From Platform-Defined to Brand-Aligned: A Reset in Measurement

Speakers:

Moderator: Ashish Sehgal – Chief Executive Officer – Times TV Network & CGO – Times Media & Entertainment

Highlights:

Dhiraj Gupta

Measurement is ultimately about trust and validating platform claims
Independent third-party measurement is essential instead of relying only on platform-defined metrics
Advertisers need proof of audience quality, delivery and campaign execution
Measurement should support shareholder value and business outcomes
Not everything can or should be measured purely through metrics
Creativity, instinct and consumer understanding still remain important
“The maker cannot be the checker and the checker cannot be the maker”
Platforms marking their own performance creates conflict of interest
Digital advertising lacks the physical visibility traditional media once had
Advertisers often never see their own targeted ads, making verification critical
Agencies have found cases where campaigns showed high impressions but low actual delivery
Trust in measurement systems is becoming non-negotiable for advertisers
Third-party verification is necessary before running campaigns
Transparent measurement builds advertiser confidence and accountability

Aditi Mishra

Platform metrics should be treated as tools and not the final measure of brand success
Performance metrics alone cannot define long-term business growth
Brands need to invest beyond short-term platform optimisation
Platforms are designed to grow themselves, not necessarily build brands
Brand building requires collaboration between agencies, marketers and multiple measurement sources
There is no single universal source of truth in measurement today
MMM models are useful but often backward-looking and less agile for today’s fast-changing ecosystem
Businesses need to balance data, instinct and consumer understanding
Consumers ultimately buy products, not algorithms
Measurement must align with the consumer journey and business outcomes
Brands cannot rely on generic storytelling without contextual relevance
Sanitisation and structure are important but emotional consumer connection drives impact
Creative storytelling remains critical alongside measurement frameworks

Shahad Anand

Brands primarily focus on efficiency, money and growth
Measurement helps brands achieve business objectives rather than becoming the objective itself
Metrics like CAC, ROAS and conversions matter only when they drive actual outcomes
Brand building, customer acquisition and direct sales all require different measurement approaches
Successful marketing creates awareness and commitment among consumers
Campaigns should ultimately drive behavioural or perception change
Measurement should validate whether campaigns are creating real impact
Digital media increases the need for trusted third-party verification systems
Independent tracking helps ensure advertiser money is being utilised transparently
Measurement systems are critical as every piece of content today can be monetised

Neha Markanda

Platforms should position themselves as partners aligned with brand objectives
Different platforms solve different business use cases and cannot fulfil every objective equally
ShareChat’s strength lies in driving engagement and user-generated participation
User participation and content creation are stronger indicators than surface-level metrics
“User truth” is reflected when audiences actively engage and participate in campaigns
“Brand truth” comes from actual improvements in sales, traffic and business metrics
Brands should triangulate platform data, user behaviour and business outcomes together
Data does not need to match perfectly but should directionally validate campaign impact
Platform context matters as much as impressions and reach
Demographic-based targeting alone is no longer sufficient
Consumer behaviour differs significantly across regions, languages and cultures
Brands need to move beyond demographics towards cultural relevance and contextual storytelling
Measurement frameworks should account for creator ecosystems, language and platform culture
Standardising everything into cost or engagement metrics limits meaningful brand storytelling