“We invested in ads, a month has passed, so where are the promised mountains of gold?” This is a question we hear regularly in agencies. In the digital era, where everything is “instant,” the expectation of immediate, spectacular returns on marketing investment is understandable. Unfortunately, it is based on a fundamental misunderstanding-the belief that marketing is a sprint.
Meanwhile, as Peter Drucker put it, “long-term results cannot be achieved by piling up short-term results.” Effective marketing is a marathon. It is a thoughtful, long-term investment in the most valuable asset your company possesses-its brand.
The illusion of instant results: Where did it come from?
The popularity of performance marketing has accustomed us to measuring the here and now: clicks, leads, conversions. These metrics are important, but they represent only part of the picture. In the nomenclature of Les Binet and Peter Field, authors of the groundbreaking study “The Long and the Short of It,” these activities are defined as “activation.”
Activation is “harvesting”-reaching those who already want to buy. Brand building is “tilling the soil”-ensuring that the harvest gets bigger year by year and the soil becomes more fertile. Activation does not create demand from scratch; that is the task for long-term brand building. Focusing exclusively on activation leads to a dangerous trap, warned against by Neil Mortensen in the study’s foreword: “a growing tendency to use very short-term online metrics as primary performance measures… will damage the long-term profitability of brands.” In other words, optimizing for today’s clicks is the strategic bankruptcy of tomorrow.
The snowball effect: How effective advertising really works
Marketing effects accumulate over time, like a snowball rolling down a hill. The first months of a campaign can be compared to laying the foundations of a house-work that is invisible from the outside but absolutely crucial. This foundation is a network of subconscious, positive associations that Daniel Kahneman would call “System 1.” It makes the client “simply feel” that your brand is the right choice, long before the analytical “System 2” begins comparing prices.
Every subsequent campaign is a brick in the structure called trust. Binet and Field’s research unequivocally confirms this. The data is ruthless: campaigns lasting three years or longer generate 75% more “very large business effects” than one-year campaigns. Time is your strategic ally.
Your money works for the future: Marketing as an investment in assets
By investing in marketing, you are not buying a one-time sales spike. You are building assets whose value grows over time-“Brand Equity.” A strong brand gives you a luxury that the competition lacks: the ability to maintain higher prices without losing customers. Clients stop asking “how much does it cost?” and start saying “I want exactly this.”
Les Binet and Peter Field, based on data analysis from hundreds of companies, discovered a golden ratio that allows for optimally building brand value while simultaneously generating sales. It is the 60/40 rule:
• 60% of the budget should be allocated to long-term brand building.
• 40% of the budget should be allocated to short-term sales activation.
This is not an academic theory, but a battle-tested budget allocation plan. Ask yourself: does your current spending split consciously build future value, or just put out today’s fires?
Long-term success depends on “Extra Share of Voice” (ESOV)-a situation where your share of advertising spend in the category is higher than your market share. Consistent brand building according to the 60/40 rule allows you to maintain this surplus, which is the mathematical engine of market share growth.
The hidden power of emotion: Why “how” you say it matters more than “what” you say
The most effective way to utilize the 60% of the budget dedicated to brand building is to invest in emotion-based communication. Research proves that emotion-based campaigns are nearly twice as profitable as those based on rational persuasion. This happens because they build lasting, subconscious associations (the aforementioned System 1), rather than just conveying information that is quickly forgotten. Rational arguments might convince someone to make a single purchase, but it is the emotional bond with the brand that keeps customers coming back for years and makes them willing to pay more.
Why one tool is not enough: The power of a comprehensive approach
The belief that “we’ll just run Facebook ads” and achieve success is one of the most common mistakes. Effective marketing requires an integrated and consistent approach, where advertising activities harmonize with product quality, customer service, and the company’s overall reputation.
The power lies in synergy. Binet and Field proved that campaigns combining different types of channels are not only more effective but also much more efficient. Their analysis shows that campaigns combining brand-building channels (e.g., TV, outdoor) with activation channels (e.g., search, social media ads):
• Were twice as efficient (ESOV efficiency score of 0.6 vs 0.3 for brand-building channels alone).
• Generated more business effects (score of 1.5 vs 1.3).
Moreover, there is a deeper synergy here: activation channels, supported by strong branding, begin to build the brand themselves, generating more “brand effects” (score of 1.6) than purely image-based campaigns (1.2). Different channels play different roles, and combining them wisely creates an effect far greater than the sum of individual actions.
What can you really expect: A realistic roadmap
Based on the timeframe analysis from “The Long and the Short of It,” we can outline a realistic schedule of expected results:
• 1-3 months: Data gathering and hypothesis testing phase. The main goal isn’t a sudden spike in sales, but gaining invaluable market knowledge. This is the time for campaign optimization, identifying the most effective messages, and observing the first signals of interest.
• 4-9 months: The beginning of stable growth. You start to see the first volume effects. Signals of increasing brand recognition appear, and the Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) should begin to gradually decrease. Your snowball is gathering speed.
• 12+ months: Tangible branding effects. At this point, the investment in the brand begins to yield the biggest dividends. This is where the 60% of the budget you consistently invested in the brand (as discussed in point 4) starts generating returns in the form of higher margins and loyalty that cannot be bought with short-term promotions. You observe organic growth, and your brand becomes strong enough that customers are less sensitive to price.
Summary: A marathon, not a sprint
Chasing quick results and judging marketing through the lens of a single month is a straight path to burning through your budget and destroying long-term brand value. Ultimately, every company must choose. Do you want to be a sprinter who wins momentary races for clicks but burns out after one season? Or a marathoner who builds strength and endurance to dominate the market for years? The choice of marketing strategy is a choice of your business identity.
Let’s stop looking for a “magic button.” Let’s start building a brand that will bring profits for years. Contact us to develop a long-term strategy for your company.
