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 cringeworthy ads spread faster than good ones. They reveal how vicarious embarrassment drives word-of-mouth and why brands might benefit from being talked about badly rather than not at all.Topics covered: [01:00] "That's So Cringe-Worthy: Understanding What Cringe Is and Why We Want to Share It"[03:00] The difference between empathetic embarrassment and cringe[04:00] Why Pepsi's Kendall Jenner ad generated more discussion than polished Super Bowl spots[05:00] How social comparison drives cringe sharing[06:00] Brand loyalty as a shield against cringe backlash[07:00] Recovery strategies for cringeworthy moments To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: Escoe, Brianna & Martin, Nathanael & Salerno, Anthony. (2025). That's So Cringeworthy! Understanding What Cringe Is and Why We Want to Share It. Journal of Marketing Research. 62. 10.1177/00222437241305104. Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Building Brands That Buyers Remember with Jenni Romaniuk
Big brands don't narrow cast. They want to be known everywhere their category can be part of your life. And there's a reason for that strategic choice.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by research professor Jenni Romaniuk from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science. Jenni breaks down why consistent distinctive assets matter more than aesthetics, how mental availability drives brand growth, and why targeting light buyers is critical for long-term success. Plus, learn why differentiation might not be as important as you think for building a successful brand.Topics covered: [04:00] Origin of distinctive assets research and why good branding matters[12:00] When brands should change or evolve their distinctive assets[19:00] What category entry points are and why they drive mental availability[23:00] How to prioritize category entry points for maximum impact[28:00] Why light buyers are essential for risk mitigation and growth[33:00] Why differentiation might not be necessary for brand success To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: 2022 Contagious Article: https://www.contagious.com/iq/article/jenni-romaniuk-on-distinctive-assetsJenni Romaniuk’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenni-romaniuk-2746884/?originalSubdomain=au Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Nerd Alert: What Makes an Ad Authentic
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 discover that authenticity in advertising isn't what most marketers think it is. They explore four distinct dimensions of authenticity and reveal why the most "real" ads don't always drive the best results.Topics covered: [01:00] "Does it Pay to Be Real: Understanding Authenticity and TV Advertising"[02:00] The four dimensions of authenticity in advertising[03:00] Why brand essence beats heritage and realism[05:00] When unrealistic ads outperform everyday scenarios[07:00] How product type and brand size affect authenticity strategy[08:00] Why user-generated content isn't always the answer To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: Becker, Maren, Nico Wiegand, and Werner Reinartz. “Does It Pay to Be Real? Understanding Authenticity in TV Advertising.” Journal of Marketing Research. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022242918815880 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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10:46
What Behavioral Economics Misses About Real-World Marketing
Real buying decisions are habitual. They're often emotional. Nudges assume people carefully weigh options, but in reality, they just grab what's familiar or easy.This week, Elena and Angela explore the gap between behavioral theory and marketing reality. They discuss why popular psychological insights like loss aversion, anchoring, and choice architecture often fall short when applied to actual campaigns. Plus, they share which behavioral principles still work in real-world marketing and why mental availability beats nudges for driving sustainable growth.Topics covered: [01:00] Why behavioral economics experiments don't always translate to real marketing [04:00] The most powerful behavioral principle that works repeatedly [06:00] How Apple masters anchoring and framing to shape perception of value [09:00] Why real buying behavior is habitual and emotional, not deliberate [11:00] The behavioral economics principle that's been overhyped [13:00] How mental availability compares to behavioral tactics like nudging [15:00] The one behavioral insight to keep in your marketing toolbox To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: 2024 Behavioral Economics in Consumer Decision-Making Study: https://mideastjournals.com/index.php/mejelss/article/view/4 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Nerd Alert: First Impressions Are Everything 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 discover how our brains decide whether we like an ad in just three seconds, revealing that early emotional impact matters more than dramatic endings for advertising success.Topics covered: [01:00] "Neural Signals of Video Advertisement Liking: Insights into Psychological Processes and their Temporal Dynamics"[02:00] How fast people decide if they like or dislike an ad[03:00] Brain activity shifts from emotion to social cognition to evaluation[04:00] Early neural signals predict population-level ad performance[05:00] First 10 seconds matter more than the ending[06:00] Why early branding beats waiting until the end To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: Chan, Hang-Yee, Maarten A. S. Boksem, Vinod Venkatraman, Roeland C. Dietvorst, Christin Scholz, Khoi Vo, Emily B. Falk, and Ale Smidts. 2024. “Neural Signals of Video Advertisement Liking: Insights into Psychological Processes and Their Temporal Dynamics.” Journal of Marketing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437231194319 Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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.
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