Observed Signal · May 13, 2026 · Analysis · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
CMOs Must Rethink ROI Beyond Short-Term Sales
Adweek contributors François Bazini and Michel Sara argue that the core problem for CMOs is a narrow definition of ROI that privileges short-term, lower-funnel activity. They warn that privileging easily measurable tactics risks shrinking the marketing role and skewing budgets away from brand-building activities such as sponsorships, PR, events, sampling and above-the-line advertising. The authors propose three fixes: better measurement tools, a broader definition of “return” (including pricing power, penetration, consideration and preference) and evaluating impact over longer time horizons. They note limits of Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and recommend complementary approaches such as Market Contact Audits (MCAs) to capture consumer experience and long-term brand value.
The article influences CMO measurement and budget-allocation thinking; its recommendations could shift demand toward broader measurement tools and market-research services, affecting MarTech and agency strategies.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Article published on Adweek on 2026-05-13 by François Bazini and Michel Sara.
- Authors contend many CMOs favor lower-funnel, short-term tactics because those returns are easier to measure.
- The piece recommends three fixes: improved measurement tools, redefining ROI to include brand metrics (pricing power, penetration, consideration, preference), and longer time horizons for evaluation.
- The authors note limits of Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and describe Market Contact Audits (MCAs) as a complementary method to measure touchpoints and consumer experience.
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