Practical marketing lessons from our recent Growth/Brand webinar.

As businesses scale, performance marketing often takes the lead. But when growth comes at the expense of brand, the long-term impact can quietly derail your momentum.

In our recent webinar, The Growth/Brand Balance: Driving performance without losing identity, we spoke with three marketing leaders about how fast-growing teams are navigating this tension, while finding better ways to scale.

Here’s what they shared.

1. Brand and performance aren’t in competition, but they need different things

It’s not about choosing brand or performance, it’s about knowing when and how to invest in each.

As Simon Knowles, Managing Director of Essential-Edge and Fractional CMO, explained, brand is often neglected because performance is easier to measure. But a strong brand makes performance work better by improving conversion, retention, and even recruitment.

Tip for founders: Build your brand with the same focus you give your funnel. Define your voice and tone early, and use them consistently.

2. Don’t wait for performance to drop before investing in brand

As Simon Ellis, Managing Director at Clockwise put it, brand is the connective tissue across everything, not just your logo or tone. It affects how your team talks, how customers feel, and how your business grows.

Waiting until results dip to focus on brand usually means more time, more cost and subsequently more cleanup.

For scaling teams: Start small – even a clear tone of voice guide and messaging framework can help you scale more cohesively.

3. Performance still matters, but it needs context

Simon Childs, Founder and Managing Director at Childsey, reinforced that performance marketing is still critical, especially in early-stage growth. But without brand direction, performance alone can lead to scattered messaging and short-term thinking.

Takeaway: Link your performance results to longer-term goals like brand recognition, customer quality and lifetime value, not just click-through rates.

4. Use AI, but don’t let it flatten your brand

All three speakers agreed: AI is a helpful tool, but only when guided by a clear brand voice. Without that, content becomes generic fast.

Advice: Use AI to support your team, not replace your strategy. Let it accelerate execution, but keep creative oversight in-house.

5. There’s no one-size-fits-all mix — but there is a right mindset

Your marketing mix will depend on your growth stage, team, and goals. But every business benefits from regular check-ins on what’s working, and what’s drifting.

Final thought

If you’re growing fast, you need both brand and performance, and the ability to shift between them. Align your strategy, stay consistent, and let each inform the other.

For full insights, watch the full webinar recording here.

 

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