The Recipe for Marketing Success:
Why Experimentation Matters
Why Experimentation Matters
When it comes to cooking a dish, there are many ways to achieve it. Take for example the famous alfredo sauce. Some might add half and half, some might add cream cheese, some might add parmesan and skip the milk. Perhaps, for some it's not the “original” recipe, but it still gets you a white creamy, cheesy sauce. By swapping the ingredients and trying a new garnish, one might discover a flavor never expected. Marketing works the same way. The dish represents the goal staying the same and the experimentation of the ingredients would represent the messaging, visuals and channels creating something fresh, memorable, and effective.
Ingredient #1: A Pinch of Campaign A and B Testing
While working as a campaign coordinator at Red Market Miami, we often experimented with
different strategies to communicate our events, seasonal promotions and new products.
For one of the campaigns we worked out, we tested two subject lines:
different strategies to communicate our events, seasonal promotions and new products.
For one of the campaigns we worked out, we tested two subject lines:
“Spring Refresh: Book Your Appointment Today!”
“Your New Look Is Waiting: Limited Spring Spots Left!”
Both were trying to communicate the same objective, however, even though both promoted the same service, one drove 25% more client bookings because it sounded more urgent yet more personal.
That’s the beauty of testing marketing communications, the smallest change or tweak
can change the brand’s flavor entirely.
That’s the beauty of testing marketing communications, the smallest change or tweak
can change the brand’s flavor entirely.
Ingredient #2: A Dash of Creativity + A Tablespoon of Data
Big companies don't fall into different products, segments or improvements by accident.
Take Spotify Wrapped by Spotify. They must’ve tried the concept before turning it into a global phenomenon. Another brand to think of is Airbnb. The brand tested professional photos vs. user-uploaded ones
and saw bookings jump by 40%. Meanwhile, Cracker Barrel skipped the testing phase with
their change of logo and after huge public backlash they had to go back to the
old logo in just a few days after launch.
Take Spotify Wrapped by Spotify. They must’ve tried the concept before turning it into a global phenomenon. Another brand to think of is Airbnb. The brand tested professional photos vs. user-uploaded ones
and saw bookings jump by 40%. Meanwhile, Cracker Barrel skipped the testing phase with
their change of logo and after huge public backlash they had to go back to the
old logo in just a few days after launch.
Same recipe (branding), different ingredients (processes) with wildly different outcomes.
Ingredient #3: Taste Before You Serve
Experimentation keeps brands from burning the entire dish or overspending the budget.
Testing small changes with a segmented group before a full rollout reduces the probability of risk
and keeps campaigns fresh and often successful. McKinsey reports companies using structured
testing see 2–3× better ROI than those relying on instinct alone.
Testing small changes with a segmented group before a full rollout reduces the probability of risk
and keeps campaigns fresh and often successful. McKinsey reports companies using structured
testing see 2–3× better ROI than those relying on instinct alone.
Just like cooking, it is crucial to try the whole dish before serving it.
Key Takeaways: The Recipe for Marketing Experimentation
Key Takeaways: The Recipe for Marketing Experimentation
1. Test before you launch. Small testing can help save money.
2. Data + creativity WINS.
3. Testing turns bold ideas into proven strategies.
4. Failure teaches too. A bad test costs less than a failed full campaign.
5. Customer taste buds change.
6. Experimentation keeps your brand flavors fresh.
7. Skip testing? Risk the whole dish.
Marketing experimentation isn’t about changing the recipe every time,
it’s about learning which ingredients make customers come back.
Topic: Describe the need for experimentation in marketing communications and/or in marketing as a whole.
it’s about learning which ingredients make customers come back.
Topic: Describe the need for experimentation in marketing communications and/or in marketing as a whole.