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Brand Vs Performance

Watch or Listen | My 2 Cents Podcast Episode #4

Brand Marketing Insights | James Hurman [Advertising Effectiveness Expert]

In this episode, our guest is James Hurman, one of the world’s leading voices on marketing effectiveness. A NZ entrepreneur, investor and author, he’s built and backed brand-led startups, advised global giants and helped rewrite the rules of what makes marketing actually work. Our conversation didn't disappoint. Spoiler alert: if you're like the majority of the marketers who responded to our Brand Vs Performance survey, you might like to re-think your strategy : )
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James Hurman: Brand v Perfor... Oct 12 · My 2 Cents Marketing Pod... 25:07   ​

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Brand Vs Performance | Survey Results

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103 Aussie marketers contributed to our survey - thank you!

Q: We asked marketers how much budget they allocated to Performance and brand in the last 12 months.

Our survey shows Aussie marketers are broadly in line with global peers — with most leaning heavily toward performance, with around 60–80% of spend focused on short-term activity, while only a small group report a balanced or brand-led approach.

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As our podcast guest James Hurman explains, while a bias toward performance may feel sensible, it can quietly limit long-term growth. Decades of evidence show the most effective marketers invest slightly more in brand than performance, using each to play a different role over time.
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“Think of marketing like an investment portfolio,” James said. “Performance delivers short-term liquidity, but brand is the equity that compounds your future returns.”

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The takeaway? It’s not about choosing one over the other — it’s about balancing today’s results with tomorrow’s growth.

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Q: We asked about the single biggest challenge in building long-term brand and short term performance ?

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Marketers told us their biggest barriers are short-term pressure, tight budgets and difficulty proving brand ROI. Many said brand spend is the first to be questioned or cut when results aren’t immediate.

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Many marketers also find themselves using performance spend as a safety net — as a reliable way to replace the reach once delivered by SEO and content marketing (channels that are heavily impacted by AI).

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James sees this as a universal tension. Performance campaigns show quick wins, so they feel safer, but they can also create a cycle of short-termism that limits future demand.

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“Brand investment isn’t risky — it’s proven to return three to six times what you put in,” he said. “The real risk is not investing at all.”

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His advice: treat brand building like R&D — an investment in future demand, not a cost to be managed down.

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Standing Still Isn't An Option

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​If most of your spend still leans toward performance, it might be time to start rebalancing. Even a small shift toward brand can make a big difference over time.

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It’s also worth lifting your view beyond the quarter. The brands that grow are the ones that stay consistent — building recognition and trust long before someone’s ready to buy.

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AI isn't going away. It’s already changed how people search and make choices. In the world of algorithms, strong brands will be the ones the machines remember.
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