Roundtable Discussion: From waste to upside: modern approaches to marketing measurement

In this roundtable, Kevin Lee sits down with Rick Bruner and John Chandler to explore how modern marketers can move beyond chasing “waste” and start uncovering real upside in their media spend. They discuss a Fortune 100 branded search test that revealed $1.5B in at-risk revenue, why geo-experiments and synthetic controls are making a comeback, how brand investment drives lower-funnel performance, the role of MMM + experiments in measuring incrementality, and why platforms shouldn’t be allowed to “grade their own homework.” Discussion points include: How a Fortune 100 branded search test surfaced $1.5B in at-risk revenue Why focusing on upside can be more valuable than chasing “waste” The role of geo-experiments and synthetic controls in modern measurement How the brand halo improves lower-funnel efficiency Using experiments + Bayesian MMM to get a truer view of incrementality The impact of AI-driven, zero-click journeys on traditional leading indicators Why platforms shouldn’t be the sole source of truth on their own performance How to bake experimentation into annual planning instead of bolting it on If you’re wrestling with attribution, budget allocation, or proving marketing’s true impact, this conversation is for you.