Observed Signal · Jun 26, 2026 · Research / Survey · Source: Digiday · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
CMOs Struggle to Prove Value of Ad Creative
A Digiday Future of Marketing briefing highlights that many chief marketing officers lack confidence in proving the effectiveness of ad creative to finance teams. A Gain Theory survey of 115 brand marketers found 49% were not confident their data could defend marketing decisions to a CFO, and 62% said they were buying media carrying creative assets whose true value was unknown. Marketers apply more scrutiny to media than creative, while most generative-AI investment targets efficiency rather than measurement. The piece cites advertisers (Lenovo) running integrated media-and-creative measurement with partners (Seedtag, Kantar, Lumen) that delivered measurable brand lifts, and notes measurement vendors (Mutinex, System One) reporting growth. The article frames a widening “confidence gap” that has already led to budget cuts for some marketers and is driving increased investment in measurement and AI-driven MMM approaches.
The piece highlights an industry-wide measurement gap around creative effectiveness that is driving budget reallocation, vendor growth (MMM and measurement firms), and increased investment in measurement tools — a meaningful operational concern for marketers and measurement vendors.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Gain Theory surveyed 115 brand marketers and reported 49% were not confident their data could help defend marketing decisions to a CFO.
- 62% of marketers in the Gain Theory study said they were spending on media that carried creative assets whose true value was unknown.
- 59% of surveyed marketers said they apply more scrutiny to media effectiveness than to creative, while only 36% apply the same level of scrutiny across both.
- Mutinex, an AI media-mix-modeling firm, claimed 150% year-on-year growth in 2025.
- System One reported U.S. revenue growth of 3% in the first half of its 2026 financial year.
Connected Companies & Entities
10 Entities mapped“The study by the WPP-owned firm, which included 115 brand marketers, also found a disparity between the rigor used to question media investm...”
“Similarly, recent Forrester research suggested that the bulk of generative AI investments (81%) were directed toward creating efficiency ini...”
“Gain Theory’s study sits in awkward contrast with the frothy celebration of advertising creativity currently wrapping up on the Cote d’Azur ...”
“This Future of Marketing Briefing covers the latest in marketing for Digiday+ members and is distributed over email every Friday at 10 a.m. ...”
“Gain Theory’s study sits in awkward contrast with the frothy celebration of advertising creativity currently wrapping up on the Cote d’Azur ...”
“Electronics brand Lenovo, for example, recently ran a campaign supporting its British B2B business in the run-up to the World Cup, which it ...”
“Lenovo worked with Seedtag, as well as Kantar and Lumen, for brand lift and attention studies intended to gauge the impact of both its media...”
“The campaign used a strategy designed with ad tech firm Seedtag that involved contextual targeting (in particular, a solution combining neur...”
“AI media mix modeling (MMM) firm Mutinex claimed to have recorded 150% year-on-year growth in 2025....”
“And CPG firms like Hershey’s are building bespoke measurement frameworks with partners like Tracer and Mutinex, using AI agents to speed up ...”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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