INSIGHTS
Field notes on what actually moves growth - strategy, tech and the systems behind both.
We build and test marketing systems for a living - across financial services, considered-purchase consumer, industrial, and media - and this is where we show our workings. The frameworks we use, the tactics that compounded, and the ones that quietly failed (and exactly why). Some of it is long-form deconstruction. Some is closer to working notes than essays. All of it is written by me - not a content team, not a model left running unattended.
Most marketing content is engineered to flatter you. I'd rather hand you what we've actually seen at the coalface, including the expensive mistakes and the dead ends. If something here breaks how you're thinking about your own growth model - good. That's the point.
— Tim Parkman, Founder
Marketing Doesn’t Need a Redo. It Needs a Rethink.
Most marketing is built to impress — not perform. This post lays out why that approach fails fast (especially for brands without dominant market share), and how a 5% mindset and connected ecosystem can change everything.
Awareness. Performance. But What About What Happens in the Middle?
Everyone loves to say Radio’s for Brand and Search is for action. But what if they work better together? This post looks at what happened when we layered a trusted sponsorship on top of an existing Radio plan — and how it lit up Search activity in ways no one expected. Sponsorship isn’t soft. It’s performance, amplified.
“How long should a video be?” Wrong question.
We’ve all heard it — attention spans are shrinking, keep it short, no one watches long videos. But here’s the truth: people do watch long videos. Just not boring ones — and be careful how you define boring.
Happy Customers Don’t Leave Reviews
Your best customers?
They love what you do.
They tell their friends.
But ask them to leave a Google review? …
“Just Putting it in a Magazine” Isn’t a Enough.
Sponsored content shouldn’t be a one-and-done. This piece shows how to stretch a single article across multiple channels — and why trusted placements matter more than ever in the age of AI search.
Nobody Wants Your Newsletter.
People aren’t looking to sign up — they’re looking to stay informed. This post shows how to turn passive forms into high-performing entry points by showing up at the right moment, in the right way.
I Skip ‘em — They Look Like Marketing
Even useful messages get ignored if they look like marketing. This post dives into why presentation matters, and how to earn attention by meeting people where they are — not shouting from the sidelines.
The Hard Way Actually Works.
When you can’t outspend the big players, you need a smarter system. This piece breaks down how challenger brands win by focusing on consistency, building trust and the 5% of marketing that actually drives results.
The Strategy Trap
When performance drops, most teams jump straight to tactics — tweak the ads, shift the budget, try something new. But without revisiting the strategy, all you’re doing is moving faster in the wrong direction.
Marketing Like an Athlete.
Most brands overtrain a few favourite channels and ignore the rest. This piece explores why balanced, all-round marketing performance — just like elite sport — wins the long game.
Your App’s Not Underperforming — It’s Just Undiscovered.
You can build a brilliant app — but if it’s not showing up in search — you’re in trouble. This guide breaks down how App Store Optimisation (ASO) helps you get found, get downloaded, and stay ahead — from smarter keywords to sharper visuals and better reviews.
Google’s AI Overviews Set to Launch in Australia, with New Zealand Likely to Follow Soon.
In a move set to reshape the search landscape, Google is rolling out its highly anticipated AI Overviews feature …