In a recent LinkedIn post, Professor Koen Pauwels, an expert in marketing and performance measurement, highlighted the most popular investment methods in marketing measurement today.
These approaches, drawn from 25 years of practice and academic research, are detailed on his site: marketingandmetrics.com
He also reminds us of an essential truth: it is no longer about choosing a measurement method, but about combining them intelligently.
An interesting approach at a time when MMM (Marketing Mix Modeling) is becoming central again in advertisers' strategies, particularly given the limitations of individual tracking and privacy concerns.
A Common Mistake: Pitting MMM, Attribution, and Lift Tests Against Each Other
Koen Pauwels identifies three frequent errors in the interpretation or use of MMM:
- Believing that MMM is sufficient for everything: MMM is powerful, but it does not replace the granular insights provided by incremental tests (e.g., geo-tests, A/B tests) or user-level attribution models.
- Thinking that other methods are obsolete: Tracking data (when available and well-structured) or test campaigns remain valuable for validating, refining, or complementing MMM results.
- Using a single method over time: MMM must be integrated into a continuous measurement framework, where it confirms trends or challenges strategic decisions made on other bases.
What mediaROI Observes in the Field
At mediaROI, we are convinced that the robustness of recommendations depends on the complementarity of data sources and analytical approaches. This is also why we support our clients in helping them structure a coherent, progressive, and actionable measurement framework, integrating MMM, Attribution, and Incrementality.