Sverre works with technology and trends at Frontkom and is focused on the intersection of brand and performance. Here he shares what he sees in the best operators.
There is an old debate in marketing: brand or performance? Many treat it as an either-or choice. The best treat it as two sides of the same coin.
What the data actually shows
Les Binet and Peter Field analysed years of marketing effectiveness data in their report The Long and the Short of It and found that the optimal balance for most B2B organisations is around 46 percent long-term brand building and 54 percent short-term performance. Organisations that deviate sharply towards pure performance typically see diminishing returns over time.
This happens because performance activities harvest existing demand. Brand building creates new demand. Without new demand, there is eventually nothing left to harvest.
How the best do it
Organisations that successfully combine brand and performance do two things consistently. They create content with genuine expertise value that builds authority over time. And they amplify the best content with paid distribution to reach new audiences and retarget those who already know them.
Performance harvests what brand sows. Without sowing, there is eventually nothing to harvest.
Would you like to understand how your marketing mix balances brand and performance, and where the concrete improvement opportunities are? Get in touch with Sverre for a review.
