Why So Many Marketing Campaigns Miss the Mark—Even from Top Brands

One of the biggest challenges in the marketing industry today is the misconception that everyone understands marketing. It’s often not seen as a true profession, even among senior leaders and, surprisingly, some marketing managers themselves.

The reality is that marketing is evolving at such a rapid pace that even experienced professionals struggle to keep up. I frequently encounter fundamental mistakes in Google search ads and social media campaigns, particularly in their design and execution.

Take the examples below, which appeared when I searched for "Marketing MSc London". I'm using these purely for illustration, but similar examples can be found across countless industries and brand categories.

In the first ad, the message is cluttered with generic benefits and lacks focus or authority. There are no ad extensions, no compelling call-to-action, and no clear unique selling proposition (USP).

In contrast, the second ad is more strategically crafted. It features a concrete ranking (QS World Rankings), incorporates the brand name in the headline—a smart move for trust and visibility—and includes well-targeted ad extensions designed to drive engagement and leads.

[Start of shameless plug 😊] By the way, if you're considering a Marketing MSc in London, check out the Marketing Strategy and Innovation programme at Bayes Business School, where I’m the Course Director. It’s ranked as the second-best Marketing MSc in London—definitely worth a look! [End of shameless plug]

Yet, both ads are likely created by London-based agencies that claim to be experts in their field. What’s more ironic is that one of these ads is promoting a Marketing Communications degree—a weak example for such a subject. Ultimately, though, the responsibility lies with the marketing team that oversees the agency. A core responsibility of any marketing professional is to ensure that the agency's output aligns with the brief and strategic objectives.

The Research Blind Spot

Another recurring issue I see is the superficial use of research. Too often, marketers use stats to confirm their opinions rather than to uncover actual insights. Talking to one or two customers or relying heavily on broad, secondary data doesn’t qualify as meaningful research.

Proper customer research is essential before launching any campaign. Otherwise, you're just throwing money away.

Even when everything is done correctly, you won’t always be able to account for 100% of your marketing performance. As John Wanamaker famously said:

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don't know which half.”

This still holds true today—though perhaps now it's closer to 30% we can't explain. But by setting up your campaigns with the right approach from the start, you can gain far more clarity and control over outcomes.

The Value of Performance Marketing

That’s why I advocate for a Performance Marketing approach—an approach I also teach in my corporate training sessions. It involves structured, goal-oriented planning and measurable outcomes.

This idea isn’t new. In fact, it's closely related to the concept of Growth Hacking, which gained massive popularity thanks to Sean Ellis, who coined the term and wrote the book Growth Hacker Marketing. The core idea behind growth hacking is to snowball your marketing efforts—maximizing returns with minimal spend by testing, optimising, and doubling down on what works. While the buzz around the term has faded, the principles remain highly relevant.

I take those principles further and apply them through a performance-driven structure:

1. Goal and Objective Setting for each of the campaigns

2. Customer Insight and Segmentation

3. Channel and Media Selection

4. Content and Creative Strategy

   • Important creative elements

   • A/B testing

5. Landing Page Optimization

6. Tracking and Measurement

7. Optimization and Iteration

   
   

If you're interested in transforming your marketing team’s approach, let’s connect. I offer tailored digital performance marketing trainings that will reshape how your team thinks, plans, and executes campaigns for measurable, scalable impact.