Creative as the Spark, Media as the Fuel: The Journey to Brand Building

With nearly two decades of experience across selling media, buying media, and creating content to feed media, I’ve had the unique opportunity to see firsthand how creativity and media play off each other, often resulting in something truly transformative for a brand.

A few years ago, a client shared a compelling perspective with me: “It doesn’t matter what I say, as long as my media strategy keeps my potential consumers constantly seeing me on their screens, the branding will happen.” At that time, this brand was indeed omnipresent. But years later, after a name change, the brand’s original identity has all but faded from consumer memory.

In contrast, I worked with another brand that held a different philosophy—believing that if the message was compelling enough, consumers would be naturally drawn to it, making media placement less crucial. This approach was beautifully executed and effective, yet over the years, new competitors have flooded the category, and at least three of them are now rapidly approaching the sales figures of the original brand.

Then there’s the middle ground, where numerous brands aim to create a single, viral campaign that skyrockets them into popularity. From my experience, however, 90% of these attempts fall short. Viral success is rare and cannot be the foundation of a brand-building strategy.

The Creative-Media Balance: Where Do We Draw the Line?

So, where should we draw the line between creative and media efforts? Is there a formula to determine how to allocate budgets between the two? Many marketers and agency professionals suggest spending 5-10 times more on media than on creative. But is that enough, or perhaps too much? How do we measure it?

I believe that both creative and media are equally essential. Creativity is the heart of advertising; it speaks to the irrational, emotional side of consumers, making the brand feel human and relatable. A strong creative element doesn’t just promote a product—it sparks an emotional connection, nudging consumers into the purchase funnel, whether today or sometime in the future.

From Commodity to Brand: Reaching Both Core Consumers and Neighbours

In the journey from commodity to brand, marketers must appeal to two types of consumer mindsets. First, there are the core consumers—those who need the product, resonate with the brand message, and make a purchase as soon as they encounter it. This group, often called early adopters, represents only a small portion of the target audience.

The majority, however, buy into the brand because of social influence. These consumers are drawn to the brand not directly but because their peers are using it, talking about it, or looking up to it—essentially, a case of “Neighbors’ Envy, Owners’ Pride.” This is where FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) becomes a powerful driver.

In this journey from commodity to brand, connecting with the “neighbors”—the broader social circle of potential customers—is a critical role that media plays. Media is the fuel that amplifies reach, visibility, and social proof, helping to create that ripple effect of brand presence.

In the end, creativity ignites the spark, while media fuels the fire. A well-balanced strategy leverages the strengths of both to build a brand that resonates deeply and endures in the minds of consumers.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views of exchange4media.com.