In a recent AdAge feature, Acadia’s Jared Belsky talks how mid-size brands are leveraging their leaner structures to outmaneuver large, resource-heavy corporations through extreme agility - a concept Acadia CEO Jared Belsky calls the "mid-market advantage."
By relying on versatile marketing generalists and bypassing bureaucratic red tape, these brands can execute bold campaigns and pivot budgets rapidly, though they often need agency support to keep up with emerging tech like AI.
Highlights
Speed over bureaucracy: Unlike large enterprises bogged down by committees, mid-market brands can launch bold campaigns in days (e.g., Perkins's one-week "Piedecker" burger launch).
The power of hybrid generalists: Leaner teams benefit from marketers who oversee broad portfolios across multiple channels, allowing them to shift budgets to the most profitable areas rather than fighting for siloed spend.
The technology gap: A key challenge for stretched-thin mid-market CMOs is finding the time to adopt emerging AI tools, making agency partnerships vital for tech education.
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