“Fail fast” has become a go-to phrase in marketing, especially in times of economic pressure, tight budgets, and rising demand for impact. But while the intent behind the phrase is sound, its execution often misses the mark.
Instead of focusing on failing, let’s talk about winning. Faster.
Originating in the tech and startup world, the fail fast mantra encouraged rapid iteration to outpace competitors. But in marketing, this has too often translated to launching undercooked campaigns with little insight into what’s being tested, or why.
What should be a path to innovation becomes a shortcut to mediocrity.
It’s time to reframe the approach. Rather than misusing “fail fast” as a license for trial and error, marketing leaders should focus on winning quicker, applying structured, insight-driven experimentation to accelerate performance and reduce waste.
The problem with “failing fast” in marketing
When done right, agile testing should drive learning and performance. But most teams don’t have the right systems in place.
To truly benefit, you need to:
- Have a clear hypothesis
- Know what metrics matter
- Rapidly measure outcomes
- Use those insights to inform the next move
Without those elements, “failing fast” can just feel like…well, failing.
Shifting from failure to faster wins
Let’s reframe the narrative.
Instead of failing fast, let’s talk about winning quicker. That means structured experimentation with a clear path to scale what works and discard what doesn’t – efficiently, not recklessly.
Winning quicker is about minimising waste, maximising learning and accelerating success. It’s about creating a controlled environment for testing, analysing, and iterating with purpose.
How to win quicker: key principles
1. Start with a clear hypothesis
Don’t experiment for the sake of it. Be laser-focused on what you’re testing and why.
- What’s your hypothesis?
- What’s the desired outcome?
- What’s your success metric?
Our advice: Before launching a test, document your assumptions and set clear KPIs. Treat it like a mini-science project.
2. Test at the right scale
Not every campaign needs a full rollout. Test with minimum viable creative, offers, verticals or channels to prove a concept.
Our advice: Use A/B testing, pilot campaigns, or regional rollouts to validate ideas before committing full resources.
3. Prioritise high-impact tests
Not all experiments are equal. Focus on areas where small changes can drive significant impact.
- High-traffic landing pages
- Key funnel conversion points
- Email subject lines or CTAs
Our advice: Create a prioritisation matrix based on potential impact vs. effort. Tackle quick wins first.
4. Ensure fast feedback loops
If results take months to materialise, you’re not failing – or winning – quickly. Design your tests to deliver timely insights.
Our advice: Use real-time analytics, clear reporting dashboards, and fast follow-up meetings to assess and optimise on-the-fly.
5. Share learnings widely
Winning quicker also means enabling your team to build on past learnings. Too often, valuable insights stay siloed, or even forgotten completely.
Our advice: Set up a central repository of test results. Create a culture of sharing wins, losses, and insights.
Let’s raise the bar on “agile” marketing
Failing fast is not a strategy. But winning quicker, that’s where sustainable advantage lies. With the right structures in place, marketing teams can act fast and smart.
Structured testing builds organisational confidence, accelerates learning and turns decision-making from guesswork into growth.
So, if you’re being challenged to make smarter marketing moves, faster, let’s talk about how we can help you shift from ‘failing fast’ to ‘winning quicker’, and do it with confidence.
Jamie MacDow, Head of Client Services
Jamie MacDow, Head of Client Services at onebite, is a strategic and creative problem solver with over 30 years agency-side experience in the marketing and creative industry. During this time, Jamie has won many awards for his client-focussed solutions across the B2Bs, ANAs, UK Content Awards…amongst others.
As well as being a Founding Member of MarketReach by Royal Mail, Jamie has given talks to British Ambassadors, spoken on webinars and podcasts, and created content around our beloved marketing landscape. Somehow, in between all of this, Jamie has also realised a life-long dream and written a fiction novel. Today, Jamie is as focussed on helping brands, big and yet-to-be-big, solve their challenges as he is on agency growth and team happiness.
