Hey Andy,
I want to talk about what actually gets a brand budget approved, because I think a lot of us overcomplicate this part.
(Which is probably one of the most relatable marketing problems, too…and I know it’s not just me alright 😂).
You can have the right vocab, the right evidence, solid data, and the conviction that brand investment is the right call.
But if you walk into that monthly board meeting or quarterly brand call with a 50-page deck oriented around marketing metrics, it's not going to survive a packed meeting agenda.
You’ve got to speak your CFO’s language.
Obviously, that’s easier said than done. I mean, a lot of us were “brought up” in marketing to believe C-suite folks love a good board deck 😆
What tends to work better, though, is concise, shared language.
A one page or one slide overview that answers the three questions your CFO is actually thinking about is almost guaranteed to land better than endless text on a screen:
- How much should we spend?
- How should we split it between brand and performance?
- And what happens if we cut brand spend?
For the “how much should we spend question,” there's a framework called ESOV (excess share of voice) that gives you a surprisingly clean formula: Binet & Field research shows that, for every 10 points your share of voice exceeds your share of market, expect roughly 1% market share growth per year.
That's the kind of thing your CFO can model against.
Now, pair it with a recommendation on how to split brand and performance (Binet & Field research consistently points to roughly 60/40 for most categories) and a clause that says "here's what we protect during a down quarter and why," and you've got a one-slide mic-drop.
If you’re looking for a template or plan you can use for that, you should check out Tracksuit University.
We designed it alongside James Hurman with eight in-depth modules that help you build your brand case - and you walk away with a one-page brand investment plan tailored to your business.
Cheers,
