This newsletter comes from the hosts of The Marketing Architects, a research-first show answering your biggest marketing questions. Find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts!
Marketing effectiveness principles are more than theory... they're proven frameworks for growth. This week, we're exploring the most important principles every marketer needs to know.
—Elena
10% excess share of voice leads to 0.5% market share growth on average.
This finding from Binet and Field shows a clear link between advertising investment and growth. By maintaining share of voice above your current market share, you create momentum that drives sustainable business growth.
The foundation of marketing effectiveness.
Let's be real. Marketing can feel overwhelming. There are endless trends and tactics to chase, after all. But research shows there are some fundamental truths that actually drive growth.
- Stand out from the crowd. Brand elements like colors, logos, and sounds accelerate brand recognition and build memory structures. But focus on repeating a few highly distinctive assets rather than using too many mediocre ones.
- Don't ignore your casual customers. Most sales come from occasional customers, not loyal ones. While loyalty programs have value, reaching light buyers offers the biggest opportunity for growth.
- Play the long game. The famous 60:40 rule suggests investing 60% in brand building and 40% in performance marketing. While exact ratios vary by category, maintaining this balance prevents over-reliance on short-term tactics.
- Make people feel something. Marketing that triggers emotional responses drives long-term success and can actually improve campaign efficiency. The more memorable your campaign, the less you need to spend on media.
- Raise your voice. Brands that maintain higher share of voice than their market share tend to grow. Every 10% of excess share of voice typically leads to 0.5% market share growth.
- Be there when it matters. Mental availability (how easily your brand comes to mind) and physical availability (how easy it is to find and buy your product) work together to drive growth. And you need both. Great ads won't help if your product is out of stock, and perfect distribution won't matter if no one knows your brand exists.
“How an Ex-P&G Marketer Transformed a Healthcare Brand”
This article explores how one CMO applied marketing effectiveness principles to secure the largest marketing budget in his $7B company's history.
Don’t ignore light buyers.
“Your customers are the customers of other brands who occasionally buy you."
— Andrew Ehrenberg, statistician and marketing scientist
