What is Performance Branding?

There are two distinct business functions of advertising: generate future demand, and capture existing demand. 

Direct Response marketing or performance marketing–a label we don’t love, but acknowledge–captures existing demand, while brand building generates future demand.

Think of it like an apple orchard. 

Direct Response marketing is picking apples that already exist. And this is critical. Without it, you don’t get apples, right? It’s important to pick apples well. You have to do it efficiently and effectively. 

But if all you do with your time and money is pick apples, then you won’t generate more apples year over year, right? Trees die. Customers churn. So you’d also, in this imaginary apple orchard, need to plant apple trees. If you don’t plant today, you can’t pick tomorrow–and that’s brand building.

But how do you pick the best seeds, the best soil, the best nutrients? That is Performance Branding.

How is Performance Branding different from what you may already be doing?

Historically, brand building (and brand measurement) has been seen as a ‘nice to have.’ The assumption being that it’s fluffy, luxurious, not too analytical, not too scientific. 

However, brand advertisers aren’t–or at least, shouldn’t–be behaving the way they have been for decades, with a passive branding, set-it-and-forget-it mentality.  

Performance Branding is the opposite.

Performance branding brings the same analytical rigor, optimization and systematic approach of lower funnel campaigns to upper funnel campaigns. 

How can I put a Performance lens on my Brand Building investment?

In order to change from passive branding to Performance Branding, you need a regular feedback loop, with optimization opportunities that you can take action on throughout your campaign (Are your seeds growing? Do they need more water? More sunlight?)

It’s not enough to say “we want brand lift,” but sit and do nothing with the data–data that is telling you exactly how to make brand campaigns better. 

So, do you need to be a measurement expert, or a statistician? No, you just need the right brand measurement partner.

Ready to learn more about Performance Branding, and Upwave?

Reach out for an Upwave Demo, now.