WARC unveils ‘The Pace Principle’ report at Goafest 2025

In a landmark session at Goa Fest 2025, WARC unveiled The Pace Principle: Effectiveness at the Speed of Asia, the first marketing effectiveness study built exclusively on campaign data from Asia. The launch took place under the banner “The Pace Principle,” presented by Biprorshee Das, India Editor at WARC, and Sujeet Kulkarni, Global Advisory Consultant, Lions Advisory, at WARC.

The study analyzed 115 campaigns across Southeast Asia, Greater China, and India, offering a new playbook for marketers looking to balance brand building and performance marketing.

“This is a historic moment,” said Sujeet Kulkarni during the launch. “So far, every effectiveness study has focused on the West. But Asia’s growth story, shaped by cultural diversity, media fragmentation, and market complexity, needs its own data-backed roadmap.”

At the heart of the study lies a dual-speed framework, combining sprint tactics for short-term wins with a marathon mindset for brand building. “The most successful Asian campaigns balance both approaches,” said Biprorshee Das, who walked the audience through the study’s key takeaways. “It’s not brand or performance, it’s brand and performance. In fact, brand building multiplies performance outcomes.”

The report warns against the dangers of falling into the “advertising doom loop,” an overreliance on short-term tactics that may eventually stall growth. A balanced strategy, it claims, can improve total revenue by 25-100%, with a median uplift of 90%.

One of the study’s critical insights is the role of measurement windows in campaign effectiveness. “Future payback doesn’t mean waiting for years,” said Kulkarni. “Even extending your measurement period by just a month can reveal brand-building effects that short-term metrics miss.”

The report found that nearly half of the campaigns studied used insufficient timeframes, undercutting their ability to show ROI from brand investments.

Another pillar of The Pace Principle is the role of cultural relevance. “It’s not just about seasonal campaigns or trending topics,” said Das. “We’re talking about shared values, behaviours, and emotional connections that influence long-term brand consideration.”

He cited the enduring success of Cadbury’s My App campaign as an example of how emotionally resonant work drives both short-term sales and long-term equity.

In Asia’s fragmented media landscape, effectiveness means synergy. According to the study, the optimal number of media channels for peak campaign effectiveness is 6.5, a mix of legacy and digital. The report urges brands to move from campaign bursts to platform thinking, building consistent brand stories adapted to multiple channels.

The Pace Principle is positioned not as a final word but a foundational step in building a global, yet locally nuanced, understanding of marketing effectiveness.

“There are more questions to explore, from channel mix optimization to the cultural levers that matter most by market,” said Kulkarni, closing the session. “But what’s clear is that Asia’s pace is unique, and so must be our approach.”