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All Dots Connected · Ep. 18
Bring finance in early: Carolyn Pollock on funding brand with MMM and incrementality tests
Carolyn Pollock, Former CMO, Tailored Brands
In this episode
Carolyn Pollock, former CMO of Tailored Brands, explains how she used media mix modeling and matched-market incrementality tests to justify more upper-funnel brand spend. She also covers leading teams through change, managing through the COVID collapse in suit demand, and why marketers need to become generalists. A practical view on earning finance's trust for brand investment.
Key takeaways
01
Pair MMM with incrementality tests to fund brand with confidence
At Tailored Brands, Pollock used media mix modeling alongside incrementality tests across matched markets to increase investment in upper-funnel brand marketing. The model works as a living tool: test channels, feed the results back in, refine. That loop made brand spend defensible rather than a leap of faith.
02
Involve finance before the model is polished
Pollock's key lesson is to bring finance leaders into the modeling process early rather than waiting to present finished results. Doing so builds trust and alignment for brand investments that are often seen as riskier and harder to measure.
03
Control the controllables when demand disappears
COVID wiped out demand for suits overnight. Pollock responded with detailed budget reviews, cutting non-essential spend to preserve funds for high-impact media. Giving the team concrete actions kept them moving amid uncertainty.
04
Assess team capability honestly and act quickly during change
Pollock distinguishes between people with the aptitude to adapt quickly and those who resist change. She is candid that hard conversations are required when someone no longer fits the company's evolving needs. Swift, clear action, she argues, benefits both the business and the individual.
05
The pendulum is swinging back to generalists
Pollock argues that after decades of specialist roles, the most successful marketers will understand how channels and capabilities connect as a whole. Generative AI speeds up the shift, because someone has to guide and contextualize what the tools do. She pushes her teams toward cross-functional projects to build that fluency.
What operators can apply
- Bring your finance lead into the MMM process at the first draft, not the final readout.
- Validate model outputs with matched-market incrementality tests and feed the results back into the model.
- Give high-potential marketers cross-functional projects that build fluency beyond their specialty.
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