The old media playbook is broken. Here is how to fix it.

The old playbook for paid media is broken. Many brands are trapped in a cycle of “in-platform” success (celebrating high ROAS and low CPCs) while the business at large grapples with overstock, thinning margins, and low-value customer acquisition.

To drive genuine growth, marketing must move beyond the ad account and align with the balance sheet. In her recent talk, Claire Stanley-Manock explore how to reconnect media activity with real-world business drivers and why a shift in creative strategy is no longer optional.

Key dicussion points:

• Why commercial alignment is the starting point: Paid media only works when it reflects business needs — demand, supply, margin pressure, and customer mix.
• Why creative expectations must evolve: Raw, platform-native storytelling outperforms traditional assets and is now central to efficient, scalable growth.
• Success demands meaningful measurement: Focus on incremental impact, quality of customers acquired, and long-term contribution — not short-term ROAS.