The Addiction: A Journey from CAC to Brand Marketing

My name is Winnie. And I'm a recovering CAC addict.

For most of my career, I lived at the bottom of the funnel. I measured my worth in CPA, ROAS, and conversion rates. I used to call Brand Marketing the "colouring in" department, the place where people made pretty pictures while I did the "real work" of making money.

I was wrong.

I spent the last year running creative tests that defied standard Performance Marketing logic. Coming from a world of strict CAC targets, shifting focus to Brand felt unnatural. It felt like flying blind.

When you live in Performance, you get used to the dopamine hit. You launch an ad, refresh the Salesforce dashboard, and see the lead count tick up. It is immediate, quantifiable, and addictive.

Moving to Brand feels like withdrawal. You launch a campaign, and... nothing happens. At least, not on the dashboard.

But I learned a hard truth.

If you stop the colouring, nobody buys the book.

The Trap of "Harvesting" vs. "Planting"

Think of your market like an orchard.

Performance Marketing is shaking the tree. You capture the fruit that is ready to fall (the "in-market" buyers). It is satisfying, but it is finite. You can shake the tree harder—send more emails, bid on more keywords, etc. But eventually, the branches are bare.

Brand Marketing is planting new trees. You put resources into the dirt today so you have something to shake six months from now. If you stop planting because you don't see a sprout tomorrow, the field eventually goes empty. You cannot optimise a funnel that has no people in it.

The High-Interest Loan

This is where the Commercial Strategy comes in.

The C-Suite often wants to cut Brand budgets because it creates immediate efficiency on the P&L. When you turn off the "top of funnel" spend, your blended CAC drops instantly. You look like a genius in the monthly board meeting.

But that efficiency is actually a high-interest loan. 💸

You are borrowing against your future growth. You pay it back six months later when your CAC skyrockets because you’ve exhausted your "ready-to-buy" audience pool. Suddenly, nobody knows who you are, and meanwhile, your competitors, who kept planting, are harvesting your customers.

The Solution: The 60/40 Rule

The graph (Figure 1) from the legends Les Binet and Peter Field changed my life.

It shows that Sales Activation (Performance) gives you short-term spikes. But Brand Building gives you the long-term base lift.

The magic number isn't 100% Performance. It is roughly 60% Brand / 40% Performance.

So, next time you look at the marketing line item, do not see Brand as a "cost" to be cut. See it as the fertiliser.

Figure 1: The 'Long and the Short of It' model. While Sales Activation (Yellow) provides immediate spikes, it creates no long-term memory. Brand Building (Red) works slower but raises the baseline of future sales. Source: Les Binet and Peter Field, Media in Focus: Marketing Effectiveness in the Digital Era, IPA.

The Importance of Balance in Marketing

Finding the right balance between Performance and Brand Marketing is crucial. Too much focus on one can lead to missed opportunities.

When I first started to embrace Brand Marketing, I felt like I was stepping into uncharted territory. The metrics were different. The timelines were longer. But the rewards? They were worth it.

The Long Game

Brand Marketing is about playing the long game. It’s about building relationships and trust. When you invest in your brand, you’re not just selling a product; you’re creating a narrative. You’re inviting customers into your story.

This approach fosters loyalty. Customers who connect with your brand are more likely to return. They become advocates. They share your story with others. This is where the magic happens.

The Data-Driven Approach

Now, don’t get me wrong. I still love data. I still check my dashboards. But I’ve learned to look beyond the immediate numbers. I focus on trends and patterns. I ask myself: What does this data tell me about my audience? How can I use it to inform my Brand Marketing strategy?

Data can guide your Brand Marketing efforts. It can help you understand what resonates with your audience. It can tell you when to pivot and when to double down.

The Role of Creativity

Creativity plays a vital role in Brand Marketing. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about storytelling. It’s about crafting messages that resonate.

When I shifted my focus to Brand, I had to tap into my creative side. I had to think outside the box. I had to be willing to take risks.

And you know what? It was liberating. I discovered new ways to connect with my audience. I learned that creativity and data can coexist. They can complement each other beautifully.

Building a Strong Brand Identity

A strong brand identity is essential for success. It sets you apart from the competition. It gives your audience something to connect with.

When building your brand identity, consider these elements:

1. Mission and Vision: What do you stand for? What do you want to achieve?

2. Values: What principles guide your decisions and actions?

3. Voice and Tone: How do you communicate with your audience? Is it formal, casual, or somewhere in between?

4. Visual Identity: What do your logos, colours, and design elements say about your brand?

   
   

Consistency is Key

Once you establish your brand identity, consistency is key. Your audience should recognise your brand across all platforms. This builds trust and familiarity.

Conclusion: Embracing the Shift

In conclusion, my journey from CAC addiction to embracing Brand Marketing has been transformative. I’ve learned that both Performance and Brand are essential. They each play a unique role in driving growth.

So, if you find yourself stuck in the Performance mindset, I encourage you to explore Brand Marketing. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but the rewards are worth it.

Remember, if you stop the colouring, nobody buys the book.

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About the Author

Winnie Chan is a Performance Marketing Lead and Strategist based in Melbourne, Australia. With over a decade of experience across Agency and In-House roles, she specialises in bridging the gap between creative brand building and commercial targets. She is currently on an "Involuntary Sabbatical" (ask her about it) and writing about the future of marketing.