Welcome to 2026! As we predicted back in October, we are expecting this year to be a very volatile one in marketing and media (already, see the Netflix/WBD merger [or not] news).

B2C marketing leaders are also still managing the effects of tariff uncertainty, supply chain disruptions, and global conflicts. Marketing tactics and strategies must flex to accommodate market shifts, so marketers need reliable, repeatable, and expandable measurement approaches to understand their impact. Like a modern driver relies on Waze or Google Maps to navigate traffic and road closures, marketers should be using advanced marketing measurement as a GPS for growth.

A measurement-driven culture builds confidence by placing measurement at the center of decision-making. By basing their actions on trusted, repeatable, data-backed models, organizations can move forward knowing that they have performance guardrails in place that will signal when something is going differently than expected. And they can then pivot as necessary.

Three Key Tenets Power A Clear Measurement Vision

I recently published research to help clients understand the competencies required for consistent marketing measurement effectiveness. To build a measurement-driven culture, organizations need to do three things:

  • Create and execute a measurement data strategy. Clean, complete, and usable data powers effective measurement. Make a detailed plan to centralize and standardize your data processes and taxonomies.
  • Follow a centralized and continuous measurement process. A defined process embeds consistent standards across measurement initiatives. Repetition of the process builds history and provides ongoing signals for investment, which anchors measurement as a key business driver.
  • Build and partner to maximize measurement capabilities. Few organizations have the resources required for exclusively self-developed measurement solutions. Take advantage of the broad availability of advanced measurement solutions at a variety of price points and service levels to enhance your measurement program.

Other Research

In addition to this piece of research, we’ve also recently published a number of other reports to help marketers improve their measurement efforts:

Coming up in the next few months, I will be researching the impact of generative and agentic AI in marketing measurement and best practices for successful implementation of MMM.

Request a guidance session with me to discuss how to apply these measurement recommendations and best practices in your own organization to stay ahead in 2026.