Curious Nation launches ‘Activation Effectiveness Barometer’ to reveal how below-the-line marketing is measured and valued

As marketers face increased pressure to justify return on marketing spend, the first benchmarking study in Australia and New Zealand examining how below-the-line (BTL) activations are measured, valued and prioritised has been launched.

Despite millions of dollars being invested in activations each year, from sampling and sponsorship to retail theatre, events and digital extensions, the way effectiveness is assessed remains fragmented. Return on investment in BTL marketing is often anecdotal, with different teams using different yardsticks depending on their priorities, making it difficult to compare results, build cumulative learnings, or demonstrate the true contribution of activations to long-term brand and business growth.

Developed by brand activation agency, Curious Nation, the Activation Effectiveness Barometer, is designed to change that by gathering perspectives from marketers across Australia and New Zealand, highlighting areas of confidence, while exposing the biggest pain points in proving effectiveness and helping to establish a common language for activation measurement.

Says Meredith Cranmer (pictured below), co-founder and managing director of Curious Nation: “For too long activation has been undervalued because it hasn’t spoken the same measurement language as other parts of the marketing mix. The Activation Effectiveness Barometer is about changing that narrative, giving marketers concrete evidence and a benchmark they can use to prove impact and drive better decisions. This is about moving beyond ambiguous KPI metrics to finally demonstrate the real power of activation and areas where the industry can improve.”

Open to CMOs, marketers, brand managers, shopper marketers, sponsorship managers, and trade/retail teams who activate campaigns on the ground, the Activation Effectiveness Barometer covers key levers in BTL activity including sampling, retail media and in-store activation, sponsorship, PR and earned media, events and experiential, digital and social amplification, direct marketing and influencer and creator partnerships.

The survey, which is being run independently on the Ideally platform to ensure confidentiality, credibility and objectivity, will become an annual benchmark for the industry, offering marketers and activation specialists a consistent reference point to compare, learn, and improve.

Marketers across Australia and New Zealand are invited to participate and make their voice count in the first Activation Effectiveness Barometer. The survey is now open for responses with the results to be released towards the end of this year.