Defending Brand Marketing – Why Is It So Hard? | MMA / Marketing + Media Alliance
The Great Debates

Defending Brand Marketing – Why Is It So Hard?

Nov 19, 2025 Global
David Mogensen David Mogensen VP of Global Marketing, Uber
Joel Rubinson Joel Rubinson MMA MTA Expert & President, Rubinson Partners, Inc.
Ben Skrainka Ben Skrainka Principal Economist, Amazon
Jim Lecinski Jim Lecinski Clinical Professor of Marketing, Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management
Marci Raible Marci Raible VP, Integrated Marketing, Campbell Soup Co.

Brand marketing remains under constant scrutiny—often the first to face cuts when budgets tighten. Why? This session will explore the persistent challenge of defending brand investment inside the boardroom. We’ll unpack what marketers are getting right (and wrong) in how they measure brand impact. Learn how to reframe brand as a long-term value driver, not a discretionary spend, and gain practical strategies to protect and prioritize brand investment.