The Sleeping Barber - A Business and Marketing Podcast

Sleeping Barber

Ready to rethink business strategy and supercharge your marketing game? Join hosts Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros as they break down big questions at the crossroads of strategy, marketing effectiveness, and creative impact. From real-world case studies to hot-off-the-press business news, each episode dives deep into how modern companies navigate complexity. Plus, interviews with global thought leaders bring you fresh insights and actionable strategies to drive growth and build unforgettable customer experiences. This is your backstage pass to smarter thinking and better business results. read less
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Episodes

SBP 107: The Barber's Brief, Tariff Edition - February 6, 2025
Today
SBP 107: The Barber's Brief, Tariff Edition - February 6, 2025
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. This week though, they tackle the topic of the potential trade war that could be looming! 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: 00:00 - Introduction 01:39 - NBC Tariff Overview? 04:04 - Tariffs and the 4Ps 20:05 - The Marketing Moment: WARCs Multiplier Effect Study 29:22 - Ad of the Week - Kraft Mayonnaise from 1931 34:23 - Coming Up Next Week In The News Links Tariff Overview - NBC News NBC News https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/live-blog/trump-china-canada-mexico-tariffs-live-updates-rcna190144 Which provinces are pulling U.S. alcohol off shelves over Trump’s tariffs? https://globalnews.ca/news/10993794/trump-tariffs-liquor-boards/ China’s Massive Belt and Road Initiative https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-massive-belt-and-road-initiative 10 things that could cost more under new tariffs https://www.fox9.com/news/trump-tariffs-price-hikes All the generic coronavirus ads are a waste of time and budget https://www.marketingweek.com/generic-covid-ads-waste-time-budget/ The Marketing Moment: WARC Multiplier Effect - Great resource with a few highly relevant case studies https://page.warc.com/the-multiplier-effect-report Ad Of The Week: An ad from Kraft in 1931 Despite a challenging economy, they didn’t highlight the price Instead, Kraft focused on increasing brand recognition: from Gelfand to Kraft Product features & ingredients: a great supply chain that keeps mayonnaise Always Kitchen Fresh! Guaranteed by your trusted grocer Eggs, Select Oil, aged-in-the-wood vinegar, rare spices Service: Home Delivery Recipe ideas to use more: dress lettuce Emphasized nutritional value and quality for an economical price, and used recipe books as a promotional tool.
SBP 106: Why Cutting Marketing Budgets is a Mistake. With Hilary Borndahl.
1w ago
SBP 106: Why Cutting Marketing Budgets is a Mistake. With Hilary Borndahl.
In this episode of The Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc Binkley and Vassilis Douros welcome Hilary Borndahl to discuss the critical role of measurement in marketing, with a focus on marketing mix modelling (MMM) and its impact on ROI. They explore the challenges marketers face in justifying budgets, the importance of understanding ad stock, and the consequences of cutting marketing spend. The conversation also covers the evolution of digital marketing, the balance between performance and brand marketing, and the value of MMM in providing a holistic view of marketing effectiveness. Marc highlights the growing need for integration between paid and organic search, the influence of audio advertising on consumer behaviour, and the complexities of modern consumer journeys. Other key topics include targeting strategies, AI’s role in marketing measurement, and the necessity for CMOs to be data-savvy. The episode also examines the effectiveness of creative in campaigns and the rising significance of metrics like the Marketing Effectiveness Ratio (MER) in evaluating media performance. Our Guest: Hilary Borndhal, CEO & founder of Miix Analytics Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-borndahl/ 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/⁠Follow Our Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Measurement in Marketing 02:56 - Introduction to Hilary, Miix Analytics & the Insights Association 06:07 - The Wanamaker Dilemma and ROI Challenges 08:59 - Understanding Ad Stock and Its Importance 11:49 - The Impact of Cutting Marketing Budgets 15:08 - The Role of Digital Marketing Today 18:03 - Performance Marketing vs. Brand Marketing 20:51 - The Evolution of Measurement Techniques 24:04 - Marketing Mix Modeling Explained 26:56 - Benefits of Marketing Mix Modeling 30:14 - Review Cycles for Marketing Mix Modeling 33:01 - Balancing Brand and Performance Investments 39:42 - The Integration of Paid and Organic Search 42:07 - The Role of Audio in Marketing 44:58 - Consumer Behavior and Search Dynamics 50:37 - The Complexity of Consumer Journeys 54:21 - Narrow vs. Broad Targeting in Marketing 58:43 - The Impact of AI on Marketing Measurement 01:01:15 - Post-pod Discussion - Marc and V's key takeaways and insights from the conversation
SPB 104: Marketing Resolutions for 2025. With Prof. Byron Sharp.
16-01-2025
SPB 104: Marketing Resolutions for 2025. With Prof. Byron Sharp.
In this episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, Professor Byron Sharp discusses key marketing resolutions for 2025, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer behaviour, the limitations of loyalty programs, and the need for evidence-based marketing practices. He shares insights from his extensive research at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, challenging conventional marketing wisdom and advocating for a more scientific approach to marketing strategy. We hope you enjoy listening to this episode! Our Guest: Prof. Bryon Sharp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professorbyronsharp/ Professor of Marketing Science & Director of the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute the world's largest centre for marketing research Author of How Brands Grow I & IITextbook Marketing: Theory, Evidence & Practice90+ Journal articles 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/⁠Follow Our Updates: Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Marketing Resolutions 02:53 Byron Sharp's Journey in Marketing Science 05:57 The Punk Rock Nature of Marketing Science 08:48 Consumer Behavior: The Weirdness of the Market 11:53 Rethinking Brand Loyalty and Customer Acquisition 15:10 The Importance of Mental Availability 18:00 Segmentation Strategies in Marketing 20:47 Assessing Metrics for Performance Tracking 38:42 Reassessing Metrics for Performance Measurement 41:25 Understanding Mental vs. Physical Availability 45:21 The Importance of Distinctive Brand Assets 47:12 Rethinking the Consumer Purchase Funnel 51:39 How Brands Go Live: A New Approach 56:54 Post-Pod with V& Marc Key Takeaways
SBP103 - The Barber's Brief - January 9th 2025
09-01-2025
SBP103 - The Barber's Brief - January 9th 2025
Welcome to another episode of The Barber’s Brief, by the Sleeping Barber Podcast! 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: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sleeping-barber/ Follow our Hosts: Marc Binkley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbinkley/ Vassilis Douros: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vassilisdouros/ Timestamps: 0:00 - Introduction 1:18 - Mark Ritson's Annual Top Marketing Moments 10 - 5 5:56 - How Small Brands Grow 10:18 - Mark Ritson's Annual Top Marketing Moments 4-1 15:41 - Chipotle Expands Partnership with Strava 19:17 - The Marketing Moment: Questioning the Growth Dogma. A Replication Study 25:49 - Ad of the week: Apple's Heartstrings 28:45 - Coming up next week. In The News Links: Mark Riston’s Annual Top 10 Marketing Moments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk9ju-avzNo How Small Brands Grow Source LinkedIn - Author Julia Skinner Link: https://shorturl.at/Kwy9Y Headline: Chipotle expands Strava tie-up globally to fuel New Year’s fitness goals Source: Marketing DiveLink: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/chipotle-strava-global-new-years-fitness-goals/736446/ Questioning the Growth Dogma: A Replication Study Ad of the Week Title: Heartstrings Advertiser Apple Agency: TWBA & Media Arts LabLink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvnJhwIwqds Apple had introduced their annual Holiday advertisement for the 2024 season at the end of November, titled “Heartstrings”, and it’s an unusually moving commercial that focuses on hearing loss and the hearing aids feature of AirPods Pro 2 (which happen to be hugely discounted on Amazon right now, if you’re in the market). In the touching and family oriented commercial, a small family is gathered around a Christmas tree opening presents, and as the father reminiscences about his daughter growing up over the years, he gets a nudge from his wife to listen to his daughter singing a rendition of “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, and Nash, where he puts in his AirPods and is able to hear her clearly.
SBP 101: The Year In Review Episode. With Elena Jasper and Conor Byrne.
11-12-2024
SBP 101: The Year In Review Episode. With Elena Jasper and Conor Byrne.
Join our hosts, Marc and Vassilis as they welcome back Elena Jasper from 'The Marketing Architects Podcast' and Conor Byrne from 'Now That's What I Call Marketing' to the "studio." In this engaging year-end review, our hosts and guests dive into standout marketing campaigns, trends in influencer marketing, and the effectiveness of various targeting strategies. They highlight successful campaigns like Budweiser's Clydesdales return and Elf Beauty's bold marketing approach while debating the future of influencer marketing and the critical role of first-party data. The conversation also explores broad targeting strategies, brand purpose vs. performance marketing, and the impact of diversity campaigns amidst cancel culture. Furthermore, they discuss the evolution of large language models (LLMs) and their marketing implications, alongside Jaguar's controversial rebranding strategy and its effect on brand loyalty. Wrapping up, they share predictions for 2025, focusing on emerging trends in media and marketing, the rise of AI in creative processes, and the importance of nuanced marketing strategies in a dynamic landscape. This episode is packed with insights, predictions, and vibrant debates you won't want to miss! Our Guests: Elena Jasper: VP of Marketing @ Marketing Architects and Podcast Host of The Marketing Architects https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenajasper/ Conor Byrne: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conorbyrne/ Senior Marketing Director and Podcast of 'Now That's What I Call Marketing' 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/⁠ 0:00 - Introduction and Year in Review 04:50 - Campaigns of the Year 14:45 - Bullish or Bearish: Marketing Trends 33:05 - Marketing Surprises of the Year 48:50 - Predictions for 2025: Media and Marketing Trends Links: Marketing Architects https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-marketing-architects/id1679048313  That’s What I Call Marketing https://www.thatswhaticallmarketing.com/  Sleeping Barber https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-sleeping-barber-a-business-and-marketing-podcast/id1609811324   Filipe Thomaz Report https://www.mi-3.com.au/15-10-2024/really-mediocre-outcomes-oxford-uni-professor-says-byron-sharp-and-ehrenberg-bass
SPB 100: The Barber's Brief - Celebrating Our 100th Episode
05-12-2024
SPB 100: The Barber's Brief - Celebrating Our 100th Episode
This is a special episode of the Barber's Brief, where Marc and Vassilis celebrate their 100th episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, while still diving into the latest marketing and business news. A small twist to the marketing moment, where they spotlight the Podcast, its origin, vision and direction moving forward. 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: 00:00 - Introduction 03:32 - US Black Friday Results 06:34 - Jaguar's Bold Rebranding 10:36 - Critique of Jaguar's Marketing Strategy 20:20 - DOJ Recommendations for Google. Sell Chrome! 27:24 - Marketing Moment: Our Podcast In The News Links: US Black Friday Spending In store & online rose by 3.4% https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/black-friday-data-shows-us-shoppers-spent-108-bln-online-2024-11-30/ Jaguar releases a concept for its new EV model after a controversy over its rebranding — which didn't feature a car. Link: https://www.businessinsider.com/jaguar-releases-concept-car-after-controversial-rebranding-campaign-woke-2024-12 Advertising Malpractice at Jaguar - Roger Martin https://rogermartin.medium.com/strategy-branding-30fcb644ecc8 DOJ: Google must sell Chrome to end monopoly Link: https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/20/doj-google-must-sell-chrome-to-end-monopoly/
SBP 099 - How To Build Persuasive Presentations. With Nancy Duarte.
28-11-2024
SBP 099 - How To Build Persuasive Presentations. With Nancy Duarte.
Marketing may involve running campaigns, tracking pricing, or creating brands, but let’s face it—marketers spend a lot of time building decks. From pitching ideas and asking for funding to reporting results or outlining strategies, we rely on presentations to drive action. Yet, no idea gains traction if it isn’t understood. That’s why communication and presentation skills are essential. In this episode, Nancy Duarte shares her insights on crafting persuasive presentations and mastering effective communication. Enjoy the show! Our Guest: Nancy Duarte https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyduarte/ CEO & Principal @ Duarte, Inc. - Creative Services & Presentation Skills Training Author of 6 books & contributor to numerous publications like HBR, NYT, Wall Street Journal, Wired Her TED Talk - The Secret Structure of Great Talks has well over 3M views A client list that looks like the S&P500 listing - Apple, Hubspot, Walmart, Salesforce, Visa, Workday etc 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/ Background Research & Literature: Duarte, Inc. https://www.duarte.com/ TEDx The Secret Strucutre of Great Talks https://www.ted.com/talks/nancy_duarte_the_secret_structure_of_great_talks  Books https://www.duarte.com/resources/books/ Create Slides People will Remember https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeV2fHEM4RI  Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro to Nancy Duarte 3:35 - Nancy’s career path to Presentation Agency Owner 6:38 - A presentation that won an Academy Award   9:35 - The challenge with most presentations 12:40 - How to amplify the connection to your audience 15:22 - Building decks is different from persuasive communication 19:00 - The importance of unpacking visuals 20:35 - Slideshows vs. Slidedocs    24:00 - Communication is evolving, PPT is just a tool   26:55 - How data has changed presentations 29:55  - Design implications with data 33:19 - The structure of great talks 37:42 - Why objections can improve your presentations  41:38 -  Poking holes before presenting 43:45 - The Duarte Method: Story, Visuals, Delivery & Empathy 47:19 - Presenters need to think more like a helicopter than a train 49:40 - The big Aha’s for great presentations 51:54 - Learning more about Nancy 55:21 - Post-pod with V and Marc
SBP 098: The Barber's Brief - November 21, 2024
21-11-2024
SBP 098: The Barber's Brief - November 21, 2024
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: 00:00 - Introduction 00:51 - Why Tide is shifting to social-first marketing for its latest NFL blitz. 03:47 - Spotify takes aim at YT with a new revenue-sharing platform for creators. 06:07 - Google to halt political ads in EU over new regulations. 10:07 - US Ad spend managed by agency holding companies. 14:15 - 2024 CeraVe's Super Bowl Stunt: A Humorous Take on Brand Awareness. 14:15 - Ad of the Week - VW, Think Small In The News Links: Title: Why Tide is shifting to social-first marketing for its latest NFL blitz - https://www.marketingdive.com/news/tide-tackles-NFL-marketing-campaign-social-creator-content/732597/ Spotify takes aim at YT with a new revenue-sharing platform for creators - https://www.businessinsider.com/spotify-battles-youtube-with-new-creator-video-revenue-sharing-program-2024-11 Google to halt political ads in EU over new regulations - https://searchengineland.com/google-halt-political-ads-eu-448336 US Ad Spend managed by agency-holding companies, Shane O’Leary - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shane-o-leary-1660_sometimes-you-see-a-graph-or-piece-of-data-activity-7261356951370895360-BMSB
SBP 097 - A Customer Promise Is A Business Strategy, with Roger Martin, Mimi Turner and Jann Martin Schwarz.
14-11-2024
SBP 097 - A Customer Promise Is A Business Strategy, with Roger Martin, Mimi Turner and Jann Martin Schwarz.
In this episode, we're excited to welcome back our returning guest, Roger Martin, and he's brought along two brilliant co-researchers/authors, Mimi Turner and Jann Martin Schwarz! They’re here to share insights from the latest Promise to the Customer (PTTC) research by WARC and The B2B Institute. Last year, Roger joined us to discuss findings from a B2C dataset, but this time, it’s all about B2B. So grab a seat, plug in your earbuds and join us as we dive into what really matters to business customers today—direct from the experts. Our Guests Roger Martin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-martin-9916911a9/ The World’s Authority on StrategyNamed #1 Management Thinker by Thinkers50Trusted strategy advisor to CEOs of the biggest companies on the planet like P&G, Lego, FordAuthor of 13 books & 34 HBR articles including Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works Mimi Turner - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mimi-turner/ Head of Marketplace Innovation with LinkedIn LMS Fellow @ The B2B Institute Jann Martin Schwarz - https://www.linkedin.com/in/janns/ Founder of The B2B Institute, Sr. Director Marketplace Innovation 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 0:57 - Introduction to Mimi, Jann & Roger 3:05 - How LinkedIn is shaping the understanding of B2B marketing 5:00 - Defining & examples of a promise to the customer (PTTC)  8:40 - Linking PTTC to strategy 10:53 - Why PTTC matters  14:40 - PTTC isn’t just for big brands 18:47 - The link between PTTC and a winning aspiration in business strategy 20:39 - Why PTTC can help brands differentiate 24:08 - PTTC examples with Sage ERP B2B SaaS  26:20 - how PTTC can improve ad creative 27:55 - Why PTTC works 32:50 - PTTC is more than an ad campaign 35:14 - Aligning sales & marketing to simplify the buyer’s experience  38:43 - PTTC impact on ABM & targeting  41:52 - Customer promises make the customer-company relationship tangible  44:20 - Business isn’t personal?  46:20 - The real job of B2B marketers  50:17 - How you know when you’ve got a brand 51:40 - The importance of knowing a brands before buying 54:58 - Brands are like blame insurance in decision making   57:20 - Roger: the most striking finding from this research 1:00:45 - Jann: the most striking finding from this research 1:03:55 - Mimi: the most striking finding from this research 1:05:41 - how P&G used PTTC to evaluate campaigns 1:10:08 - Post-pod with V, Marc & MIMI! Links & References The B2B Institute - https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute Making a Promise to the Business Customer - https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/making-a-promise-to-the-business-customer Full Research Library - https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-research?selectedFilter=all-categories The Product Delusion - https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/b2b-research/trends/the-product-delusion Roger Martin Website https://rogerlmartin.com Medium https://rogermartin.medium.com/ SBP - PTTC 2023 episode with Roger https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/sbp-040-making-a-promise-to-the-customer-with-roger-martin/id1609811324?i=1000631039119
SBP 096: The Barber's Brief - November 6, 2024
07-11-2024
SBP 096: The Barber's Brief - November 6, 2024
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: 00:00 - Introduction 01:25 - Is influencer marketing right for you? 04:24 - lululemon and Fanatics Partner with NHL® to Launch New Premium Fan Apparel Collection. 08:18 - Moo Deng will Die. Your brand needs to be immortal. 12:08 - ChatGPT search officially launches 18:26 - The Marketing Moment: Heinz Ketchup, It has to be Heinz. 25:21 - Ad of the Week - Apple, Write Smarter. In The News Links: Is influencer marketing right for you? Dr. Grace Kite https://www.linkedin.com/posts/magic-numbers-co_is-influencer-marketing-right-for-you-the-activity-7254761570923069441-iknX YouGov findings: https://business.yougov.com/content/50275-from-kitchen-to-closet-nearly-three-in-five-users-find-fashion-and-food-influencer-advice-helpful lululemon and Fanatics Partner with NHL® to Launch New Premium Fan Apparel Collection Source: https://corporate.lululemon.com/media/our-stories/2024/lululemon-and-fanatics-partner-with-nhl Moo Deng will Die. Your brand needs to be immortal Andrew Tindall on The Drum Source: https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2024/10/24/moo-deng-will-die-your-brand-needs-be-immortal ChatGPT search officially launches Source: Techcrunch Link: https://searchengineland.com/chatgpt-search-officially-launches-447919 The Marketing Moment: Heinz Ketchup: It has to be Heinz WARC Cannes Creative Lions Grand Prix, Creative Effectiveness Lions Agency - Rethink Canada https://info.canneslions.com/the-official-cannes-lions-2024-wrap-up-report/creative-impact Ad Of The Week: Title: Write Smarter Advertiser: Apple Link: https://youtu.be/3m0MoYKwVTM?list=TLGGnLWpSYG3DtwwNTExMjAyNA The latest Apple ad, ‘Write Smarter,’ follows an office worker using the tech giant's Intelligence system on his iPhone 16 Pro to refine his usually casual emails into polished, professional messages, much to the surprise of his boss, who seems a bit perplexed by the sudden shift in tone.
SBP 095: AI-Powered Synthetic Market Research. With Peter Weinberg.
31-10-2024
SBP 095: AI-Powered Synthetic Market Research. With Peter Weinberg.
Welcome to another episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast! Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the fascinating world of marketing strategy and innovation with a special guest, Peter Weinberg. AI is the biggest topic of the past two years. When you combine that with the science behind evidence-based marketing principles and the discipline of Market Research you get Evidenza. Our Guest: Peter Weinberg Co-Founder, Evidenza https://www.linkedin.com/in/weinbergpeter/ 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 0:56 - Introduction to Peter Weinberg 1:59 - What is synthetic research? 3:45 - Three phases of Peter’s career 7:03 - Leading on cutting edge thinking & technology 9:30 - 5/95 Rule 10:50 - Segmenting the market for AI-based research 13:04 - Thinking about Category Entry Points for Evidenza 15:38 - How to create synthetic personas 17:58 - A word from our sponsor - Quatical 19:19 - The speed and flexibility advantage of Synthetic-research 22:00 - Augmenting traditional market research 23:35 - Building CFO ready marketing strategy 25:48 - Using AI to solve TAM, SAM and SOM 27:23 - Correcting for hallucinations 30:24 - Error in AI v. traditional surveys 32:01 - Improving accuracy of synthetic research 33:51 - The opportunity and limitations of synthetic research 35:42 - Product Market Fit for Evidenza 37:38 - AI can be used for much more than copywriting 39:03 - How a background in marketing influences business operations 43:29 - Most growth comes from new customers 45:25 - Opportunity to financialize marketing plans 46:57 - Why marketers need to learn financial language 47:58 - Learn more about Evidenza 48:37 - Post pod with V and Marc
SBP 094: The Barber's Brief - October 24, 2024
24-10-2024
SBP 094: The Barber's Brief - October 24, 2024
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: 00:00 Introduction 02:15 In-house vs. Downtown Agencies: Cost Savings or Misconception? 06:55 Just do it! Brand Name Lessons from Nike's Troubles! 13:19 Dom Pérignon perfectly demonstrates the appeal of scarcity. 19:25 Great Whitepaper from Mailchimp - How to Grow Your Brand 22:58 Marketing Moment: Insights from Adweek 2024 32:13 Ad of the Week In the News links: In-house vs. Downtown Agencies: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7253289716513431553/ Brand Name Lessons from Nike's Troubles! https://aswathdamodaran.blogspot.com/2024/10/just-do-it-brand-name-lessons-from.html Dom Pérignon perfectly demonstrates the appeal of scarcity https://www.marketingweek.com/ritson-dom-perignon-appeal-scarcity/ Whitepaper from Mailchimp: https://mailchimp.com/resources/how-to-grow-your-brand/ Marketing Moment: Adweek 2024 Key Learnings: CTV and Retail Media AI’s Role in Advertising Harnessing First-Party Data Omnichannel and Full-Funnel Strategies Privacy and Regulatory Uncertainty Declining Focus on Social Purpose, DEI and Sustainability Ad of the Week: https://youtu.be/qvFnf2EEd20?feature=shared
SBP 093: Financial Metrics for Marketers. With Omar Roubi.
17-10-2024
SBP 093: Financial Metrics for Marketers. With Omar Roubi.
Welcome to another episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast! Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the fascinating world of marketing strategy and innovation with a special guest, Omar Roubi. Within a business, there appears to be a constant tension between marketing and accounting/finance departments. In this episode, Marc and Vassilis speak with Omar Roubi to explore that relationship and look for some common ground and language that can help marketers better understand their businesses. Our Guest: Omar Roubi https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar-roubi-cpa-texas/Host & Director, Education & Content at LumiQ | Accounting Instructor at University of Colorado Denver | Accounting Textbook Author with Top Hat 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: 0:57 - Intro to Omar 1:47 - About LumiQ 4:50 - Target Canada - Why they Failed 6:22 - What is a capital budget & how does it affect the 4Ps 8:11 - The danger of putting strategy before execution of the 4Ps  10:33 - Big M marketing is different from advertising 12:35 - The value including marketers CMO in Capital budget planning 16:01 - Why No Amount of Budget could have created demand for Target Canada 20:09 - How to justify marketing budgets to accounting 21:45 - Predicting the future vs. Reporting on the past 25:50 - Marketing and accounting education 30:05 - Do we understand what return means?  32:30 - How accountants see brand 34:58 - Goodwill & Settting Expectations 39:22 - A process to improve budgeting 41:08 - Understanding the roles of Finance & Accounting  43:55 - Avoiding WAGs (Wild Ass Guesses) 48:12 - Justifiing ROI: Time is on your side 52:00 - Three tips for marketers to improve financial acumen 58:45 - Post Pod with V and Marc
SBP 092: The Barber's Brief - October 10, 2024
10-10-2024
SBP 092: The Barber's Brief - October 10, 2024
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/⁠ Links: Title: The Big Dilemma in Advertising Source: Tom Goodwin Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tomfgoodwin_this-is-the-big-dilemma-in-advertising-activity-7248050327734611968-jbDM Title: IAS To Sell Attention Data to Publishers Source: Marketing Brew Link: https://www.marketingbrew.com/stories/2024/10/03/ias-to-sell-attention-data-to-publishers Pareto’s Law: How Its Legacy Has Misled Marketers from Focusing on the Most Significant Consumers Source: Andreas Wallin https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/paretos-law-how-its-legacy-has-misled-marketers-from-focusing-wallin-vrruf Privacy laws raise questions for advertisers: Here’s what the numbers say Source: Marketing Dive Link: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/privacy-laws-raising-questions-advertisers-numbers-data-protection/728072/ Timestamps: 00:00 introduction 01:40 The Big Dilemma in Advertising 04:07 IAS To Sell Attention Data to Publishers 06:56 Pareto’s Law: How Its Legacy Has Misled Marketers from Focusing on the Most Significant Consumers 10:15 Privacy laws raise questions for advertisers: Here’s what the numbers say 15:05 McCain by Adam & Eve/DDB: When the chips are down, margins matter. How a focus on long-term emotional brand building reduced price elasticity and increased profits for McCain 22:22 Ad of the Week
SBP 091: The Cost Of Dull Ads. With Adam Morgan.
03-10-2024
SBP 091: The Cost Of Dull Ads. With Adam Morgan.
Welcome to another episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast! Join Marc and Vassilis as they dive into the fascinating world of marketing strategy and innovation with a special guest, Adam Morgan. Adam is a pioneer in business and marketing, best known for his book "Eat Big Fish," which has inspired countless brands to adopt a challenger mindset. He’s also authored "The Pirate Inside" and "Overthrow" and hosts the podcast "Let's Make Things More Interesting." In this episode, Adam discusses his latest research with System1 and Peter Field on "The Cost of Dull," exploring the financial impact of uninspired advertising. Guest Bio:  Adam Morgan Partner, eatbigfish: Brand and Marketing Consultant On LinkedIn 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 0:54 - About Adam 3:23 - Defining Dull 4:28 - The data sources of Dull 6:16 - Mediocrity inspired this research 10:01 - 4 the horseman of the dull-ocolypse  14:10 - Do dull ads influence consumer perceptions 17:33 - Optimizing to the average 18:27 - Sponsor - Quatical: Fractional Marketing Leadership 20:46 - The Smarter we get, the duller we get 22:07 - The financial impact of Dull 24:49 - Is average ad creative actually responsible? 27:34  - What makes impactful communication 30:15  - Emotion is more than tears 34:05 - Insurance industry has raised the B2B bar of creativity 36:19 - The % of B2B ads that are dull 41:07 - Attention & reach are different 43:03 - Dull inputs lead to dull outputs 44:10 - What is Risk and what is responsible 48:21 - Using AI in ad creative  52:52 - More about Adam 54:04 - Post Pod with V & Marc Literature: Risk & Responsibility: A lesson in creative responsibility The Cost of Dull with Peter Field — The Challenger Project | The Home of Challenger Brands Let's Make Your Brand More Interesting | Inc.com The £10m cost of dull advertising | WARC | The Feed
SBP 090: The Barber's Brief - September 26, 2024
26-09-2024
SBP 090: The Barber's Brief - September 26, 2024
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
SBP 089: Future Demand, Not Demand Generation. With James Hurman.
19-09-2024
SBP 089: Future Demand, Not Demand Generation. With James Hurman.
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 StudioFounder & Programme Director of the Masters of Advertising Effectiveness course with WARCCo-founder of Tracksuit - a SaaS brand health tracking systemCo-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
SBP 088: The Barber's Brief - September 12, 2024
12-09-2024
SBP 088: The Barber's Brief - September 12, 2024
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.