This content first appeared in the No Best Practices newsletter on 1.1.2023.
The “brand marketing vs performance marketing” debate has been lighting up DTC Twitter for most of Q4. If you’ve ever been told “that’s not on brand”, or if you’ve struggled to stand out in a sea of “blanding”, then you probably have a dog in this fight.
My perspective on this debate? It depends. Like most of marketing’s most contentious arguments, this one comes down to two factors:
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- Having a clear understanding of what you’re trying to accomplish.
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- Having realistic ROI expectations for your chosen strategy.
Almost two decades of easy money have created a generation of founders and executives with weak strategic muscles and wildly unrealistic expectations. By the time you finish this newsletter, the “brand vs performance” debate should be put to rest.