{"id":10762,"date":"2026-02-03T18:48:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T00:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/?p=10762"},"modified":"2026-02-03T18:48:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T00:48:41","slug":"75-of-marketers-say-their-measurement-systems-are-falling-short","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/?p=10762","title":{"rendered":"75% of marketers say their measurement systems are falling short"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"452\" src=\"https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Measurement-800x452.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Three out of four marketers say their current approaches to measurement \u2014 including attribution, incrementality and media mix modeling \u2014 aren\u2019t delivering the speed, accuracy or trust they need. That\u2019s the top finding from the \u201cState of Data 2026\u201d report by the IAB and BWG Global. Further proof, if any was needed, that marketing leaders under pressure to prove ROI are using systems built for a different era.<\/p>\n<p>Fragmented data, outdated models and long feedback loops are making it harder to connect media spend to business outcomes. Billions of dollars in investment are being made with incomplete information, often based on models that can\u2019t account for where consumers actually spend time. And with privacy changes and signal loss accelerating, the cracks are widening.<\/p>\n<p>The report reveals a mismatch between legacy measurement tools and where attention is actually going. For example, 77% of marketers say gaming is underrepresented in their marketing mix models. Commerce media (50%) and the creator economy (48%) are also significantly overlooked. That kind of underrepresentation leads to underinvestment in the channels where consumers are most engaged.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, teams are spending more time stitching together siloed data than generating insights from it. Measurement workflows are still largely manual and slow. The result: missed opportunities, misallocated budgets and marketing plans that don\u2019t match real behavior.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"605\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM-605x600.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-405437\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">AI\u2019s role in fixing what\u2019s broken<\/h2>\n<p>Amid all the dysfunction, marketers are hopeful that AI can bring meaningful change \u2014 not just to automate tasks, but to rethink how measurement works.<\/p>\n<p>According to the report, AI is expected to unlock $26.3 billion in media investment value by making measurement faster, more adaptive and more strategic. The shift is already underway in three key areas:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Speed and frequency: <\/strong>Marketers expect to move from annual or quarterly model updates to monthly, weekly or even real-time feedback loops. Incrementality testing, which has traditionally been run a few times per year, is shifting to an always-on experimentation model.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Strategy over spreadsheets: <\/strong>As AI takes over routine data tasks like classification and cleaning, teams anticipate redirecting time toward higher-value work. The report estimates this shift will drive $6.2 billion in productivity gains as marketers spend more time interpreting results and less time wrangling data.<\/li>\n<li><strong>More access to advanced tools: <\/strong>AI is helping democratize complex techniques like multi-touch attribution and cross-channel lift analysis. These models have historically been reserved for advanced teams with the technical skills to manage them. With AI, more marketers can tap into sophisticated insights without having to build the infrastructure from scratch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>About half of buy-side marketers are already scaling AI within their measurement programs. Many others are in early-stage testing or proof-of-concept phases. Unsurprisingly, analytics teams are furthest ahead. They\u2019re more than twice as likely as planning teams to be deploying AI-based workflows \u2014 largely because they already work with machine learning models and large datasets.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href=\"https:\/\/martech.org\/3-incrementality-testing-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them\/\">3 incrementality testing mistakes \u2014 and how to avoid them<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That gap is narrowing. More than 70% of teams that haven\u2019t yet scaled AI say they expect to do so by 2027.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What\u2019s slowing adoption<\/h2>\n<p>While excitement around AI is high, trust remains a major issue. Half of marketers anticipate legal, privacy or accuracy challenges in the next two years. One of the biggest concerns is the \u201cblack box\u201d problem \u2014 when AI-driven insights can\u2019t be explained or traced.<\/p>\n<p>Risk tolerance also varies by role. Executives are focused on cost, ethics and workforce impact. Practitioners are more worried about execution details \u2014 ownership, model governance and making AI work within existing workflows.<\/p>\n<p>To manage these concerns, marketers are turning to contracts. About 37% of buy-side teams say they\u2019ve already added AI-related language to partner agreements, covering areas like transparency, security and governance. That number is expected to double in the next two years, signaling that AI accountability is quickly moving from theory to practice.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What marketers should do next<\/h2>\n<p>The IAB\u2019s report outlines a clear action plan for marketers who want to modernize their measurement strategy without introducing unnecessary risk.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Push for standardization and oversight<\/h3>\n<p>Shared industry standards \u2014 such as those being developed by IAB\u2019s Project Eidos \u2014 can help ensure consistency and transparency across partners. Internally, marketers need to formalize human review processes, especially when AI is involved in budget or strategy recommendations.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <a href=\"https:\/\/martech.org\/consumers-want-less-digital-more-real-world-from-brands-in-2026\/\">Consumers want less digital, more real world from brands in 2026<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Modernize measurement methods<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>For incrementality, replace one-off tests with a calendar-based approach and use AI to monitor when retesting is needed.<\/li>\n<li>For attribution, commit to regular model rebuilds and use AI to reconcile conflicting data signals.<\/li>\n<li>For MMM, validate input data before modeling, and ensure the inclusion of channels that are often overlooked but increasingly important, like CTV and retail media.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Break down the silos<\/h3>\n<p>Rather than treating attribution, incrementality and MMM as separate models, marketers should use AI to cross-reference outputs. Divergences between models can flag deeper issues and help teams converge on a more unified view of what\u2019s really driving performance.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The shift is happening \u2014 with or without you<\/h2>\n<p>The measurement status quo is no longer sustainable. Marketers can\u2019t afford to rely on systems that underrepresent key channels, delay insights or lack transparency. AI offers a way forward \u2014 but not as a layer on top of broken processes. To fully realize its value, marketers need to rebuild their measurement frameworks with clarity, accountability and adaptability at the core.<\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<div class=\"nl-inline-form border py-2 px-1 my-2\">\n<div class=\"row align-items-center justify-content-center nl-inline-container\">\n<div class=\"col-12 pb-1\">\n<p class=\"inline-form-text text-center mb-0\">Fuel up with free marketing insights.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-auto pb-2 pb-lg-0\">\n<p class=\"inline-form-text text-center mb-0\">Email:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-8 pe-lg-0\">\n<div class=\"form-nl-inline\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-auto\">\n<p class=\"text-center mb-0\"><a class=\"nl-terms\" href=\"https:\/\/martech.org\/terms-of-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\">See terms.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/martech.org\/75-of-marketers-say-their-measurement-systems-are-falling-short\/\">75% of marketers say their measurement systems are falling short<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/martech.org\/\">MarTech<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three out of four marketers say their current approaches to measurement \u2014 including attribution, incrementality and media mix modeling \u2014 aren\u2019t delivering the speed, accuracy or trust they need. That\u2019s the top finding from the \u201cState of Data 2026\u201d report by the IAB and BWG Global. Further proof, if any was needed, that marketing leaders &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/?p=10762\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;75% of marketers say their measurement systems are falling short&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10762","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"featured_media_urls":{"thumbnail":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"medium":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"medium_large":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"large":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"inspiro-featured-image":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"inspiro-loop":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"inspiro-loop@2x":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"portfolio_item-thumbnail":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"portfolio_item-thumbnail@2x":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"portfolio_item-masonry":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"portfolio_item-masonry@2x":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"portfolio_item-thumbnail_cinema":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"portfolio_item-thumbnail_portrait":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"portfolio_item-thumbnail_portrait@2x":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false],"portfolio_item-thumbnail_square":["https:\/\/martech.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-02-at-3.22.21-PM.png",0,0,false]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10762"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10762\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attentionmedia.io\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}