Artefact Value By Data

How AI is changing search and what it means for customers, marketers and brands

AI is transforming search, shifting it from ranking and retrieval towards reasoning and synthesis. This whitepaper charts this evolution, explains the mechanics of large language models (LLMs), and sets out the implications for marketers and brands. At the center of the new measurement landscape is the golden triangle of MROI: Marketing mix modeling (MMM) provides the strategic view, quantifying the impact of marketing on sales and offering optimizers and simulators to guide budget allocation. Incrementality testing validates whether campaigns truly drive additional outcomes, using test-versus-control experiments to establish causality. It also calibrates both MMM and attribution models. Attribution informs in-flight optimization by assigning credit across customer journeys. In 2025, advanced models use deep learning and attention mechanisms to capture channel interactions more effectively. These methodologies are most powerful when used together: MMM for long-term planning, incrementality for ground truth, and attribution for real-time agility. Companies also face the decision of in-housing vs. SaaS solutions. In-housing brings customization and control but requires talent and investment, while SaaS offers speed and expertise. The right choice depends on resources and data maturity. Real-world examples highlight best practices: Google’s Meridian introduces an open-source MMM toolkit to improve calibration, upper-funnel measurement, and bias correction. Accor uses incrementality testing to question assumptions and optimize budget allocation. Nike demonstrates the power of persistence and cultural change, embedding measurement into processes and democratizing insights. Artefact stresses the 95-5 rule, showing how brand equity measurement links long-term growth with short-term performance efficiency. Looking forward, five trends will shape measurement: improved data quality, new frameworks for retail media and connected TV, in-housed MMM with testing, privacy-first approaches, and attention-based metrics. The conclusion is clear: marketing measurement is now a strategic enabler. By integrating methodologies, embedding them in culture, and focusing on both performance and brand, CMOs can defend their budgets and unlock sustainable growth.

A C-Suite Guide to Marketing Measurement in 2025

In 2025, marketing measurement has become a top priority for the C-suite. While generative AI is transforming campaign execution, measurement is what proves value and secures budgets. Yet maturity remains low: most CMOs still struggle to dynamically adjust spend based on performance. The challenge lies in balancing brand and performance marketing, coping with fragmented data, and aligning decisions across strategic and operational levels. At the center of the new measurement landscape is the golden triangle of MROI: Marketing mix modeling (MMM) provides the strategic view, quantifying the impact of marketing on sales and offering optimizers and simulators to guide budget allocation. Incrementality testing validates whether campaigns truly drive additional outcomes, using test-versus-control experiments to establish causality. It also calibrates both MMM and attribution models. Attribution informs in-flight optimization by assigning credit across customer journeys. In 2025, advanced models use deep learning and attention mechanisms to capture channel interactions more effectively. These methodologies are most powerful when used together: MMM for long-term planning, incrementality for ground truth, and attribution for real-time agility. Companies also face the decision of in-housing vs. SaaS solutions. In-housing brings customization and control but requires talent and investment, while SaaS offers speed and expertise. The right choice depends on resources and data maturity. Real-world examples highlight best practices: Google’s Meridian introduces an open-source MMM toolkit to improve calibration, upper-funnel measurement, and bias correction. Accor uses incrementality testing to question assumptions and optimize budget allocation. Nike demonstrates the power of persistence and cultural change, embedding measurement into processes and democratizing insights. Artefact stresses the 95-5 rule, showing how brand equity measurement links long-term growth with short-term performance efficiency. Looking forward, five trends will shape measurement: improved data quality, new frameworks for retail media and connected TV, in-housed MMM with testing, privacy-first approaches, and attention-based metrics. The conclusion is clear: marketing measurement is now a strategic enabler. By integrating methodologies, embedding them in culture, and focusing on both performance and brand, CMOs can defend their budgets and unlock sustainable growth.

The Execution Problem: Why Even Flawless Pricing Strategies Fail Between the C-Suite and the Shelf

Margin leakage often hides in complex pricing, promotions, and multi-channel strategies, where list prices rarely match the final pocket price. Promotions can cannibalize sales, and inconsistent channel discounts create arbitrage risks, silently eroding margins. Companies that define clear pricing architectures, analyze demand deeply, and govern execution with real-time monitoring turn pricing into a strategic lever. The result: higher profitability, smarter commercial decisions, and sustainable value capture.

Unlocking Commercial Efficiency: The Transformative Power of AI Agents

AI Agents are revolutionizing commercial operations by automating tasks, enhancing customer relationships, and providing actionable insights. From boosting salesforce efficiency to optimizing pricing strategies, these intelligent systems help businesses achieve measurable growth and competitive advantage.

Human consultancy is at the core of successful agentic AI implementation

AI is reshaping consulting, but not in the way most companies imagine. In a practical exploration of professional services, we reveal how treating AI agents as full-time teammates rather than mere tools, focusing on scaling rather than headcount reduction, and fostering an internal “open-source” culture transforms project delivery, client relationships, and product discovery—and what this means for the future of human-AI collaboration in consulting.

What Is the Impact of AI Overviews on SEA and SEO?

Google’s new AI Overviews are changing how users find information online. In a practical case from the Dutch sustainability sector, we explore how this shift is affecting SEO and SEA for a client active in boilers, hybrid systems, and heat pumps—and what it means for the future of digital marketing in the sector.

CDP Beyond POC Stage: Why Use Cases Alone Keep You Trapped

Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) promise a truly unified view of your customers, opening doors to hyper-personalization and driving significant ROI. Yet, if you're like many organizations, you might find your CDP initiatives getting stuck right after the initial Proof of Concept (POC) stage. While these early pilots brilliantly demonstrate value, the journey to a fully scaled, integrated CDP often stalls, leaving immense potential locked away.

Smarter Universities: Harnessing AI and Data for Transformation

This paper explores how data and AI can serve as powerful enablers of that transformation. It introduces a strategic framework centered on three key levers: 1.Enrollment & Recruitment, 2.Academic & Teaching Innovation, 3.and Student Success & Experience, supported by foundational enablers like Operational Efficiency and Data Governance.

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