The Marketing Architects

Marketing Architects
  • 4.7 (45)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Introducing 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.

  1. Nerd Alert: The Science of Sustainability Advertising

    1D AGO

    Nerd Alert: The Science of Sustainability Advertising

    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 sustainability advertising is so hard to get right and what brands can do to close the gap between what consumers say they value and what they actually buy. Topics covered:    [00:55] "Sustainability Advertising: A Literature Review and Framework for Future Research"[01:50] The gap between sustainable intent and action[04:00] The three levers of sustainability advertising: ad context, source characteristics, and message design[05:30] Why consumers don't trust sustainability claims and when third-party cues help[06:15] The sustainability liability: when "eco-friendly" hurts perceived performance[07:40] What brands can do to make sustainability messaging actually work    To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.    Resources:  Rathee, S., & Milfeld, T. (2023). Sustainability advertising: Literature review and framework for future research. International Journal of Advertising. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2023.2175300  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    11 min

  2. 3D AGO

    Where Brand Actually Happens

    7 in 10 people globally say they're hesitant to trust someone different from them, according to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer. Trust is getting more personal. So where does that leave brands?  This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob explore what it really means to build a brand in a world where trust is earned through experience, not messaging. They dig into why the gap between marketing promises and reality is so damaging, how to bridge online and in-person brand moments, and what channels like TV do for brand trust that others simply can't. Plus, hear real-world examples of brands that get it right, from Snickers to Disney to Jeep.  Topics covered:  [01:00] 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer findings on consumer trust[03:00] How much control marketers actually have over brand perception[06:00] Where marketing promises most often break down[08:30] Why marketers over-index on comms and under-index on product experience[11:00] The moment where brand actually happens[14:00] How TV builds familiarity that carries into other channels[17:00] Real examples of brands bridging TV and in-person experience  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.    Resources:  2026 Edelman Trust Barometer Report: https://www.edelman.com/trust/2026/trust-barometer   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    22 min
  3. Nerd Alert: The Power of Imagery in Advertising

    FEB 26

    Nerd Alert: The Power of Imagery in Advertising

    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 narrative ads work even when they say little about the product. The answer lies in image fluency. How easily a story can be pictured shapes how much people like the ad and the brand behind it. Topics covered:   [01:05] "Image Fluency and Narrative Advertising Effects"[01:55] The four steps of ad processing[03:00] How matching visuals change brand attitudes[03:55] Familiar vs. unfamiliar story scenarios[04:35] How to make your ads easier to imagine[05:00] Why clarity matters more than originality    To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.    Resources:  Chang, C. (2013). Imagery fluency and narrative advertising effects. Journal of Advertising, 42(1), 54–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2012.749087    Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    7 min

  4. FEB 24

    When is Premium Media Worth the Price?

    Marketers love the idea that premium media makes brands premium. But the research is surprisingly mixed. High involvement content can change how ads land, sometimes helping attitudes, sometimes hurting recall. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob tackle the debate between premium media and efficient reach. They review mixed research on media context effects, break down the extreme cost differences between premium and standard TV placements, and share when high-profile media genuinely outperforms. Discover why sacrificing reach for prestige might hurt more than help. Topics covered:  [02:00] Super Bowl advertising performance data[04:00] The history of premium media and costly signaling[09:00] Cost differences between premium and standard TV placements[14:00] When premium media actually performs better[18:00] Creative requirements for premium placements[26:00] Playing "Worth the Premium" game with real scenarios  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.    Resources:  Norris, Claire E.; Colman, Andrew M.; Aleixo, Paulo A. (2003). Selective Exposure to Television Programmes and Advertising Effectiveness. University of Leicester. Journal contribution. https://hdl.handle.net/2381/3983   Hartmann, W. R., & Klapper, D. (2016). Super Bowl Ads (Working Paper No. 2139). Stanford Graduate School of Business. https://web.stanford.edu/~wesleyr/SuperBowl.pdf    Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    34 min
  5. Nerd Alert: Targeting Without Tracking

    FEB 19

    Nerd Alert: Targeting Without Tracking

    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 privacy first advertising changes digital marketing. They reveal that when individual tracking disappears, platforms must rely on user groups instead. This shifts advertising toward probabilistic targeting, like how TV has always worked.  Topics covered:  [01:00] "Reach, Measurement, Optimization and Frequency Capping and Targeted Online Advertising Under K Anonymity"[01:45] Privacy forces less tracking, more thinking[02:50] How K Anonymity groups users by shared traits[04:35] Simulating the trade-off between privacy and performance[06:00] Privacy pushes reach-first thinking    To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources:  Gao, Y., & Qiao, M. (2025). Reach measurement, optimization and frequency capping in targeted online advertising under k-anonymity. arXiv preprint arXiv:2501.04882.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    8 min

  6. FEB 17

    Distinctive or Distracting? A Super Bowl Ad Effectiveness Review

    A single 30-second Super Bowl spot now costs $8 million. Factor in production, celebrities, and amplification, and total campaign costs land between $15 and $50 million. So, are the ads actually worth it? Elena, Angela, and Rob break down this year's Super Bowl commercials through a marketing effectiveness lens. They discuss which brands nailed distinctive assets versus those that let celebrity overshadow strategy, why consistency beats spectacle, and what separates memorable ads from forgettable ones.  Topics covered:  [02:00] Classic TV commercial effectiveness errors in Super Bowl ads[06:00] Which brands executed distinctive brand assets well[11:00] The Pepsi polar bear debate and brand linkage[20:00] Patterns across effective ads: product as hero and consistency[28:00] Quiet winners that did real work for brands[32:00] Key takeaways for brands not advertising in the Super Bowl  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.    Resources:  2026 Adwave Article: https://adwave.com/resources/super-bowl-commercial-cost 2026 Billboard Article: https://www.billboard.com/lists/super-bowl-2026-time-performers-commercials-everything-to-know/   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    38 min
  7. Nerd Alert: The Science of Ads that Stick

    FEB 12

    Nerd Alert: The Science of Ads that Stick

    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 makes ads memorable over time, not just minutes after viewing. They reveal how emotion, brand relevance, and AI are reshaping how marketers should think about ad recall and creative testing.  Topics covered:  [01:00] "Long-Term Ad Memorability: Understanding and Generating Memorable Ads"[02:00] Why short-term recall is a poor proxy for advertising effectiveness[04:00] Emotion as the strongest driver of long-term memory[05:00] How brand relevance affects ad memorability[06:00] AI model Henry predicts and generates more memorable ads[07:00] Practical takeaways for marketers on creative testing   To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.    Resources:  Khosla, A., Ranjan, A., Torralba, A., Oliva, A., & colleagues. (2024). Long-term ad memorability: Understanding and generating memorable ads. Adobe Research and collaborating universities.  Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    10 min
  8. Streaming TV and the Effectiveness of Modern TV with Nikki Erkkila

    FEB 10

    Streaming TV and the Effectiveness of Modern TV with Nikki Erkkila

    Streaming now accounts for 47% of all TV viewing. Five of the top 10 most-streamed days ever happened in November 2025 alone. But TV isn't disappearing. It's just fragmented.  This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by VP of Media Partnerships Nikki Erkkila to discuss the state of modern TV advertising. Together, they break down the biggest misconceptions about streaming versus linear TV, why hyper-targeting can actually limit growth, and how marketers should approach buying Connected TV without losing the power of broad reach.  Topics covered:  [04:00] How fragmented is the TV landscape really?[10:00] Why CTV feels familiar to digital marketers[16:00] The biggest mistake marketers make with CTV[21:00] Should you buy linear or streaming? (Hint: It's not either/or)[23:00] When is targeting worth the cost?[29:00] How creative strategies can differ in streaming versus linear  To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.    Resources:  2025 Nielson Report: https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/nielsens-the-gauge-broadcast-and-streaming-power-historic-month/ 2026 Awful Announcing Article: https://awfulannouncing.com/streaming/strange-state-sports-fast-tv-tubi.html   Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

    40 min
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4.7
out of 5
45 Ratings

About

Introducing 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.

Information

  • Creator
    Marketing Architects
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    252
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Marketing Architects
  • Show Website
    The Marketing Architects

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