In an industry where products are largely indistinguishable and regulations limit personalization, one bank leader is redefining how brand trust is built and measured. In this episode of the Supercharge Marketing podcast, Jan Liebchen, SVP and Head of Marketing at M&T Bank, explains why trust, not tactics, is the real currency of brand growth and why measuring brand too early can lead even the most data-driven organizations to the wrong conclusions.
From customer-led storytelling to high-impact sports sponsorships, Jan shares how M&T builds authentic brand connections in banking, one of the most regulated and commoditized industries in the world, while still proving long-term ROI.
Meet Jan Liebchen
Jan Liebchen is the SVP and Head of Marketing at M&T Bank, where he leads brand strategy, activation, and sponsorships across one of the largest regional banks in the United States. With a global background spanning Germany, East Africa, and the U.S., Jan brings a rare blend of analytical rigor and emotional intelligence to modern brand leadership.
At M&T, Jan has helped evolve the bank’s approach to brand trust through customer storytelling, internal alignment, and long-standing partnerships, most notably with the Buffalo Bills and the Baltimore Ravens. His work demonstrates how brand marketing can influence culture, strengthen community ties, and drive measurable business impact over time.
What You’ll Learn
- Why banking is a commoditized category and why brand trust is the real differentiator: When everyone offers the same tools, differentiation comes from knowing how and when to use them for customers.
- How customer storytelling builds trust more effectively than brand claims: Why letting clients speak in their own words carries more credibility than any campaign tagline.
- The hidden challenge of internal brand alignment: How enrolling employees across the organization is essential to delivering a consistent brand experience.
- Why emotion comes before data in decision-making: Jan explains why even the strongest data will not land until emotional resistance is addressed first.
- How to use AI responsibly in regulated industries: Where AI can unlock insights and efficiency, and where it risks eroding authenticity and trust.
- What most marketers misunderstand about sponsorship ROI: Why sponsorships are conversations, not media buys, and how to measure success beyond short-term sales.
- The gym analogy every brand leader needs: Why measuring brand like performance marketing leads to false negatives, and how patience unlocks proof.
Why You Should Care
As marketing teams face growing pressure to justify spend through immediate performance metrics, brand leaders are increasingly forced to defend investments that compound over time. Jan’s perspective challenges the short-term thinking that dominates many organizations today.
His core insight is simple but powerful. Brand works, but only if you give it time to work. Measuring brand impact too early is like going to the gym for one day and concluding exercise does not work. Trust, credibility, and cultural relevance are built through consistency, activation, and belief long before the data fully matures.
Whether you are leading brand at a financial institution, managing partnerships in B2B, or trying to prove the long-term value of marketing in a performance-obsessed organization, this episode offers a practical framework for connecting brand strategy to sustainable growth.
Ready to rethink how you measure brand and ROI?
Tune in to this episode of the Supercharge Marketing podcast and subscribe for more conversations that help you connect brand strategy to real business impact. Share it with a colleague who is wrestling with brand measurement, sponsorship ROI, or long-term growth strategy.
