Eric Sloan
How to spot bad marketing reports
TL;DR Many marketing reports are fluff disguised as research. The biggest red flag? Headline numbers showing spectacular results without providing methodology, data sources, or context. This is especially true when basic averages are used without indicators of the spread of the data. Averages don't mean typical, especially in marketing where data is rarely normally distributed, or in reports with small or specific samples. Before trusting any report, demand transparency: methodology, sample details, data spread, and discussion of limitations. Use multiple sources to identify patterns, but never substitute benchmarks for your own testing. Stay skeptical, ask better questions, and build strategies on solid ground rather than marketing spin.
4 minute readBeyond attribution: understanding the incremental impact of your marketing
Originally published September 2023, updated July 2025 for relevancy TL;DR The world of marketing measurement is complex and traditional attribution methods often fail to share the whole story. We believe that incrementality is a more reliable determiner of revenue outcomes than many attribution models. Incrementality is all about measuring the real impact of our ads – the stuff that wouldn't have happened without them. We measure incrementality in two ways: experiments and testing media mix modeling To get started, we suggest running small experiments and begin building an understanding of how different media channels contribute to top-line revenue.
9 minute readMeasuring incrementality with geo experiments
TL;DR: Geo experiments can show us the real sales impact of ad campaigns but should be designed and interpreted carefully. These experiments assess how advertising influences sales without compromising privacy, dividing regions into test and control groups. It's crucial to consider regional variables, historical data shifts, and test duration when designing experiments — validating results through multiple tests is essential. This form of measurement can help us with over-reliance on cookie-based attribution.
7 minute readMarketing measurement in 2024
Winners and losers in a changing measurement landscape TL;DR cookies are going away and we're not sad about it (they weren't as effective as they promised to be anyhow) but modern marketers still need to adjust their measurement strategy. As of right now, organizations can rely on experimentation, mixed media modeling, qualitative surveys, and monitoring business performance (in addition to cookies, as long as we have them). We believe marketing teams that fully embrace experimentation and other statistical measurement techniques in 2024 and beyond are going to win against teams delaying the transition away from cookies. A culture of experimentation is the only way for marketers to win going forward.
7 minute read