The Ad Measurement Trends Reshaping Online Advertising for 2025

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In 2024, the focus for online advertising shifted towards innovative ad measurement techniques as privacy changes and limited user data pushed traditional methods aside. As third-party cookies face extinction, incrementality measurement and media mix modeling (MMM) have gained traction.

Incrementality measurement, focused on establishing causation rather than correlation, has become a go-to technique. With geo-testing and holdout groups, companies like ASICS are evaluating campaigns’ incremental impact. While costly, it could uncover valuable insights, like allocating budgets more efficiently. However, platforms like Amazon still lack support for this method.

Meanwhile, MMM, once considered outdated, has made a comeback. With the drying up of user-level data, MMM enables marketers to evaluate entire platforms, using aggregated data rather than individual user insights. Google and Meta have responded with tools like Meridian and Robyn, which aim to make MMM faster and more accessible.

Lastly, new ecommerce metrics like ACOS and ROMO are emerging. These metrics, particularly in retail media, offer fresh perspectives on ad spend and sales. As the ad landscape evolves, marketers need to rethink traditional measurement strategies and embrace these new models to stay competitive.