Gain Theory unveils five essential strategies to navigate the crowded MMM landscape in 2026

November 11, 2025. Gain Theory today released a new guide, Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers, providing guidance on navigating the rapidly evolving marketing mix modeling (MMM) ecosystem and maximizing marketing effectiveness in an increasingly volatile landscape.

The comprehensive guide addresses the surge in MMM adoption, with nearly half (47%) of US marketers planning to invest in MMM over the next year, according to EMARKETER data cited in the guide. It comes as marketers face mounting pressure to demonstrate the value and impact of marketing against business objectives and defend budgets amid economic volatility.

The report also warns that a surge of new entrants in the MMM ecosystem, from SaaS platforms and open-source tools to technologies that complement existing solutions, is making it challenging for marketers to discern meaningful differences among providers.

"In an increasingly crowded MMM ecosystem, marketers need clarity on how to extract maximum value from their measurement investments. Speed and sophistication should not be seen as a trade-off – the best MMMs deliver both through a combination of technology and expertise. If your MMM can only tell you where you've been, you're flying blind into 2026. This guide provides the roadmap for making MMM a true business growth engine"

Sam Fellows

Managing Partner, Gain Theory

The guide provides five recommendations for marketers to maximize value potential from their MMM programs and build confidence in marketing impact in 2026. These include:

1. Balance speed with adaptability and actionability: Technology is pushing boundaries in cost and speed, but an overfocus on reporting frequency can come at the expense of generating actionable insights that drive real business value.
2. Prove long-term value, not just short-term ROI: IPA Databank Research indicates that while marketing ROI has increased by 4% since the COVID pandemic, net profit has decreased by 11%. Overly focusing on ROI reinforces the view that marketing is a cost that can be cut, risking untapped incremental sales.
3. Go beyond media-only measurement: MMM is most often used to understand how media has impacted sales. But it can also measure non-media drivers such as creative, sponsorships, pricing and macroeconomic factors, which are crucial in volatile market conditions.
4. Don’t strive for perfect data: The quest for perfect data is a luxury few businesses can afford. Focus on using available data for directional insights whilst building a pragmatic roadmap for continuous data improvement.
5. Get insights into what might happen, as well as what has happened: If your MMM can only tell you where you’ve been, you’re flying blind in 2026. Embedding forecasting and scenario planning enables proactive optimization rather than reactive analysis.

The guide also includes a practical checklist to help marketers evaluate MMM capabilities and five critical questions to ask current or potential MMM providers, so they can confidently navigate provider selection and maximize measurement investments.

Download Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers.

About Gain Theory: Gain Theory is a leading global marketing effectiveness and foresight consultancy with over 50 years of innovation. By fusing deep expertise with advanced AI, we empower marketers to make smarter and faster data-informed investments that deliver unmatched value. Our innovative solutions provide actionable insights that enable continuous experimentation and improvement, transforming marketing into a sustainable engine for growth.

FAQs

What’s in the guide?

Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers blends current market trends, proprietary research, and real-world case studies to provide actionable guidance for marketers preparing for 2026.

How was the guide compiled?

Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers was compiled by experts from Gain Theory’s global team in November 2025, drawing on over 50 years of innovation in marketing effectiveness and insights from working with leading global brands across multiple sectors.