Arby's Hires a Papa John's Veteran to Chase Brand and Sales at Once
TL;DR: Arby's has appointed Jenna Bromberg, a Papa John's marketing veteran, as its new chief marketing officer, with a mandate to balance long-term brand-building against the constant pressure for short-term sales.
Every marketer lives with the same tug-of-war: build the brand for tomorrow, or drive sales today. Arby's new CMO has been hired to referee exactly that fight.
The fast-food chain has brought in Jenna Bromberg, formerly of Papa John's, to lead its marketing — a hire framed explicitly around balancing brand-building with sales growth.
A hire that names the tension
It is telling that Arby's described the role in terms of balance. Casual and fast-food dining has become obsessed with value and promotions, and the risk is that endless discounting erodes the brand it is meant to support.
Bringing in a leader with experience at another challenger brand signals Arby's wants both: the distinctiveness that drives long-term preference and the activation that moves this quarter's numbers.
Why brand and performance both matter
The evidence is clear that brands which invest only in short-term performance eventually see diminishing returns, while those that neglect activation struggle to convert attention into sales. The healthy split is both, not either.
A CMO's real job is managing that ratio over time — leaning into brand when the pipeline is healthy and into performance when it needs a push, without letting either starve.
What smaller businesses can learn
The brand-versus-performance tension is not just a big-brand problem. The corner shop that only ever runs discounts trains customers to wait for the next one; the one that only builds image may not ring the till this month.
The discipline is to protect a portion of your budget for brand-building even when sales pressure is high. Short-term tactics spend the equity that long-term brand work creates.
Quick FAQ
Who is Arby's new CMO?
Jenna Bromberg, a marketing veteran from Papa John's, has been appointed chief marketing officer at Arby's to balance brand-building with sales growth.
Why does the brand-versus-performance balance matter?
Brands that only chase short-term sales eventually erode their equity, while those that neglect activation struggle to convert attention. Long-term success needs both.
Hiring a CMO to 'balance brand and sales' is really an admission that too many brands had tipped too far into discounting. Short-term tactics spend the equity that brand-building creates — protect some budget for tomorrow, even when today is shouting. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Performance marketing spends the brand equity that brand-building creates — healthy marketing funds both, even under pressure.
When sales pressure hits, is your brand-building budget protected — or is it the first thing you cut?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Marketing Dive, MediaPost, Restaurant Dive, Chief Marketer.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
