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. 
 

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