Next in Media - The Brand Forum Bonus Episode Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: Next in Media
• Host/Author: Mike Shields
• Episode: The Brand Forum Bonus Episode
• Release Date: April 4, 2025
• Description: This bonus episode features a special interview from the Brand Forum, hosted by Jeremy Bloom and Josh Palo, with Alex Berschmeyer of ConAgra Brands. The discussion delves into the evolving landscape of media, marketing, and advertising, focusing on brand building in an ad tech-centric world.

Introduction to the Brand Forum

The episode begins with an introduction to the Brand Forum, a new show by Marketecture hosted by Jeremy Bloom and Josh Palo. The hosts explain that the Brand Forum aims to provide an insider’s perspective on advertising, media, and marketing, focusing on brand building rather than just ad technology.

Notable Quote:

• Jeremy Bloom [00:58]: “Our goal is to focus on brand building, not ad tech.”

Guest Introduction: Alex Berschmeyer

Alex Berschmeyer, a seasoned marketing leader from ConAgra Brands, is introduced. Celebrating his sixth anniversary with the company, Alex oversees the marketing activation team, handling media strategy across various sectors, including retail, food service, owned websites, and CRM capabilities.

Notable Quote:

• Alex Berschmeyer [02:44]: “Happy I did all of them, but really excited to be here talking about all things marketing.”

Defining a Strong Brand Identity

The conversation shifts to defining a strong brand identity. Alex emphasizes the importance of ensuring that a brand is ready for the market by aligning internal value propositions with external perceptions. He advocates for prioritizing product quality and availability before embarking on marketing efforts.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Berschmeyer [04:32]: “Marketing cannot solve your business challenges all the time. You just can't market yourself out of a bad product.”
• Alex Berschmeyer [05:10]: “The human truths of the product, the value propositions and then what people actually care about with relevancy.”

Navigating Brand Perception Disconnects

Jeremy probes into situations where there’s a disconnect between internal perceptions and consumer views of a brand. Alex shares that sometimes the reasons to believe (RTBs) that marketers focus on may not resonate with consumers, highlighting the need to align marketing strategies with actual consumer motivations.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Berschmeyer [07:00]: “From a ConAgra perspective, we buy fast moving goods all the time. People are buying on price, convenience, speed...”
• Alex Berschmeyer [07:37]: “We got to meet people where they're at and why they... What they consider value at the end of the day.”

Challenges of Marketing Legacy Brands in a Modern, Digital World

The discussion delves into the complexities of marketing legacy brands amidst rapid technological advancements and changing consumer behaviors. Alex explains that marketing strategies now require constant adjustments rather than annual plans, leveraging the agility of digital and social platforms to test and learn in real-time.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Berschmeyer [08:53]: “Gone are the days of create your one to two spots... measure it six months later and then replan it all over again.”
• Alex Berschmeyer [10:15]: “The attention spans of people right now are kind of fleeting. So you kind of can build a brand back up quickly, but you can also build a brand down very quickly as well.”

Partner Integration and Managing Multiple Vendors

Josh raises a point about integrating partners into the planning process, especially within a multi-brand organization like ConAgra. Alex emphasizes the importance of prioritization, focusing on key brands and target audiences while selectively engaging with tier-two partners that offer differentiated ideas and creative solutions beyond what major platforms like Google and Meta provide.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Berschmeyer [15:07]: “Bringing the partners in and having a simple brief that a creative agency, a media agency, a partner can literally all look and gravitate towards...”
• Alex Berschmeyer [17:54]: “Those partners actually excite me a lot more. You have to be diligent on how many of those types of meetings you take.”

Preparing for Next Generation Consumers

The conversation shifts to strategies for engaging with emerging consumer generations such as Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Alex outlines a framework that involves understanding who these consumers are, where they are, and how the brand can authentically connect with them. He underscores the necessity of authenticity, as younger generations are adept at identifying insincerity and are quick to disengage from brands that fail to resonate.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Berschmeyer [19:35]: “If that brief can now apply to this new generation, let's test and learn it. But if we find that we're not showing up right, let's go back to the drawing board.”
• Alex Berschmeyer [20:10]: “Continuing to do the same thing on not resonating is just not going to be worth it at the end of the day.”

Integrating Brand and Performance Marketing

Josh poses a critical question about the distinction between brand and performance marketing. Alex advocates for a unified approach where both aspects are integrated within a single budget and strategy, serving the overarching business goals of driving sales and market share. He believes that brand and performance marketing should complement each other rather than operate in silos.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Berschmeyer [22:10]: “Brand and performance, no, there is no separation. We have one budget and they should all be in service of the same exact goal.”
• Alex Berschmeyer [22:35]: “They should complement each other in a way that... they have different metrics... but it should always be in service to the business challenge that we're servicing.”

Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations

In the final segment, Jeremy asks Alex a reflective question about his career choices. Alex humorously recalls wanting to be a substitute bus driver as a child but expresses a desire to work within the sports industry if not in marketing. The hosts commend his insights and emphasize the importance of balancing technology with authentic brand messaging.

Notable Quotes:

• Alex Berschmeyer [24:14]: “I think about working for a sports organization... something like the USTA, where I would be doing something I used to do all the time.”
• Josh Palo [26:20]: “If you don't have a good product, good message, a reason to believe, a good tug of the heartstrings... it doesn't matter how much meta ads you buy.”

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with acknowledgments and a lighthearted exchange between the hosts and Alex. The discussion reinforced the significance of authentic brand building, strategic partner integration, and the seamless integration of brand and performance marketing to navigate the dynamic landscape of modern media and advertising.

Summary: This bonus episode of "Next in Media" featuring the Brand Forum provides valuable insights into effective brand management in today's rapidly evolving media environment. Through Alex Berschmeyer's experiences at ConAgra Brands, listeners gain an understanding of the importance of aligning internal brand strategies with consumer perceptions, the challenges of marketing legacy brands, the necessity of prioritizing partnerships, and the integrated approach to brand and performance marketing. The conversation highlights the critical balance between leveraging technology and maintaining authentic, consumer-centric brand messaging.