Glossary/Brand & Performance Marketing/The Long and the Short of It
Brand & Performance Marketing
The Long and the Short of It
Binet and Field's finding that a mix of long-term brand and short-term activation works best.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
The Long and the Short of It is a study by Les Binet and Peter Field finding that a mix of long-term brand building and short-term sales activation works best. Activation drives immediate sales but fades quickly, while emotional brand advertising builds lasting growth. The work is widely cited when marketers decide how to balance budgets.