Creating & Capturing Demand: Balancing Brand Building and Performance Media

What you’ll expect in this episode:

Marketing isn’t just for people anymore—it’s for algorithms too. But how do you create compelling campaigns without losing the human touch?

Find out in our latest Humanology on Air episode, where Terri Cameron sits down with marketing experts Travis MacDougall and Kate Petrie to explore:

• How to balance brand building with performance media;
• Tackling creative fragmentation across digital channels; and,
• The role of AI in crafting human-centred campaigns while keeping existing content fresh and relevant.

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, marketing is no longer just about creating campaigns that captivate human audiences. 

Brands must now design creative work that resonates with people and the algorithms of major platforms like Google and Meta. In addition to the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI), marketers face a fundamental shift in how they think about strategy. There’s no time like the present to discuss the importance of aligning creative and media strategies to navigate today’s complex marketing landscape.

Creative and Media: Inseparable Partners in Modern Marketing

One core takeaway is that creative and media strategies are no longer complementary—they are inseparable.

Brands must evolve their creative and media strategies in tandem, mainly when dealing with large platforms. The key challenge? Balancing consistency across various channels without diluting the brand.

Similarly, there’s a great need to lead with strong storytelling while navigating platform constraints. She stressed that creative and performance media must work in lockstep to build brand value while delivering measurable results.

Three Key Challenges Marketers Face (and How to Overcome Them)

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, marketers face several critical challenges that demand innovative solutions. Here are the challenges brands face and how they can be overcome.

1. Fragmentation of Digital Channels

The explosion of digital platforms has led to creative fragmentation, making it harder for brands to maintain consistency.

• Start with a consistent brand narrative that resonates from top to bottom.
• Ensure creative messaging remains fresh and coherent across all touchpoints.

2. Convergence of Brand and Performance Media

Where brand-building and performance media were once distinct, these areas are now converging.

• Brands must push creative boundaries to drive performance without compromising brand essence.
• Marketers are asked to do more with less, blending performance-focused campaigns with brand-building initiatives.

3. Embracing AI Without Losing the Human Touch

AI is revolutionizing creative processes, but it can disrupt traditional workflows.

• Integrate AI tools like Grammarly, custom GPTs, Firefly, and Midjourney into the creative process.
• Use AI to scale content production and ensure channel relevance while keeping campaigns human-centric and authentic.

Strategic Solutions for Marketing Success

In addition, to address these challenges, we recommend three key strategies:

1. Integrated Brand and Performance Marketing:

A full-funnel approach ensures a cohesive message across campaigns, delivering short-term performance and long-term brand growth

2. AI-Driven Creativity:

AI tools enable marketers to produce data-driven campaigns that remain relevant and engaging across all channels.

3. Personalization Across Fragmented Channels:

Tailor content to the unique expectations of audiences on each platform, ensuring consistency while resonating with consumers.

Case Study: Mitsubishi Canada’s Full-Funnel Success

A standout example of these strategies comes from Mitsubishi Canada. The team used Meta’s digital circular solution to deliver a personalized and engaging customer experience.

The results were impressive:

• 25% uplift in incremental sales
• 68x return on ad spend over six weeks

This success highlights the power of integrated creative and media strategies and the effectiveness of aligning performance media with brand storytelling.

Looking Ahead: AI and Human Creativity in Harmony

AI will continue to play a vital role in marketing, moving beyond a tool for efficiency to one of creative inspiration.

• We need a thoughtful approach to integrating AI, ensuring human input at critical stages like ideation, review, and production.
• We envision a future where AI makes creativity accessible to all brands, regardless of size or budget, allowing marketers to bring bold ideas to life.

Final Thoughts: Putting Humanology into Practice

At the heart of Travis and Kate’s POV is Humanology—a philosophy grounded in human-centric insights. Marketers can create campaigns that authentically connect with audiences by focusing on customer stories, cultural trends, and emotive drivers.

As the marketing landscape evolves, brands that successfully integrate creative storytelling, performance media, and AI-powered processes—while maintaining a human touch—will be best positioned for success.

For a deeper dive into these insights, visit the Jan Kelley website for the full Mitsubishi Motors Canada case study and previous episodes of Humanology on Air.