Unlocking Growth: The Multiplier Effect of Brand and Performance Integration

Teams love to debate: Should we invest in brand-building or double down on performance? But here’s the truth, this is a false choice. The most effective brands aren’t choosing between them; they’re integrating both to drive sustainable growth.?

Yet, too often, companies treat brand and performance as separate silos—brand campaigns focus on storytelling and emotional connections, while performance marketing chases short-term conversions. This fragmented approach leaves money on the table.?

According to The Multiplier Effect Report (WARC, 2025), brands that successfully merge these disciplines see higher ROI, better conversion rates, and stronger pricing power over time. In other words, brand-building isn't just about feel-good advertising, it amplifies performance marketing and drives measurable business results.?

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Breaking the Silo: Why brand and performance must work together?

Historically, marketing strategies have divided efforts between upper-funnel brand-building and lower-funnel performance marketing. The Multiplier Effect Report challenges this division, showing that these two elements are codependent rather than separate.?

• Brand-led advertising amplifies performance outcomes. Strong brand equity increases click-through rates, conversion efficiency, and reduces price sensitivity over time.?

• Performance campaigns should reinforce brand value. Short-term promotions and direct-response ads work best when tied to a bigger brand narrative, rather than being purely transactional.?

• Compounding effects matter. Understanding how brand-building compounds over time is crucial for sustained growth rather than just short-term spikes.?

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As The Multiplier Effect Report states: "Every CMO should be able to tell their CEO: If we increase brand equity by X%, sales will increase by Y%, and pricing power will rise by Z%."??

This underscores a fundamental truth—brand strength and performance efficiency are inextricably linked.??

Theoretically, this makes complete sense. However, in practice, ensuring this integration requires more than just strategic intent—it demands the right execution. Partnering with a digital agency that has expertise in managing both brand and performance within the same framework is crucial. Otherwise, the idea of integration remains just that—an idea. Additionally, implementing marketing mix modeling (MMM) to connect attribution across both disciplines can provide a data-driven foundation for proving this synergy. Without these elements, the concept of The Multiplier Effect risks staying as just a theory rather than a practical, actionable strategy. - My personal thought.?

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The power of platform thinking?

One of the key takeaways from The Multiplier Effect Report is the importance of platforms over isolated campaigns. Many advertisers think in terms of single campaigns—short bursts of activity with a specific goal. However, the most effective brands build platforms, meaning a long-term brand idea that evolves over time while maintaining a consistent narrative.?

A platform is not just a media strategy or a technology tool—it’s a strategic foundation that connects different executions over time. As the report suggests, a well-designed platform allows brands to:?

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• Maintain consistency while evolving. A strong brand platform ensures that creative messaging remains recognizable while adapting to new formats, trends, and cultural shifts.?

• Link brand-building with performance. Instead of launching disconnected performance ads, brands can use performance marketing to reinforce brand equity—creating a seamless brand experience across the funnel.?

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A compelling example of platform thinking in action is McDonald’s Famous Orders campaign, which revitalized the brand by leveraging pop culture and personalizing the McDonald's menu experience. Rather than just one-off celebrity endorsements, it became an ongoing platform that engaged new audiences over time—driving both brand relevance and measurable business results.?

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As the report highlights, this approach compounds over time, allowing brands to sustain long-term growth rather than constantly reinventing themselves.?

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The role of creativity and consistency?

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One of the strongest findings in The Multiplier Effect Report is that high-quality creative enhances both brand and performance outcomes.?

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• Emotionally resonant campaigns generate stronger ROIs. Data from WARC and System1 shows that ads scoring high on emotional engagement yield higher revenue impact, whether used for brand-building or direct-response marketing.?

• Distinctive brand assets matter. Strong brand cues—such as logos, colors, sounds, and taglines—enhance ad recall and marketing effectiveness across different channels. Brands that fail to connect these elements lose efficiency in their marketing spend.?

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“One of the biggest own-goals in advertising is the invention of the ‘brand-building campaign’.”? — Jenni Romaniuk, Ehrenberg-Bass Institute. This statement challenges the idea that brand-building should be separated from commercial impact. Instead, every piece of advertising should “perform” in a way that strengthens brand equity while also driving business outcomes.?

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Integrating strategy for long-term success?

So, what should marketers do to unlock the full potential of The Multiplier Effect? The report provides clear guidelines:?

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• Think beyond individual campaigns. Build platforms that evolve while maintaining brand consistency.?

• Use smart media combinations. Brands that use multiple channels strategically achieve up to 205% higher ROI compared to those relying on a single channel.?

• Allocate budgets wisely. A minimum of 30-50% of marketing investment should support brand-building efforts, with the remainder driving performance-led actions. HIGHLY IMPORTANT?

• Ensure cross-team collaboration. Brand and performance teams should share KPIs and insights to ensure alignment across the marketing funnel.?

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“We don’t have a conversation about brand versus performance. Everything we do from a brand perspective should ‘perform.’” — Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing & Customer Experience Officer, McDonald’s.? This captures the essence of The Multiplier Effect Report: brand-building and performance marketing should work together as a multiplier, not as separate efforts. The brands that successfully integrate both will win not just in the short term, but in long-term sustainable growth.?

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Final Thoughts?

As someone who works deeply in brand strategy, I couldn’t agree more with the findings of this report. The challenge in today’s marketing environment isn’t just about spending more—it’s about spending smarter. Brands that adopt platform thinking, invest in creativity, and bridge the gap between brand and performance will see the strongest impact.?

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In an industry where short-term gains often come at the cost of long-term equity, The Multiplier Effect provides a much-needed framework for balancing both effectively. This isn’t just about marketing efficiency—it’s about building brands that sustain and thrive over time.?

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--- Manuel Mesa?

Head of Brand LATAM – Beyond One?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, let’s connect on LinkedIn. www.dhirubhai.net/in/mmesa87?

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Source: The Multiplier Effect Report – Created by WARC, 2025 – Here -??