Observed Signal · May 5, 2026 · Podcast Episode · Source: Digiday · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Brandformance Returns: Brand Health Metrics Resurge
A Digiday Podcast episode and accompanying coverage highlight a renewed industry focus on brand health metrics as marketers seek to blend brand and performance approaches ('brandformance'). Advances in measurement tools, wider access to media-mix modeling, and pressure from large language models (LLMs) to manage brand presence have driven interest in metrics like brand lift alongside ROAS and CPA. Speakers include Tim Peterson (Digiday), Kevin Goodwin (New Engen) and Kelly Ballou (Designer Brands Inc), who described DSW/DBI’s biannual brand-health tracker. Publishers also report retraining sales teams to sell brand awareness again after a performance-heavy period following the e-commerce boom.
Signals a measurable shift back toward brand measurement and hybrid brand/performance strategies; relevant to measurement vendors, agencies, publishers and advertisers but not a platform-level policy or technical change.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Digiday Podcast discussed the resurgence of 'brandformance' and renewed interest in brand health metrics.
- Kevin Goodwin, SVP of strategy at New Engen, said brand lift is linked to business outcomes and revenue.
- DSW (Designer Brands Inc) recently prioritized brand health and uses a brand health tracker fielded twice a year.
- Kelly Ballou, VP of brand and creative for North American retail at Designer Brands Inc (DBI), said she is holding the company accountable to brand health metrics.
- Publishers are retraining salespeople to pitch brand-awareness solutions after a period focused on performance advertising; media-mix modeling and AI/LLMs are cited as drivers of the shift.
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