“Agar ROI chahiye, toh performance karo. Agar brand chahiye, toh wait karo.”
That’s what most marketers are told.
But yeh soch purani ho chuki hai, yaar. 2025 mein, dono chahiye. ROI bhi. Brand recall bhi. Aur smart marketers ab dono ka balance dhoond rahe hain.
Why Balance Matters — Impact on ROI & Long-Term Growth
Imagine you’re pouring water into two buckets—one shows results fast (performance), the other slowly builds up a reservoir (brand). Ignore one for too long, and your entire garden suffers.
Most Indian startups make the mistake of chasing immediate growth with Facebook/Google ads, lekin brand pe dhyaan nahi dete. End result? Unko yaad hi nahi rakha jata.
Integrated strategies deliver 25–100% more ROI. According to Improvado.io, brands who balance both sides see way better compounding results.
Brands Beat Performance 80% of the Time
2021 mein Airbnb ne performance ads bandh kar diye. Log shocked ho gaye. But brand marketing ne unka traffic 20% se zyada bada diya.
Analytic Partners reports brand-led strategies outperform performance 80% of the time in long-term ROI. Yet most marketers over-invest in performance.
Soch ke dekho — kya apne customer ko baar-baar discount se yaad rakhwana chahoge ya ek strong story se?
Ideal Budget Splits by Business Type
60/40 Brand-Performance (Binet & Field Model)
Les Binet & Peter Field ne jo 60:40 ratio diya tha, ab bhi relevant hai. Especially for established brands.
- B2C: 60% brand, 40% performance
- B2B: Often 50/50 or even 40% brand (kyunki trust banana is ROI)
Use 40–60% Brand for Maximal ROI Integration
WARC analysis bhi yeh bolta hai — brand spend between 40–60% gives the sweet spot. Kyunki jab trust banta hai, toh CAC kam hota hai.
Example: Intrepid Travel ne jab 50/50 budget split kiya, unki bookings 68% tak badh gayi. (Source: LinkedIn, The Australian)
Metrics to Evaluate Both Sides
Brand Metrics
- Brand lift: Surveys, aided recall
- Brand equity: NPS, sentiment analysis
- Share of voice: Kya log tumhare baare mein baat kar rahe hain?
Performance Metrics
- CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
- Conversions (Sign-ups, sales, downloads)
Hybrid Metrics
- Engagement-to-conversion rates
- Ad recall + brand search uplift
- Content depth → funnel movement
Real-World Case Studies
Airbnb’s Brand Bet
Challenge: Rising ad costs, saturation
Strategy: Pause paid, focus on brand storytelling
Result: +20% traffic growth from organic + word-of-mouth
Intrepid Travel’s 50/50 Formula
Challenge: Plateaued performance metrics
Strategy: Equal split between influencer branding and retargeting ads
Result: +68% bookings in 6 months
Zomato’s India Story
Their “Zomato Premier League” campaign blends memes, cricket, and branding. But performance ads are layered to push installs and usage.
Trend Insights for 2025
- AI attribution models are becoming mainstream
- 50%+ brands increasing creator/influencer spends (Source: Vogue Business)
- Brands worried about platform reliance (Meta, Google ad changes)
- Seasonal uplift in brand searches post performance campaigns (Source: RainForGrowth)
Tactical Roadmap to Adjust Your Budget Mix
- Audit current spend – Are you blindly boosting posts?
- Classify goals – Awareness vs Conversions vs Retention
- Use attribution models – Last click is NOT the full picture
- Allocate 40–60% to brand for long-term compounding
- Mix media types – TV, podcast, influencers, content SEO + PPC
- Review quarterly – Benchmark KPIs from both sides
FAQs
What percentage of budget should go to brand vs performance?
For most brands, 40–60% to brand and the rest to performance is ideal. Depends on maturity and goals.
How often should I re-balance my mix?
Every 3–6 months. New campaigns, seasonality, and market shifts demand it.
How to measure brand marketing ROI?
Track metrics like aided recall, branded search volume, share of voice, and tie them to organic conversions over time.
Conclusion
Too much performance, and your brand becomes forgettable. Too much brand, and cash burn ho sakta hai.
Smart marketers in 2025 will stop fighting between the two. They’ll integrate both—like biryani and raita. Alag nahi, saath mein.
Apne budget ko paisa vasool banane ka time aa gaya hai.
Run a quarterly audit, adjust your mix, and move beyond short-term wins. That’s how great brands are built in India—and beyond.
Want a done-for-you budget planner with 2025 benchmarks? DM me “MIX” and I’ll send you a free ROI model spreadsheet.
Author: Vishal Ravate – Marketing Strategist, Coach, and Desi Growth Hacker.