During last month’s PROMO Expo in Chicago, I was lucky enough to moderate a town meeting-style session on ROI metrics. Scheduled for early morning on the last day of the conference, it was mere hours after many attendees had toddled in from celebrating wins at the Pro Awards gala held the prior night. While we had recruited a dynamic panel of ROI experts, each of whom had agreed to a freewheeling format, I wasn’t sure how many to expect in the audience. ▪ I needn’t have wondered. At least among Expo attendees, ROI is a burning concern. Ten minutes into the hour-long session, late-comers were forced to actually sit in the front row for a chair. To warm up the crowd, I had prepped a few questions for panelists Pam Batalis (VP, Brand Keys, New York City), Mark Blankenship (president of Euro RSCG-Chicago), Erik Long (senior engagement officer, Prophet, Chicago) and Myles Kleeger (senior VP and general manager, AMP-East Coast). We began by discussing what brands are measuring against marketing investments: incremental sales, impressions, retail installations, etc. We then dug into what brands — and their agencies — should really be measuring. This is where the crowd began to clamor. ▪ As marketing evolves beyond the old “above-the-line/below-the-line” paradigm, the metrics of coupons redeemed, samples pushed or register sales on event day are increasingly inadequate. Instead, the folks in the room wanted guidance on likelihood to purchase, optimal periods of engagement, sorting out the impact of each interwoven thread in an integrated campaign. Some called for standardization; others advised them not to hold their breath in a free market across hundreds of industries and brands. Everyone agreed more questions, more research and more data were needed. ▪ We only had an hour, and could have gone on for five. That was frustrating — and exhilarating. That passion keeps us here at PROMO working with you to ask the right questions, even when complete answers may be unattainable.
