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 why advertising during major sporting events often backfires. Clutter and distraction crush ad effectiveness before and during events. The sweet spot? Right after, when buzz lingers but noise clears.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Going for Gold: Investigating the (Non)sense of Increased Advertising Around Major Sport Events"
• [01:40] Does ramping up ad spend during events actually work?
• [03:00] How researchers measured advertising effectiveness around events
• [04:00] Short-term sales impact drops over 50% during events
• [05:00] The only way to break through: dominate share of voice
• [06:00] What does "after the event" advertising actually mean? 

 





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Resources: 
Gijsenberg, M. J. (2014). Going for gold: Investigating the (non)sense of increased advertising around major sports events. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 31(1), 2-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2013.09 
 

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Less than half of ads are correctly attributed to the right brand after viewing. And it takes two to three years of consistent investment before a brand asset truly feels like it belongs to you.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what it actually means to build distinctive brand assets. They dig into Mark Ritson's latest column for Marketing Week, break down the research on what makes assets memorable, and share why most marketers quit way too soon. Plus, test your own knowledge with a distinctive assets quiz.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] What distinctiveness actually means for your brand
• [04:00] Why creativity and distinctiveness aren't the same thing
• [09:00] Why you need seven brand cues to boost recall to 100%
• [14:00] Brands that nailed distinctiveness over decades
• [18:00] Balancing creative freshness with brand consistency
• [22:00] How to measure if your assets are truly distinctive 

 





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

Resources: 
2025 The Drum Article: https://www.thedrum.com/news/2025/10/06/mark-ritson-we-know-what-distinctive-marketing-looks-now-let-s-agree-what-call-it
 

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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 consumer response to advertising behaves more like a phase transition than a smooth curve. They discuss saturation points, tipping points, and why some channels scale differently than others.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Symmetry Scaling Laws and Phase Transitions in Consumer Advertising Response"
• [03:00] Three parameters: marketing effectiveness, response sensitivity, and behavioral sensitivity
• [04:00] Which parameter matters most for TV?
• [05:00] Testing against traditional models
• [06:00] Network effects and audience clustering 

 





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Resources: 
Marín, J. (2024). Symmetries, scaling laws and phase transitions in consumer advertising response [Preprint]. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2404.02175  
 

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OpenAI just launched its first global brand campaign. And instead of using algorithms or AI-driven stunts, they turned to the most old-school playbook of all: TV ads. Shot on film. With human directors. Real actors. 30-second spots about everyday moments tied back to ChatGPT.

This episode, Elena and Rob break down OpenAI's new TV campaign and what it reveals about the enduring power of brand in an AI-driven world. They discuss why even the most advanced tech companies still need emotional storytelling and broad reach to grow, how AI is already transforming marketing workflows, and what separates strong brand strategy from ineffective branding. Plus, hear their takes on which brands are crushing it today.

Topics covered: 

• [02:00] Breaking down OpenAI's new TV ads
• [10:00] Why tech companies struggle with branding and naming
• [15:00] Ways AI is already giving marketers superpowers
• [20:00] Why brand will become even more important as AI advances
• [28:00] Google's brand strategy and compelling storytelling
• [34:00] How to keep your brand strong in the age of AI 

 





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

Resources: 
2025 The Drum Article:https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2025/09/30/mark-ritson-chatgpt-s-new-ads-show-even-ai-can-t-deny-the-brand-building-power-tv
 

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 why Americans watch over 40 hours of TV and video weekly. They examine how viewing habits evolved from 1992 to 2017, revealing that despite digital disruptions, total viewing time keeps growing—and 92% still happens on TV sets, not phones. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Why Do People Watch So Much Television and Video? Implications for the Future of Viewing and Advertising"
• [02:00] Average viewing climbed from 35 to 41 hours weekly
• [04:00] Live TV dropped to 74%, but TV sets dominate
• [06:00] EEG studies reveal TV's relaxation effect
• [08:00] Digital video now rivals traditional TV viewing
• [10:00] Why entertainment trumps complicated messaging 

 





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

Resources: 
Wilbur, Kenneth C. 2023. “Why Do People Watch So Much Television and Video? Implications for the Future of Viewing and Advertising.” Journal of Advertising Research 63, no. 1: 16–31. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-2023-003 
 
 
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Most digital marketers treat brand building like performance marketing. They run two-day tests, allocate 0.2% of budget, or recycle performance creative for reach campaigns. It fails every time.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Kevin Goodwin, SVP of Strategy and Growth at New Engen. Kevin shares how his agency evolved from pure performance marketing to embracing effectiveness principles, why digital gets unfairly dismissed by brand marketers, and the specific ways marketers sabotage their own digital brand-building efforts.

Topics covered: 

• [00:04] Kevin's journey from finance to digital marketing at Zulily
• [00:08] How iOS 14 and rising interest rates forced New Engen to evolve
• [00:13] Why measurement is critical for digital brand building
• [00:16] What digital marketers get wrong about brand campaigns
• [00:20] Why marketers should challenge platforms for better brand-building tools
• [00:23] Preparing for the death of the click in an AI-driven world 

 





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

Resources:  

• 2025 Tom Roach Article: https://thetomroach.com/2025/01/12/brand-building-in-the-platforms/ 

• Kevin Goodwin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-goodwin-12b4243a/

• Kevin’s Substack: https://kevingoodwin.substack.com/about

• New Engen Website: https://newengen.com/

 

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 situations where more product options overwhelm consumers and where they help. They reveal how task difficulty, preference uncertainty, and shopping goals determine whether large assortments drive satisfaction or paralyze decision-making.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Choice Overload: A Conceptual Review and Meta-Analysis"
• [02:00] When task difficulty triggers choice overload
• [03:00] Why product structure matters more than quantity
• [03:00] How preference uncertainty amplifies overwhelm
• [04:00] Decision goals: browsing versus buying
• [05:00] Why curated stores outperform massive malls 

 





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

Resources: 
Chernev, A., Böckenholt, U., & Goodman, J. (2015). Choice overload: A conceptual review and meta-analysis. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 25(2), 333–358. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2014.08.002 
 

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Nielsen finds radio paired with TV can boost ROI by 20%. Podcast ads deliver 70% recall and drive purchase action for 22% of listeners immediately after hearing an ad.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore why audio is such a powerful marketing tool. They share how Marketing Architects' roots in radio shaped their advertising philosophy, explain why sound creates lasting memories and emotional connections, and discuss the future of audio from smart speakers to AI-driven experiences.

Topics covered: 

• [03:00] How early radio work shaped Marketing Architects' approach
• [07:00] Campaign that proved the power of testimonials in audio
• [13:00] Four ways brands can use audio to build distinctive assets
• [17:00] Brands getting sonic branding right today
• [22:00] Advantages and disadvantages of podcast advertising
• [27:00] Where audio advertising is heading in the next five to ten years 

 





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Resources: 
WARC Study: https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/bestprac/what-we-know-about-radio-and-audio-effectiveness/en-GB/109845?

2025 eMarketer Article: https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcast-ads-turn-listener-attention-measurable-action
 

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 lifestyle brands compete for limited consumer self-expression. Once people express themselves through one brand, their appetite for additional identity-driven brands declines.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Competing for Consumer Identity Limits to Self-Expression and the Perils of Lifestyle Branding"
• [02:00] Identity saturation and its effect on brand preference
• [03:00] Why thinking about favorite brands reduces enthusiasm for new ones
• [04:00] Symbolic versus functional brands
• [06:00] What happens when your unique brand becomes mainstream
• [07:00] Reversing identity saturation through uniqueness threats 

 





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

Resources: 
Chernev, A., Hamilton, R., & Gal, D. (2011). Competing for consumer identity: Limits to self-expression and the perils of lifestyle branding. Journal of Marketing, 75(3), 66–82. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.3.66 
 

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Performance marketing has crowded out brand building. One executive even admitted, "We're great at performance marketing, but our brand sucks." Nike learned this the hard way when they pivoted too hard toward performance and lost what made them famous.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle marketing's most persistent divide: brand versus performance. They explore why organizations still separate these teams despite evidence they work better together, how TV bridges both goals, and practical ways to measure success across the funnel. Plus, hear why emotional storytelling doesn't mean sacrificing sales activation.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Why performance marketing has taken over budgets
• [03:00] The problem with prioritizing what's easy to measure
• [11:00] Developing creative that drives both brand and sales
• [14:00] Why TV belongs in both the brand and performance buckets
• [17:00] Measuring TV's impact across short-term and long-term goals
• [20:00] How AI is transforming TV into a flexible, digital-like channel 

 





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

Resources: 
2023 Harvard Business Review Article: https://hbr.org/2023/05/how-brand-building-and-performance-marketing-can-work-together

2024 WARC Article: https://www.warc.com/newsandopinion/opinion/mark-ritson-takes-on-the-brand-performance-debate/en-gb/6874
 
2025 Marketing Architects and WARC report: https://www.marketingarchitects.com/FullFunnel

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 why underdog brand stories resonate with consumers and drive purchase intent. They reveal how combining disadvantage with determination creates powerful brand connection, especially when purchases feel personal. 

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "The Underdog Effect: The Marketing of Disadvantage and Determination through Brand Biography"
• [02:00] What makes an underdog brand biography work[03:00] Four studies testing underdog brand performance
• [05:00] Cultural differences in underdog appeal
• [06:00] Why identity matters in underdog branding
• [08:00] When underdog stories don't work as well 

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

Resources: 
Paharia, N., Keinan, A., Avery, J., & Schor, J. B. (2011). The underdog effect: The marketing of disadvantage and determination through brand biography. Journal of Consumer Research, 37(5), 775–790. https://doi.org/10.1086/656219 
 

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Over the next few years, the US is hosting global sporting events unlike anything we've seen before. The FIFA World Cup, LA Olympics, and ongoing NFL season create massive opportunities for brands to connect with audiences.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob break down live sports advertising strategy. Learn why sports should be the seasoning, not the meal, and how to balance premium pricing with reach efficiency across today's fragmented media landscape.

Topics covered: 

• [02:00] How sports buying has changed since 2000 
• [08:00] Using sports as a surgical reach engine 
• [10:00] Why co-viewing makes sports valuable but risky 
• [14:00] TV spots versus sponsorships and activations 
• [22:00] Risks of over-concentrating in sports 
• [24:00] Planning for long-term sports effectiveness 

 





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

Resources: 
2024 AdvertisingWeek Article: https://advertisingweek.com/americas-golden-era-of-live-sports-why-brands-need-to-think-bigger-and-smarter/
 

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 Mixture of Experts model uses AI to uncover four distinct consumer segments that traditional econometric models miss entirely. They reveal why assuming all consumers behave the same way leads to missed opportunities and how dynamic segmentation can transform marketing strategy.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "How Do Consumers Really Choose? Exposing Hidden Preferences With the Mixture of Experts Model"
• [03:00] Four hidden consumer segments uncovered by AI
• [05:00] Why traditional models oversimplify consumer behavior
• [06:00] The power of discount thresholds in promotion-driven buying
• [07:00] How AI creates flexible, realistic customer pictures
• [08:00] Why consumers are more like a zoo than a herd of cows 

 





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

Resources: 
Vallarino, D. (2025). How Do Consumers Really Choose? Exposing Hidden Preferences with the Mixture of Experts Model. arXiv preprint arXiv:2503.05800.  
 

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Did you know poultry is the third most popular pet in America, behind dogs and cats? It's surprising stats like this that reflect the rural lifestyle trends driving growth at Tractor Supply Company.

This week, Elena and Rob talk with Kimberley Gardiner, CMO of Tractor Supply. Learn how she measures marketing impact through business outcomes, builds teams grounded in humility, and why she rejects the brand versus performance marketing debate. Plus, hear the undeniable impact of connecting directly with customers.

Topics covered: 

• [04:00] Transitioning from automotive to Tractor Supply marketing
• [10:00] Using marketing strategically as a business driver, not cost center
• [15:00] Investing marketing dollars for measurable returns
• [18:00] Customer metrics that matter: traffic, transactions, basket size
• [22:00] Why brand marketing versus performance marketing is a false choice
• [26:00] What Kimberley learned about rodeo after joining Tractor Supply 

 





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

Resources: 
2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/marketers-improvement-financial-fluency/

Kimberley Gardiner’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberley-sweet-gardiner/
 

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 challenge the common myth that 80-95% of new products fail. They reveal that while failure rates are significant, they're about half as bad as widely believed, with context and resources playing crucial roles in determining success.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "How Common is New Product Failure and When Does It Vary?"
• [02:00] One in four fail within the first year, 40% by year two
• [03:00] Why big, competitive categories have higher failure rates
• [04:00] Growing categories surprisingly show more failures than stable ones
• [05:00] Brand size and trajectory impact new product survival
• [07:00] Why retail creates natural barriers that improve odds 

 





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

Resources: 
Victory, K., Nenycz-Thiel, M., Dawes, J. et al. How common is new product failure and when does it vary?. Mark Lett 32, 17–32 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-021-09555-x  
 

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A German professor compiled a list of 55 questionable Cannes award entries. And he’s far from the only one. Yet the industry keeps creating marketing to win awards over actual performance.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Nick Asbury, creative writer and author of The Road to Hell: How Purposeful Business Leads to Bad Marketing and a Worse World. Nick challenges brand purpose, arguing it produces formulaic campaigns while the research supporting it is fundamentally flawed.
 
Topics covered: 

• [04:00] How the 2008 financial crash sparked the purpose movement
• [12:00] The real story behind Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign data
• [18:00] Why for-profit companies lack social license to lead causes
• [21:00] Nick's crowdsourced fact-checking of Cannes award entries
• [26:00] Debunking the Gen Z purpose myth after the 2024 election
• [29:00] What respectful marketing looks like without purpose 

 





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

Resources: 
2024 MarketingWeek Article: https://www.marketingweek.com/good-intentions-lead-to-bad-marketing-why-purpose-is-missing-the-mark/

Nick Asbury’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-asbury/?originalSubdomain=uk
 
Nick's Substack: https://nickasbury.substack.com/

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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 why cringeworthy ads spread faster than good ones. They reveal how vicarious embarrassment drives word-of-mouth and why brands might benefit from being talked about badly rather than not at all.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "That's So Cringe-Worthy: Understanding What Cringe Is and Why We Want to Share It"
• [03:00] The difference between empathetic embarrassment and cringe
• [04:00] Why Pepsi's Kendall Jenner ad generated more discussion than polished Super Bowl spots
• [05:00] How social comparison drives cringe sharing
• [06:00] Brand loyalty as a shield against cringe backlash
• [07:00] Recovery strategies for cringeworthy moments 

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

Resources: 
Escoe, Brianna & Martin, Nathanael & Salerno, Anthony. (2025). That's So Cringeworthy! Understanding What Cringe Is and Why We Want to Share It. Journal of Marketing Research. 62. 10.1177/00222437241305104.  
 

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Big brands don't narrow cast. They want to be known everywhere their category can be part of your life. And there's a reason for that strategic choice.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by research professor Jenni Romaniuk from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. Jenni breaks down why consistent distinctive assets matter more than aesthetics, how mental availability drives brand growth, and why targeting light buyers is critical for long-term success. Plus, learn why differentiation might not be as important as you think for building a successful brand.

Topics covered: 

• [04:00] Origin of distinctive assets research and why good branding matters
• [12:00] When brands should change or evolve their distinctive assets
• [19:00] What category entry points are and why they drive mental availability
• [23:00] How to prioritize category entry points for maximum impact
• [28:00] Why light buyers are essential for risk mitigation and growth
• [33:00] Why differentiation might not be necessary for brand success 

 





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

Resources: 
2022 Contagious Article: https://www.contagious.com/iq/article/jenni-romaniuk-on-distinctive-assets

Jenni Romaniuk’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenni-romaniuk-2746884/?originalSubdomain=au
 

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 discover that authenticity in advertising isn't what most marketers think it is. They explore four distinct dimensions of authenticity and reveal why the most "real" ads don't always drive the best results.

Topics covered:   

• [01:00] "Does it Pay to Be Real: Understanding Authenticity and TV Advertising"
• [02:00] The four dimensions of authenticity in advertising
• [03:00] Why brand essence beats heritage and realism
• [05:00] When unrealistic ads outperform everyday scenarios
• [07:00] How product type and brand size affect authenticity strategy
• [08:00] Why user-generated content isn't always the answer 

 





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

Resources: 
Becker, Maren, Nico Wiegand, and Werner Reinartz. “Does It Pay to Be Real? Understanding Authenticity in TV Advertising.” Journal of Marketing Research. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022242918815880
 

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Real buying decisions are habitual. They're often emotional. Nudges assume people carefully weigh options, but in reality, they just grab what's familiar or easy.

This week, Elena and Angela explore the gap between behavioral theory and marketing reality. They discuss why popular psychological insights like loss aversion, anchoring, and choice architecture often fall short when applied to actual campaigns. Plus, they share which behavioral principles still work in real-world marketing and why mental availability beats nudges for driving sustainable growth.

Topics covered: 

• [01:00] Why behavioral economics experiments don't always translate to real marketing 
• [04:00] The most powerful behavioral principle that works repeatedly 
• [06:00] How Apple masters anchoring and framing to shape perception of value 
• [09:00] Why real buying behavior is habitual and emotional, not deliberate 
• [11:00] The behavioral economics principle that's been overhyped 
• [13:00] How mental availability compares to behavioral tactics like nudging 
• [15:00] The one behavioral insight to keep in your marketing toolbox 

 





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

Resources: 
2024 Behavioral Economics in Consumer Decision-Making Study: https://mideastjournals.com/index.php/mejelss/article/view/4  


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