The Uncomfortable Truths of Growth - APAC Marketers x Ehrenberg Bass Institute

​🚨 The Uncomfortable Truths of Growth 🚨

​📍 Ahrefs Office, Marina One

​📅 9 February 2026 | 🕡 6.00PM–9PM

​Marketing is full of "comfortable" ideals.

​That growth comes from sharper targeting.

​That differentiation is the goal.

​That performance metrics explain success.

​Most of these ideas feel right and many are rewarded in-day-to-day work, but they don’t hold up when tested against evidence.

​The Uncomfortable Truths is a presentation-led session grounded in the research of How Brands Grow, delivered by Associate Professor Justin Cohen from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute of Marketing Science.

​This session walks through the core principles that consistently explain why brands grow — even when the conclusions run counter to intuition, habit, or platform-led advice.

​What we’ll cover

• ​The Laws of growth

• ​Why mental availability matters more than persuasion

• ​How buyers enter categories

• ​The role of Category Entry Points (CEPs) in driving demand

• ​The importance of being 'easy to buy' and portfolio implications

• ​The power of distinctive brand assets

• ​What many marketing teams get wrong, repeatedly - despite good intentions

​Who this is for

• ​Marketers across brand, performance, growth, and comms

• ​In-house teams, agencies, consultants

• ​Leaders and practitioners responsible for influencing growth decisions

• ​People open to having their assumptions challenged

​Format & details

• ​Presentation + live Q&A

• ​Max 50 attendees

• ​Chatham House Rule (open, candid discussion)

• ​Light refreshments provided

​Hosted by

​APAC Marketers

​In partnership with Ahrefs

Strict 6:30PM start (Registration opens at 6 pm)

​Limited slots. Priority for APAC Marketers members