Brand Strategy Beyond Performance Metrics: How Trust Drives Long-Term Growth

In this episode of Supercharge Marketing, host Thomas Klinger sits down with Jan Liebchen, SVP & Head of Marketing at M&T Bank, to explore how brands build trust, relevance, and measurable impact in one of the most regulated and commoditized industries: banking.

Jan shares why banking products alone don’t differentiate brands—and why trust is earned not through claims, but through customer-led storytelling and consistent delivery across every touchpoint. Drawing from his global background (Germany, East Africa, and the U.S.), Jan explains how brand leaders must balance data and emotion to align internal teams and influence decision-making. “People often arrive at conclusions emotionally before they can ever digest the data,” he explains.

The conversation also dives deep into sports sponsorships as a brand strategy, including M&T’s long-standing partnership with the Buffalo Bills. Jan reframes sponsorships as an ongoing conversation with a “naturally attracted audience,” not a logo-placement exercise—and shares how M&T measures success across brand health, engagement, and long-term revenue impact. One standout analogy compares brand investment to going to the gym: if you measure results too early, the data will lie.

From navigating AI responsibly in a regulated environment to proving the long-term ROI of brand and partnerships, this episode delivers practical, executive-level insight for marketers under pressure to justify every dollar.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why banking is a “commoditized product” category—and how brand strategy creates differentiation
• How customer storytelling builds trust more effectively than brand-led claims
• The role every employee plays in delivering the brand experience
• Why brand leaders must address emotion before data to influence internal stakeholders
• How to think about AI in marketing when privacy, compliance, and authenticity matter
• Why sponsorships work best when treated as conversations, not media buys
• How to measure sponsorship ROI beyond direct sales and short-term performance
• A powerful framework for explaining why brand investments take time to pay off

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Welcome to Season 3 of Supercharge Marketing. This season isn’t just about choosing the right channels—it’s about creating content with purpose.

We’re living in a marketing-led buyer’s journey, and today’s marketers are expected to own the revenue conversation. Each episode explores how strategic content, brand thinking, and omnichannel execution come together to drive real business impact.

Whether you’re working in financial services, B2B, SaaS, or enterprise marketing, Supercharge Marketing delivers expert insights, practical frameworks, and real-world examples to help you connect brand to growth—and feel like the superhero of your marketing team. 🦸‍♂️