Less than a third of marketers said they use attribution modelling to isolate the impact of their marketing investment, a three percent decrease from last year, according to the latest WARC Marketer’s Toolkit data. 

Brand lift studies remain the most commonly used measurement method, with 47% of respondents using them. Just a little over 40% of marketers use econometrics and marketing mix modelling (MMM), while the number of marketers who use attribution modelling has dropped to 31% from last year.

With the demise of third-party cookies, Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT), and Android’s new ad ID system, digital attribution becomes less attractive among marketers. Attribution techniques are threatened with compromised reach and frequency and difficulty in retargeting. However, it’s still likely to remain a crucial measurement tool as connected TV advertising and smart TV companies are able to utilise first-party data, and identity preservation technology such as Topics API and clean rooms are constantly being developed and tested.

Brands are embracing MMM and econometric modelling measurement in the face of fragmented media consumption and the growing need for granularity, while econometric modelling in particular may help marketers balance short-term and long-term marketing objectives and impact.