60/40 Rule

Les Binet and Peter Field's guideline that budgets typically perform best split roughly 60% to long-term brand building and 40% to short-term activation.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

The 60/40 rule is a budgeting guideline from Les Binet and Peter Field, based on IPA effectiveness data, suggesting marketing generally performs best when roughly 60% of spend goes to long-term brand building and 40% to short-term sales activation. The ideal split varies by category and context. It cautions against overinvesting in immediately measurable performance tactics.