Brand or Performance?
Long-term or short-term?
Storytelling or selling?
The binary is broken.
Thinkbox’s “Profit Ability 2” study (with Ebiquity, EssenceMediacom, Gain Theory, Mindshare, and Wavemaker), is based on a rigorous analysis of £1.8 billion in ad spend across 141 brands, 14 categories, and 10 media channels.
And the big takeaway?
🧠 58% of advertising’s profit impact occurs after the first 3 months.
So if you’re only measuring short-term “performance,” you’re leaving most of your return off the books.
Most Channels Do Both — But in Different Ways
Linear TV drives the highest sustained profit over time — far more than Paid Social or PPC.
But even channels like Generic PPC and Paid Social have carryover and sustained effects — not just immediate clicks and conversions.
The old “brand vs. performance” divide ignores this nuance.
It’s Time for a Smarter Framework
The researchers suggest moving away from the Brand/Performance binary and toward a better way of evaluating channels:
✅ SCALE
How large of an impact do I need for this campaign?
✅ EFFICIENCY
At what point will I hit diminishing returns?
✅ TIME
How long am I willing to wait for full payback?
This framework helps you understand what each media channel actually delivers — and when.
So yes, use Paid Social. Use PPC. But don’t over-rely on them, especially if you need long-term growth. (Spoiler: many brands are overspending on social by 3X, according to Richard Kirk, who’s shared additional insights from this study.)
Stop Choosing Sides. Start Choosing Strategy.
Your media mix shouldn’t be about Brand vs. Performance — it should be about Brand and Performance, each doing what it does best.
Want to build something truly sustainable?
Map your media against time, scale, and efficiency, and you’ll get closer to the truth of what actually works.
And remember: If you’re not measuring long-term impact, you’re only seeing half the story.
— BJ 📩 Want to bring this conversation into your leadership team? I’m happy to come in and walk you through the full picture — and how to make your media work harder for your brand. Learn more about our work at www.cultbranding.com.