastercard has pivoted to an experiential future - https://www.marketingweek.com/advertising-not-working-mastercard-experiential/
Marketing Moment:
When does Retargeting Work?
https://ide.mit.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2011.12_Lambrecht_Tucker_When-Does-Retargeting-Work_311.pdf?x88505
Dressed in White for Wimbledon - https://www.famouscampaigns.com/2025/07/stella-artois-serves-up-limited-edition-white-can-for-wimbledon
From Performance Marketing To Experience Marketing
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-performance-marketing-experience-engineering-consumer-douros-hasdc
Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros discuss their insights from their recent episode featuring Dale Harrison, Zombie Metrics: Don't Fall for Misleading Data.
They explore the concept of 'zombie metrics' in marketing, the outdated funnel model, and the importance of intent data.
The discussion highlights the importance of data literacy among marketers and the significance of marketing effectiveness principles in driving business results. Our hosts reflect on the evolving landscape of marketing and the necessity of adapting to new insights and methodologies.
Follow our updates here:
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/
Takeaways
Zombie metrics can mislead marketers.
The traditional funnel model is no longer effective.
Intent data should be used holistically, not just for conversions.
Data literacy is crucial for interpreting marketing metrics.
Marketers must validate their metrics to ensure accuracy.
Curiosity about data sources enhances understanding.
Marketing effectiveness principles are essential for real results.
Dale Harrison's insights provide valuable perspectives.
The consumer journey is more compressed than ever.
Being open to being wrong fosters growth in marketing.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction and Context Setting
01:07 - Exploring Zombie Metrics
04:16 - The Outdated Funnel Model
08:51 - Intent Data and Its Implications
13:29 - Marketing Effectiveness Principles
In this episode, Dale Harrison discusses the concept of 'zombie metrics' and their misleading nature in marketing.
He emphasizes the importance of data literacy for marketers to gain credibility and make informed decisions. The conversation critiques the traditional funnel model, suggesting it is outdated and does not accurately represent the marketing process.
Dale proposes a new way of thinking about marketing metrics, focusing on the impact of brand marketing and the often unreliable nature of intent data.
Enjoy the show!
Our guest:
Dale Harrison
Consultant - Inforda Life Sciences Services
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dalewharrison/
Follow our updates here:
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/
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
02:12 - Understanding Zombie Metrics
10:28 - The Importance of Data Literacy in Marketing
12:21 - The Role of Financial Metrics in Marketing
22:04 - The Funnel vs. Gumball Machine Model in Marketing
26:41 - The Evolution of Sales Tactics
29:21 - Understanding Marketing Models and Buyer Behaviour
30:22 - The Role of Memory in Marketing
32:36 - Measuring Marketing Effectiveness
35:29 - The Impact of Brand Marketing
37:51 - The Misconception of Intent in Marketing
45:12 - The Limitations of Intent Data
Takeaways
Zombie metrics can mislead marketers and decision-makers.
Data literacy is essential for credibility in marketing.
The traditional funnel model is outdated and oversimplified.
Marketing should focus on altering future buyer behaviour.
Brand marketing has a lasting impact on consumer memory.
Intent data is often unreliable and can lead to false assumptions.
Marketers need to evaluate the metrics they use critically.
Understanding contribution margin is crucial for marketing effectiveness.
Effective marketing requires a balance of performance and brand strategies.
The cost of acquiring customers is often exaggerated in marketing discussions.
In this episode, Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros reflect on their experiences at Cannes, discussing key highlights, networking with industry leaders, and insights on marketing trends.
They explore the evolving landscape of personalization, the lack of conversation around social purpose, and the need for transparency in media.
The conversation also touches on long-term campaign strategies, innovative advertising examples, and the critical role of attention in effective marketing. They conclude with thoughts on future plans and the value of connections made at the festival.
Follow our updates here:
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/
Key Takeaways
Timestamps:
00:00 Chilling in the Cold: Reflections on Cannes
02:39 Networking with Industry Leaders
05:17 The Shift in Personalization and Martech
07:53 The Role of Social Purpose in Branding
10:42 Campaign Longevity: Thinking Long-Term
13:19 Excess Share of Voice and Budget Constraints
15:58 Innovative Campaigns: Rethinking Media Strategies
18:29 Creative Insights from Cannes 2025
21:10 The Importance of Attention in Advertising
23:53 Final Thoughts and Future Plans
We’re back with another episode from the Croisette — and today, we unpack a busy (and very hot) Day 4 at Cannes Lions.
Marc and Vassilis reflect on a standout presentation by Mark Ritson, who laid out three pillars for marketing effectiveness: fluency, emotion, and time — and challenged long-held assumptions about personalization, ad wearout, and brand purpose.
They’re also joined by Vanessa Chin, SVP of Marketing and Josh Fruttiger, VP of Global partnerships from System1, who share insights from their latest report, The Long and the Short Form of It (co-authored with Andrew Tindall), which explores how brands can build attention, recognition, and results through short-form video.
Highlights include:
Ritson’s point: “Make fewer ads. Run them longer. Make more money.”
Why distinctive brand assets matter more than your logo
The creative secret behind Corona’s Cannes-winning eclipse campaign
System1’s forced fatigue study: why entertaining ads fatigue less and perform longer
The surprising absence of AI and personalization from the Croisette conversation
The myth of more = better: why 3,500 assets ≠ 3,500 ideas
The return of out-of-home — and what Super Bowl marketers can learn from it
Plus, find out why entertainment outperforms even hard-selling tactics across both brand and conversion metrics.
Stick around until the end to hear short interviews with Josh and Vanessa directly from the ground.
Enjoy the episode!
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction
01:12 – Recapping Day 4 at Cannes + why we need to talk about Ritson
02:20 – Mark Ritson’s 3 rules for effectiveness: fluency, emotion & time
04:45 – Why we overvalue personalization and short-term refreshes
06:30 – Creative consistency vs. fragmentation: 3,500 assets ≠ 3,500 ideas
08:20 – The case for distinctiveness, memory, and emotional resonance
10:00 – Interview: Josh Fruttiger (System1) on the long and the short form
10:50 – How System1 + TikTok measured short-form creative performance
13:15 – Entertainment vs. salesmanship: what actually converts?
15:30 – Why lazy branding hurts attention — and what to do instead
17:10 – What fluent devices and brand characters do better than logos
18:30 – Ad fatigue is real, but good creative ages well
20:00 – How to keep ideas fresh without losing consistency
21:15 – Interview: Vanessa Chin (System1) on brand, storytelling, and Corona
22:45 – The return of brand identity and emotional storytelling
24:10 – System1’s new out-of-home research and the future of Super Bowl ads
25:15 – Vanessa’s final takeaway from Cannes: sunscreen + storytelling
26:00 – Outro: Thanks for keeping us in your ears
