Browsing Category

Marketing

Why Great Creative + Smart Media Planning Supercharge Ad Effectiveness

At the recent IPA Effectiveness Conference, Dr. Grace Kite presented some eye-opening research that should grab the attention of anyone responsible for marketing budgets.

When you combine really great creative with really great media planning and buying, you can achieve up to a 4x uplift in discounted cash flow — meaning, the future payback on your advertising spend grows dramatically.

That’s not a small incremental gain — that’s multiplying the return you get from the same budget.

So, what were the key drivers behind this kind of breakthrough ad effectiveness? Here are the top highlights from the day, especially for brands looking to get the most out of their media investments:

✅ Invest in Truly Great Creative
It’s tempting to cut corners on production, especially under budget pressure, but that’s often a false economy.

System1’s example of Yorkshire Tea’s long-running “Where everything’s done proper” campaign showed how powerful it is to have a distinctive, long-lasting creative platform. This applies not just to your big TV ads, but across all creative assets — digital, social, in-store, and more.

✅ Drive Emotional Connection
The most successful campaigns, both short and long term, aren’t just clever — they move people. Emotional connection is a key driver of ad effectiveness, making your brand more memorable and creating stronger consumer loyalty over time.

✅ Commit to Long-Term Creative Platforms
Here’s where many marketers get nervous: sticking with the same creative idea over multiple years. But the evidence is clear — campaigns with long-term creative consistency deliver far better results. That’s because they reinforce memory structures, build brand meaning, and make future marketing more efficient.

The Bottom Line

If you want your media dollars to work harder, the formula isn’t mysterious — but it does require discipline and courage.

You need to:

  • Create truly great, distinctive, emotionally resonant work.
  • Invest in smart, well-planned media that amplifies that work.
  • Stick with long-term creative commitments to build momentum.

When you bring these pieces together, the research shows you can dramatically boost your payback — not just now, but well into the future.

P.S. Want to see what bold creativity looks like in action (without sitting through another dull pitch deck)? Cult. Creative. is our latest live deck—packed with killer ideas, unforgettable ads. View it in Google Slides—no downloads, just instant inspiration. [Request access here.]

May 18, 2025 by

Stop Jamming Multiple Insights Into One Strategy

You know that feeling when someone gives you five different directions to get to the same place — and you end up completely lost?

That’s exactly what happens when I see a strategy packed with multiple insights.

Let’s be real:

A great strategy needs ONE insight — no more, no less.

Why?

Because an insight isn’t just an interesting fact or a cool observation.

It’s the aha moment that cuts through the noise and shows you a new way around the problem standing in the way of your goal.

When you try to build a strategy on multiple insights, it’s like giving the team five maps for one trip. 

Nobody knows which path to follow, and you end up wandering instead of moving forward with confidence.

Plus, it cheapens the whole idea.

True insights are rare. 

They’re hard to find, and when you pile in a bunch, you’re basically saying, “We couldn’t decide what really mattered.”

May 16, 2025 by

Great Marketers Drive the Business and Build the Brand

There’s a big debate happening in marketing right now.

Some people argue that a marketer’s main job is to drive the business — bring in sales, hit the numbers, boost short-term performance.

Others say it’s to build the brand — create emotional connections, increase loyalty, and make the company culturally relevant.

But honestly? I think we’re all asking the wrong question.

Because today, successful marketers have to do both. It’s not “either-or” — it’s “and.”

Let me explain why.

The Pressures We’re All Facing

Let’s be real: the pressure on businesses right now is intense.
We’re dealing with economic uncertainty, a culture that’s constantly shifting, fast-changing technologies, and consumers who want more for less. And on top of that, there’s relentless internal pressure to deliver results — quickly.

Thanks to the rise of digital tools and analytics, marketers today have endless data at their fingertips. It’s no surprise that a lot of effort goes into short-term tactics: driving conversions, hitting targets, and showing immediate ROI.

These “push” strategies definitely work — they can move product and hit goals. But they’re also expensive to maintain and, over time, don’t necessarily deepen a consumer’s relationship with the brand. That leaves brands vulnerable: if someone else comes along offering a lower price or a flashier promotion, those customers might walk.

Brand Building Is About More Than Looking Good

On the flip side, there’s often this idea that brand building is a fluffy, “nice-to-have” part of marketing — the pretty campaigns, the big emotional ads, the creative work that’s hard to tie directly to numbers.

But here’s where we bring in the cult branding perspective.

When you build a strong, distinctive brand, you’re not just making cool ads — you’re creating pricing power. You’re setting yourself apart in a way that makes people want to pay more for you, trust you, and buy from you again and again.

Think about a brand you personally love. Chances are, you pay more for it than you would for a generic version — and you probably buy it more often. That’s not just habit; that’s an emotional connection. That’s loyalty.

Cult brands understand this deeply. They know how to create symbols, rituals, and stories that pull people in, turn them into fans, and make them feel part of something bigger. And that pays off, not just in awareness, but in real dollars and long-term growth.

Balancing Today’s Sales with Tomorrow’s Loyalty

Here’s the secret: marketing isn’t about picking sides between sales and brand. It’s about balancing them.

The best brands don’t just chase the next transaction or the next viral moment. They find smart, creative ways to connect short-term wins with long-term health.

They hit their sales goals and make work that people talk about.
They bring in new customers and win awards for creativity.
They execute flawlessly and shape culture.

This is where a smart marketing strategy comes in. Cult brands don’t treat performance marketing and brand marketing like two separate departments. They integrate them. They let brand purpose guide their creative work, and they let data sharpen their storytelling. Every touchpoint — from a social ad to a product launch — reinforces what they stand for and why they matter.

Embracing the “AND”

So, next time you hear someone ask, “Is marketing’s job to drive the business or build the brand?” push back.

The brands that win today do both.
They move hearts and wallets.
They deliver short-term numbers and build long-term meaning.

When you embrace the AND — instead of choosing between performance and purpose — you unlock a much more rewarding journey for yourself, your team, and your brand.
P.S. Want to see what bold creativity looks like in action (without sitting through another dull pitch deck)? Cult. Creative. is our latest live deck—packed with killer ideas, unforgettable ads. View it in Google Slides—no downloads, just instant inspiration. [Request access here.]

May 13, 2025 by

Marketing Myth: TV Ads Don’t Work Like They Used To

We’ve all heard it:

“TV advertising isn’t what it used to be.”

In the age of TikTok, YouTube, and programmatic everything, it’s easy to think TV is yesterday’s news — expensive, clunky, and hard to measure compared to sleek, digital-first campaigns.

But here’s the truth:
TV has actually gotten more effective over time.

And yet, marketers are spending less on it than the numbers suggest they should.

Let’s dig into why.

The Attention vs. Spend Gap

According to eMarketer, U.S. adults still spend around 2.5 hours a day watching live or time-shifted TV. That’s almost the same as the 2.7 hours they spend on their smartphones.

So why are we throwing so many ad dollars into digital, while TV gets less love?

One reason: TV can feel like a black box.

Digital’s easy — you set your budget, target your audience, watch the clicks roll in, and track every move.

TV, on the other hand, is pricey, the buying process is complicated, and measuring results isn’t as immediate.

For a lot of marketers, that makes it feel risky.

But here’s where smart brands — especially those building cult-like followings — see the opportunity.

What TV Still Does Better

Let’s break it down.

✅ It Drives Short-Term Sales
Yep, TV still moves the needle right now. Direct-response ads on TV, combined with digital or retail pushes, can create a real sales lift. TV also boosts things like search activity and web traffic.

✅ It Builds Long-Term Brand Power
This is where TV really shines. Research (like Binet & Field’s famous studies) shows that long-term emotional advertising consistently beats short-term, purely performance-driven campaigns.
Why? Because great TV ads stick in people’s heads, shape how they feel about your brand, and make you the first name they think of when they’re ready to buy.

✅ It Creates Cultural Moments
Digital ads are hyper-targeted, but they rarely create the big, shared moments that TV does. Think Super Bowl commercials, big product launches, or national campaigns — these become part of the cultural conversation in a way few digital ads ever do.

So Why Are Brands Pulling Back?

A lot of marketers simply don’t know how to make TV work today.

The landscape has changed — the upfronts, the scatter market, programmatic TV — it’s a lot. Add to that the fact that you can’t always track TV’s impact in real time, and many brands decide it’s easier to just keep pouring money into digital.

But here’s what cult brands understand:
Building lasting customer loyalty isn’t about what’s easiest to measure — it’s about what sticks in people’s hearts and minds.

How to Win with TV Today

If you want TV to become your most powerful marketing tool, you have to fully embrace what it’s good at — both the short-term and long-term play.

Here’s how:

1️⃣ Make Creative That Actually Connects
Don’t just shout offers. Tell stories. Build meaning. Use symbols and emotions that your audience can connect to. That’s what creates loyalty.

2️⃣ Balance Now and Later
Yes, you can run performance spots that drive immediate action — but don’t forget the big, emotional brand-building campaigns that set you up for long-term growth.

3️⃣ Mix TV and Digital
TV doesn’t live in a vacuum. It boosts your digital performance, drives social engagement, and primes search. Think of it as part of your overall ecosystem, not a standalone channel.

4️⃣ Experiment with Modern TV Tools
It’s not just about old-school linear anymore. Connected TV (CTV), addressable, programmatic — there are so many new ways to target and measure that can make TV smarter and more efficient.

The Bottom Line

People don’t just buy products — they buy meaning, emotion, identity.

And TV, when done right, delivers all three at scale.

So maybe it’s time to stop thinking of TV as outdated or risky — and start seeing it as the most underused weapon in your marketing arsenal.

Ready to rethink TV?

P.S. If this resonated with you, don’t miss our latest white paper: Cult. Creative. It features cutting-edge research on building culturally magnetic brands in the age of distraction—plus a curated collection of some of the best TV spots ever made to inspire you and your team. You won’t download a PDF—you’ll view it live, right in Google Slides. Click here and request access to explore the work.

May 11, 2025 by

Branding vs. Marketing

Branding and marketing are fundamentally different disciplines. 

They serve distinct purposes, operate on different timelines, and impact your business in unique ways. 

While they must work together to build a powerful, sustainable brand, failing to understand the difference between them can sabotage growth, dilute your message, and reduce your long-term impact.

Let’s begin with a clear distinction:

Branding is why you exist. 

Marketing is how you communicate that reason.

Branding is the soul of your organization. It’s the essence of what you believe, the values you uphold, and the story you tell about who you are. It’s embedded in your culture, your customer experience, and your point of view. Branding is strategic, emotional, and enduring.

Marketing, on the other hand, is tactical. It’s the deployment of tools, messages, and campaigns that promote your products or services. It’s how you gain visibility, drive traffic, and generate short-term action. Marketing is execution—it’s dynamic, responsive, and measurable.

This distinction reveals a simple truth: branding builds relationships; marketing initiates transactions.

You can market a product effectively and generate sales, but unless your brand communicates something meaningful—something that resonates with people on a deeper level—those customers won’t come back. Loyalty isn’t built through clever slogans or optimized conversion funnels. Loyalty is built when customers see a reflection of themselves in your brand’s identity.

Another key distinction lies in their time horizons. Branding is long-term. It’s about building equity and positioning over years. It’s what your organization becomes known for. Marketing, by contrast, is short-term. It’s the campaign you launch this quarter, the offer you test this week, the impressions you track by the hour.

When businesses over-invest in marketing and under-invest in branding, they often find themselves in a cycle of diminishing returns. They’re chasing clicks, fighting for attention, and optimizing for conversion—without investing in the emotional connections that actually create durable growth. Eventually, their messaging becomes fragmented, their values unclear, and their market position vulnerable.

But when branding and marketing work together—when the why and the how are aligned—something remarkable happens. Your marketing efforts become more effective because they’re anchored in meaning. Your customers respond not just because you reached them at the right time, but because your message mattered.

This alignment is what separates cult brands from transactional ones. Brands like Disney, Apple, and Netflix don’t just market products. They stand for something. They deliver a consistent experience rooted in a strong identity, and their marketing simply amplifies that identity across every channel.

Ultimately, branding is the being. Marketing is the doing.

Branding defines your trajectory—where you’re going and why it matters. Marketing defines the steps that get you there.

So no, we shouldn’t separate them. But we must stop confusing them. Because only when both are understood and integrated can a brand truly lead, inspire, and grow.

In a world where attention is scarce and trust is everything, branding and marketing are not just business tools. They are levers of belief, loyalty, and human connection. And if you’re building a brand designed to last, that distinction isn’t just helpful—it’s foundational.

P.S. If this hits home, check out Cult. Creative. — our new live white paper on building culturally magnetic brands. No PDFs. Just inspiration, research, and iconic TV spots, all in Google Slides. [Click here to request access.]

May 9, 2025 by

The Best End Line Was Never Written—It Was Experienced at Disney

What’s the best brand line I’ve ever come across?

It’s not one you’ll find in a slogan.

It’s what you experience the moment you walk into Disney.

Disney has used taglines like “The Happiest Place on Earth” or “Where Dreams Come True,” but that’s not what makes it iconic.

What makes Disney unforgettable is that it delivers on those promises—without having to say them out loud.

That’s the difference between marketing and meaning.

Most brand slogans today? They’re polished, inoffensive, and completely forgettable:

“Because you’re you.”
“We care.”
“Tomorrow. Today.”

None of these say anything real. They’re engineered by committees, tested to death, and stripped of all conviction. They sound like they’re trying to be everything to everyone—and in doing so, they stand for nothing.

Here’s the hard truth: If your brand doesn’t stand for something meaningful, no tagline will fix that.

At The Cult Branding Company, we’ve spent decades studying what makes customers fall in love with brands—why they tattoo logos on their skin, travel cross-country to attend brand events, and refer products like they’re spreading gospel.

It’s never because of a clever turn of phrase.

It’s because the brand reflects something they believe in.

Take Disney. People don’t return year after year because of a line on a brochure.

They come back because of what Disney represents: wonder, care, consistency, magic—and a level of intentionality so detailed that it creates memories that last a lifetime.

You don’t need a slogan when every touchpoint delivers your message.

That’s what most modern marketers forget.

They chase efficiency. They A/B test language. They cut creative corners to hit quarterly KPIs.

And then they wonder why no one cares.

If your brand needs a line to explain itself, ask a better question:

What do we actually stand for?
What experience do we consistently deliver?
What emotional territory do we own in our customer’s life?

Because cult brands don’t start with slogans.
They start with belief.

And once you get that right, the words become obvious—if you even need them at all.

P.S. If this resonated with you, don’t miss our latest white paper: Cult. Creative. It features cutting-edge research on building culturally magnetic brands in the age of distraction—plus a curated collection of some of the best TV spots ever made to inspire you and your team. You won’t download a PDF—you’ll view it live, right in Google Slides. Click here and request access to explore the work.

May 6, 2025 by

How Exploration and Evaluation Shape the Path to Purchase

If you want to build a brand that customers love—not just buy—you need to understand how people actually make decisions.

Contrary to what many dashboards suggest, purchasing isn’t a straight path from ad to cart. It’s more like a loop—an emotional, non-linear journey of curiosity, consideration, and sometimes confusion.

We call this journey the “Messy Middle.”

The Two Mental Modes in the Messy Middle

The latest behavioral research shows that people shift between two distinct mental modes on their path to purchase:

  • Exploration – a wide-ranging, open-ended search for possibilities. It’s imaginative. Emotional. People want to discover what’s out there, what feels right, and what surprises them.
  • Evaluation – a narrowing down of choices. It’s more deliberate. Rational. Here, people compare options, read reviews, visit pricing pages, and try to make “the best” decision.

Now here’s the kicker: every action your customer takes—on search engines, social platforms, review sites, or marketplaces—falls into one of these two modes.

This means every experience you create, every message you deliver, and every asset you design needs to align with one of these mindsets.

Are you inspiring curiosity? Or are you helping customers feel confident in their choice?

The Trap of Assuming Logic Wins

Most brands cater almost exclusively to Evaluation mode. They flood their pages with comparison charts, star ratings, testimonials, and case studies. These are important, no doubt.

But if you don’t earn attention in Exploration mode, you won’t make it to Evaluation.

And in today’s crowded markets, the brands that spark fascination and intrigue are the ones that win hearts—and wallets.

How Cult Brands Work the Loop

Cult Brands do this differently. They build stories, values, and symbols that invite people into Exploration. They feed curiosity and provide meaning. Then, when it’s time to evaluate, they provide clarity and trust.

Think Netflix or Trader Joe’s. These aren’t brands people simply compare. They’re brands people feel something about. That emotional connection starts in Exploration—and makes Evaluation a formality.

What This Means for You

As a brand leader, ask yourself:

  • Are we only showing up during Evaluation—or are we sparking interest during Exploration?
  • Do we understand what motivates our customers emotionally before they rationalize their choices?
  • Are we creating content and experiences that meet both mindsets?

The goal isn’t just to be the logical choice—it’s to be the brand they want to believe in. And that means playing a more nuanced game.

One that understands that people aren’t data points—they’re human beings.

And as long as that’s true, Exploration and Evaluation will always guide their journey.

It’s your job to show up powerfully in both.👋 I’m BJ Bueno, branding strategist and author of The Power of Cult Branding. If you’re looking to build lasting brand relationships, explore more insights at CultBranding.com.

May 4, 2025 by

What £1.8 Billion in Ad Spend Teaches Us About Building a Cult Brand

We’ve always said cult brands are built on emotional connection, not just conversions. Now, the data backs it up.

A major new report, “Profit Ability 2: The New Business Case for Advertising,” was recently released, analyzing £1.8 billion in advertising spend across 141 brands and 14 sectors from 2021 to 2023. When presented, marketers sat silently, scribbling notes nonstop for an hour.

Here’s what stood out—and why it matters for CEOs serious about building long-term brand loyalty:

Long-Term Branding Delivers the Biggest Payoff

💡 60% of advertising impact comes from long-term brand building.
Sound familiar? 

That’s the same 60:40 rule from Binet & Field. The best ROI isn’t overnight. It’s over time.

Want a loyal customer base? Tell a compelling story. Build meaning. Be consistent. Harley, Apple, Nike—none of them scaled through short-term hacks.

Stop Thinking in Terms of “Performance Channels”

No channel is purely for performance or brand.
Instead, ask:

  • How fast do I need a payback?
  • What scale am I after?
  • How efficient is this channel for my goals?

Cult brands treat every media decision as strategic, not tactical.

Traditional Channels Still Win

TV. Print. Audio.
These came out on top in effectiveness. Yet brands are shifting away from them every year.

Want the insider move for startups? Use radio.
Affordable. Intimate. Mass reach. It’s a wide-open opportunity few are taking.

Know Your Category Dynamics

Don’t copy the biggest brand in another industry.
The research dives into how ad performance shifts by:

  • Gross margins
  • Innovation pace
  • Purchase cycles
  • Distribution strategy

Cult brands are self-aware. They build media strategies based on where they play—and how customers behave.

Bottom Line for CEOs:

This research confirms what we’ve seen for decades:
🧠 Long-term thinking creates brands people love.
💬 Performance comes from meaning, not manipulation.
❤️ Media works best when your message comes from the heart.

So—what story are you telling?

And are you giving it enough time to matter?

April 22, 2025 by

Want a More Effective Campaign? Start with a Laugh.

Over the past two decades, humor in advertising has quietly disappeared.

And that’s a big problem—because humor works.

According to WARC’s 2024 report, “What’s Working in Humorous Advertising,” the world’s most effective ad campaigns have one thing in common: they’re funnier.

Here’s why that matters to you:

  • 91% of consumers say they prefer brands to be funny
  • Effie-winning campaigns are 12% more likely to use humor
  • In IPA/Effie-winning ads, “Enjoyment” ranked as the second most common driver of effectiveness, right behind “Difference”
  • Humor correlates directly with metrics that move the needle: shareability, involvement, brand appeal, and even persuasion

Look at the data:
Campaigns that are “different from other ads” (72%) and “enjoyable” (70%) consistently outperform others in effectiveness. These qualities beat out more traditional attributes like persuasion (42%) or even relevance (45%).

When done well, humor makes brands more memorable, more likable, and—most importantly—more profitable.

So why do so many brands shy away from it?

Because humor is tricky. It’s culturally nuanced. It’s subjective. And if it flops, it can backfire.

But here’s the real insight: Humor is a creative risk—but it’s a strategic asset when it’s done thoughtfully. That means being:

  • Culturally relevant
  • Distinctive
  • Pre-tested (yes, always!)

The best-performing brands today don’t just play it safe. They play smart. They entertain. They engage. They connect through laughter—and they reap the rewards.

If your brand feels stuck in the sea of sameness, maybe it’s time to crack a smile—and let your campaign crack the market.

P.S. Want to see what bold creativity looks like in action (without sitting through another dull pitch deck)? Cult. Creative. is our latest live deck—packed with killer ideas, unforgettable ads, and zero dad jokes (okay, maybe one). View it in Google Slides—no downloads, just instant inspiration. [Request access here.]

April 20, 2025 by

Why Cult Creative Wins

There’s creativity—and then there’s Cult Creative. 

The kind of creative that doesn’t just market a product but moves people. 

The kind that becomes part of the cultural conversation. 

The kind that inspires loyalty not with discounts or gimmicks but with meaning.

At the heart of Cult Creative is a truth every marketing leader understands: 

Your brand is more than your logo or your product. 

It’s a story.

And if that story resonates deeply enough, it becomes part of your customer’s identity. 

That’s when you’ve built not just a business but a cult brand.

Storytelling a Strategic Advantage.

To understand the mechanics behind Cult Creative, we must go to the source—Joseph Campbell. Best known for his work The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Campbell revealed a structure common to all powerful stories: 

The Hero’s Journey.

This journey—the call to adventure, the crossing of thresholds, the trials, the transformation—is encoded in every blockbuster film, every timeless myth, and every brand that truly matters.

Nike doesn’t just sell shoes. It invites you to “Just Do It”—to step into your own heroic path.

Apple doesn’t just sell tech. It calls you to “Think Different”—to rebel, create, and transcend.

These brands use Cult Creative to turn customers into protagonists in their own epic.

Culture First

Cult Creative doesn’t begin with clever headlines. It starts with an understanding of the culture your brand lives in—and the identity your customer aspires to. It asks:

  • What transformation does our customer seek?
  • What role does our brand play in their personal narrative?
  • How can we consistently deliver messages, visuals, and experiences that guide them toward becoming who they want to be?

In Campbell’s framework, every hero needs a mentor—Gandalf to Frodo, Yoda to Luke. Your brand is not the hero. Your customer is. You are the trusted ally, the enabler of their quest.

At The Cult Branding Company, we’ve helped brands like Coca-Cola, Walmart and TradeStation use the principles of cultural storytelling to fuel growth and deepen customer devotion.

This isn’t just about advertising. It’s about alignment—between your internal culture, your external message, and the deeper emotional needs of your audience.

It’s not a campaign. It’s a movement.

If your brand’s story isn’t meaningful, memorable, and magnetic, your marketing budget is buying you noise, not influence.

But when you embrace Cult Creative—rooted in myth, rich in culture, and focused on transformation—you stop interrupting people with ads.

Instead, you invite them into an adventure.

And that’s a story worth telling.P.S. Loved this? Cult. Creative. is our latest live deck, packed with bold ideas and unforgettable ads to help your brand break through the noise. View it in Google Slides—no downloads, just instant inspiration. [Request access here.]

April 15, 2025 by