Marketecture Podcast: Bonus Episode Summary – "The Brand Forum, a New Podcast from Marketecture"

Release Date: April 2, 2025

In this engaging bonus episode of the Marketecture Podcast, hosts Jeremy Bloom and Josh Palau introduce The Brand Forum, a new bi-weekly podcast dedicated to delving deep into the intricacies of brand building within today’s ad tech-centric landscape. Hosted by industry veterans Jeremy and Josh, this new series aims to provide marketers with insider perspectives on navigating the evolving world of advertising, media, and marketing.

1. Introduction to The Brand Forum

Ari Paparo opens the episode by announcing the launch of The Brand Forum, setting the stage for what listeners can expect from this new venture.

• Ari Paparo [00:00]: “The Brand Forum is a new podcast that will come out every other week and is hosted by Jeremy Bloom and Josh Palau. They go deep on matters that really matter to brands.”

Jeremy and Josh follow Ari’s introduction by explaining the purpose and vision behind The Brand Forum.

• Jeremy Bloom [00:46]: “Our show centers on how companies build brands in an ad tech-centric world. Our goal is to focus on brand building, not ad tech.”

• Josh Palau [01:20]: “We really want to get to the heart of how you really build the brand... how to make that meaningful connection in a space that's just changed so much.”

2. Guest Introduction: Alex Birchmeier of Conagra Brands

The first episode features Alex Birchmeier from Conagra Brands, who brings his extensive experience from both agency and client sides to the discussion.

• Jeremy Bloom [03:05]: “Our guest today is a marketing leader with experience on the agency, sales, and most recently client side at Conagra Brands... known for brands like Slim Jim, Ready Whip, and others.”

3. Defining a Strong Brand Identity

Alex Birchmeier delves into the foundational elements of building a strong brand identity, emphasizing the importance of product quality and availability.

• Alex Birchmeier [04:53]: “First, we always have to think about is, is the brand even ready to market?... making superior products so that when we do go to market with those, there isn't this horrible taste.”

He further elaborates on aligning internal value propositions with external consumer perceptions.

• Alex Birchmeier [05:50]: “Marketing cannot solve your business challenges all the time. You just can't market yourself out of a bad product.”

4. Aligning Internal and External Brand Perceptions

The conversation shifts to the challenges of ensuring that what the company believes about its product aligns with consumer perceptions.

• Alex Birchmeier [07:17]: “There definitely are times where you're like, does the consumer really care about that attribute that we think they do?”

• Jeremy Bloom [06:42]: “Can you walk us through a time when there's been a disconnect of the brand perception...”

5. Challenges of Marketing Legacy Brands

Alex discusses the unique hurdles of marketing legacy brands in a fast-paced, ever-changing media environment.

• Alex Birchmeier [09:12]: “Gone are the days of annual plans... we are always kind of adjusting the plans, whether that be the targeting strategies, the creative messages, the partners we're leveraging.”

He highlights the balance between maintaining brand legacy and adapting to new consumer behaviors and media consumption patterns.

• Alex Birchmeier [11:00]: “The attention spans of people right now are kind of fleeting. You can build a brand up quickly, but you can also build it down very quickly as well.”

6. Managing Multiple Brands and Vendor Partnerships

Managing a portfolio of over 85 brands presents significant challenges in prioritization and vendor management.

• Alex Birchmeier [16:15]: “Prioritization is critical... prioritize platforms, prioritize brands, prioritize messages, and prioritize formats.”

• Alex Birchmeier [18:15]: “The fun and magic and the ideas really can kind of get born from... tier two partners that are really willing to pull up their sleeves.”

7. Balancing Brand and Performance Marketing

A pivotal discussion centers on whether to treat brand and performance marketing separately or as integrated components of a unified strategy.

• Josh Palau [22:32]: “How do you treat brand and performance separately? Do you bucket them together?”

• Alex Birchmeier [22:33]: “There is no. We have one budget and they should all be in service of... driving sales and share of our products.”

He advocates for a holistic approach where both brand and performance marketing efforts are aligned towards common business objectives.

8. Preparing for the Next Generation of Consumers

The hosts explore strategies for engaging emerging generations, such as Gen Alpha and the upcoming Gen Beta, emphasizing authenticity and adaptability.

• Alex Birchmeier [20:02]: “These kids know deep fake videos... they understand that kind of stuff is just part of the gig now. They're going to sniff you out for not being authentic.”

• Alex Birchmeier [20:20]: “If you're gonna divide these groups up, where are these groups? What are they doing? Why are they doing it? Why are they there?”

He underscores the necessity of understanding the new generations’ behaviors and preferences to effectively connect with them.

9. Personal Reflections and Future Directions

In a lighter moment, Alex shares personal insights on his career path and reflects on his journey in marketing.

• Alex Birchmeier [24:35]: “I played tennis in college... working for a sports organization, maybe the ATP, something like that.”

10. Conclusion

Jeremy and Josh wrap up the episode by expressing their appreciation for Alex’s insights and reiterating the mission of The Brand Forum to provide valuable perspectives to marketers navigating the complex landscape of modern advertising and brand building.

• Jeremy Bloom [26:13]: “Thank you for being one of our earliest guests... thank you for being part of the Brand Forum.”

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Birchmeier [04:53]: “First, we always have to think about is, is the brand even ready to market?... making superior products so that when we do go to market with those, there isn't this horrible taste.”

• Alex Birchmeier [07:17]: “Does the consumer really care about that attribute that we think they do?”

• Alex Birchmeier [22:33]: “There is no. We have one budget and they should all be in service of... driving sales and share of our products.”

• Alex Birchmeier [20:02]: “These kids know deep fake videos... they understand that kind of stuff is just part of the gig now. They're going to sniff you out for not being authentic.”

Conclusion: This bonus episode effectively sets the stage for The Brand Forum, promising in-depth discussions on brand strategy and marketing challenges with industry experts. Alex Birchmeier’s candid insights into brand management, vendor partnerships, and adapting to new consumer generations provide valuable lessons for marketers seeking to build and sustain strong brands in a dynamic environment.

For those interested in exploring further, The Brand Forum is available bi-weekly, featuring interviews with leading thinkers and in-depth discussions on the latest trends in advertising and marketing.