Welcome to another episode of The Barber’s Brief! Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the latest marketing and business news, spotlight a standout case study in their Marketing Moment, and wrap up with the Ad of the Week.

Enjoy the show!

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

01:15 - Nike’s Market Strategy and Challenges

05:31 - Amazon’s Return to Office Mandate

09:52 - Swedish Advertising Insights

13:45 - The Evolution of KPIs in Marketing

25:38 - Ad of the week

Links:

Title: Did Nike Lose it’s Cool or it’s place? Prof. Koen Pauwels

Source: Prof. Koen Pauwels

Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/did-nike-lose-its-cool-place-prof-dr-koen-pauwels-0cmqe/?trackingId=8MbCHRTATd%2Bm4DNRnHllsA%3D%3D

Amazon Says No To Remote Work - Mandates full 5-day return to office

Source: Techcrunch

Link: https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/16/amazon-mandates-full-five-day-return-to-office/

Link#2: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-employees-blast-andy-jassy-113949840.html

Title: Effective Communication 2024 report by Sveriges Annonsorer & NoA Consulting

Source: Sveriges Annonsorer

Link: https://www.sverigesannonsorer.se/kunskap/rapporter/effective-communication-2024

Title: Is the KPI still a good indicator of performance? Johnny Corbet

Source: Marketing Week

Link: https://www.marketingweek.com/kpi-good-indicator-performance/

The Marketing Moment:

How KFC Integrated Creative Quality into Their Marketing Effectiveness Assessments

Link: https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/advertising-media/how-kfc-integrated-creative-quality-into-their-marketing-effectiveness-assessments

Ad of the Week

MIRO - collaboration and project management software

https://youtu.be/shy3tqvHb4g?si=QyNchqm5jw2e4GDo

The Back Story - the production team used Miro to produce the commercial for Miro

https://go2.miro.com/how-we-launched-a-national-ad-campaign-with-Miro.html

Welcome to another episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast!

Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the world of marketing effectiveness with special guest James Hurman.

James, the founder of Previously Unavailable and the Masters of Advertising Effectiveness program, shares his deep insights into the startup ecosystem, the importance of balancing customer acquisition costs (CAC) with brand awareness, and the concept of future demand. This episode is packed with valuable knowledge on how to build sustainable marketing strategies that drive long-term success.

Enjoy the show!

Our Guest:

James Hurman - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshurman/

• Founder Previously Unavailable - Innovation Studio
• Founder & Programme Director of the Masters of Advertising Effectiveness course with WARC
• Co-founder of Tracksuit - a SaaS brand health tracking system
• Co-author with Peter Field on the Cannes Lions / WARC publication called Creative Effectiveness Ladder
• Author of a new book for startups called Future Demand and The Case for Creativity

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

Timestamps:

0:00 - Episode Introduction

3:28 –the trouble with CAC & the startup playbook

6:39 – why future demand (brand building) is important for startups

10:15 – is demand generation possible

15:04 – Why CAC gets worse without brand awareness

17:30 – Split budgets between brand and performance marketing

19:00 – James’ journey into effectiveness

24:14 – What is effectiveness?

26:35 – The Creative Effectiveness ladder

32:35 – Do ads wear out or wear in?

37:10 – The customer need behind Tracksuit’s brand health tracking SaaS

41:10 – Lessons for early-stage startups

44:53 – The power of industry expertise inside a startup

47:58 – Building Effectiveness knowledge inside companies

51:15 – Much of what marketers are taught is wrong

53:30 – Marketing evidence needs to wear in

54:15 – how to learn more about James

55:09 - Post Pod with V and Marc

Background Research & Literature:

James on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameshurman/

Tracksuit https://www.gotracksuit.com/us

Previously Unavailable https://www.previously.co/

Creative Effectiveness Ladder https://www.lionscreativity.com/creative-effectiveness-ladder

The Principle of Future Demand https://www.previously.co/projects/the-principle-of-future-demand

Welcome to another episode of The Barber’s Brief! Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the latest marketing and business news, spotlight a standout case study in their Marketing Moment, and wrap up with the Ad of the Week.

Enjoy the show!

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

1:56 - Efficiency Delusion

4:54 - iOS 18 What Does It Mean For Marketers

12:30 - Brand Has Never Been More Important For B2B

17:14 - Google Lose Appeal in EU

19:56 - The Marketing Moment - Dr. Pepper

Links:

Story #1

Title: The Efficiency Delusion

Source: Paul Worthington blog OffKilter

Link: https://www.invencion.com/off-kilter

Story #2a

Title: iOS 18: What do the new AI features mean for Email Marketing?

Source: DeployTeq

Link: https://deployteq.com/ios-18-what-do-the-new-ai-features-mean-for-email-marketing/

Story #2b

Title: iOS 18: Apple Visual Intelligence – search using your iPhone camera

Source: Search Engine Land

Link: https://searchengineland.com/apple-visual-intelligence-search-using-your-iphone-camera-446419

Story #3

Title: Brand Has ‘Never Been More Important in B2B Marketing’, research reveals

Source: Marketing Week

Link: https://www.marketingweek.com/brand-more-important-b2b/

Story #4

Title: Nike: Google loses appeal against EU’s $2.7B Shopping antitrust case, as bloc also wins $15B Apple state aid appeal

Source: Masimo Guanaco on LinkedIn

Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nike-epic-saga-value-destruction-massimo-giunco-llplf

Marketing Moment: Dr. Pepper Just Took over Pepsi: Could Coca-Cola be Next?

Source: Andrew Tindall in The Drum

Link: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2024/09/02/dr-pepper-just-overtook-pepsi-could-coca-cola-be-next

The Background: Coke, Pepsi, and Dr. Pepper once dominated the U.S. soda market, but by the end of 2023, Pepsi and Dr. Pepper were tied with an 8.3% market share. Dr. Pepper's success is due to both its own strategy and Pepsi's failures.

Case #1 - Branding & Rebranding: While Coca-Cola maintained a consistent brand identity, Pepsi underwent multiple major redesigns. Dr. Pepper, launched in 1885, kept its unique positioning, benefiting from a distinct brand and flavor profile. The brand leveraged its unique classification as a "Pepper Soda" to expand its distribution network.

The Cola Wars: Pepsi focused on taste tests and high-profile campaigns, including controversial ads, while the overall market saw a shift towards bottled water and diverse flavors. Pepsi emphasized zero sugar and snacks.

Dr. Pepper’s Strategy: Unlike its competitors, Dr. Pepper avoided the "Cola Wars" and focused on its distinctiveness, committing to an eSOV (excess share of voice) strategy and consistently improving ad quality. As Gen Z becomes the key demographic, Dr. Pepper continues to focus on its 139-year-old positioning as a unique blend of 23 flavors while adapting its creative approach to resonate with younger consumers.

We Play Different - The North Face

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7qHeUak1RU&list=TLGGQEylHYKkXDwxMDA5MjAyNA&t=18s

Agency: B-Reel

The North Face aimed to reconnect with its core audience across fashion and outdoor sports while appealing to a younger demographic unfamiliar with its heritage.

Campaign narrative and execution

The campaign, "We Always Have Your Back," utilizes storytelling and visual spectacle to bridge The North Face's legacy in extreme outdoor exploration with its contemporary status as a streetwear icon. Narrated by Alex Honnold, the campaign emphasizes unity and support in adventure.

In our latest podcast episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Prof. Dan Ariely, a renowned behavioural economist and the James B. Duke Professor of Behavioural Economics at Duke University.

Dan is also the co-founder of several companies, including BeWorks, and the author of eight books, his latest being "MisbeLIEf." This episode dives deep into the fascinating world of behavioural economics, focusing on how misinformation and stress can significantly impact decision-making in both personal and business environments.

We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it!

Our Guest:

Prof. Dan Ariely - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danariely/

James B Duke Professor of Behavioural Economics at Duke University

• Co-founder of multiple companies including BEWorks - the world’s leading behavioral change firm
• Author of 8 books, including Predictably Irrational and the most recent MisbeLIEf
• TEDTalk Speaker

Our Hosts:

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

• Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/
• Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/

Timestamps:

0:52 - Intro to Dan

3:36 - Behavioural Economics of Choice: The Economist Subscription

7:21 - The human brain is like a swiss army knife

9:30 - The inspiration of MisbeLIEf - COVID & death threats

12:59 - All of us have the potential to become misbelievers

15:15 - Mistrust in businesses & business leaders

16:30 - Stress affects our ability to trust

18:58 - Psychological resilience is affected by social connections

21:06 - Social isolation for employees hired during COVID

21:44 - Treating employees well can improve stock market returns

25:15 - ETF to track holdings based on how employees feel about where they work

25:44 - The trouble with counting the % of women in senior positions

30:38 - Two types of stress, one is harmful

32:33 - Seeing patterns where there are none

34:56 - The 2 components of misbelief

37:10 - Brands & influencers

39:47 - Improving trust on social networks

42:53 - We need to get better at consuming information

44:35 - People come to marketers too late

46:38 - Removing confirmation bias by changing the way we search

47:44 - Flush toilets and learning to understand

51:16 - Rather than argue the facts, accept ambiguity

53:50 - How to change people’s minds

55:05 - Why ostracism is so destructive

56:30 - Learn more about Dan

59:05 - Post-Pod Discussion with Marc and V

Background Research & Literature:

Dan’s Website https://danariely.com/

Links to all his papers, videos etc. https://danariely.com/resources/#v-thoughts-of-the-week

Links to his books https://danariely.com/books/

Center of Advanced Hindsight https://advanced-hindsight.com/

Irrational Capital ETF https://finance.yahoo.com/news/irrational-capitals-hapi-outperforming-p-120000068.html

Center for Advanced Bureaucracy https://centerforbureaucracy.com/

The Life We Should Live https://www.thelifeweshouldlive.com/

Welcome back to another episode of The Barber’s Brief! Where Marc and Vassilis discuss marketing and business news that has caught their eye, they highlight our marketing moment, get into audience QA, and finish off by highlighting an ad of the week.

Enjoy the show!

Our Hosts:

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

2:38 - Update to Google’s Pmax Reporting

5:37 - Using the Playting to Win Framework for Competitor Analysis

9:37 - Google Cancels The Cookie Deprivation

12:55 - The Power of Aunthicity

19:02 - The Marketing Moment - The Dollar Shave Club

26:25 - Ad of The Week

30:04 - Coming Up Next Week, Dan Ariely

Links:

Story #1

Title: Google adds new PMax reporting, generative AI tools

Source: Search Engine Land

Link: https://searchengineland.com/build-modern-digital-marketing-plan-444367

Story #2

Title: The Best Strategy Icebreaker

Source: Roger Martin Medium

Link: https://rogermartin.medium.com/the-best-strategy-icebreaker-0c9b6ae58461

Story #3

Title: Google Won’t Kill Off Cookies, Consumers Will – And That’s How It Should Be

Source: Adexchanger

Link: https://www.adexchanger.com/data-driven-thinking/google-wont-kill-off-cookies-consumers-will-and-thats-how-it-should-be/

Story #4

Title: Nike: AN epic saga of value destruction

Source: Masimo Guanaco on LinkedIn

Link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nike-epic-saga-value-destruction-massimo-giunco-llplf

Marketing Moment: Dollar Shave Club's Viral Launch: A Marketing Masterclass

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUG9qYTJMsI

The Birth of Dollar Shave Club

Founded in 2011 by Michael Dubin and Mark Levine, Dollar Shave Club aimed to solve a common consumer pain point: overpriced and inconvenient razor purchases. The company's subscription-based model promised high-quality razors delivered directly to customers' doors at a fraction of the cost, challenging the traditional retail model.

The Viral Video: "Our Blades Are F***ing Great"

Key Elements of the Video:

Authenticity: Michael Dubin's natural and relatable delivery made the brand feel genuine and trustworthy.

Humor: The script was packed with memorable jokes and absurd scenarios that entertained while conveying the product's value proposition.

Simplicity: The video clearly explained the problem (expensive, inconvenient razors) and DSC's solution in an easily digestible format.

Shareability: The entertaining nature and concise length made it highly shareable across social media platforms.

Immediate Impact: Within 48 hours of its release, the video amassed over 12,000 orders, crashing the company's servers due to the unexpected traffic surge.

Results and Growth

The viral success of the video translated into exponential growth for DSC.

Customer Acquisition: The company gained a massive influx of subscribers, building a strong customer base rapidly.

Investor Confidence: The buzz attracted substantial investments, fueling further expansion and product development.

Industry Disruption: DSC's success challenged established brands, leading to shifts in marketing strategies and pricing models within the industry.

Acquisition: In 2016, Unilever acquired Dollar Shave Club for a reported $1 billion, highlighting the monumental success achieved through innovative marketing.

Ad of the Week

McDonalds - first full AI-generated video that I’m aware of via john james

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/officialjohnjames_ai-advertising-ugcPost-7231841679882731520-_Hcq/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

Mcdonalds Japan has released a polished ad using AI that cost the creator $50 in tools. The implications for worldwide advertising supply chain are huge

Welcome back to another episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast! Today, we’re diving deep into advertising with our returning guest, Dan White. Dan, a marketing and insights innovator, former CMO, and co-developer of Kantar's BrandZ, joins us to discuss his latest book, "The Smart Advertising Book." This episode is packed with insights on evidence-based marketing, the importance of broad vs. narrow targeting, optimal marketing budgets, and the effectiveness of bursting vs. spreading your ad spend. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just starting, this episode offers invaluable takeaways to enhance your advertising strategies.

Our Guest:

Dan White

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danwhite1000/

Marketing & Insights Innovator

Former CMO, co-developed Kantar’s BrandZ - the world's biggest brand equity measurement system

4-time author of some of the best marketing books in the world

Including the topic of today’s call the Smart Advertising Book

Our Hosts:

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

Timestamps:

0:50 - Intro to Dan

2:43 - How does the Smart Advertising fit with his other books

5:36 - Why write this book

7:35 - SMART = Evidence-Based Concepts

9:38 - The evidence for advertising ROI

13:20 - The evidence for demand generation

14:52 - The evidence for making customer switch

17:32 - The biggest driver of purchase behaviour

18:50 - How does advertising really work

22:14 - Why brands work over the long term

25:09 - We’re overcomplicating how branding works

31:09 - Why brand building is the right phrase

32:13 - Why packaging and ad creative need to match

34:37 - Core Concept: Reach v. Frequency

40:15 - Core Concept: Broad v. Narrow Targeting

48:47 - Core Concept: The optimal marketing budget

53:40 - Core Concept: Burst vs.Spreading Spend

58:44 - Find out more about Dan

1:00:44 - Post Pod with V and Marc

Episode Quote:

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." - Dan White

Show Links:

The Smart Advertising Book https://www.amazon.ca/Smart-Advertising-Book-deliver-advertising/dp/1915951186

Dan’s Website https://www.smartmarketing.me/

Digital Ad Spend https://www.statista.com/statistics/237974/online-advertising-spending-worldwide

Welcome back to another episode of The Barber’s Brief! Where Marc and Vassilis discuss marketing and business news that has caught their eye, they highlight our marketing moment, get into audience QA, and finish off by highlighting an ad of the week.

Enjoy the show!

Our Hosts:

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

1:01 - Consumer Still Feeling teh Inflation Squeeze

3:26 - Tik Tok Tightens Teen AD Targeting

5:52 - Apple’s Vision Pro 1.4bn Failure

8:49 - The Growing Pains of Retail Media

12:05 - Marketing Moment: XBOX Football Manager

16:46 - Ad of the Week: McDonald’s Retro Birthday Party

Links:

Title: Consumers still feeling the squeeze despite falling inflation

Source:

Link: https://www.marketingweek.com/consumers-squeeze-inflation-data/

Summary

Title: TikTok tightens teen ad targeting and boosts AI transparency

Source: Search Engine Land

Link: https://searchengineland.com/tiktok-teen-ad-targeting-ai-transparency-443986

Title: Apple’s Vision Pro $1.4bn failure shows importance of market orientation

Source: The Drum

Link: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2024/07/15/apple-s-vision-pro-600m-failure-shows-importance-market-orientation

Title: The growing pains of retail media: Dodging ROAS gremlins

Source: Marketing Week

Link: https://www.marketingweek.com/retail-media-roas-gremlin/

Marketing Moment: Highlighting Case studies (3-4 minutes):

XBox Football Manager (FM24) Video Game

Everyday Tactician - McCann London

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elq83mERXv0

Background

If you’ve seen Wrexham docuseries they have been promoted to EFL One

There’s a huge advantage for teams that get promoted - more $, better players, better coaches etc

Bromley had been in the lower leagues for 132 years

Bromely paired with Xbox to recruit talent using their FM24 game

Like moneyball but with gamers

Filmed a documentary, promoted on social & the game

Results

Hired the “Everyday Tactictian” a guy named Nathan Owolabi who was a tour guide at Wembly

Became part of the team’s backroom staff and worked for the club’s manager

Campaign won a bunch of awards including Cannes Lions Grand Prix

Picked up a lot of press 1.5B impressions

190% increase in FM players

Most played version ever

Bromely FC promoted to EFL two for the first time in the past 132 years

Ad of the Week

McDonald’s serves up retro birthday party ad to celebrate 50 years in UK

Link: https://youtu.be/MgBs3DgLZBk

McDonald’s is kicking off a major new campaign celebrating 50 years since opening in the UK with a faithfully recreated reminder of the joy of its childhood birthday parties.

McDonald's new campaign commemorating 50 years since its first UK location opened in Woolwich, London. The campaign features a nostalgic ad filmed in the original restaurant, meticulously recreated to evoke the ambiance of 1980s childhood birthday parties. Produced by Leo Burnett, the 60-second spot aims to celebrate McDonald's heritage and appeal to sentiments of joy and nostalgia associated with its early years in the UK.

In our latest episode, we delve into the critical topic of ethics in marketing and advertising with Amina Mattern, Industry Strategy Lead at LinkedIn Marketing Solutions. Amina shares her extensive experience and insights on the evolving landscape of digital advertising, data privacy, and consumer trust.

Discover how data has become the new currency and why transparency, honesty, and societal well-being are essential for building and maintaining trust. Learn about the impact of regulations like GDPR and CCPA, and explore the potential of synthetic data in market research.

This episode is packed with valuable information for marketers looking to navigate the complex world of digital ethics. Don't miss out on this enlightening conversation. Listen now and take your first step towards becoming a more responsible and effective marketer.

Our Guest

Amina Mattern

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amina-mattern/

Industry Strategy Lead @ LinkedIn Marketing Solutions | Financial Services & Fintech

Experience working agency side, MediaCom, Omnicom, and also held the position of Head of Marketing Strategy for Loblaws.

Our Hosts

Follow our updates here: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/⁠⁠

Get in touch with our hosts:

Marc Binkley: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/

Vassilis Douros: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/⁠

References:
Canadian Marketing Association’s Code of Ethics https://thecma.ca/resources/code-of-ethics-standards

Quote of the Episode:

"The way that you handle data and privacy is very much a part of your brand." - Amina Mattern

Timestamps

0:51 - Introduction to Amina Mattern

2:15 - Amina’s career path

4:00: - How roles in brand, agency and platform shaped Amina’s perspective on marketing ethics

5:53 - More data, more regulations

8:30 - Directional trends on regulation and policys

10:40 - Ethics and data privacy impacts brand reputation

12:40 - How local consumer expectations affect ethic & policys

15:28 - Data is currency

17:50 - If you collect data, you need an ethical data strategy

20:09 - Cookie deprecation & ethics

28:43 - A consumer’s responsibility with data collection

32:02 - Ethics in synthetic data

35:30 - Future of ethics in advertising

38:18 - Technology isn’t a substitute for ethics

42:22 - Post-pod with V and Marc