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.
Copyright: © Marketing Architects
Many brands treat Connected TV like another form of digital advertising. That's a mistake.
This week, we’re sharing a bonus episode with a special presentation from Shoptalk. Catherine Walstad, Chief Media Officer at Marketing Architects, breaks down the most common CTV myths and explains what smarter TV buying actually looks like. From frequency management to targeting accuracy to ad fraud, Catherine covers the traps brands fall into and the strategies that get results.
Topics covered:
[01:00] Why CTV is not just another digital channel
[03:00] How frequency becomes waste faster than you think
[04:00] Why premium inventory doesn’t guarantee better performance
[05:00] Ad fraud, poor supply, and wasted CTV impressions
[06:00] The limitations of IP-based targeting
[07:00] Why CTV measurement produces conflicting answers
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
Watch: TV Like Digital and Other CTV Myths
Catherine’s LinkedIn
Marketers are being told to stop buying media on CPM. But is that actually good advice?
This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Chief Media Officer Catherine Walstad and Chief Analytics Officer Matt Hultgren to dig into one of advertising's most debated metrics. Together, they break down why CPM still matters, where the low-CPM-equals-bad-media logic breaks down, and what actually signals media quality.
Topics covered:
Nerd Alert: What 100 Studies Taught Us About Marketing
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 synthesize findings from 100 Nerd Alert episodes to surface the principles that consistently show up across the research and what they mean for how marketers should think about creative, reach, promotions and measurement.
Topics covered:
This week, we're resharing a top episode from the archive. Originally recorded a year ago, this episode on the 95/5 rule remains one of our most popular. Enjoy, and we'll be back with new content next week!
This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore the 95/5 rule introduced by professor John Dawes in 2021. They discuss how this principle contradicts the familiar 80/20 rule, why it applies beyond B2B categories, and how brands can shift from "hunter" to "farmer" mindsets. The team also covers creative strategies for reaching the 95% who aren't ready to buy yet and why mental availability matters more than immediate conversion.
Topics covered:
[01:00] Origins of the 95/5 rule and how it contradicts 80/20 thinking
[04:00] Why the rule makes sense for B2B but challenges B2C assumptions
[07:00] How modern marketing overemphasizes tracking immediate conversions
[09:00] Calculating the 95/5 rule for your specific category
[12:00] Creative strategies that build memory structures for future buyers
[14:00] Shifting from hunter to farmer mentality in advertising strategy
[17:00] Brand versus performance marketing balance under this rule
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
The 95:5 Rule: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/955-rule-john-dawes/
Why You Should Follow The 95-5 Rule: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-you-should-follow-95-5-rule-tyrona-heath/
Calculate your in-market audience: mymarketcalculator.com
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 celebrate 100 episodes by flipping the script. Rob takes the lead to break down How Brands Grow by Byron Sharp, exploring why penetration beats loyalty, why light buyers matter more than most marketers think, and how distinctiveness drives brand growth.
Topics covered:
Most brands pile spend into peak weeks. But higher CPMs, more clutter and faster saturation mean you're often paying more to reach the same people. Many of whom would have bought anyway.
This episode, Elena, Angela, and VP of Media Analytics Jordan Rosler dig into media flighting: why it became the default, where the strategy breaks down, and what the data says about marginal ROI. They also tackle why shoulder weeks often outperform peak ones, when always-on advertising makes more sense, and how upfronts can quietly undermine the efficiency they promise.
Topics covered:
• [01:00] Why media flighting became standard marketing practice.
• [04:00] The difference between blended and marginal ROI explained.
• [07:30] What happens to TV performance when spend spikes in a short window.
• [11:00] When always-on advertising beats a flighting strategy.
• [14:00] How upfronts add rigidity to media planning.
• [16:00] When flighting does make sense for your brand.
• [17:30] How to build a 2026 media plan that's both impactful and measurable.
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
2026 Digiday Article: https://digiday.com/sponsored/how-a-precise-timing-structure-drives-material-differences-in-marketing-efficiency/
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 challenge the widely held belief that small brands survive on loyal, niche audiences. They reveal why reach, not loyalty, is the real driver of growth for tiny brands.
Topics covered:
Only 2.6% of board directors have marketing experience. So how is marketing really being evaluated at the top? And what can marketers do about it?
This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Marketing Architects CFO Brent Longwall to break down how finance actually evaluates marketing investments. They cover the root causes of tension between marketing and finance, what makes a marketing pitch credible to a CFO, and how to build a shared language across both functions. If you've ever struggled to justify a brand investment or earn trust with your finance team, this one's for you.
Topics covered:
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 what happens when people feel bombarded by ads on social media and why the real threat to engagement isn't a bad ad. It's platform fatigue.
Topics covered:
Tiny brands don't grow through loyalty. They grow through penetration. A study of 400+ brands found that growing brands increased penetration by 135%, compared to just 26% growth from purchase frequency. So where should marketers invest first?
This episode, Elena, Angela, and Rob introduce the MOO, a seven-step Marketing Order of Operations that gives marketers a clear priority sequence for building effectiveness, from defining the competitive playing field to communicating results internally. The team also covers why even small brands can't afford to ignore marketing effectiveness principles and how to balance short-term performance with long-term brand building.
Topics covered:
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