For the first time ever TV is outperforming digital channels when it comes to marketing attribution.
This is a view not of a TV exec at a network upfront but rather of a digital marketer at the ADMA Data Day.
It belongs to Chris Rivett, head of marketing ANZ for Hotels Combined, speaking yesterday as part of a panel discussion that launched the ‘Marketers and Attribution’ Discussion Paper – a joint AdRoll/AdNews initiative.
The paper was the culmination of a program that comprised industry forums and research.
“For the first time we’re seeing other marketing areas out-perform us (digital marketers),” Rivett told the conference crowd at Luna Park. “TV is more robust when measuring attribution than us as digital marketers.”
Rivett said too many marketers are looking for the “silver bullet” to resolve the attribution question with “absolute certainty about exactly what happened”.
“As digital marketers we’ve got to be prepared to make some assumptions, test those assumptions, put in play models that will validate those assumptions right or wrong and use that as the basis for looking forward… (otherwise) we’re going to continue to spin our wheels.”
The panel chair, ADMA CEO Jodie Sangster, pointed to some “interesting results” from the discussion paper research that showed a big disconnect with 92% of Australian marketers knowing the importance of attribution but only 66% measuring it.
“Which means 34% aren’t measuring it at all and of those that are 34% are going with last click – which we know is wrong but we’re continuing to use it anyway.”
Optimising to the click
Panelist Ben Sharp, AdRoll ANZ managing director, noted that 85% of all clicks online are generated by just 16% of consumers, “so if we, as marketers, are optimising to the click then we are probably making some wrong decisions”.
A key take out of the research was marketers’ fears that the C-suite would say no to implementing more robust attribution models, forcing marketers to revert to last click.
“The alternatives are so expensive, difficult and challenging to sell into the C-suite,” Sharp said.
He suggested this could be mitigated against by marketers being fully educated about the alternative models amid a better understanding of adtech generally, to approach the C-suite with the confidence that knowledge brings.
Sharp said there has been a shortage of adtech talent in the market for a long time.
“It’s nothing new, educating new entrants into the market as well as continually educating ourselves is a must,” he added.
Fellow panelist Corey Topp, Crownbet community and engagement manager, said there were a lot of mixed messages about which attribution model is right.
He advocated marketers opt for custom models rather than “model x or model y”.
“Collate the information for yourself and make your own decision then try things and test things and work out what works best for you. Then change your model more often than once every 12 months,” – as the discussion paper research showed 68% of marketers do.
No two kids are the same
Rivett likened attribution to parenting: “no two kids are the same…neither are any two marketers’ attribution requirements."
According to the research more than one third (36.7%) of marketers prefer not to use agencies in their attribution mix.
Rivett said clients are in a better position to land on an attribution model that works for them than agencies, however agencies are better at upskilling than clients.
His staff spend one day a week on nothing other than “living and breathing attribution” working alongside agencies and publishers.
Unless clients are prepared to commit decent resource to manage agencies regarding attribution, “then you need to give full accountability to your agency or not brief them at all.”
Rivett employs an 80/20 rule, committing 80% of his budget with one vendor and 20% testing with another.
“If my 20% agency outruns my primary agency then it flips and they get 80% of the investment, it’s a great way to incentivise people,” Rivett added.
Asked what’s needed to overcome the hurdles to better attribution awareness and implementation, Sharp said education, bringing the right skillsets and being clear with objectives were the keys.
“With attribution you need to tie it back to your core business concepts and link it to the things that make sense and drive success for your business," Sharp added.
Download the full AdRoll/AdNews attribution discussion paper here.
By Yaffa custom content director Matt Porter and AdNews journalist Nicola Riches.
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