Bringing clarity to paid media: A Q&A with Major Tom expert Aaron Ward

Paid media is everywhere, and with so much advice floating around, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos. But no two brands are the same, and that means no two paid media strategies should be either. At Major Tom, we know that every decision in paid media should be driven by data—data that’s specific to your industry, your brand, and your goals.

To break down how we make that happen, we talked with Aaron Ward, our Director of Paid Media. He’s the one who leads the way, making sure every campaign we run isn't just hitting targets but is tailored to meet your needs. 

How is Major Tom’s approach to paid media different from the usual, and why does that matter for our clients?

What a great question, and I have a two part answer for it.

Firstly, what makes Major Tom's approach different from ‘the usual’ is the incredible team of multichannel specialists our clients get to work with every day. 

The people at Major Tom are truly what makes us unique; their standout talent, tenacious drive, relentless curiosity, and attention to detail not only deliver high-performance results but also equip us as an organization to handle any marketing challenge with strategic long-term impact.

Secondly, our tagline, “Find clarity in the chaos,” heavily influences our approach to paid media. We believe that strategy is choosing what not to do, and as a byproduct of choosing what not to do, marketing becomes a lot clearer and more effective!

With more platforms, audience segments, in-platform tactics, placement options, bidding objectives, emerging trends, holidays to capitalize on, and everything else… it can quickly become “chaotic.”

The specialists at Major Tom instead take a simple yet heavily data-driven approach to planning and strategizing, keeping the business's core objectives in mind. This allows our clients to know exactly what not to do and where to focus their efforts to get the best ROI for their budget while striking the right balance between long-term brand building and short-term conversion growth.

Can you share a time when sticking to one platform didn’t work, and how our varied approach got better results?

Typically, we see a one-platform approach for brands with a smaller budget, and I’ll start by saying there is no shame in this approach because it can be a cost-effective strategy. However, depending on your platform and tactics, this approach often falls short in achieving full-funnel engagement as it can limit prospect acquisition and miss out on valuable revenue from re-engaged loyal customers who are typically across a diverse range of media. 

Instead, at Major Tom, our varied full-funnel approach—which executes media campaigns across multiple platforms—is designed to effectively reach users at every stage of their journey, from awareness to purchase to advocacy. This ensures we not only drive short-term performance but also sustainable long-term brand growth.

What’s one tip you’d give clients to push their paid media strategy further without going over budget or taking big risks?

My tip is to stay informed about consumer behavior trends within your industry. This will improve campaign performance by directing campaign concepts and planning.

Right now, we’re seeing a global shift from brand loyalty to value-driven purchases, which simply means people want to save money. And this makes sense, given the economy's current state. 

A great example is Amazon's current back-to-school campaign. The opening phrase is “I love my kids, but I also love not being broke.”

To take it a step further, they nail the messaging with parent-relevant humor—the target audience in this case—while still keeping the consumer in mind. A favorite line to highlight is, “Spend less on your favorite little freeloaders,” and they finish with a relevant consumer trend tagline of, “Spend less, smile more.”

They strike a great balance between logic-driven purchase triggers and aligning with consumer behavior, while adding relatable humor parents can relate to for that emotional push.

What’s a question clients should ask about their budget or platform choices before starting a campaign with us, but often don’t? How would you answer it?

My answer should come as no surprise, but I recommend asking, “What quantitative or qualitative data is informing this marketing decision?” 

At Major Tom, we preemptively answer this question for our clients through market research and forecast predictions. But if you’re currently working with another agency or marketing department and don’t know what data is supporting decision-making, it’s time to start asking questions.

What’s a paid media trend that brands jump on too quickly, but you think they should be careful with?

A trend I often see brands jump on too quickly is short-term fads or viral trends, especially brands active on Instagram or TikTok. Sure, if you execute the creative effectively, it can provide immediate attention and even uplift KPI performance, but the reality is that it might not align with the brand's core values or long-term goals… which can confuse or alienate customers when looking at the big picture.

Also, for brands who are more budget-conscious, investing heavily in these trends can be an ineffective use of budget and often provides little business value in terms of insights or lessons to evolve from. Instead, I always suggest making decisions based on data and ensuring that your campaigns align with the brand's values, mission, and target audience.

Find clarity in chaos with Major Tom

At Major Tom, we know that real clarity in marketing starts with truly understanding what makes your brand tick. If you’re over the one-size-fits-all approach and ready for something that actually works, we can help you cut through the noise and find the strategy that fits. Contact us today to make your marketing work smarter.