Podcast Summary: The Marketing Architects

Episode Title: Nerd Alert: When Sports Advertising Works
Date: November 13, 2025
Hosts: Elena Jasper & Rob Demars

Episode Overview

This episode of The Marketing Architects explores the effectiveness of advertising around major sporting events, drawing insights from the academic study "Going for Gold: Investigating the Nonsense of Increased Advertising Around Major Sport Events" by Martin J. Heisenberg. Elena and Rob break down fresh research findings on when sports event advertising does—and doesn’t—work, challenge assumptions about "big game" ad buys, and translate nuanced academic concepts into actionable insights for marketers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Assumptions about Sports Advertising [00:04-01:36]

• Opening Banter: Elena and Rob joke about their “nerd alert” credentials and their approach—demystifying research for practical use.
• Rob’s Initial Gut Feeling:

  “I don't think it's an all in strategy to go all in on the Super Bowl… but if you're a massive brand and you can afford it and it's a part of your marketing mix, it can certainly be impactful.” [01:14, Rob]

2. Introducing the Research Study [00:43-01:36]

• Study in Focus:
  Going for Gold explores whether increased advertising around sports events (e.g., Super Bowl, Olympics) is genuinely effective.
• Core Question:
  Should brands really ramp up ads during big sporting events?

3. Key Findings from the Study [01:36-04:55]

• Surprising Truth:
  Despite massive audiences, advertising effectiveness actually drops before and during major sporting events.
  • Short-term sales impact can fall by more than half.
  • Long-term branding effects also fade.
• Two Main Reasons Identified:
  • Clutter: “Every brand piles in, which creates more noise, less cut through, it's harder to be noticed.” [01:54, Elena]
  • Distraction: “The excitement of the event means people are paying more attention to the game than the commercial. So while the audience is big, the ads themselves work worse.” [01:59, Elena]

Study Methodology [02:18-03:12]

• Data: Four years of weekly UK panel data, 206 brands, 64 categories.
• Model: Error correction model separating short-term and long-term sales impacts.
• Event Timing:
  • Outside event period (baseline)
  • Two weeks before event
  • Event week
  • Two weeks after event

Which Timing Works Best? [03:12-03:52]

• Rob Predicts: Two weeks before the event will be most effective.

  “I was thinking that two weeks before the event would be the best because you had the benefit of the hype.” [03:16, Rob]

• Reality: Opposite result.

  “He found that ads were actually the least effective before and during events… The best time was actually the weeks after the event.” [03:41, Elena]

Effectiveness by Numbers [03:52-04:55]

• Short-term elasticity:
  • Normal weeks: 0.009
  • Before event: -0.004
  • During event: -0.006
  • After event: slightly improved from event week
• Long-term elasticity mirrors the same pattern.
• Even indirect benefits (halo effects from competitors’ ads) “dried up” during these periods.
• Brands with massive share of voice (e.g. FIFA sponsors) could “overcome the clutter,” but only with huge spend.

4. Takeaways for Marketers [05:00-05:52]

• Don’t follow the herd:

  “Just because every brand is advertising during the big game doesn't mean that it works. Effectiveness often collapses under clutter.” [05:16, Elena]

• Pick your moment:

  “Ads work best in the weeks after events when the clutter clears, but consumer attention is still elevated.” [05:22, Elena]

• If you go in, go big:
  Incremental spending gets lost; making a splash requires serious share of voice.
• Perfect Metaphor:

  “Advertising during a major sports event is like trying to talk at a concert. The music's blasting, everyone shouting. And no matter how loud you yell, nobody hears you unless you grab that mic and own the stage.” [05:41, Elena]

5. Practical Implementation Questions [05:52-08:33]

• Rob’s Clarifying Q:

  “I don't understand what it means… to be connected to the event after the event. Isn't that just basically saying when you normally advertise is more effective than when you advertise before and during a game?” [05:52, Rob]

• Elena’s Response:
  She agrees it’s tricky—after the Super Bowl, for example, there aren’t related games, but it seems linked to market clutter and media cost dropping post-event, making advertising generally more effective.
• Rob’s Practical Take:

  “If you can't afford it, you should… you have better ways to spend your money.” [08:23, Rob]

• Elena’s Final Advice:

  “If you're only focused on short term sales effectiveness, you probably want to ramp up your spend after events like this, not before. Maybe focus on times of years that are less competitive. …It must extend to all media…” [08:33, Elena]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The best time was actually the weeks after the event.” [03:52, Elena]
• “Effectiveness often collapses under clutter.” [05:16, Elena]
• “Advertising during a major sports event is like trying to talk at a concert… nobody hears you unless you grab that mic and own the stage.” [05:41, Elena]
• “If you can't afford it, you should… you have better ways to spend your money.” [08:23, Rob]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:43 – Introduction to the study and big question
• 01:36 – Key findings: Why effectiveness drops (clutter & distraction)
• 03:12 – Which timing is best? Big surprise in results
• 03:52 – By the numbers: short- and long-term elasticity
• 05:00 – Takeaways and advice for marketers
• 05:52 – Practical questions about “after the event” advertising
• 08:23 – When it makes sense to invest elsewhere

Summary

This episode dismantles the common belief that more advertising during major sports events always equals more impact. Instead, research shows most brands overspend during these high-clutter, low-impact periods—and often gain more by focusing media investment after the noise has settled. To truly win around sport events, either "go big or go home," or save your dollars for quieter times when your message cuts through.

Recommended for marketers rethinking sports ad strategies or defending their budgets from event-based FOMO.