Math: The Frontier of Attribution with Michael Kaushansky
In today’s rapidly evolving digital marketing landscape, the importance of accurate measurement and attribution cannot be overstated. Understanding the impact of marketing efforts on consumer behavior and sales is crucial for businesses to optimize their strategies and stay competitive in the marketplace. One of the leading experts in this field is Michael Kaushansky, former Chief Data Officer and President of Havas Helia and currently on the Decision Science team at Walmart Connect. In a podcast interview, Michael shared his journey in the world of data analytics and measurement, and his vision for the future of attribution.
🚀 Yes, I Want The 2024 Playbook!
Michael’s career trajectory in measurement began with his passion for mathematics. With a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s in applied mathematics and operational research, he started his career at GE, Target, and GlaxoSmithKline, where he honed his skills in data analytics and business measurement. His breakthrough in digital advertising came after the 2008 financial crisis, when he realized the potential of data sets available on the World Wide Web for tracking ads, searches, and consumer behaviors.
In the podcast interview, Michael shared how he and his team of mathematicians at Havas Helia built what is now known as the path to purchase tracking. This innovative approach enables businesses to credit their marketing activities with their success rates in moving consumers through the sales funnel. By accurately attributing the impact of different marketing touchpoints, businesses can better allocate their budgets, make informed decisions in real-time, and optimize their marketing strategies.
Michael also discussed the importance of adapting to the digital world, where consumers are spending more and more time on their devices, even for brick-and-mortar purchases. Attribution in the digital space becomes imperative for businesses to understand the effectiveness of their offline marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions.
Despite the increasing importance of attribution in digital marketing, Michael highlighted three main barriers to adoption. First, the complexity of advanced analytics and attribution can be daunting for businesses that are not familiar with the intricacies of data analysis. Second, the lack of awareness and education about the benefits of attribution can hinder adoption. Lastly, the fear of failure and resistance to change can hold businesses back from embracing new measurement practices.
To overcome these barriers, Michael emphasized the need for businesses to be proactive in adopting advanced analytics and attribution. He encouraged advertisers and agencies to ask for sample data sets and test different attribution models to understand their effectiveness in their specific business contexts. He also highlighted the increasing adoption of attribution by big players in the industry and the progression of adoption typically seen for new practices.
Kaushansky is a pioneer in the field of digital marketing measurement. His expertise in data analytics and attribution has helped businesses optimize their marketing strategies and achieve better results. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, attribution will become even more critical for businesses to understand the impact of their marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions. Adapting to the digital world and embracing advanced analytics and attribution will be key for businesses to remain competitive in today’s dynamic marketing environment.
