Sleeping Barber - A Marketing Podcast

In this final episode of our Barber's Briefs for 2025, Marc and Vassilis discuss various marketing and advertising topics, including pricing power, the effectiveness crisis in advertising, global media trends, and the rise of influencer marketing. They also feature an insightful conversation with Paul Tedesco about the Alchemy of Effectiveness report, which highlights the importance of creativity and emotional connection in marketing. The episode concludes with a powerful ad campaign by Toyota Hellas (Ogilvy Greece) that addresses gender-based violence, showcasing how advertising can stand for meaningful social issues.Enjoy the show!Episode TakeawaysNine in ten marketers believe strong brands command higher prices.Most marketing teams fail to prove their impact on pricing power.Creativity and emotional connection are crucial for effective advertising.The effectiveness crisis in advertising reflects a shift in media spending.Global ad spend is growing despite economic challenges.Digital native categories are driving ad spend growth.Influencer marketing is becoming more data-driven and measurable.Long-term objectives can drive both short-term and long-term results.Agency-client relationships significantly impact marketing effectiveness.Canadian ads outperform foreign ads in various markets.Chapters00:00 - Welcome to the Final Episode of Barbara's Briefs02:45 - Pricing Power and Marketing Effectiveness05:55 - The Effectiveness Crisis in Advertising09:11 - Global Media Trends and Advertising Spend12:00 - The Rise of Influencer Marketing17:48 - The Alchemy of Effectiveness with Paul Tedesco38:12 - Toyota's Powerful Ad Campaign by Ogilvy GreeceEpisode Links:Pricing Power Depends on Marketing (And How to Prove It)Link: http://linkedin.com/pulse/why-your-brands-pricing-power-depends-marketing-how-prove-pauwels-paiye/The ‘effectiveness crisis’ is really media becoming democratized - James HankinsLink 1: https://www.marketingweek.com/effectiveness-crisis-media-democratised/Global Ad Trends: Media’s new normalLink: https://www.warc.com/content/paywall/article/Warc-Data/Global_Ad_Trends_Medias_new_normal/en-GB/162121? WPP Media enriches influencer offering with YouTube creator data dealLink: https://www.marketingdive.com/news/wpp-media-enriches-influencer-offering-with-youtube-creator-data-deal/807813/The Marketing Moment - The Canadian Effies - Alchemy of Effectiveness, with Paul TedescoLink: https://theica.ca/alchemyofeffectiveness-2025Ad of the week - Title: Toyota promotes escape, whatever the car.Link: https://ogilvy.gr/work/toyota-escape-vehicle

In this episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc and Vassilis reflect on their conversation with Ty Heath. Together, they discuss the complexities of B2B marketing, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer relationships across various departments. They also dive into the significance of physical availability in B2B marketing strategies, the need for a holistic view of the customer journey, and the challenges of measuring ROI. The conversation also touches on the necessity of simplifying the buyer experience and the evolving landscape of marketing channels.Enjoy the show!TakeawaysSales and marketing must work together for a holistic view.Physical availability is crucial for B2B success.Understanding customer relationships is key to effective marketing.The power of three dimensions: presence, prominence, and portfolio.Channel strategies should focus on de-duplicated reach.GEO is becoming increasingly important in marketing.The traditional ROI formula is flawed and needs reevaluation.B2B marketing is becoming more creative and opportunistic.Simplifying the buyer's journey is essential for success.Navigating the complexities of product offerings is a challenge. Chapters00:00 - Introduction02:53 - Understanding Customer Relationships Across Departments05:50 - The Importance of Physical Availability in B2B Marketing08:57 - Reframing Marketing Strategies: The Power of Three12:00 - Navigating Channel Strategies and Frequency in Marketing14:56 - The Role of GEO in Modern Marketing17:58 - Challenges in Measuring ROI and Simplifying Buyer Experience

B2B Institute's Ty Heath on Why Mental Availability Without Physical Availability Is Wasted InvestmentIn collaboration with the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, Ty Heath, Director and Co-founder of LinkedIn's B2B Institute, reveals research showing B2B brands typically appear in only 3-4 channels while buyers engage with an average of 32 touchpoints. The result? Buyers who prefer your brand default to competitors who are easier to find and buy from. Heath argues physical availability (being easy to find and buy) is marketing's responsibility, not sales alone. She explains why 60% aided awareness means nothing if your website is confusing, your sales team doesn't cover key regions, or you're absent from review sites buyers check. This conversation covers the diagnostic questions every CMO should ask, how to allocate budget between mental and physical availability (60/40 split), and why fixing your biggest gap in the next 90 days matters more than trying to fix everything at once.Chapters00:00 Opening: The Physical Availability Problem02:50 Why the B2B Institute Cares About Physical Availability07:30 The Missing Half: What Physical Availability Actually Means15:00 The Three Ps: Presence, Prominence, Portfolio25:00 Why This Is Marketing's Problem, Not Sales' Problem40:00 Real Examples: Where Brands Lose Buyers55:00 Budget Allocation and Cross-Functional Orchestration01:05:00 The Diagnostic Question Every Marketer Should Ask This WeekLinksThe B2B Institute's Report on Easy to Find https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/b2b-institute/easy-to-find-being-where-b2b-buying-happensTy Heath on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyronaheath/

In this episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc and Vassilis discuss topics that caught their attention over the last couple of weeks, including the recent merger between Omnicom and IPG, the impact of AI on retail, particularly through Amazon's new shopping assistant Rufus, and Adidas' innovative approach to market research by utilizing search data instead of traditional surveys. They also delve into leadership insights as a part of their marketing moment, emphasizing the importance of happiness and well-being in the workplace, and conclude with a case study on the emotional marketing strategy of John Lewis' Christmas ads.Enjoy the show!Episode TakeawaysThe Omnicom and IPG merger creates the largest advertising holding company.AI is significantly influencing retail, as seen with Amazon's Rufus.Adidas has shifted from traditional surveys to using search data for brand tracking.Happiness can be cultivated through daily habits and leadership practices.Unhappy leaders can negatively impact team morale and productivity.Auditing meetings can free up time and improve team well-being.The John Lewis Christmas ad exemplifies emotional marketing and connection.Music plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of advertisements.Retailers need to adapt to changing consumer behaviours and preferences.The holiday shopping experience has evolved into a multi-day event rather than a single day frenzy.Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Personal Updates03:01 - Industry News: Omnicom and IPG Merger05:50 - AI in Retail: Amazon's Rufus and Holiday Shopping Trends12:11 - Adidas' Shift to Search Data19:11 - The Marketing Moment - The Four Habits of Happier Leaders32:12 - John Lewis Christmas Ad: A Case Study in Emotional MarketingEpisode Links:Omnicom finalizes IPG acquisition with experts calling it the ‘natural outcome’ of a changing agency model - https://www.marketingweek.com/omnicom-finalises-ipg-aquisition/Amazon's $124B Christmas Bet - https://stocks.apple.com/ASmqJwrDDQD2AuFnWpJbglAWinners and losers of Black Friday 2025 - https://www.retaildive.com/news/winners-losers-black-friday-2025/806610/Adidas Ditches Surveys for Search Data - http://warc.com/content/feed/adidas-sees-big-returns-from-using-share-of-search-for-brand-tracking/en-GB/11070The Four Habits of Happier Leaders - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7S6MMcYM6k Ad of the week - John Lewis "The Man On The Moon" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsyD3W2pWU8

In the latest episode of the Sleeping Barber Podcast, Marc Binkley and Vassilis reflect on their conversation with Jane Ostler Chief Insights officer at Kantar.Marc and Vassilis discuss the challenges brands face in a rapidly changing environment, particularly focusing on the impact of AI on branding and marketing strategies. They explore the concept of 'sea of sameness' in branding, the importance of distinguishing between trends and strategy, and the unique challenges faced by small brands. The conversation emphasizes the need for strategic clarity and the irrefutable principles of brand growth, regardless of technological advancements.You won't want to miss it!Takeaways:AI can contribute to a sea of sameness in branding.Brands must avoid dullness and strive for uniqueness.Understanding the difference between strategy and tactics is vital.Small brands face unique challenges in acquiring customers.Brand growth principles remain constant despite changing technologies.Trends should not replace core marketing strategies.Strategic clarity is essential for effective marketing execution.Small brands should focus on encouraging customer switching.The market is constantly changing, requiring adaptability.Innovation is crucial for brand differentiation.Chapters00:00 - Introduction to the Podcast and Themes00:55 - The Sea of Sameness and AI's Role08:30 - Trends vs. Strategy in Marketing14:15 - The Unique Challenges of Small Brands19:54 - Core Principles of Brand Growth