Stay ConnectedIntroducing a research-first podcast that builds revenue, not condos.
Answer questions on the biggest marketing trends and news with discussions based in marketing, psychology and economics research. Along the way, learn about marketing accountability, category leadership, brand-building and much more.
Featuring a team of experienced marketers whose blueprints for success are marketing strategies actually proven to work.
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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 dig into shrinkflation, the quiet price increase that shrinks the product instead of raising the number on the shelf. A decade of retail scanner data shows shoppers shrug off a smaller box, cheer a bigger one, and keep buying either way.
Topics covered:
[01:40] "Shrinkflation and Consumer Demand"
[02:20] Shrink the box or raise the price?
[03:20] Inside four million products and 50,000 stores
[04:10] Detergent, cereal, and other quiet categories
[05:30] Shoppers are twice as sensitive to price as size
[06:40] What marketers should do about it
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
Janssen, A., & Kasinger, J. (2026). Shrinkflation and consumer demand. Marketing Science, 45(1), 142–158. https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2024.0948
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Marketers assume the moment consumers spot a sales pitch, their guard goes up and the message dies. New research says that's only half the story. Sometimes recognizing persuasion makes people trust a brand more, not less.
This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Kellogg School of Management professor Kent Grayson, who has spent decades studying trust, deception and authenticity. He explains the three building blocks every brand draws on to earn trust, plus how to diagnose which one you're actually missing. The team also digs into whether TV itself works as a trust signal, and why AI could erode the founder story the same way paid deals eroded influencers.
Topics covered:
[03:30] What the persuasion knowledge model really says
[07:30] Why people distrust "advertising" but trust the ads they watch
[10:30] Trust's three buckets: competence, honesty and benevolence
[15:30] Character-based trust vs assurance-based trust
[19:00] Can a media channel be a trust signal?
[21:30] How AI threatens the founder story
[26:00] Trustworthy creative starts with a trustworthy strategy
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
2017 KelloggInsight Research: https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/how-to-make-ads-that-even-savvy-customers-trust
Kent Grayson’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kent-grayson-3a0894126/
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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 dig into research showing that managers consistently misjudge how their own customers feel. They explore why loyalty is the biggest blind spot and what that misread costs a company.
Topics covered:
[01:20] "Do Managers Know What Their Customers Think and Why?"
[02:10] Comparing 70,000 customer surveys to manager guesses
[03:35] Managers were too optimistic across the board
[04:30] Why loyalty was the worst miss
[05:00] The blind spot on customer complaints
[05:55] A $25 million gap in perception
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
Hult, G. T. M., Morgeson, F. V., III, Morgan, N. A., Mithas, S., & Fornell, C. (2017). Do managers know what their customers think and why? Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 45(1), 37–54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-016-0487-4
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
83% of ad executives now use AI in the creative process, up from 60% two years ago. But only 45% of young consumers feel positive about AI-made ads. Advertisers guess that number is 82%.
This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Chief Creative Officer Steve Babcock to dig into that gap. Cost efficiency is now the top reason marketers reach for AI. It ranked fifth two years ago. Steve explains where AI slop really comes from, why TV punishes cut corners far more than social does, and what still has to stay human. Plus, why cutting production costs means improving the smallest line item on the page.
Topics covered:
[01:40] Why cost efficiency became AI's top-cited benefit
[04:00] Where AI slop comes from and the uncanny valley
[11:50] Should brands disclose when an ad was made with AI?
[15:00] How AI shows up in briefs, idea generation and pretesting
[22:15] Why TV is the least forgiving channel for AI creative
[27:30] The case for raising the creative ceiling, not lowering the price floor
[30:30] Steve's contrarian take on creating with AI
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
2026 IAB and Sonata Insights Study: https://www.iab.com/insights/the-ai-gap-widens/
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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 look at why burying a mistake isn't always the right call. They learn how an honest flaw in a product's story can make it feel rare, one of a kind and worth paying more for. Plus, the two limits every marketer should know before trying it.
Topics covered:
[02:05] "Made by Mistake: When Mistakes Increase Product Preference"
[03:15] The chocolate that people picked over cash
[04:05] Why a flaw made a drawing sell for more
[04:20] Intentionality bias and the appeal of the improbable
[04:45] Mistakes only pay off when you're already skilled
[06:00] Fun products versus function, and the $6 eBay premium
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
Reich, T., Kupor, D. M., & Smith, R. K. (2018). Made by mistake: When mistakes increase product preference. Journal of Consumer Research, 44(5), 1085–1103. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucx089
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
The IPA analyzed nearly 1,000 campaigns and found a 60/40 split between brand and performance marketing drives the strongest long-term growth. GOVX tested that research and broke free of a plateau.
This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob talk with Aaron Pelander, Chief Brand Officer at GOVX, the largest online retailer serving the US military and first responder community. Aaron shares how GOVX moved from a performance-only mindset to a balanced brand strategy. He breaks down the leading indicators his team tracks, from share of search to direct traffic. Marketers on a plateau will get a real plan for building brand strength.
Topics covered:
[04:00] GOVX marketing before the plateau hit
[07:00] What clicked after reading The Long and the Short of It
[09:00] Splitting budget into member and brand marketing
[14:00] Leading indicators like share of search and direct traffic
[21:00] Earning executive buy-in for TV and sponsorships
[33:00] Aaron's advice for brands stuck on a plateau
[34:00] Why precise attribution is overrated
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
2013 IPA Report: https://ipa.co.uk/knowledge/publications-reports/the-long-and-the-short-of-it-balancing-short-and-long-term-marketing-strategies/
GOVX Website: https://www.govx.com/
Aaron Pelander’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronpelander/
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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 family-owned branding builds consumer trust. They dig into new research testing whether a family name on the label actually changes how people feel about a brand, and which categories benefit most.
Topics covered:
[02:00] "I Vouch for It with My Name"
[00:35] Why a family name feels like an emotional shortcut
[03:00] Testing the same cheese ad with two different backstories
[04:00] How sincerity turns into brand credibility
[05:35] Which categories benefit most from family ownership
[07:00] Takeaways for marketers, plus real brand examples
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
Schramm, H., & Zinser, A. (2025). "I vouch for it with my name." The influence of brand perception of family businesses on their credibility and the purchase intention of consumers. Frontiers in Communication, 10, Article 1607511. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1607511
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
FIFA's 2026 World Cup pulled in more than $9 billion in tournament revenue. A single rule change around new hydration breaks is expected to net Fox at least $250 million in ad revenue alone.
This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob break down what the World Cup's record-breaking business means for marketers investing in live sports. They dig into whether mega events can crowd out regular advertisers, if sponsorships or TV spots make the smarter sports buy, and how brands of any size can get into the game without overspending. Plus, hear creative tips for keeping viewers engaged when 71% of fans admit their attention is split during the game.
Topics covered:
[00:00] The record-breaking business of the 2026 World Cup
[03:00] Why the "Americanization" backlash didn't dent demand
[08:00] How mega events affect TV pricing for other advertisers
[10:00] Why live sports still build a brand's memory structures
[14:00] Making creative work for second-screen viewers
[15:00] Sponsorships vs. TV spots: which buy works best
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
2026 SportsPro Article: https://www.sportspro.com/analysis/sponsorship-marketing/fifa-world-cup-2026-business-revenue-ticketing-broadcast-sponsorship/
2026 WARC Article: FIFA World Cup: https://www.warc.com/en/article/almost-nine-in-ten-fans-plan-to-engage-with-world-cup-games-across-channels-d6e7955af51540c791c76b231ac1eeca
2026 WARC Article: World Cup Engagement: https://www.warc.com/en/article/almost-nine-in-ten-fans-plan-to-engage-with-world-cup-games-across-channels-d6e7955af51540c791c76b231ac1eeca
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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 how anger changes the way people shop. They break down new research showing angry buyers move faster, skip the safe middle option, and end up more satisfied with what they choose.
Topics covered:
[02:00] "The Unique Role of Anger Among Negative Emotions in Goal-Directed Decision Making"
[03:00] Does anger lead to better or worse buying choices?
[04:00] The compromise effect and the safe middle option
[05:00] Angry shoppers click less and decide faster
[06:00] Are angry buyers happier with their choices?
[07:00] Turning anger appeals into action
[08:00] How brands can use a "villain" to tap into emotion
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
Khan, U., DePaoli, A., & Maimaran, M. (2019). The unique role of anger among negative emotions in goal-directed decision making. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 4(1), 64–76. https://doi.org/10.1086/701028
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
B2B marketer confidence jumped this year. But when researchers asked finance leaders the same questions, only 12% said marketing's financial impact holds up under pressure.
This week, Elena and Rob talk with Daniel Sills of NewtonX and Dagmara Szulce of the ANA about their new Confident B2B Marketer study. They unpack why marketer confidence is rising, and why finance and revenue leaders aren't yet convinced. The group breaks down the vocabulary gap driving that disconnect, and how confident marketers grew brand investment in a year when most companies cut back.
Topics covered:
[03:00] Key findings from the Confident B2B Marketer study
[04:00] What's driving marketer confidence up this year
[09:00] The vocabulary gap between marketing and finance
[12:00] How confident marketers grew brand budgets under pressure
[18:00] Marketing to complex buying groups and AI search
[22:00] Using AI without losing your data foundation
[26:00] The one move to make before your next budget cycle
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
2025 ANA and NewtonX Confident B2B Marketer Study: https://www.newtonx.com/article/confident-b2b-marketer-2026/
Daniel Sills’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielpsills/
Dagmara Szulce’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dagmaraszulce/
NewtonX Website: https://www.newtonx.com/work-with-us/?utm_campaign=50131755-PER-PC-General-Podcast-Campaign-All-2026-01-01&utm_source=Podcast&utm_medium=Marketing%20Architects
ANA Website: https://www.ana.net/
Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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