Beyond the Click: Why Influence Trumps Mere Reach in Marketing
Following on from our recent blog, 'The Power of Three: Brand Advertising, Performance Marketing, and Fame', we want to delve deeper into a crucial distinction in modern marketing: the quality of reach.
At Leopard Co, our creative process often begins with an idea designed to first land in earned media. We believe that a truly impactful creative platform is one that is inherently newsworthy, shareable, and capable of generating organic conversation. This approach isn't just about vanity; it's rooted in a profound understanding of marketing effectiveness and the 'Multiplier Effect'.
Not All Reach is Created Equal: The Power of Influence
Recent research from Warc, highlighted in a compelling Cannes Lions podcast episode, underscores a vital truth: not all reach is equal. While paid media can deliver vast audiences, earned and shared reach – think media mentions, organic social shares, and genuine influencer endorsements – can have up to three times more influence on brand preference.
Why such a significant difference? It boils down to credibility. When a trusted journalist, an impartial publication, or a peer shares information about your brand, it carries an inherent weight that a paid advertisement simply cannot replicate. This third-party validation cuts through the noise, fostering a deeper level of trust and resonance with the audience.
The Pre-Purchase Decision: Why Quality Reach Matters So Early
This superior influence of quality reach becomes even more critical when we consider another powerful insight from the very same Warc podcast: as much as 87% of buyers have decided which brand they'll purchase before they even reach the point of purchase.
This statistic fundamentally shifts our perspective on the marketing funnel. If consumers are largely making up their minds about a brand well before they're ready to buy, then the moments of highest influence occur much earlier – primarily during the Awareness and Consideration stages. This is precisely where the credibility of earned and shared media, with its higher impact on brand preference, becomes indispensable.
It suggests that bottom-of-funnel performance marketing – such as direct response PPC or conversion-focused digital ads – are primarily harvesting existing demand, rather than creating it. If a consumer has already made up their mind about a brand, your performance ad is simply helping them complete a pre-determined journey. Without the foundational brand building that happens earlier in the funnel, driven by influential reach, these performance efforts become significantly less efficient and more costly. This is what the Warc research refers to as the 'performance penalty': an over-reliance on short-term performance tactics at the expense of brand building can significantly reduce overall revenue returns.
Unlocking the Multiplier Effect with a Full-Funnel Approach
This is where the 'Multiplier Effect' truly comes into play. The research conclusively shows that when brand-building efforts (driven by high-quality, influential reach) and performance marketing campaigns are integrated and work in harmony, the return on investment can increase by an extraordinary 90%.
Buying Reach vs. Influencing Behaviour: It's not simply about buying reach; it's about buying reach that influences behaviour and purchase decisions. This means strategically investing in top and mid-funnel activities (like OOH, TV, broad digital advertising, and crucially, earned media) to build mental availability, distinctiveness, and positive brand associations long before a consumer is actively in the market to buy. This influential reach is what shapes the 87% of pre-purchase decisions. When we talk about earned media, we're referring to valuable, third-party endorsements that you don't pay for directly. This includes coveted coverage in national newspapers and glossy magazines, or appearances on TV news programmes. It also encompasses Digital PR, which generates crucial brand mentions, high-quality backlinks, and improved ranking keywords that boost your organic search visibility and credibility.
Full-Funnel Marketing: A truly effective strategy embraces the entire funnel. Brand-building campaigns, powered by impactful earned and shared media, create the broad pool of potential buyers and shape their preferences, making subsequent performance campaigns far more effective at converting that pre-existing demand. This integrated approach ensures that every marketing pound works harder.
Measurement is Key: Beyond the Immediate Click
Given that brand decisions are often made much earlier in the funnel, and influenced heavily by the quality of reach, relying solely on immediate last-click attribution for performance campaigns is a dangerous trap. To truly understand effectiveness, measurement must extend to brand equity advertising.
We need to track metrics like:
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Brand awareness
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Mental availability (how easily your brand comes to mind)
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Brand preference
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Pricing power (the ability to command a higher price due to brand strength)
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Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)
These long-term metrics provide a more accurate picture of your marketing investment's true impact and help justify spend on activities that don't yield immediate, direct conversions but are vital for sustainable growth.
At Leopard Co, we understand that some of our clients have parts of their marketing funnel locked down, excelling in specific areas. Others, understandably, have weaker spots or require comprehensive support across the entire funnel.
Our expertise lies in navigating this complex landscape, ensuring that your brand not only achieves reach but, more importantly, cultivates deep, influential reach that drives long-term growth and maximises your marketing effectiveness.