strategy · Load-bearing · GTM World Model v3.3

T13

The claim: A linear brand-memory stock has an equivalent exponential distributed-lag representation. Local awareness, shortlist and contribution effects require independent observations and identified variation; SaaS decay is unmeasured here.
contested load-bearing Model updated 2026-10-05

Evidence boundary

See the scoped evidence_register and qualification_protocol. Structural plausibility, descriptive surveys and laboratory benchmarks do not alone identify a local commercial policy effect.

Why this claim matters

See the scoped evidence_register and qualification_protocol. Structural plausibility, descriptive surveys and laboratory benchmarks do not alone identify a local commercial policy effect.

The mechanism

A linear memory stock and exponential distributed lag are equivalent representations under the same assumptions. Nonlinear responses and independent awareness/shortlist observations may distinguish richer models. Track validated awareness, entry points, consideration and business outcomes over time. Do not infer a universal shortlist effect or a unique stock mechanism from a fitted long lag.

Evidence for

  • Ningyin Xu — Reference Dependent Pricing — deposited 16 July 2026. Repository and dissertation. Full PDF inspected. Randomized base-price histories across 818 food-vending locations during 2024, followed by equal current-price discount conditions in 2025. Source: https://knowledge.uchicago.edu/records/8v3yz-xrr12
  • Dubé, Morozov, She and Tuchman — The Effects of Ads on Beliefs and Implications for Consumer Search — written 31 July, posted 7 August, BFI release 17 August 2026. Paper and full PDF. Preregistered experiment, 17,775 Prolific participants, simulated bookstore; randomized ads/content/price and separate belief/shopping samples avoid priming. Data are from 2025. Source: https://bfi.uchicago.edu/working-papers/the-effects-of-ads-on-beliefs-and-implications-for-consumer-search/
  • Martin Bichler — Agentic Markets — 6 June 2026. Full journal article. Conceptual synthesis of agent search, differentiation, market power and platform architecture. Source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12525-026-00906-y
  • G2 — The Answer Economy — 15 April 2026. Primary report. Commercial survey; methods/findings inspected. March online sample of 1,076 B2B decision makers and 39 marketer interviews across regions. Reports AI research alongside continued Google use and frequent inaccuracies. Source: https://learn.g2.com/g2-2026-ai-search-insight-report
  • G2 — The Evaluation Maze — 22 July 2026. Primary report. June online survey of 1,038 decision makers plus 55 interviews. Forty percent name evaluation their longest stage; 39% name security the largest post-selection delay; 49% report a CFO veto in the past year. Source: https://sell.g2.com/2026-buyer-behavior-report

Evidence against / limitations

  • Nerlove-Arrow is an established model family; local causal response and decay need identified variation and independent observations. A media pause alone cannot separate mathematically equivalent linear representations.
  • reference-history effects in this setting; reported approximately 28% profit improvement is a structural counterfactual, not deployed randomized profit uplift. Local competition and crossed-out-price cues limit transfer. C2/C5.
  • lottery-incentivized shopping, unincentivized belief reports, one advertised book, no long-run enterprise brand effect. C2/C3/C5.
  • no new calibrated market experiment. Lower technical search costs do not guarantee exhaustive search, equal information, higher welfare or a particular equilibrium. C2/C3/C7/C8.

So what: the operator implication

Track validated awareness, entry points, consideration and business outcomes over time. Do not infer a universal shortlist effect or a unique stock mechanism from a fitted long lag.

Related theses

All theses

How to cite this

@misc{shalvi_gtm_thesis_t13_2026,
  author = {Singh, Shalvi},
  title  = {GTM World Model Thesis T13},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://shalvisingh.com/gtm/theses/t13}
}

Singh, Shalvi. "GTM World Model Thesis T13." shalvisingh.com, 2026. https://shalvisingh.com/gtm/theses/t13