Performance marketing is often perceived as operating in a data-centric silo, separate from more imaginative brand-building initiatives and creative content. Increasingly, brands seek to integrate performance, brand, and creative marketing efforts to maximise measurable outcomes.
There is a misperception that performance marketing is separated from brand-building initiatives and creative efforts.
A successful performance marketing operation can only be structured on top of the brand awareness and creative marketing execution that has already occurred.
Of course, there are some differences in the operating system. Performance marketing teams usually have limited time to prepare. Also, the optimisation needs to be based on 100% measurable targets for acting fast.
That’s why these three teams/ work streams might need to work at different paces. However, this does not mean that integration across performance, brand, and creative marketing efforts is impossible.
How can teams work together to agree on long-term goals with senior management that can embrace a creative approach and the benefits of evidence?
Aligning the goals and enabling the proper collaboration methodology would help embrace different approaches. Every function has its success metrics, and every company has a set of KPIs—let’s call them L1—resulting from execution.
Key commercial KPIs are the number of sales, subscribers, increasing revenue, profit, and basket size. Integrated marketing communication is one of the key contributors to reaching these targets. A long-term communication strategy can only rise on a creative approach.
An essential tool to understand the actual contribution of the creative approach is measurement capabilities. If the company can effectively measure each marketing activity, it will be evident how an innovative and integrated approach can impact Level 1 KPIs.
Regarding measuring the effectiveness of long-term collaborative strategies, how can teams agree on the metrics/techniques to do this, and are these techniques more similar across teams than some might think?
I think the starting point is company culture. For instance, “Getting things done together” is the fundamental approach to achieving common goals. Inevitably, the CMO should lead the integration of Marketing communication. If there is no long-term strategic plan behind the IMC( integrated marketing communication) plan, performance-driven communication will not take you so far.
Internal dynamics and industry and global changes impact the communication strategy. Again, to be ready and solid for the external world, working together on the company North Star always makes people’s lives easier.
How can we interest nonperformance marketers in thinking that underpins a numbers-driven approach? Conversely, how can performance marketers be encouraged to consider tactics with a less immediate evidence base for success?
Today’s marketing is based on analytical thinking. Fortunately, the digital marketing world has a well-known universal metric system that helps us communicate. Even evaluating international campaigns becomes possible. I find it safe to talk with the numbers so that everybody in the company can easily interpret the campaign strategy and performance.
The most effective effort will be setting the right expectations and handshaking on the KPI list of the nonperformance marketing efforts. Hereby, marketing teams’ efforts would become visible. Could follow the contributions and cooperate quicker.
Nonetheless, performance marketers need to be empowered by visionary thinking. Marketing is a domain for innovation, including risk and investment needs. Therefore, it is vital to sponsor performance marketing teams with resources in the long term.
In summary, balancing performance, awareness, and creative marketing is not a question limited only by budget decisions. As a CMO/ Marketing Leader, designing an integrated marketing team is the first step of an IMC plan, followed by an annual operating plan locked by aligned KPIs.
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