Podcast Summary: Marketing Operators
Episode: When to Diversify or Evolve Your Media Mix: How To Approach Channel Expansion (Bonus Episode)
Release Date: July 24, 2025
Introduction and Host Updates
The episode opens with Cody Plofker checking in with his co-hosts, Connor Rolain and Roland, after missing a few recent episodes due to personal commitments.
Cody (00:00): "So what's up with all these hexclad guys missing the podcast?... It's been a while."
Connor (00:13): Shares his recent travels to South America and attending two weddings in one week, explaining his absence from the podcast.
Media Mix Journeys
The conversation swiftly shifts to discussing each host's current media mix strategies, focusing on how their approaches have evolved over time.
Connor on Hexclad’s Media Mix
Connor (09:05): "We are on Facebook, Amazon, AppLovin, YouTube, Google... in a lot of channels now."
He details Hexclad's diverse media channels, including Facebook, Amazon, YouTube, Google, Fox's linear TV, and connected TV through Tubi. Connor highlights the challenges faced with Meta's increasing ad frequency and the strategies undertaken to mitigate diminishing returns.
Connor (12:01): Explains a test comparing purchase conversion campaigns versus view content campaigns on Meta, noting that view content performed better.
Cody on His Media Mix
Cody (17:31): Outlines his media mix journey, transitioning from an 80% Meta focus to diversifying into TV, YouTube, and other channels to overcome growth plateaus.
He emphasizes the importance of balancing budget allocation across channels based on performance and audience reach.
Cody (23:07): "Prescient is a MMM solution that gives us more confidence to invest in some of these upper funnel channels."
Roland on Ridge’s Media Mix
Roland (37:22): Discusses Ridge Wallet’s media strategy, initially focusing on Meta and later expanding into YouTube and TV to reach a broader male audience.
He underscores the importance of creating scalable and versatile content that can be repurposed across various platforms.
Strategies for Channel Diversification
The hosts delve into when and how to diversify media channels, offering frameworks for brands to assess their readiness and strategic fit.
Cody (26:50): "How should you think about which channels to test? It should be a first principles approach."
Connor (27:28): Advises brands to prioritize maintaining their core channels before venturing into new ones unless facing significant diminishing returns.
The Role of YouTube and TV in Media Mix
YouTube emerges as a critical channel for many brands, with Connor noting significant increases in attributable revenue and ROAS.
Connor (15:57): "We've scaled up YouTube very aggressively... attributable revenue's up like 340%."
Cody (21:12): Highlights the need for granularity in budget allocation as budgets increase, especially heading into high-spend periods like Q4.
Creative Strategies for Diversification
A significant portion of the discussion centers on the importance of creative diversity, particularly when expanding into new channels like TV and YouTube.
Roland (40:02): Emphasizes the need for unique content tailored to each channel, avoiding one-size-fits-all approaches.
Cody (43:09): Reflects on the balance between creating polished, high-production creative versus leveraging UGC for cost-effectiveness and scalability.
Connor (78:21): "We have seven or eight unique pieces of creative running right now in those channels."
Measurement and Attribution
Accurate measurement is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of diversified channels. The hosts discuss various tools and methodologies for tracking performance.
Cody (21:12): Introduces Prescient as a modern MMM solution that offers real-time insights compared to traditional models.
Connor (50:26): Highlights the importance of rigorous measurement to validate channel performance, especially for view-based channels like CTV and YouTube.
Expert Segment: Tatari with Austin Santino
The episode features Austin Santino, Client Development Manager at Tatari, who provides expert insights into TV advertising.
Understanding TV Channels
Austin (54:32): "Streaming TV would be considered anything over the top... linear TV is traditional cable broadcast."
He clarifies the distinctions between streaming TV (OTT, CTV) and linear TV, explaining how brands can purchase and measure campaigns across these platforms.
Best Practices for TV Advertising
Austin (60:05): Discusses Tatari’s approach to measuring TV impact through website activity spikes and incremental cohort analysis.
Austin (68:21): "You don't need a big celebrity for your first TV launch... repurposing assets from other channels is common."
He emphasizes that brands can start with modest investments in TV, especially if their products have broad appeal and easy-to-demonstrate functionality.
Creative Strategies for TV Ads
Austin (75:49): Recommends best practices for TV creatives, including clear eye contact, actionable calls to action, persistent watermarks, and authentic storytelling.
Connor (77:54): Notes Hexclad’s focus on creating multiple TV creatives to ensure diversity and effectiveness across different TV segments.
Conclusions and Key Takeaways
The episode concludes with actionable insights for brands considering diversifying their media mix:
- Maintain Core Channels: Ensure that diversification does not come at the expense of established, high-performing channels.
- Understand Your Audience: Tailor channel expansion based on where your target demographic consumes media.
- Creative Diversity is Crucial: Develop a variety of creatives tailored to each channel to maximize effectiveness.
- Leverage Measurement Tools: Utilize advanced measurement tools like Prescient and House to validate the impact of new channels.
- Start Small with TV: Brands can begin TV advertising with modest budgets, focusing on authentic and scalable creative assets.
Roland (82:15): "When you come to it, you should come with a hypothesis and validate through measurement."
Cody (82:43): Encourages brands to explore TV advertising thoughtfully, leveraging expert insights and modern tools to optimize their media mix effectively.
This episode of Marketing Operators offers a comprehensive exploration of media mix diversification, blending practical experiences from Hexclad and Ridge with expert advice from Tatari. Whether you're a mid-sized brand looking to expand beyond Meta or a newcomer contemplating TV advertising, the insights shared provide a strategic roadmap for effective channel expansion.