The report’s most striking finding is the elevation of Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) and broader commercial analytics to the status of a “source of truth” for high‑stakes financial decisions. Executives are increasingly relying on econometric frameworks to guide budget allocation, pricing strategies, and promotional planning. This transition signals a move away from intuition‑driven budgeting toward models that can quantify the incremental impact of each marketing dollar.
“For more than 25 years, we’ve partnered with the world’s leading advertisers and have seen a consistent pattern: brands that embed analytics into how decisions actually get made see five times more growth, act with greater confidence, and adapt more effectively to change,” said Nancy Smith, President and CEO of Analytic Partners. “These early findings … reinforce what experience has long shown us – when leaders have a clear, context‑rich source of truth, they can stop defending their budgets and start evolving their strategies to drive enterprise‑wide value and long‑term growth.”
Data remains the bottleneck
While analytics tools are gaining traction, the report underscores that data fragmentation and privacy constraints continue to hamper agility. Despite advances in data collection and processing, many organizations still struggle to integrate disparate data sources into a unified view. The study suggests that simply amassing more data will not solve the problem; instead, marketers need “smarter, context‑rich decisioning” that can reconcile internal metrics with external realities.
External market conditions take center stage
Another major theme is the growing importance of external factors in shaping budget decisions. Respondents highlighted the need for measurement systems that reflect real‑world market dynamics—such as macroeconomic shifts, competitive actions, and consumer sentiment—rather than relying solely on internal performance indicators. “Context is king in 2026,” the report notes, echoing a broader industry sentiment that external variables must be baked into any robust forecasting model.
Key takeaways at a glance
- Econometric models become foundational: Companies are treating MMM and related analytics as the backbone of major financial decisions, from spend allocation to pricing.
- Data silos impede speed: data integration challenges limit how quickly marketers can reallocate resources, prompting a shift toward more nuanced, context‑aware analytics.
- Real‑world conditions matter: Executives are demanding measurement frameworks that incorporate external market signals, ensuring that budgets align with the broader economic environment.
Voices from the field
Jason McNellis, Vice President of Commercial Analytics Ambassador at Analytic Partners, emphasized the rigor behind the findings: “In an increasingly noisy measurement landscape, senior decision‑makers continue to return to a trusted anchor: econometric approaches like Commercial Analytics are a ‘source of truth’ for major budget decisions.” He added that the survey’s methodology—drawing from 455 verified executives—provides a “rigorous view into how senior leaders make high‑stakes budget decisions” while respecting privacy and authenticity concerns.
How the findings fit into the broader ad‑tech landscape
The push toward econometric validation aligns with a wider industry trend where advertisers are seeking measurable ROI amid rising media costs and fragmented consumer attention. As programmatic platforms mature and first‑party data becomes scarcer, advertisers are turning to statistical modeling to attribute spend across channels. This shift also reflects the growing influence of privacy regulations such as GDPR and CCPA, which limit the granularity of user‑level data and make aggregated, model‑based insights more attractive.
Analytic Partners’ proprietary ROI Genome®—a knowledge base built from insights across 1,000+ brands in more than 50 countries—has long advocated for measurement that balances internal performance with external market forces. The newly released “Unlock Growth with Analytic Partners ROI Genome® Insights” guide, launched earlier this year, expands on these principles, offering marketers a roadmap for constructing measurement programs that can adapt to evolving data landscapes.
What’s next: the full 2026 State of Commercial Decisioning Survey
The preview report serves as a teaser for the comprehensive survey scheduled for later in 2026. According to Analytic Partners, the full study will deliver an in‑depth, data‑driven view of how leading organizations are modernizing decision frameworks and extracting greater ROI from marketing investments. Companies interested in early access can register through the firm’s website.
Implications for marketers and advertisers
For senior marketers, the findings suggest several actionable takeaways:
- 1. Invest in robust econometric infrastructure: Building or enhancing MMM capabilities can provide a defensible basis for budget discussions.
- 2. Prioritize data integration: Reducing silos and establishing a unified data layer will improve the speed and accuracy of decision‑making.
- 3. Incorporate external variables: Models that factor in macro‑economic indicators, competitive activity, and consumer sentiment are likely to yield more realistic forecasts.
- 4. Leverage context‑rich analytics: Moving beyond raw data points to interpretive insights can help navigate the complexities introduced by privacy constraints.
By aligning budgeting processes with these principles, enterprises can better justify spend, respond to market shifts, and ultimately improve commercial outcomes.
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