In this episode of Talk Commerce, host Brent Peterson welcomes Mallory Wilberding, Director of Sales at fusepoint, for an insightful conversation about modern marketing measurement strategies. This discussion dives deep into the complexities of post-iOS 14.5 measurement challenges, the limitations of traditional ROAS metrics, and how brands can implement more sophisticated measurement approaches that actually tie back to P&L impact. Throughout the conversation, Mallory shares practical insights from her experience at Meta (formerly Facebook) and her current work helping brands navigate the evolving measurement landscape.
Key Takeaways
• Traditional platform ROAS metrics don’t accurately reflect true marketing ROI impact on profit and loss statements
• Incremental ROAS provides better insights than standard ROAS by measuring actual additional revenue generated
• Different types of measurement answer different business questions – there’s no single source of truth
• Media mix modeling combined with incrementality testing creates a comprehensive measurement approach
• Top-of-funnel brand investments require longer measurement windows than bottom-funnel conversion campaigns
• Always-on testing culture helps brands learn from both successes and failures to optimize performance
• Marketing measurement should inform budget allocation decisions by identifying where the next dollar will be most impactful
About Mallory Wilberding
Mallory brings extensive experience from the advertising technology and e-commerce sectors to her role at fusepoint. Her career began at Meta (previously Facebook), where she worked with major spending brands during the critical iOS 14.5 transition period. This experience solidified her passion for measurement and led her to specialize in ad tech consulting focused on measurement solutions.
Currently serving as Director of Sales at fusepoint, Mallory works directly with brands to develop custom measurement strategies and strategic plans. She’s responsible for introducing fusepoint’s data team capabilities to the market and helping brands answer the crucial “what now” questions that arise from measurement data. Her expertise spans media mix modeling, incrementality testing, and translating complex measurement insights into actionable business strategies.
Episode Summary
The conversation begins with Mallory explaining fusepoint‘s unique positioning in the measurement space. Unlike traditional measurement tools that simply provide data, fusepoint operates as both a data service and consultancy, focusing on strategic guidance and answering the “what now” questions that emerge from measurement analysis.
Mallory discusses the significant impact of iOS 14.5 on marketing measurement, explaining how the loss of detailed consumer data forced brands to seek new measurement approaches. “Facebook knew my future firstborn child’s name,” she notes, highlighting how dramatically data access has changed. This shift created demand for various measurement tools, but Mallory emphasizes that “not all measurement is created equal” – different measurement types answer different business questions.
The discussion moves to common measurement mistakes, particularly the overreliance on vanity metrics like platform ROAS. Mallory explains why these metrics fail to show true marketing impact: “A lot of brands, even a lot of finance teams that are helping create these benchmarks that marketers are aiming for, they’re so used to having these metrics and platform that that’s just what has become the gold star for a lot of teams. But what it’s missing is the actual tie back to the ROI of that marketing investment.”
She advocates for incremental ROAS as a superior metric because it measures true additional impact rather than simply tracking last-click attributions. This approach helps answer strategic questions like “where will my next dollar be spent because of its most impactful placement.”
The conversation explores testing methodologies, with Mallory referencing successful approaches like those used at Booking.com, where teams aim for 10% success rates while learning from the 90% of tests that don’t meet expectations. She emphasizes the importance of proper test execution, noting that different campaign types require different testing durations and methodologies.
Regarding AI and automated advertising platforms like Google’s Performance Max, Mallory shares insights from fusepoint’s extensive testing. Their approach combines media mix modeling with incrementality testing to understand true performance, often revealing surprising results about campaign effectiveness that wouldn’t be apparent from platform metrics alone.
For Black Friday and Cyber Monday preparation, Mallory recommends year-round measurement rather than seasonal approaches. She explains that understanding customer behavior patterns, purchase journeys, and optimal dollar allocation throughout the year creates the foundation for maximizing high-intent seasonal periods.
When discussing growth strategies for brand marketers, Mallory encourages investment in full-funnel approaches, particularly top-of-funnel brand building that may take quarters to show returns. She also emphasizes the importance of incorporating COGS and other operational costs into marketing analysis to demonstrate true marketing impact to finance teams.
The conversation concludes with practical advice for securing CFO buy-in for measurement investments, focusing on demonstrating clear connections between measurement insights and revenue impact.
Final Thoughts
This episode reinforces that effective marketing measurement goes far beyond traditional metrics to encompass strategic business impact analysis. Mallory’s insights demonstrate how brands can move past vanity metrics toward measurement approaches that actually drive decision-making and budget optimization. The key lies in understanding that measurement isn’t just about tracking performance – it’s about creating a strategic framework for continuous improvement and growth. As measurement continues evolving, success belongs to brands that embrace comprehensive approaches rather than seeking single sources of truth.
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