Marketers have more measurement tools at their disposal than ever before. Dashboards, attribution models, incremental lift studies, media mix modeling platforms… the list keeps growing. But more data hasn’t translated into more clarity. Most marketing teams still find themselves stuck on the same question: what should we actually do next?
In this episode, Derek DeGroat walks through the four-part measurement framework his team built at iridio by RRD to solve exactly that problem. Instead of treating measurement tools as a stack of standalone reports, the framework connects them into a system where each layer answers a different question across the campaign life cycle.
Jesse and Derek get into how segmentation, marketing mix modeling, in-campaign testing, and weekly optimization actually fit together, and why connecting them is what separates performance data from decision clarity.
What this episode covers
- Why marketers still struggle with measurement despite having more tools than ever
- The difference between performance data and decision clarity
- How segmentation, MMM, in-campaign testing, and weekly optimization work as a system
- When to refresh each layer (annually, quarterly, weekly)
- How to connect upper-funnel impressions to bottom-line sales and profit
- What it looks like to reconcile MMM forecasts against actual performance
- Why data infrastructure is the foundation underneath any measurement framework
Key takeaways
- Performance data and decision clarity are not the same thing. Marketing teams have more measurement tools than ever, yet most still get stuck on the question, “what should we do next?”
- iridio by RRD’s measurement framework consists of four connected layers organized by frequency: segmentation, marketing mix modeling, in-campaign testing, and weekly optimization. Each layer answers a distinct question, and the layers feed each other rather than operating in silos.
- Marketing mix modeling sits at the strategic center of the framework, forecasting incremental ROI by channel, points of diminishing returns, and the impact of different budget scenarios.
- The framework connects upper-funnel marketing impressions to bottom-line revenue and profit, giving marketers a way to report marketing’s contribution in P&L terms that CMOs, CFOs, and CEOs can act on.
- Data infrastructure is the foundation underneath the entire framework. A CDP for first-party data and accessible media spend tracking are what make faster decisions possible.
The 4-part measurement framework, explained
Derek’s framework is organized by frequency, not by sequence. Each layer answers a specific question, and the layers feed each other.
Layer 1 – Segmentation: Who are we trying to influence?
Segmentation defines the customer. New versus existing buyers, high-value versus low-value, lapsed buyers, product affinity, and so on. It pulls from first-party data and the CRM, then sets the stage for everything downstream.
For multi-location brands, segmentation also surfaces market-by-market dynamics. Two stores might sell the same product but have completely different customer penetration, demographics, and product opportunity. That changes targeting, messaging, offers, and budget allocation by market.
Refresh cadence: Occasional. Once a segmentation strategy is in place, it doesn’t need weekly attention.
Layer 2 – Marketing mix modeling (MMM): Where should we spend, and how much?
MMM sits at the strategic center of the framework. It analyzes historical data across marketing channels and external factors, then forecasts incremental ROI by channel, points of diminishing returns, and the impact of different budget scenarios.
“Performance data isn’t the same thing as having decision clarity.”
This is where iridio’s partnership with Keen comes in. The Keen engine captures seasonality, market dynamics, and cross-channel interactions, then answers questions like:
- Are we overinvesting in a channel?
- Is there still room to scale?
- What happens if we shift budget from one channel to another?
- What happens when we introduce a new channel?
MMM is also where actual performance gets reconciled against forecast. When the model recalibrates, you can see whether results are tracking with projections, and adjust the plan based on the latest data.
“It’s not just about understanding what happened, but knowing what to do next.”
Refresh cadence: Quarterly or semi-annually.
Layer 3 – In-campaign testing: Which audiences and creatives are working?
MMM tells you where to invest at a strategic level, but it isn’t designed to test individual campaigns, creatives, or audience strategies. That’s the job of in-campaign testing.
This layer answers near-term questions through structured A/B tests:
- Which messages move the needle in which markets?
- How do different products perform against each other?
- Which audience strategies are actually working?
It’s the bridge between strategic planning and day-to-day execution.
“It’s less about individual tools and more like a system for answering different questions across the entire campaign life cycle.”
Refresh cadence: Campaign by campaign.
Layer 4 – Weekly optimization: Are campaigns running efficiently?
The final layer is the day-to-day work of monitoring CTR, engagement, frequency, and pacing inside DSPs and ad platforms. The metrics haven’t gone away, but they’re now informed by the layers above.
That context matters. You’re not optimizing in a vacuum. You know who you’re targeting (segmentation), how much you should be spending (MMM), and what’s working creatively (in-campaign testing). Weekly optimization is about making sure you deliver in full and stay responsive to what’s actually happening in market.
“You can actually connect impressions to short and long term sales revenue and profits. The real P&L level metrics that make the business grow.”
Refresh cadence: Weekly.
Why this framework matters now
Most brands still default to last-click attribution, even as the limitations have become harder to ignore. Privacy changes, signal loss, and fragmented media have made it tougher to attribute outcomes to a single touchpoint. At the same time, CFOs and CEOs want clearer answers about what marketing is actually contributing to the business.
This framework gives marketers a way to meet both demands. It produces real forecasts that can be reconciled against actuals, organizes when decisions get made and which questions each layer answers, and connects upper-funnel marketing activity to bottom-line revenue and profit.
It also sets expectations across the organization. Stakeholders know when they’ll get certain insights, when an answer requires a quarterly MMM refresh, and when the team is making real-time adjustments based on weekly data.
About iridio by RRD
iridio by RRD is a full-service marketing agency with end-to-end capabilities across data management, audience identity, media activation (including its own DSP and print operations), and performance measurement. iridio partners with Keen Decision Systems to deliver media mix modeling as part of its measurement framework.
Connect with Keen
Keen Decision Systems helps marketers connect upper-funnel impressions to short- and long-term sales, revenue, and profit through marketing mix modeling. To learn more about how Keen can fit into your measurement framework, visit keends.com.
