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_Turning Super Bowl visibility into lasting mental availability_

There are roughly 350 million people in America, and one Sunday night each year, more than a third of them tune in for the biggest show in sports: the Super Bowl.

For advertisers, the Super Bowl delivers attention at scale in a media environment where both are increasingly hard to come by. And that attention hasn’t faded. Viewership has grown year over year as the Super Bowl has long held its position as a true cultural moment of mass audience appeal. In 2025, viewership hit a record high of 127.7M.

_<a href="https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2025/super-bowl-lix-makes-tv-history-with-over-127-million-viewers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
 Source: Super Bowl Viewership, Neilsen</a>_

The combination of reach and undivided attention comes with a hefty price tag. In 2026 for Super Bowl LX, a 30-second commercial will cost $8 million, which translates to an eye-watering $266,666 per second of air time.

_Source: Industry estimates_

In addition to production costs, CMOs could be looking at a total investment of 7 - 8 figures for their brand's visibility during the most popular Sunday night of the year.

And with that level of investment, the real question becomes: **how do brands ensure a single night of attention translates into long-term brand growth?**

What does Super Bowl advertising actually do for a brand?

At its core, Super Bowl advertising can accomplish two very important things for a brand: **creating fame** and **building memory**. Both are valuable and closely related, but they ultimately serve different purposes and deliver impact on different timelines.

**What is brand fame?**

Brand fame is the brand’s ability to capture mass attention, cultural relevance, and immediate share of voice. It’s the buzz on social feeds, the Monday-morning recaps, and the feeling that the brand is a big part of a big moment.

The Super Bowl is an exceptionally good opportunity for achieving brand fame. Few platforms can reach such a large audience and help a brand feel culturally relevant. For many brands, this burst of fame is the primary goal of showing up on Super Bowl Sunday.

**What is brand salience?**

Brand salience, on the other hand, is the likelihood that a brand comes to mind when people are actually making buying decisions. It’s the distinctive brand assets, the memories tied to real needs, and the advantage of brand association with category entry points.

While fame happens quickly, salience builds over time. It depends on repetition, consistency, and clear brand linkage to the category. 

The Super Bowl can deliver both fame and salience, but it doesn’t guarantee both. While the attention spike is immediate, determining lasting impact relies on what brands do with that attention once the big game is over.

How does Super Bowl attention turn into long-term brand memory?

Super Bowl advertising is built to win the moment. The brands that spark conversation, generate headlines, or dominate social mentions often feel like the clear winners on game night.

But attention and memory don’t behave the same way. Attention can fade as quickly as it arrives while memory builds gradually through **reinforcement and familiarity**.

That’s where many Super Bowl moments lose momentum. When an idea lives only on Sunday night, even the strongest creative can struggle to have a lasting impact on brand growth. 

Creative consistency plays a critical role here. <a href="https://2235762.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/2235762/The%20Power%20of%20Compound%20Creativity.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
 The Power of Compound Creativity</a>, a report from System 1 and The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, analyzed 5,000 ads from 136 brands over five years and found that brands that consistently repeat recognizable ideas and distinctive brand assets across channels generate significantly stronger business results compared to inconsistent brands.

This is where a brand’s strategy for the Super Bowl should shift from a single attempt at fame that sparks short-term attention to a **system of salience** that drives lasting memory. 

This makes the big cost of a Super Bowl ad easier to justify internally. It reframes the investment from a high-stakes bet into a catalyst for a longer-term brand platform designed to compound value over time.

How Old Spice turned Super Bowl fame into a brand platform

When Old Spice launched “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” during the 2010 Super Bowl, it did more than introduce a new ad. It helped reposition the brand from a legacy soap associated with older consumers into a culturally relevant category leader.

The ad delivered instant brand fame via a new character played by Isaiah Mustafa, who delivered a confident, absurd monologue against a backdrop of rapid-fire scene changes with an unmistakable tone that made the spot impossible to miss and easy to talk about. It also popularized the Old Spice Whistle sonic device, and the catchphrase “I’m on a horse” entered pop culture almost immediately.

But Old Spice didn’t treat the Super Bowl ad as a one-off success. It used it as a springboard for a new brand platform by leveraging those distinctive brand assets in creatively consistent ways in additional commercials and new formats across different channels. 

And the business impact followed. According to Nielsen, by May of 2010 unit sales of Old Spice body wash had **increased 60%** from the previous year, and by July, year-over-year sales had **more than doubled**.

Old Spice’s Super Bowl moment worked because it didn’t end with a famous moment on game night. **The brand used attention as a catalyst, then reinforced it through repetition and consistency, effectively turning a viral hit into sustained brand growth**.

Key Super Bowl advertising takeaways for CMOs

**1. Fame is the means. Salience is the end.**

While the Super Bowl is unmatched in its ability to generate attention and cultural relevance, fame only creates value when it strengthens memory. The most effective brands plan and measure for what happens after the spotlight fades by using viral attention to reinforce recognizable brand cues and category associations that drive long-term salience.

**2. Choose ideas built for continuity.**

Investing millions into a Super Bowl ad means the idea needs to live beyond the big game. Ideally, it should serve the brand for years to come with the ability to adapt to different channels and open doors to new creative applications while remaining consistent and recognizable to consumers. Additionally, conducting creative testing of an idea, a concept, or a storyboard before it goes into production will create confidence that the idea is one that can last.

**3. Measure success over time, not overnight.**

It’s easy to get excited when a Super Bowl ad is an immediate hit, and metrics like social mentions, earned media coverage, and critical acclaim are certainly early indicators of a successful campaign, but CMOs who get the most out of Super Bowl investments look beyond reaction metrics and focus on indicators tied to memory and mental availability over time. Metrics like unaided awareness, top-of-mind-recall, distinctive asset recognition, and of course, sales lift, provide a clear picture of whether Super Bowl attention is translating into lasting brand impact.

**Does Super Bowl advertising drive immediate sales?**

Super Bowl advertising rarely drives immediate sales on its own. Its primary value lies in building long-term brand memory and preference, especially when supported by consistent follow-on media and creative repetition.

**What’s the biggest mistake brands make with Super Bowl ads?**

The biggest mistake is chasing novelty at the expense of recognizability—creating ads that win attention on game night but fail to reinforce who the brand is or what category it belongs to.

**How should CMOs evaluate Super Bowl ad success?**

Beyond short-term buzz, success should be measured using indicators tied to memory and mental availability, such as unaided awareness, distinctive asset recognition, and sales impact over time.

The Super Bowl will always be a big moment. The brands that win are the ones that treat it as the beginning of something bigger—turning one night of attention into lasting mental availability and sustained growth.

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The Long Game After the Big Game

_Insights from the Lewis Food + Beverage team_

**TL;DR**: Consumers are ordering takeout and delivery more often because convenience now defines value. Saving time, reducing effort, and easing stress matter more than cooking at home or paying a lower price.

The notion of entire families gathered around the table for a home-cooked meal has become more nostalgia than reality. Now more than ever, **time-pressed and stressed consumers are opting for takeout and delivery**.

**Q: Why are people ordering out more?**
A: Consumers prioritize convenience over cooking at home. They are buying **relief from effort**, not just meals.

Consumers know convenience costs more—but why do they still choose it?

- **75% of all restaurant traffic** now happens off-premises (takeout, delivery, drive-thru).
- **57% of food budgets** go to meals prepared away from home.

**Insight**: People are willing to pay for **time saved, fewer dishes, and reduced stress**.

The Behavioral Tradeoff: Price vs. Friction

**Q: Why are consumers willing to pay delivery fees?**
A: They pay for **simplicity and reduced effort**. Promotions and memberships make delivery feel justified—**not just cheaper, but easier and emotionally satisfying**.

- According to the National Restaurant Association, **90% of customers** would try new takeout options if confident the food would travel well.

**Insight**: Reducing uncertainty and decision fatigue isn’t just good UX—it’s **good business**.

**Q: How is convenience shaping dining behavior?**
Convenience culture is reshaping **how Americans eat and think**.

- One in six adults now replaces at least one meal with a snack, up from **14% in 2023 to 17% in 2024**.
- Over **50% of consumers** are comfortable with restaurants or delivery apps using AI for personalized recommendations, while only **15% fully trust robotic cooks**.

**Takeaway**: Technology is embraced when it **saves time, effort, or decisions**.

That extra $5 delivery fee isn’t just about food—it’s buying **45 minutes of rest, fewer dishes, and peace of mind**.

- Price still matters.
- Time now carries its own price tag.
- For more consumers, **the convenience premium is worth every penny**.

Frequently Asked Questions About Takeout and Delivery

**Why are consumers ordering takeout and delivery more often?**
Consumers are choosing takeout and delivery because convenience now defines value. They are willing to pay more to save time, reduce effort, and relieve daily stress.

**What does convenience mean in today’s food culture?**
Convenience goes beyond speed. It includes fewer decisions, less cleanup, reliable food quality, and emotional relief in busy lifestyles.

**Why are people willing to pay delivery fees?**
Delivery fees are seen as a tradeoff for simplicity. Consumers pay for reduced friction, decision fatigue, and confidence that the meal will fit their schedule.

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Takeout and Delivery: Why Convenience Is the New Currency

_Insights from Lewis' Food & Beverage Team_

Health, wellness, and functionality have become central to consumer preferences in the food and beverage industry. As consumers redefine what “healthy” means, brands must evolve to meet growing demand for products that support both physical and mental well-being. This article delves into the critical role these factors play in shaping market trends, driving innovation, and influencing strategic marketing approaches for CMOs and CEOs seeking to lead in this dynamic landscape.

Understanding Market Trends and Consumer Behavior

To lead in today’s competitive food and beverage market, brands must understand the health and wellness priorities shaping consumer choices. Key trends include:

- **45% of Americans** now view even moderate alcohol consumption as unhealthy — fueling the rise of functional and non-alcoholic beverages.
- **Gut health** is driving growth in prebiotic sodas and energy drinks.
- **Ingredient transparency** tops consumer priorities in functional products.
- **Half of consumers** aim to cut back on ultra-processed foods, favoring clean-label options.

These shifts present a clear mandate for brands to align their offerings with evolving health-conscious preferences.

Innovation: The Key to Staying Competitive

Health, wellness, and functionality are reshaping innovation within the food and beverage industry. Successful brands are going beyond traditional product development to rethink every aspect of their offerings—from ingredients and formulations to packaging and marketing strategies—to meet the evolving expectations of health-conscious consumers.

The non-alcoholic beverage segment exemplifies this shift, with rapid growth in gut health-focused prebiotic sodas and energy drinks that provide functional benefits beyond hydration. Such innovations not only cater to digestive wellness but also align with the broader commitment to **authentic, transparent, and beneficial product experiences** that consumers demand.

Moreover, innovations often extend to **sustainable and convenient packaging solutions** that appeal to **environmentally aware consumers**, reflecting the intersection of **wellness and ethical considerations**.

Strategic Marketing Insights for Brand Growth

To succeed in a health-driven marketplace, marketing strategies must be precise, authentic, and responsive. Key strategies include:

- Employing **data-driven decision-making** to identify emerging wellness trends and tailor messaging that resonates with consumer values.
- Leveraging **digital channels, influencer partnerships**, and **personalized experiences** to foster deeper connections and enhance brand loyalty among health-conscious audiences.
- Understanding and adapting to recent developments, such as the growing use of **GLP-1 weight loss medications**, which alter consumer attitudes and behaviors toward health.
- Crafting relevant communications and product positioning that address evolving consumer **needs** and **aspirations for wellness solutions**.

Actionable Recommendations for Food and Beverage Brand Leaders

To translate these insights into growth, food and beverage leaders should focus on four key actions:

1. **Foster innovation as a growth engine**. Empower teams to create wellness-driven products that deliver both functional benefits and clean ingredients.
2. **Stay closely connected to consumers**. Use engagement and feedback loops to stay tuned to shifting health and wellness priorities.
3. **Adopt agile marketing and business strategies**. Respond quickly to new opportunities—from the rise of non-alcoholic options to evolving definitions of “healthy.”
4. **Embed wellness into your brand DNA**. Build loyalty and differentiation by making health, transparency, and functionality core to your brand’s identity.

**Question: Why are health, wellness, and functionality critical in food and beverage today?**
Answer: Consumers increasingly prioritize products that support physical and mental well-being, creating demand for functional, clean-label, and non-alcoholic options.

**Question: Which market trends should brand leaders watch?**
Answer: Growth in prebiotic and gut-health beverages, rising demand for clean and transparent ingredients, and a shift away from ultra-processed foods are shaping consumer preferences.

**Question: How are brands innovating to meet these needs?**
Answer: Successful brands rethink product formulation, packaging, and marketing, delivering authentic functional benefits while aligning with sustainability and ethical considerations.

**Question: What marketing strategies work best for health-conscious audiences?**
Answer: Data-driven trend tracking, personalized digital campaigns, influencer partnerships, and authentic communication help brands connect and build loyalty.

**Question: What actionable steps should food and beverage leaders take?**
Answer: Foster innovation, maintain close consumer engagement, adopt agile business strategies, and embed wellness into your brand’s core identity to lead in this evolving market.

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Health, Wellness, and Functionality: Core Drivers of Consumer Preference in Food and Beverage

For years, direct response marketing followed a simple formula: **offer + urgency + call to action**.
And for a long time, it worked.

Today, that approach still exists—but it no longer delivers the automatic performance advantage many brands expect. The issue isn’t that direct response is broken. It’s that **the environment changed faster than the playbook**.

Consumers now have more control, more skepticism, and less attention than ever before. Platforms reward engagement, not interruption. And trust has become a prerequisite for conversion—not a separate brand objective.

**TL;DR — Why Direct Response Is Losing Its Edge**

- Audiences recognize and skip salesy ads
- Attention spans are shorter
- Algorithms reward engagement, not interruption
- Trust is now a conversion factor
- Brand multiplies performance efficiency

Why Old-School Direct Response Is Underperforming

**People recognize ads instantly.**
Audiences have developed strong “ad literacy.” When creative feels overly sales-driven, it’s filtered out in seconds.

**Attention is scarce—and earned.**
Direct response assumes time to explain the offer, product, and benefit. In reality, brands often get less than a second to prove relevance.

**Algorithms prioritize engagement, not clicks.**
Creative that generates low-quality engagement—even if it drives clicks—gets penalized over time, increasing costs and reducing reach.

**Trust is now part of performance.**
Urgency without credibility triggers resistance. Social proof, authenticity, and validation now directly impact conversion.

**Measurement has changed.**
With weaker attribution signals, click-only optimization often undervalues awareness and misreads what actually drives demand.

The Shift: From Selling to Stopping the Scroll

The feed isn’t a storefront—it’s a content stream.

People aren’t browsing to buy; they’re browsing for stimulation. That means ads must behave like content before they behave like marketing. Scroll-stopping creative isn’t louder—it’s more relevant, more human, and more intentional.

When brands earn attention first, performance improves:

- Lower CPMs
- Higher watch time
- Stronger recall
- Better conversion efficiency

Why Brand + Performance Is the New Growth Model

[The old model separated brand and performance. The modern reality blends them.](https://lewiscommunications.com/blog/brand-performance-both)

Brand is no longer a top-of-funnel luxury—it’s a **conversion multiplier**. Strong brands reduce skepticism, shorten decision cycles, and improve efficiency across every performance channel.

At the same time, performance marketing has become a creative discipline. With targeting constraints, the advantage shifts to storytelling, positioning, and value articulation—core brand capabilities delivered through performance execution.

The most effective ads today do both:

- Earn attention
- Build trust
- Communicate value
- Offer a clear next step

The Shift From Old Direct Response to Modern Performance

For years, direct response marketing prioritized speed over substance—pushing offers and urgency first, then hoping attention and trust would follow. In today’s feed-driven environment, that sequence works against how people actually decide.

The modern approach flips the order. It earns attention before asking for action by starting with relevance, not promotion. A strong hook stops the scroll. A relatable problem signals understanding. Proof reduces skepticism. Only then does the product enter as a solution—supported by a clear, low-friction call to action.

This shift doesn’t slow performance. It strengthens it.

By building intent and trust before the ask, modern direct response improves conversion quality, lowers long-term acquisition costs, and creates performance systems that scale—rather than burn out.

Direct response isn’t dead—but **direct response without brand is**.

The brands that win now:

- Invest in scroll-stopping, content-first creative
- Blend brand-building into performance execution
- Treat trust and attention as performance inputs, not side effects

That’s how modern marketing earns attention—and converts it.

FAQ: Direct Response, Brand, and Performance Marketing

**Is direct response marketing still effective?**
Yes—but only when paired with strong creative, trust signals, and brand equity. Pure urgency-based tactics are far less effective on their own.

**Is brand marketing replacing performance marketing?**
No. The two are converging. Brand builds trust and demand; performance systems scale and convert it.

**What is the biggest reason old DR ads fail today?**
They feel interruptive in environments designed for content, not sales pitches.

**Do clicks still matter?**
Clicks matter—but engagement quality, attention, and trust matter more than clicks alone.

**What should leaders prioritize now?**
Creative quality, brand clarity, and blended brand + performance strategies that earn attention before asking for action.

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Why Traditional Direct Response Marketing Is Losing Its Edge

Fresh insights from the Food and Beverage team at Lewis

Our team is watching the food and beverage industry go through a moment of massive change. Social media has become the new tasting room, reshaping how people discover, share, and try new products. In this environment, brand recognition alone simply doesn’t cut it. Today’s audiences want more. They’re looking for brands that feel as alive and dynamic as the culture around them—brands that spark curiosity, conversations, and clicks. 

We’ve seen this play out in our work with the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Even the oldest distilleries with centuries of history aren’t just leaning on tradition. They’re experimenting—launching new product lines, collaborations, and limited editions that keep fans talking (and posting) well past the first pour.


Influencer content has gone from being a nice-to-have to being one of the biggest drivers of trial. Over <a href="https://www.foodengineeringmag.com/articles/102772-2025-trends-in-food-and-beverage-defined-by-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> three-quarters of Gen Z</a> say they’ve tried a food or flavor because they saw it online. For them, scrolling isn’t a passive pastime—it’s an active hunt for their next food or drink obsession.

Bourbon and beer brands know this well. Distilleries and breweries are taking what happens in the real world—tours, tastings, bottle drops—and amplifying it online. Those moments feel authentic, but they’re also built to be shared, sparking trial digitally and creating demand on shelves.

Curiosity sells. Nearly <a href="https://content.nestleprofessional.us/story/top-2025-food-and-beverage-industry-trend-report/page/4/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40% of people</a> say they’re more likely to visit a restaurant if it offers unique flavors, and almost half of Gen Z and Millennials are ordering more adventurous drinks than they were just a year ago. Novelty is the hook, and people are hungry for it.

Craft beer is proof. A citrusy IPA, a small-batch sour, or a limited barrel-aged release is never just a drink—it’s a story worth telling. And when brands frame those flavor experiments as cultural experiences, they do more than quench thirst—they create demand.

Growth Meets Saturation - Navigating a Crowded Market

Of course, there’s a flip side. Beverage categories like seltzers and probiotics have exploded, sometimes with <a href="https://www.ey.com/en_us/insights/consumer-products/beverage-industry-trends-innovation-challenges-and-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> three or four times</a> the SKUs of traditional beverages. More growth means more noise. Products trend quickly, and their lifecycles are shorter than ever.

Food and beverage companies are catching on. In fact, <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amid-economic-uncertainty-four-out-of-five-food--beverage-brands-plan-to-boost-innovation-spend-in-2025-yet-only-2-are-fully-digitized-302515038.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">83% say</a> they’re upping their investment in innovation. But in a marketplace where every product is vying for cultural relevance, it’s no longer enough to rely on traditional advertising. The brands that win are the ones showing up in cultural moments, balancing the short-term spark of trends with the long-term pull of brand storytelling.

That balance is key. Quick-hit moments on social media drive discovery, but brand purpose sustains loyalty. We’ve seen it firsthand with beer and bourbon: the limited-edition drop fuels the buzz, but it’s the enduring brand story that keeps people coming back.

For today’s food and beverage brands, the challenge is clear: **find the cultural moments where you can lean into excitement—and turn fleeting trends into lasting impact.**

Key Takeaways: Turning Food & Beverage Trends into Lasting Impact

- **Social Media Drives Discovery:** Modern consumers, especially Gen Z, are influenced by what they see online. Leveraging authentic, shareable content can spark trial and amplify product launches.
- **Novelty Creates Buzz:** Unique flavors and limited-edition releases capture attention and fuel conversations. Curiosity is a key driver of engagement and demand.
- **Trends vs. Saturation:** Exploding categories mean products must stand out. The most successful brands balance short-term trend excitement with long-term brand storytelling.
- **Innovation is Non-Negotiable:** 83% of food and beverage companies are increasing investment in new products. Staying relevant requires blending creativity with strategy.
- **Cultural Relevance Sustains Loyalty:** Participating in cultural moments turns fleeting hype into enduring brand impact, creating loyal customers beyond the initial trend.

_By strategically leveraging trends, social media, and innovative flavors, food and beverage brands can transform short-lived moments into lasting consumer engagement and market growth._

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Don’t Chase Food & Beverage Trends—Turn Them Into Lasting Impact

After years of helping companies transform their marketing operations, we've formalized what's been working into a dedicated offering.

It's called Growth Multiplier, and it addresses something we've seen everywhere: talented marketing teams held back by outdated ways of working.

**The challenge we keep hearing**: Your team was built for a world where campaigns ran for months, not minutes. Where digital transformation was a five-year plan, not a Tuesday emergency. Where you could choose between hitting this quarter's numbers OR building tomorrow's capabilities.

That choice shouldn't exist.

Growth Multiplier embeds experienced fractional marketing leaders directly into your team. We don't hand you a deck and disappear. We deliver quick wins while teaching your people new ways to work—no buzzwords, no 18-month transformation plans. Just practical support that multiplies what you already have.

The pace of change in marketing has never been more relentless. AI is rewriting the rules monthly. Consumer behavior shifts overnight. Your team is stretched thin, your budget keeps shrinking, and leadership still expects growth.

We built this because the old model—choosing between consultants who deliver strategies you can't execute and agencies who run campaigns while you figure out everything else—doesn't work anymore.

Learn more about Growth Multiplier and take our Growth Readiness Assessment at
<a href="https://www.growwithlewis.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growwithlewis.com</a>.

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Introducing Growth Multiplier from Lewis: The Fractional Marketing Leadership You've Needed All Along

Last year, Lewis joined forces with our client, the **Kentucky Bourbon Trail®**, to pull off something truly historic—**a global, 24-hour toast to Kentucky Bourbon**! On September 17, 2024, in celebration of their 25th anniversary, we hosted a livestream toast at the top of every hour for an entire day. Bourbon fans from across six continents and 32 countries joined in, raising a glass from wherever they were in the world. 

This year, the World Bourbon Toast™ is going even bigger—and we’re thrilled to be part of it again. On September 14, we’ll host the **World’s Biggest Toast** to Kentucky Bourbon at the world’s biggest food, Bourbon, and music festival, **Bourbon & Beyond** in Louisville, KY. Again, we’ll be streaming live throughout the day, sharing interviews, festival moments, and behind-the-scenes coverage, all building up to one exciting toast from the main stage.

And just like last year, this celebration isn’t just for people in the crowd. Wherever you are, you can be part of the moment. All you have to do is raise your glass, snap a photo or video, and **Toast & Post** with **#WorldBourbonToast**, tagging the **Kentucky Bourbon Trail®** <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kybourbontrail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
 Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kentuckybourbontrail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
 Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@KentuckyBourbonTrail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
 YouTube</a> accounts. Tune into the livestream and celebrate alongside thousands of Bourbon lovers from all over the world. Together, we’re about to make Bourbon history—again. Get all the details at <a href="https://www.WorldBourbonToast.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
 WorldBourbonToast.com</a>.

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The World Bourbon Toast™ Is Back—and Bigger Than Ever 

In a world where insights are currency, marketing leaders are being asked to do more with less. Less time. Less budget. Less margin for error.

The truth? You’re increasingly under pressure to get results from consumer research quickly. You might not have the budget to re-interview 500 people. And if you’re being honest, you’re still not sure how Gen Z feels about your new brand platform.

**Enter synthetic research.** Not as a replacement for tried and true research methods, but as a tool that helps marketing leaders move faster, with confidence.

And that matters, especially now.

What Exactly Is Synthetic Research in Marketing?

Synthetic research is the practice of using AI to simulate feedback using what we already know about consumer behavior, often layered with existing survey results, sales data, and media trends to improve the quality of the model. Once the model is hydrated (taught) to act as our audience, we can use it to test how target audiences might respond to real-life scenarios, such as testing creative direction, validating messaging, and exploring white space. And here’s the added benefit: We can do this to get timely, directional insights to help evaluate next steps — whether that is investing in full-scale traditional research or going back to tweak concepts before retesting. 

Below are key differences between traditional and synthetic consumer research.

When to Use Synthetic Data in Market Research (And When Not To)

Use it for direction, not for depth—to better understand category perceptions and receptivity to new brand messages, not brand perceptions.

Synthetic research won’t replace live qualitative or large-scale quantitative studies, because the existing data sources it draws from often don’t capture meaningful brand perception for most brands. Without enough high-quality, brand-specific data in the public domain, synthetic methods can’t provide the same depth of insight as direct audience research — but it’s an ideal option when speed, feasibility, or iteration is key.

**Use it to:** 
<ul>
 <li>Fill sample gaps with hard-to-reach audiences</li>
 <li>Pressure test early-stage messaging</li>
 <li>De-risk new campaigns with directional input</li>
 <li>Explore sensitive or privacy-sensitive topics</li>
</ul>

**Don’t use it for:** 
<ul>
 <li>Brand awareness or perception audits</li>
 <li>Emotionally layered, high-context insights</li>
 <li>Regulatory or market-sizing studies</li>
</ul>

Before you add synthetic research to your insight stack, ask: 
<ul>
 <li>What decisions will this inform?</li>
 <li>Is this a directional need or a precision need?</li>
 <li>How will outputs be validated?</li>
 <li>How are data privacy and ethics handled?</li>
 <li>How can we use primary research, first-party data or publicly available data to train the model for multiple use-cases?</li>
</ul>

These questions separate shiny tech from strategic value.

Not all synthetic tools are created equal. Ask your partner: 
<ul>
 <li>Where does the training data come from?</li>
 <li>Can we securely add de-identified first-party data and primary research, with assurance it will only be used for our study?</li>
 <li>How do you avoid bias amplification?</li>
 <li>Can I validate your panel design or prompts?</li>
 <li>What’s your plan to maintain model accuracy over time?</li>
</ul>

_If they can’t answer clearly, walk away._

At Lewis, we’re actively reviewing partners to explore message testing with synthetic panels and sample boosting for small or segmented quant studies. We are also strong advocates of using synthetic feedback to sharpen creative or campaign strategy. To put it simply, we’re not replacing our toolkit—we’re expanding it.

Synthetic research isn’t perfect. It’s a tool that is actively evolving and improving, but great strategy still depends on human instinct. On asking the right questions. On seeing the nuance that synthetic models can’t.

But it’s perfectly suited to meet the needs of marketing teams — fast, interactive, and insight-led.

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Synthetic Research Isn’t the Future—It’s the Shortcut

Brand marketing and performance marketing used to live in separate lanes—one built long-term affinity, the other drove short-term action. But more often than not, marketers no longer have that luxury. Time, budget—and perhaps most importantly—audiences don’t experience brands in silos, and our marketing shouldn’t either. **We have to win the day every day**.

At Lewis, we believe in brand-level work. We believe in setting the stage for action long before action takes place. We love big brand ideas—bold, beautiful campaigns that stop you in your tracks and stay with you long after. There’s absolutely still a place for those epic impressions. But in today’s world, they can’t be the only ones doing the heavy lifting.

That’s why we embrace a **brandformance** mindset—where brand marketing and performance marketing are no longer separate disciplines, but parts of a unified, modern approach to growth.

Scalable systems are required for brands to be on every day and be everywhere, driving market share and revenue growth at every point throughout the customer journey. Every impression—whether a social post, a pre-roll ad, an email, a search-sponsored ad, or a banner—is a brand impression. And fleeting as they are, those touchpoints can be just as powerful at building memory and shaping perception as the once-a-year, beautifully crafted anthem video.

Marketers can’t afford to divide efforts. **In an attention-scarce world, everything we put out has to work harder, do more, and deliver both impact and results**.

We’ve created a proprietary, scalable system that fuses the power of performance with the soul of brand. Because we believe growth isn’t just a metric—it’s a mindset. And when brand and performance work together, growth isn’t just possible. It’s beautiful.

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Brand. Performance. Both!

Brand. Performance. Both.

**MOBILE, Ala. (April 23, 2025)** — Lewis, an independent, integrated creative and media agency founded in Mobile in 1951, is proud to announce its relocation from its 37-year home on Government Street to a beautifully renovated building in the heart of Mobile’s business district.

“Lewis has grown into an internationally-acclaimed company with three offices across the South thanks to our beginnings in Mobile,” said Ellen Faulkner, Lewis’ CEO.

“We wanted to be sure our presence in our hometown is as innovative and vibrant as our company is today. Our goal was to create an environment for putting fresh thinking into action; a space for the biggest ideas Alabama has ever seen.”

“By planting our roots downtown, we’re investing in the future of Mobile. We want to be where innovation happens, where stories are shared and where community thrives. Downtown gives us that energy and opportunity.”

The move to 500 St. Louis Street marks a new chapter of growth for Lewis and the company’s commitment to economic development of the city. From purchase, to demolition, to renovation, Lewis has invested $7 million to bring their new office to life and has set an example for how other businesses can invest in Mobile’s economic future.

“When Lewis started the search years ago we knew that we wanted to be in the downtown Mobile area, and we particularly liked the vibe and excitement that was just beginning on St. Louis Street,” said Lewis Chairman Larry Norris. “We are delighted to be in the historic Automobile Alley District and are excited for the infrastructure upgrades and other investments and improvements coming here.”

The new office is designed to foster creativity and cross-functional teamwork and features open workspaces, stadium seating, a gym and a rooftop patio. It’s a complete overhaul of the former space, which Lewis first toured in 2018.

“In spite of the dark, dated interior with not a single window, we loved the potential — tall wooden ceilings with skylights, beams and the original (but covered-over) clerestory windows. And, secure, onsite parking for all our staff members,” said Norris, who previously oversaw renovations of Lewis’ offices in Birmingham (2015) and Nashville (2019).

Lewis worked with Jared Fulton of Chambless King Architects to design and restore the St. Louis Street property and OEC Workplace Solutions to furnish it.

The Mobile Chamber of Commerce celebrated the new office with a public Ribbon Cutting at the building on April 23, 2025. A private Open House is set for May.

**About Lewis:** Lewis is an award-winning, full-service marketing agency that delivers business growth at pivotal moments for companies. With over 70 years of experience and offices in Mobile, Birmingham, and Nashville, Lewis develops internationally acclaimed branding and creative advertising campaigns, based on our own business intelligence and data science, to deliver provable results with measurable ROI.