Less data, more creativity

This week, Kirsten Spittel-Sloan, SVP Marketing at iFIT, joins us to talk long-form content, measuring with thin data, and where personalization pays off. Her throughline? Simple wins.

—Elena

iFIT turned its long-form workouts into a six-episode reality show.

Kirsten says iFIT has filmed 15 to 60-minute workouts for more than 10 years. The team drew on thousands of hours of that content before launching “Trainer Games” on Amazon Prime and YouTube.

Know your numbers. Then step away.

How should you explain a campaign to your team?

As simply as you can. “Simple wins,” Kirsten says. McKinsey trained her to break a problem down until anyone could understand it. If your team can’t repeat the idea, consumers with even less patience won’t catch it either.

How do you measure a market with thin data?

Start from what you’ve already tested. iFIT’s newer markets don’t have enough data for a reliable MMM. Kirsten’s team borrows assumptions from markets that worked, then checks them against retail history.

Where does personalization pay off?

In your CRM. A customer who shares an email or phone number has raised their hand, so get as close to a sample of one as you can. Personalized ads aimed at strangers are riskier. Kirsten says too many brands act like it’s the 15th date when it’s only the second.

When should marketers look away from the data?

On a regular schedule, even when your boss tracks every decimal. Kirsten says that taking a break gives you a fresh perspective. One iFIT creative director stepped away recently and came back with a new idea that is now the backbone of a current iFIT campaign.

Listen in on our discussion.

“What Keeps iFit Ahead of the Curve? Kirsten Spittel-Sloan’s Personalization Secret”

On Adweek’s Marketing Vanguard podcast, Kirsten makes the case for funding awareness, consideration, and conversion at once. She also covers how to defend brand building when a PE-backed owner asks you to justify each dollar.

Read the article.

Four rules. One idea.

“Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read.”

— Leo Burnett

This newsletter comes from the hosts of The Marketing Architects, a research-first show answering your biggest marketing questions. Find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.