Marketers face increasing pressure to prove short-term ROI, often leading to over-investment in lower-funnel social and digital tactics. While seemingly efficient, this unbalanced approach can harm overall performance and long-term growth. In an article for Marketing Dive, our Senior Director Laura Laird shared joint research with NBCUniversal that proves the significant, foundational value premium video adds to a media plan.
What We Covered in Marketing Dive
Laura and NBCUniversal’s Vignesh Kumar outlined the risks of shifting budgets away from brand-building channels in this article, published in June 2026. Key findings from the research included:
- A simulated media plan that removed premium video spend saw a 29% drop in incremental revenue.
- The remaining lower-funnel tactics experienced a 20% decline in ROI without the foundational support of premium video.
- Campaigns that mixed premium video with other tactics generated 84% higher consideration intent than purely social-led campaigns.
Read the full article here: NBCU Points to Premium Video’s Broad Value as Social Marketing Rises
Our View: Holistic Measurement is Required to See the Full Picture
The research with NBCUniversal validates a core Gain Theory philosophy: sustainable business growth requires a holistic, unified measurement framework. Over-indexing on lower-funnel metrics creates a misleading and incomplete picture of performance, often at the expense of long-term brand health.
Business driver modeling (BDM), our unique approach to marketing mix modelling (MMM), is designed to prevent this siloed view. It connects all marketing KPIs to broader enterprise value, capturing both immediate sales impact and crucial long-term effects on brand equity. This unified view gives business leaders, from the CMO to the CFO, the confidence to invest in the activities that fuel the entire marketing ecosystem and deliver greater, more sustainable returns.
Explore Further
- What is Marketing Mix Modeling?
- Global retailer uses MMM to identify 25% sales uplift opportunity in emerging markets
- Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers
Want to build a more balanced and effective media plan? Contact us.
