You’ve heard the mantra: “If you can’t measure it, don’t do it.”
Cool. So where does that leave brand marketing? On the bench?
Wrong.
In the age of click-through rates and daily ROAS reports, it’s tempting to funnel every dollar into performance marketing. After all, it’s tangible. It delivers. It converts (when it’s behaving).
But here’s the rub: performance without brand is like dating for years and never introducing yourself. You might get results short-term, but long-term? You’re a ghost.
The Gold-Standard Research (a.k.a. The Big Deal Study You Should Know About)
The kings of marketing effectiveness, Les Binet and Peter Field, conducted a little study you may have heard of (or, let’s be real, skimmed on LinkedIn). After analysing 15 years of data, they concluded the ideal budget split is:
🔹 60% Brand Marketing
🔸 40% Performance Marketing
This ratio consistently delivered the most effective results for both long-term growth and short-term sales activation.
But here’s the kicker…
That 60:40 split isn’t a fixed law of nature.
It’s a strategic compass that flexes depending on:
Your industry
Your company size
Your growth stage
So… What’s the Difference Again?
Performance Marketing
🔹 Immediate ROI
🔹 Highly measurable
🔹 Think: Google Ads, Meta retargeting, email flows
🔹 Feels like: “Buy now!” “Download free!” “Claim your spot!”
Brand Marketing
🔸 Builds awareness & emotional connection
🔸 Harder to track, easier to ignore…until it works
🔸 Think: storytelling, visuals, consistency, vibe
🔸 Feels like: “This brand gets me.”
Both matter. One fuels trust, the other fuels traction.
Wait, Should You Really Spend More on Brand?
Yes. But let’s reframe this…
You don’t invest in brand because you’re bored of spreadsheets.
You invest in brand so your performance channels don’t have to work so hard.
Performance marketing is the sprint.
Brand marketing builds the track.
In Binet & Field’s own words:
“Brand builds preference and reduces price sensitivity. Activation converts that preference into short-term sales.”
Rely only on performance? You’ll plateau.
Build brand alongside? You’ll scale sustainably.
So What’s Right for You?
New startup?
Flip the ratio. You might need 60% performance to get traction. But don’t ditch brand entirely, set foundations early. You are still going to need it. You don’t become the next big thing without solid brand marketing.
Established brand with solid market presence?
Swing the pendulum toward brand. Let your paid ads close the deal while your brand makes people remember it.
In a commoditised industry (looking at you, trades, tech, and wellness)?
Brand is your differentiator. People don’t remember your features. They remember your vibe.
TL;DR (But Honestly, You Should Read It)
Les Binet & Peter Field say the sweet spot is 60% brand / 40% performance.
But that’s a starting point. Not a rule.
Use performance to convert. Use brand to compound.
If you’re scaling and your ads are tanking, maybe it’s not the targeting. Maybe it’s the feeling.
Need a Hand Balancing the Two?
At Project Seven, we help you find the right split for your stage, budget, and category, then build the assets to make both sides work harder.
