Confessions of a Reformed Performance Marketer with Ryan Sullivan, GoodRx CMO

Only 15% of brand assets are truly distinctive. GoodRx broke their industry’s mold with a prairie dog sidekick and singing cowgirl. But behind the bold creative lies a data-driven philosophy that challenges everything performance marketers think they know.

This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob sit down with Ryan Sullivan, CMO of GoodRx. Ryan shares his evolution from hardcore performance marketer to someone who questions the very foundations of digital attribution. Learn why he's skeptical of multi-touch attribution, how GoodRx measures success through triangulation, and why increasing "surface area" matters more than hyper-targeting.

Topics covered:

• [05:00]Why brand search attribution is misleading
• [08:30]The hidden costs of programmatic display advertising
• [15:00]GoodRx's unique challenge of reaching out-of-market consumers
• [19:30]Creating distinctive brand assets with the Savings Wrangler
• [32:00]Building confidence through triangulated measurement
• [36:00]The concept of "free marketing" and reducing control

To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.


Resources:
2025eMarketer Article: https://www.emarketer.com/content/goodrx-s-new-feel-good-campaign-seeks-break-through-healthcare-advertising-noise
/>
Ryan Sullivan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjsullivan/
/>
GoodRx Website: https://www.goodrx.com/
/>

Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.