Nerd Alert: When to Admit Your Brand's Mistakes

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1. 

   E183 · 29 Sep 2026 · 31 min

   What's a Brand Actually Worth? with Professor Dave Reibstein

   Buy a brand, and it shows up on your balance sheet. Build one, and it doesn't. Wharton professor Dave Reibstein thinks that's backwards. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Dave Reibstein, the William S. Woodside Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School and co-author of Marketing Metrics. Dave explains how to put an actual number on brand value, whether you take it in price premium, volume, or some mix of both. He shares 10 years of research on how country branding shapes trade, tourism, and investment, plus why "Made in Italy" still sells shoes. Plus, hear the team pitch…

2. 

   E126 · 24 Sep 2026 · 10 min

   Nerd Alert: Shrinkflation and Consumer Demand

   Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use. In this episode, Elena and Rob dig into shrinkflation, the quiet price increase that shrinks the product instead of raising the number on the shelf. A decade of retail scanner data shows shoppers shrug off a smaller box, cheer a bigger one, and keep buying either way. Topics covered: [01:40] "Shrinkflation and Consumer Demand" [02:20] Shrink the box or raise the price?…

3. 

   E182 · 22 Sep 2026 · 39 min

   Trust is a Growth Strategy with Kent Grayson

   Marketers assume the moment consumers spot a sales pitch, their guard goes up and the message dies. New research says that's only half the story. Sometimes recognizing persuasion makes people trust a brand more, not less. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob are joined by Kellogg School of Management professor Kent Grayson, who has spent decades studying trust, deception and authenticity. He explains the three building blocks every brand draws on to earn trust, plus how to diagnose which one you're actually missing. The team also digs into whether TV itself works as a trust signal, and why AI…

4. 

   E125 · 17 Sep 2026 · 9 min

   Nerd Alert: Do Marketers Know Their Customers?

   Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use. In this episode, Elena and Rob dig into research showing that managers consistently misjudge how their own customers feel. They explore why loyalty is the biggest blind spot and what that misread costs a company. Topics covered: [01:20] "Do Managers Know What Their Customers Think and Why?" [02:10] Comparing 70,000 customer surveys to manager guesses [03:35] Managers…

5. 

   E181 · 15 Sep 2026 · 39 min

   AI Didn’t Ruin Your Ads with Steve Babcock

   83% of ad executives now use AI in the creative process, up from 60% two years ago. But only 45% of young consumers feel positive about AI-made ads. Advertisers guess that number is 82%. This week, Elena and Angela are joined by Chief Creative Officer Steve Babcock to dig into that gap. Cost efficiency is now the top reason marketers reach for AI. It ranked fifth two years ago. Steve explains where AI slop really comes from, why TV punishes cut corners far more than social does, and what still has to stay human. Plus, why cutting production costs means improving the smallest line item on the…

6. 

   E180 · 8 Sep 2026 · 39 min

   Betting on the Long with Aaron Pelander, Chief Brand Officer, GOVX

   The IPA analyzed nearly 1,000 campaigns and found a 60/40 split between brand and performance marketing drives the strongest long-term growth. GOVX tested that research and broke free of a plateau. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob talk with Aaron Pelander, Chief Brand Officer at GOVX, the largest online retailer serving the US military and first responder community. Aaron shares how GOVX moved from a performance-only mindset to a balanced brand strategy. He breaks down the leading indicators his team tracks, from share of search to direct traffic. Marketers on a plateau will get a real plan…

7. 

   E123 · 3 Sep 2026 · 11 min

   Nerd Alert: Does a Family Name Make People Trust Your Brand?

   Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use. In this episode, Elena and Rob explore why family-owned branding builds consumer trust. They dig into new research testing whether a family name on the label actually changes how people feel about a brand, and which categories benefit most. Topics covered: [02:00] "I Vouch for It with My Name" [00:35] Why a family name feels like an emotional shortcut [03:00] Testing the…

8. 

   E179 · 1 Sep 2026 · 26 min

   The World Cup Just Redefined Sports Advertising

   FIFA's 2026 World Cup pulled in more than $9 billion in tournament revenue. A single rule change around new hydration breaks is expected to net Fox at least $250 million in ad revenue alone. This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob break down what the World Cup's record-breaking business means for marketers investing in live sports. They dig into whether mega events can crowd out regular advertisers, if sponsorships or TV spots make the smarter sports buy, and how brands of any size can get into the game without overspending. Plus, hear creative tips for keeping viewers engaged when 71% of fans…

9. 

   E122 · 27 Aug 2026 · 10 min

   Nerd Alert: Outrage Sells

   Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use. In this episode, Elena and Rob explore how anger changes the way people shop. They break down new research showing angry buyers move faster, skip the safe middle option, and end up more satisfied with what they choose. Topics covered: [02:00] "The Unique Role of Anger Among Negative Emotions in Goal-Directed Decision Making" [03:00] Does anger lead to better or worse…

10. 

    E178 · 25 Aug 2026 · 37 min

    How to be a Confident Marketer with Daniel Sills and Dagmara Szulce

    B2B marketer confidence jumped this year. But when researchers asked finance leaders the same questions, only 12% said marketing's financial impact holds up under pressure. This week, Elena and Rob talk with Daniel Sills of NewtonX and Dagmara Szulce of the ANA about their new Confident B2B Marketer study. They unpack why marketer confidence is rising, and why finance and revenue leaders aren't yet convinced. The group breaks down the vocabulary gap driving that disconnect, and how confident marketers grew brand investment in a year when most companies cut back. Topics covered: [03:00] Key…