What types of evidence prove

effectiveness?
You need convincing evidence to prove beyond doubt that your brand activity worked as planned.

Below, we suggest some of the ways to surface this evidence. Remember, brand activity is broadly defined
as everything from mass media advertising to sponsorship, content marketing, digital experiences, UX,
owned media, internal comms, and development of new products and services.

Some metrics will apply to some organisations but not others. Choosing the evidence to put in your
effectiveness case is as important as choosing what to leave out. Remember, the IPA champions new
learning and innovation in effectiveness, including the use of new or less common metrics to demonstrate
and measure the success of work.

Audience metrics Spend metrics

• How many people were reached by the brand’s
activity, and how often?
• Did people notice and remember it?
• Did the target audience understand its message
or intention?
• Did they share or comment on it, either online or
offline?
• Were secondary or new audiences attracted to
the brand because of the activity?
• In total, did the brand spend more or less on this
activity than in previous years or comparable
activities?
• What was the value of the support across paid,
owned or earned media for the activity?
• How did this compare to rivals’ spend?
• What was the activity’s market impact (e.g. the
share of voice or the share of wallet created)?

Brand metrics Behavioural metrics

• Did people’s awareness of the brand change?
• Did perceptions about the brand shift?
• Were they likely to use the brand name more or
use it differently?
• How did the brand’s positioning alter among
staff, suppliers, distributors and other groups?
Business metrics
• Did the activity increase sales, market share or
fundraising? Was this increase above what
would have happened anyway?
• Did it increase the price consumers were willing
to pay for the brand or attract more affluent or
new users to the brand?
• Did it lower costs or expand cheaper channels
for the brand?
• Did it increase productivity or grow suppliers’
desire to work with the brand?
• Did individuals respond directly to the activity?
For example, by phoning an advertised number,
clicking a link or contacting the brand via another
channel?
• Were there other effects – such as changes in store
visits, brand usage, spending patterns or
participation following the activity?
• What was different in people’s behaviour?
• Can all or any of these changes be credibly
attributed to the action, not just correlated with
it?
Now ask yourself
• How did all these effects combine to impact
profitability, and the brand's overall finances?
• Were there other ways in which the activity
created monetary value for the brand? This could
be because it reduced risk or made it easier for
the brand to enter new categories or markets.

Ultimately, your evidence should help you estimate the overall financial value created
by the activity.

By benchmarking this figure – ideally expressed as an increase in the brand’s net

profits – against comparable activity and compared to the value the brand could have
generated by spending its money in other ways, you can cement the case for your
financial effectiveness.

www.ipa.co.uk/effectiveness/awards