Brand and Performance: Reflections from Brand Innovators Summit, Advertising Week 2025

By Tim Finnigan, Head of Brand & Growth Marketing at Verisk Marketing Solutions

As consumer brand expectations shift and fragmented data sources persist, the intersection of brand and performance has never been more critical to examine through a data-driven lens. Last week, I had the chance to speak on a panel at the Brand Innovators Leadership in Brand Marketing event during Advertising Week NYC, and it was one of those conversations that sticks with you.

The panel, “When Brand Meets Performance: Are Marketers Missing the Touchpoints That Shape Behavior?”, brought together a smart and dynamic group: Jason Ing from Typeface.ai, Emily Huo from Paramount Advertising, Keri Zuckerman from Kinesso, and our fantastic moderator, Kalli Chapman of Prudential.

As someone who’s spent a lot of time thinking about how brand and performance intersect, it was energizing to share the stage with marketers who are navigating similar challenges from very different vantage points. What made the discussion so rich was that we weren’t debating whether brand and performance should work together, we were focused on how to make that partnership real inside complex organizations.

Brand and Performance: Two Sides of the Same Strategy

One of the first questions we tackled was: are brand and performance truly at odds? My take is simple—they’re not. They’re two sides of the same strategy.

Brand builds trust and memory; performance activates it. A strong brand campaign can lower acquisition costs, but only if brand and performance teams are pulling in the same direction.

No Single Touchpoint Does It All

When we were asked “when you hear touchpoints that shape behavior, what comes to mind?” I conveyed that it’s tempting to think only in terms of awareness or conversion. But the truth is, every stage of the journey matters. The best strategies connect each stage of the customer experience authentically and consistently.

In B2B marketing, for example, a strong brand presence deep in the funnel gives sales teams established credibility, making appointment setting easier and shortening sales cycles. Yet, marketers often overlook these influential moments simply because they’re harder to measure.

Shifts in Consumer Behavior Are Changing the Equation

Consumer behavior is constantly changing, and with it, the balance between brand and performance.

On a recent episode of Verisk Marketing Solutions’ podcast, The Marketing Rapport, I spoke with Stephen Crewdson of J.D. Power, who shared some compelling auto insurance insights. When consumers shop for auto insurance, they might start by noticing ads, but what ultimately sways their decision is their expectation of the service they’ll receive.

Once they move past basic awareness, they choose which brands to consider and request quotes based on ease, helpfulness, and overall experience—not just cost. Carriers who want to win new business must focus on the total customer experience, from quoting to claims, across every channel.

Brand sets the stage for consumers, but performance now depends on meeting elevated expectations at every touchpoint.

Data as the Bridge Between Silos

One of the most energizing parts of the panel was our discussion on measurement and data. Behavioral data is what connects the silos—it shows how customers actually engage and make decisions. Yet many teams struggle to harness behavior effectively due to fragmented systems, unclear ownership, or lack of integration across platforms.

For example, one of Verisk Marketing Solutions’ partners, Cardlytics, uses credit card transaction data to uncover real purchase behavior. At Verisk, we rely on first-party, in-market shopping signals to understand where consumers are in their journey. These insights make personalization more relevant and ensure that brand and performance efforts reinforce each other, rather than operate in parallel.

Trust Beats Process

Finally, we dug into how teams can structure themselves to avoid slipping into silos. I referenced a great conversation from The Marketing Rapport podcast with Susan Finerty, author of Mastering the Matrix. One key takeaway: without clear decision criteria, collaboration turns into an unproductive stall.

In my experience, trust beats process—every time. Teams need shared goals, clear roles, and the ability to influence across functions. That’s what keeps brand and performance aligned for the long term.

Brand and Performance Work Better Together

Speaking at Brand Innovators during Advertising Week 2025 was a reminder that while these challenges are complex, the path forward is clear: brand and performance work best when they work together.

To wrap, I wanted to extend deep thanks to Jason, Emily, Keri, and Kalli for such an insightful (and genuinely fun) discussion.