Introducing a research-first podcast that builds revenue, not condos.Answer questions on the biggest marketing trends and news with discussions based in marketi...
Nerd Alert: The Psychology Behind Direct Mail Performance
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 uncover what design elements actually drive direct mail success. They explore research showing that opening and keeping mail require different strategies, with personalization playing a critical role in campaign effectiveness.Topics covered: [01:00] "The Effects of Mailing Design Characteristics on Direct Mail Campaign Performance"[02:45] The impact of extreme personalization[03:40] Why opening rates don't correlate with keeping rates[05:10] Design elements that increase open rates[06:00] Features that make people keep mail instead of tossing it[07:30] Finding the balance between brand building and direct response To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter Resources: Feld, S., Frenzen, H., Krafft, M., Peters, K., & Verhoef, P. C. (2013). The effects of mailing design characteristics on direct mail campaign performance.International Journal of Research in Marketing, 30(2), 143-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2012.07.003 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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The Potential of AI Video with Seth Woodall
AI video tools have created lifelike Coca-Cola trucks, festive scenes, and even Angela's face in today's episode. These jaw-dropping demonstrations highlight how rapidly AI video has evolved and the debate this technology is creating.This week, Elena and Rob are joined by Seth Woodall, Director of AI Visual Arts at Misfits & Machines and creator of the viral "Pepperoni Hug Spot" commercial. Together, they explore the state of AI video creation, misconceptions about the technology, and what's next for marketers looking to incorporate these tools. Plus, discover why AI-powered creative techniques will become standard production methods and indistinguishable from traditionally created work.Topics covered: [01:00] The controversy behind Coca-Cola's AI holiday commercial[07:00] How Seth created the viral "Pepperoni Hug Spot" AI commercial[15:45] Why AI video expertise is hard to find in traditional agencies[18:00] Predictions for AI video quality improvements[21:30] AI tools like Comfy UI, Flux and LoRAs[26:00] Common misconceptions about how AI video is created[29:30] The democratization of high-quality video creation To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: NBC News 2024 Article: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/innovation/coca-cola-causes-controversy-ai-made-ad-rcna180665Pepperoni Hug Spot Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSewd6Iaj6I Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Nerd Alert: The Dirichlet Effect: Predicting Brand Loyalty
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 Dirichlet model challenges common beliefs about brand loyalty. They reveal why most consumers aren't deeply loyal to specific brands and why reaching new customers matters more than increasing loyalty.Topics covered: [01:00] "The Dirichlet: A Comprehensive Model of Buying Behavior"[02:00] What products do we buy without brand loyalty?[03:45] How brand share predicts buying behavior[04:30] Why acquisition drives loyalty, not vice versa[05:00] Most buyers are light buyers who purchase infrequently[06:00] The shocking truth about Coca-Cola's customer base To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.Resources: Goodhardt, G. J., Ehrenberg, A. S. C., & Chatfield, C. (1984). The Dirichlet: A comprehensive model of buying behaviour.Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (General), 147(5), 621–655. Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Marketing Like a Challenger with Chuck Hengel
In Peter Field's article "Challenger Thinking is How Brands Drive Growth," he states that challenger brands aren't born just from unique founders or lucky circumstances. Challenger thinking is actually how brands grow.This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Marketing Architects founder Chuck Hengel to talk about marketing like a challenger brand. Chuck shares stories from creating and marketing HurryCane (the first walking cane to stand on its own) and Stuffies (a children's toy with hidden pockets), revealing key insights about broad audience targeting, distinctive brand assets, and why every department contributes to marketing success.Topics covered: [01:00] What defines a challenger brand[04:45] Why marketing should connect to every business function[09:00] The consumer insight that created the HurryCane[14:00] The importance of brand fame and broad mental availability[16:00] Finding and targeting the right audience for Stuffies[22:00] The power of "smashable branding" and distinctive assets To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: The Challenger Project Article: https://thechallengerproject.com/blog/2019/peter-field-on-challenger-brands?utm_source=chatgpt.com Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Nerd Alert: The Multiplier Effect: Debunking Brand vs. Performance
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 the brand versus performance debate misses the point. They discover that integrating both approaches creates a powerful multiplier effect that can boost revenue ROI by up to 90%.Topics covered: [01:00] "The Multiplier Effect: A CMO's Guide to Brand Building in the Performance Era"[03:00] The performance plateau problem[04:00] Revenue ROI declines 40% when brand building stops[05:00] Brand and performance integration increases ROI by 25-100%[06:00] The best brands allocate 40-60% to brand building[06:45] Paid search is over-credited by 190% in conversions To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: WARC, Analytic Partners, BERA.ai, Prophet, & System1. (2025). The Multiplier Effect: A CMO’s Guide to Brand Building in the Performance Era. WARC. Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Introducing a research-first podcast that builds revenue, not condos.Answer questions on the biggest marketing trends and news with discussions based in marketing, psychology and economics research. Along the way, learn about marketing accountability, category leadership, brand-building and much more.Featuring a team of experienced marketers whose blueprints for success are marketing strategies actually proven to work.
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