Long-term growth requires a balanced marketing strategy

Marketers have always been pressured to deliver measurable ROI for their efforts, but the demand for growth has sharpened as the world looks toward a post-pandemic future. As the learnings of several multinational brands suggest, that growth must be addressed with balanced marketing strategies that re-elevate upper-funnel, brand-building efforts to work in tandem with the mid- and lower-funnel efforts.

The rebalancing of marketing strategies before the pandemic by brands like Gap and Adidas speaks to an important recognition: Building and maintaining a brand takes more than simply maintaining sales. That’s because any brand’s existing customer base won’t generate enough incremental sales to meet most long-term growth goals.

Importantly, upper-funnel marketing efforts are a lever to drive sales. They also generate an array of ancillary benefits that can drive the efficiency of sales activations. This paper delves into the importance of a balanced marketing strategy and the benefits that both short- and long-term initiatives deliver along the path to sustained brand viability.