2026 Brand vs Demand Benchmark Report

Jan 14, 2026

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Brand vs Demand: Why B2B Marketing Is Stuck in a Measurement Trap

In this episode of The Metrics Brothers, Dave "CAC" Kellogg and Ray "Growth" Rike tackle one of the most persistent and controversial questions in B2B marketing: Brand vs. Demand.

The discussion is grounded in new data from the 2026 B2B Brand vs Demand Benchmark Report. While most marketing teams say they believe brand and demand are complementary, the numbers tell a more complicated story.

Today’s reality?

Marketing budgets are still heavily skewed toward short-term demand generation, with roughly 70% of spend allocated to demand and only ~25% to brand. Yet when asked how they want to invest, marketing leaders overwhelmingly say they’d prefer a much more balanced future, closer to 50% demand and 40% brand.

So why the disconnect?

Ray and Dave dig into the root cause: measurement.

Demand generation is tied to metrics CFOs understand like pipeline dollars, opportunities, and ARR. Brand, on the other hand, is still largely measured using proxy metrics like website traffic and awareness, leaving many executives unable to confidently link brand investments to revenue outcomes. Only 28% of companies say they can directly tie brand activity to pipeline, and when budgets are cut, brand is sacrificed five times more often than demand.

The episode also explores:

Why performance marketing struggles are pushing CMOs back toward brand
The growing inefficiency of demand spend aimed at “future buyers”
How much of the “demand” budget is effectively unmeasured brand spend
The dangerous gap between belief in brand and proof of impact
Why AEO, AI search, and LLM visibility will make brand ROI even harder and more urgent to measure

Ray and Dave don’t just highlight the findings, they discuss the reality of Chief Marketing Officers making the Brand vs Demand budget allocation trade-offs.

One key takeaway? Until brand investments can be credibly connected to pipeline efficiency, win rates, and ARR, it will remain more a faith-based investment instead of a financial one the CFOs understand.

If you’re a CMO trying to defend brand spend, or a CFO trying to understand where marketing dollars truly drive growth, this episode is required listening.

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