Executive Summary
In The Effectiveness Equation, Google lays out a persuasive case for transforming marketing measurement. We at Keen Decision Systems wholeheartedly agree with their direction—moving away from last-click attribution and toward holistic, outcome-based analysis is long overdue. But measurement is only part of the equation. Real progress requires action. This is where Keen delivers: helping marketers shift from analysis to prediction, from static reports to scenario-based planning that drives profitability.
Key Takeaways
- Google’s shift is necessary but not sufficient. Outcome-based metrics and MMM are great starts, but alone they don’t close the planning loop.
- Marketers need tools that enable confident, real-time decision-making. Keen goes beyond measurement to forecast revenue, ROI, and trade-offs before decisions are made.
- Brands using Keen outperform. By shifting to predictive, financial planning, brands improve marketing-driven performance by an average of 25%.
Beyond the Effectiveness Equation
When Google released The Effectiveness Equation, it marked a critical moment in the evolution of marketing. Attribution, particularly last-click, has long failed to reflect the reality of today’s buyer journey. Google’s call to embrace incrementality, long-term measurement, and privacy-compliant modeling is welcome—and overdue.
At Keen, we applaud this change in thinking. In fact, we’ve been building our platform around these principles for more than a decade.
But here’s where we diverge: measurement alone isn’t enough. It’s time for marketers to expect more from their analytics—not just to understand the past, but to confidently shape the future.
Where Google Gets it Right
In The Effectiveness Equation, Google urges marketers to:
- Embrace incrementality as a gold standard
- Move away from siloed, channel-level attribution
- Prioritize long-term brand and business impact
- Use media mix modeling (MMM) to incorporate external variables
- Respect evolving privacy standards in data use
This is a critical advancement—and a sign the industry is ready to let go of metrics that no longer reflect reality. But better measurement frameworks are only part of the solution.
Where the Gaps Remain: Insights Without Action
While Google defines what marketers should measure, it doesn’t equip them to make better decisions. That’s a crucial gap. Because once a marketer knows what worked, the next question is always:
“What should I do next?”
Keen answers that question.
Our platform enables marketers to simulate spend scenarios, balance short- and long-term objectives, and understand the financial trade-offs across their marketing portfolio.
Google gives you the dashboard. Keen gives you the direction.
How Keen Bridges the Gap
Keen empowers marketing leaders with forward-looking decisioning tools grounded in financial impact. Our proprietary Marketing Elasticity Engine™ combines Bayesian modeling with real-time scenario planning so marketers can:
- Forecast marginal ROI on the next dollar spent
- Simulate channel-level and brand-level trade-offs across time
- Align media plans to specific financial goals (e.g., revenue, profit, EBITDA)
- Optimize both brand-building and performance investments in one integrated view
This approach doesn’t just track ROI—it helps you engineer it.
From Static Mix to Strategic Planning: A Real-World Example
A leading seasonal brand had long relied on a static flighting strategy for its back-to-school campaigns. Traditional mix models helped validate what had already happened—but didn’t inform what to do differently.
Keen’s simulation platform revealed that by starting investment earlier and rebalancing media weight, the brand could capture $12M in additional revenue—without increasing budget.
This wasn’t a hindsight report. It was a roadmap for action.
The Shift in Mindset: From Efficiency to Profitability
Ultimately, this is more than a technology discussion. It’s a mindset shift.
Brands that adopt Keen don’t just optimize for media efficiency. They plan for:
- Multi-year brand equity growth
- Portfolio-level profitability
- Financial accountability in every decision
Our clients don’t use Keen because they want prettier dashboards. They use Keen because they’re tired of playing defense with data. They want to lead with it
Let’s Complete the Equation
Google’s Effectiveness Equation started an important conversation. Now it’s time to finish it.
Because knowing what happened isn’t enough.
Knowing what to do next—that’s marketing effectiveness.
Ready to turn insight into impact?
Reach out to Keen at info@keends.com to see how our predictive platform can drive your next phase of growth.
