Why Balancing performance marketing and brand building is essential for agencies

Introduction

For digital marketing agencies, the pressure to deliver immediate results through performance marketing is immense. Clients often demand quick wins in the form of clicks, leads, and conversions. However, as Les Binet and Peter Field point out in their work "The Long and the Short of It" focusing exclusively on short-term gains can be just as detrimental as overly committing to long-term brand building.

This highlights the critical need for agencies and brands to strike a balance between short-term sales activation and long-term brand growth.

1. The Long and the Short of it. Les Binet & Peter Field (2007)

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At Programmads Trading, we empower agencies to leverage the power of programmatic marketing to achieve this optimal balance. By providing access to premium inventory, advanced targeting capabilities, and real-time optimization, we help agencies build sustainable strategies that cater to both immediate performance goals and lasting brand development.

The Pitfalls of “Wrong Termism”

In his 2020 article "The Wrong and the Short of It", Tom Roach used the term “Wrong Termism” to describe the detrimental effects of focusing solely on either short-term or long-term marketing tactics. Fact is that marketing effectiveness suffers when agencies adopt a narrow focus on either short-term or long-term strategies in isolation. 

• Agencies that only chase short-term performance metrics risk undermining brand equity and losing relevance in the long run.
  
  
• Those that exclusively focus on long-term brand building without sufficient short-term sales activation may struggle to maintain financial viability.
  
  
  

2. The wrong and the short of it again. Tom Roach (2024)
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Binet and Field argue that this phenomenon is driven by false dichotomies in marketing—such as brand vs. performance or emotional vs. rational marketing. Rather than seeing these approaches as mutually exclusive, agencies should recognize that they are complementary and essential for holistic growth.

Why Balancing Short-Term and Long-Term Strategies Matters

1. Compounded Growth: A well-balanced strategy that combines sales activation and brand building results in compounded benefits. While sales activation delivers immediate results, brand building ensures these efforts are sustainable and scalable over time.
   
   
2. Avoiding Performance Plateaus: Agencies that rely solely on performance marketing may experience diminishing returns as audiences become oversaturated with direct response messaging.
   
   
3. Resilience Against Market Changes: Brands with a strong foundational presence are better equipped to withstand economic downturns and shifts in consumer behavior.
   
   

3. The wrong and the short of it again. Tom Roach (2024)

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How Programmads Trading Can Help Agencies Find the Right Balance

At Programmads Trading, we recognize that agencies need tools and strategies that allow them to excel in both performance marketing and brand building. We support this approach through Programmatic Advertising.

Programmatic Advertising is vital for balancing short- and long-term marketing because it seamlessly integrates performance-driven campaigns with broader brand-building efforts through precise targeting, scalability, and data-driven insights.

• Access to Premium Inventory: Through programmatic advertising, agencies can reach their target audiences across a wide range of channels, including Connected TV (CTV), audio, digital out-of-home (DOOH), and more. This expanded reach is essential for building brand awareness over time.
  
  
• Advanced Targeting Capabilities: With programmatic buying, agencies can leverage data-driven targeting that goes beyond basic demographic segmentation. This allows them to deliver high-impact campaigns that resonate with their audience both emotionally and rationally.
  
  
• Real-Time Optimization: Our technology enables agencies to adjust their campaigns dynamically, ensuring that short-term performance goals are met without sacrificing long-term brand equity.
  
  
• Cross-Channel Synergy: By integrating multiple channels into a single programmatic strategy, agencies can achieve a harmonious balance between immediate sales activation and ongoing brand development.

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Conclusion

As Binet and Field argue, the most effective marketing strategies are those that successfully blend short-term and long-term approaches. At Programmads Trading, we provide agencies with the tools they need to achieve this balance through programmatic advertising. Whether it's generating immediate results or building a brand that endures, our solutions are designed to empower agencies to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

Ready to unlock the full potential of programmatic advertising? Contact Programmads Trading today and let us help you strike the perfect balance.

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