Marketers lament lack of data capability in measuring effectiveness

When it comes to marketing effectiveness versus advertising effectiveness, the lines can sometimes be blurred. How are marketers making the distinction and what capabilities would make their lives easier?

According to exclusive research from Marketing Week’s Language of Effectiveness Survey, when asked to define the difference marketers in many cases see advertising effectiveness as relating to measurements on a campaign level, whereas marketing effectiveness spans the 4Ps (product, place, price and promotion).

Others class ad effectiveness as relating to the ‘promotion’ element of the 4Ps, while marketing effectiveness is the measurement of the overall marketing plan, including advertising.

When it comes to measuring marketing effectiveness specifically, a quarter (24%) of the 1,610 brand-side marketers surveyed say their brand needs to develop its data and analysis capability.

Meanwhile, 14% see a need to develop or expand on their performance marketing capabilities, and a further 14% say there is an overreliance on ROI as a gauge for marketing effectiveness.

Marketers almost twice as likely to focus purely on brand over performance

Where does measuring marketing and advertising effectiveness fit in the overall strategy? While effectiveness is being measured, for some marketers there needs to be a clearer, more cohesive approach to bringing the findings together with actionable insight.

Some 8% of respondents say the marketing function is either under appreciated or not understood well enough, while 7% claim the benefits of brand marketing are not understood within their business, with too much emphasis placed on performance marketing.

Therefore, while marketers are largely in agreement regarding the differing roles of marketing and advertising effectiveness, polarising responses to how the former should be measured suggest there is still a way to go in the effectiveness journey.

Marketing Week will explore the differences between marketing and advertising effectiveness in a forthcoming feature, while also digging into who within business receives effectiveness analysis. 

To read our Language of Effectiveness content so far, click here