The Hypothesis

The brand and performance divide is costing you more than you think

Brand and performance marketing have been treated like rival sports teams for decades. Different budgets. Different goals. Different incentives. But is that divide actually helping anyone, or is it costing businesses more than they realize? In this episode of The Hypothesis, our host Santana Blanchette, sits down with Phil Ware (VP of Strategy), Eric Sloan (VP of Data & Strategy), and Jorge Shaadi Moreno (Director of Paid Media) to unpack why these two functions are siloed, what it actually costs when they don't communicate, and how teams can start working better together without waiting for an organizational overhaul. We get into: -Why the brand vs. performance divide exists in the first place, and why it's largely artificial -What "brand formance" actually means, and whether it's useful or just a buzzword -Why you can't apply a performance measurement lens to brand and expect it to make sense -The gap in the middle of the funnel that most organizations are ignoring -When brand advertising actually makes sense (and when it's just burning money) -Practical steps for getting brand and performance teams to actually work together Whether you're managing both sides of the funnel or just trying to explain to your CFO why brand matters, this one is worth your time. The Hypothesis explores the strategies, tactics, and insights that drive growth in the performance marketing world.  Connect with us: Website: https://www.thrivedigital.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrive_digital/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThriveDigitalMarketing

Can AI create a (trustworthy) full marketing strategy?

Can AI really build a marketing strategy you'd actually trust? Thrive's VP of Performance, Blaize Bolton, and Director of Strategy, Amanda Ng, break down what AI actually does well (and what it absolutely doesn't) when it comes to marketing strategy. In this episode, we talk about: * Why AI excels at facilitation but fails at strategic decision-making * The data problem that prevents AI from creating genuine strategies * How to use AI as a collaborative tool without over-relying on generic outputs * Where AI is making the biggest impact in performance marketing right now * The worst AI advice flooding LinkedIn (and why "AI employees" need to stop) The Hypothesis explores the strategies, tactics, and insights that drive growth in the performance marketing world.  Connect with us: Website: https://www.thrivedigital.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrive_digital/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThriveDigitalMarketing

Can we fix lead scoring?

Most B2B lead scoring is built on arbitrary point systems and outdated assumptions and it's costing you real money. In this episode, our strategy directors break down why traditional lead scoring fails and what actually works. We cover: - Why points-based lead scoring is fundamentally flawed - The data infrastructure you actually need before attempting lead scoring - How to build empirical models that predict real conversion probability - Why lead scoring should never come before fixing your fundamentals - The validation gap that makes most models worthless after a few months - How to spot when your scoring model has drifted from reality Key takeaway: Lead scoring is an optimization layer, not a solution. If your CRM is messy, your tracking is unreliable, or your creative isn't working, lead scoring won't save you. Fix your foundation first. Perfect for: B2B marketers, growth teams, and anyone wondering why their lead scoring system isn't delivering results. The Hypothesis explores the strategies, tactics, and insights that drive growth in the performance marketing world.  Connect with us: Website: https://www.thrivedigital.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThriveDigitalMarketing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-digital Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrive_digital/

Ad data can't tell you everything about your audience

Think hyper-targeted audience segmentation is the key to better campaign performance? Think again. In this episode, our host sits down with data experts Eric and Madeline to dismantle some of marketing's most persistent myths about audience targeting. They discuss why those detailed marketing personas fall flat in actual media buying, how small sample sizes lead to bad strategic decisions, and why your "best performing" audience segments might actually be the least incremental. You'll learn: * Why demographic data from ad platforms doesn't tell the whole story * The real (limited) use case for marketing personas * How to avoid the segmentation trap that fragments budgets and kills learning * Why creative does more targeting work than your audience settings * What brands should focus on instead of chasing granular demographic details * How to actually use your first-party behavioral data If you've ever wondered whether you're over-optimizing based on platform reports that don't reflect reality, this conversation will reset your thinking on audience strategy. Want to learn more about growth marketing or get help on your next performance project? Connect with us on our other platforms! Website: https://thrivedigital.com/ [https://thrivedigital.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-digital/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-digital/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrive_digital/ [https://www.instagram.com/thrive_digital/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThriveDigitalMarketing [https://www.youtube.com/@ThriveDigitalMarketing] Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed the show, we’d love to hear from you. Leave us a review, share with friends and colleagues, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.  Follow this week’s hosts: Maddy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinesilver1/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelinesilver1/] Eric: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erictsloan/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/erictsloan/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-lowry-23161b146/Santana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santana-blanchette/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/santana-blanchette/]

Are "best practices" killing your marketing performance?

In this episode, we dig into digital marketing best practices and why following all of them might be doing more harm than good. This week's hosts, Creative Director, Tyler Power, and Thrive's VP of Data & Strategy, Eric Sloan, break down: - Why vendors push "best practices" that benefit them, not you - When static images beat video (despite what everyone tells you) - The creative fundamentals that actually matter vs. trendy tactics - How to know when to break the rules - Why your best-performing ads should become benchmarks, not sacred objects Key takeaway: Best practices aren't one-size-fits-all. What works for one brand might tank another's performance. The secret is knowing which principles are truly foundational (like design fundamentals and testing methodology) versus which are just someone's one-time win being sold as universal truth. Want to learn more about growth marketing or get help on your next performance project? Connect with us on our other platforms! Website: https://thrivedigital.com/ [https://thrivedigital.com/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-digital/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrive-digital/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrive_digital/ [https://www.instagram.com/thrive_digital/] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThriveDigitalMarketing [https://www.youtube.com/@ThriveDigitalMarketing] Thanks for tuning in! If you enjoyed the show, we’d love to hear from you. Leave us a review, share with friends and colleagues, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.  Follow this week’s hosts: Tyler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-power-66428497/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-power-66428497/] Eric: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erictsloan/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/erictsloan/] https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-lowry-23161b146/Santana: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santana-blanchette/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/santana-blanchette/]