Measuring marketing communications: concentrate on outcomes, not outputs

This article argues that some marketing organisations become too obsessed with metrics such as brand awareness or `brand equity', to the point where they lose sight of the main objective, to achieve sales and profit (or ROI).

Measuring marketing communications: concentrate on outcomes, not outputs

Antony YoungOptimedia US and ZenithOptimedia UK

Lucy AitkenFreelance Writer

An agency colleague told us a story about meeting with the KFC franchise marketing board – a group that represented the restaurant owners and franchisees. As each restaurant contributed a percentage of sales to fund the advertising, the ad agency and the marketing director regularly met with this group to 'sell in' the advertising.

These meetings were often tense events for both the agency and the marketing director. Both parties were responsible for developing the marketing communication plans and advertising work....

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