In today’s marketing landscape, everything is urgent.

Budgets are more constrained. There are more expectations. Daily data such as clicks, conversions, cost per this, and return on that, flash on dashboards. There has never been greater pressure to produce results quickly. Although performance marketing is a legitimate goal, a dangerous imbalance has developed. When they ought to be pacing, brands are running.

Welcome to the age of marketing short-termism, where immediate gains are celebrated, but long-term brand health is quietly eroded.

The Price of “Now” Thinking

In marketing, short-termism is more than simply a way of thinking. Quarterly objectives, growth-at-all-costs mindsets, and leadership that often sees marketing as an expenditure rather than an investment are the root causes of this systemic problem.

It is seen in the preoccupation with extreme discounting, clickbait content, and flash sales. Content created for algorithms rather than humans is one example of it. And it’s evident in places like Nigeria, where up-and-coming firms feel like they have to “hustle” for attention all the time.

The hitch is that although clients may convert when marketing is reduced to a collection of short-term strategies, they are seldom committed.

They don’t believe, yet they purchase.

They don’t care, yet they click.

Instead of the brand, they recall the price.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

The only things that matter in today’s crowded and distracting digital market are trust and significance. Both take time to develop; they aren’t formed in an advertising campaign, but rather via sustained narrative, emotional resonance, and message that is value-driven.

While monthly results may increase with short-term success, they do nothing to foster long-term memory structure, category dominance, or customer loyalty.

In their renowned exposition, Les Binet and Peter Field stated:

“Aim for a 60:40 split between strategic activation and long-term brand building.”

Still, a lot of companies put 90% of their effort into trying to satisfy customers right away.

Performance vs. Brand: This is not a Binary

This is not an invitation to forsake performance marketing. That would be overly simplistic. It’s a call for equilibrium, to cease regarding brand-building as merely a “nice to have” and to recognize it as a vital growth engine.

Consider your brand as a financial account. Short-term campaigns often result in frequent withdrawals. Establishing a brand creates the investments. Withdrawing continuously will inevitably lead to bankruptcy.

How to Escape the Trap: A Smarter Marketing Mindset

If marketers want to change the story and teach people who want to see results right away, we need to change how we measure value:

Think like an investor: Think about how long-term brand awareness can work to your advantage. Being aware today turns into wanting something tomorrow.

Change the KPIs: Don’t just look at CTRs. Mindshare, brand search lift, customer retention, and NPS are all things you should keep an eye on.

Show the C-suite how brand wealth lowers price sensitivity, raises term value, and makes it easier to hire people.

Tell stories that stay TRUE: Don’t just make ads, build a brand world. Not just ads that disappear in 72 hours, but also story elements that make people feel something over time.

Think in Years, Not Weeks: Every strong brand we see today, from Nike to Netflix to Paystack, was built over time, not quickly.

It’s Time to Build Again

“Sell quickly” could populate carts in the present moment. However, “build well” generates significance that endures for years.

Marketers face a decision: continue pursuing clicks in an endless cycle, or embark on the more challenging, thoughtful path, one built on brand memory, trust, and relevance. In this race, the finish line does not come at the end of the month. It resides within the thoughts and emotions of consumers five years ahead.

Create, don’t merely market. That is the way exceptional brands persist.

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