Performance vs. Branding Campaigns: Which One Should You Run First?

Whether you’re launching a new product or scaling an e-commerce brand, deciding between branding and performance marketing can feel like a tug-of-war. Both serve crucial purposes, but knowing which to prioritize—and when—can make or break your campaign results. What Is a Branding Campaign? Branding campaigns focus on awareness, recall, and sentiment. These campaigns are designed…

Whether you’re launching a new product or scaling an e-commerce brand, deciding between branding and performance marketing can feel like a tug-of-war. Both serve crucial purposes, but knowing which to prioritize—and when—can make or break your campaign results.

What Is a Branding Campaign?

Branding campaigns focus on awareness, recall, and sentiment. These campaigns are designed to introduce your brand, build trust, and create a lasting impression.

Key metrics:

• Reach

• Impressions

• Video Views

• Brand Lift
  

What Is a Performance Campaign?

Performance campaigns are built for direct results—think conversions, leads, app installs, or purchases. They’re optimized for measurable actions and ROAS.

Key metrics:

• CPA

• ROAS

• Conversion Rate

• CTR
  

When to Prioritize Branding

• Launching a new business or product

• Entering a new market

• Experiencing weak engagement or low trust

• High bounce rates or low retention
  

When to Prioritize Performance

• Already have brand recognition

• Looking to scale proven funnels

• Have solid social proof and reviews

• Limited budget focused on short-term ROI
  

The Best Approach? A Hybrid Funnel

Start with branding to build familiarity, then retarget warm audiences with high-intent performance ads. This creates a full-funnel ecosystem.

Real-World Example

A fashion brand might first run a Meta video campaign showcasing its style and story (branding), followed by catalog sales ads to drive conversions (performance).

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to pick one. The real power comes when branding builds the stage and performance brings the action.

👉 Ready to build a full-funnel strategy that balances both? Get in touch