Though Paul’s claims are solid, I would argue that measurement is essential no matter what time period we’re in–whether it be a time of crisis, adjustment, growth, or abundance. Measurement simply helps us do things better the next time around. Data is data. Intel is intel and we need a whole lot of it before things even start to make sense.

Do you think that if there were no measurement initiatives for the next three years, we would be better off? Rather than to take a deeper look at what initiatives have worked or not worked, and assessed what would make them better? I would argue that this would give us a head start at that three year mark. I think this is the critical question, because I am a believer that marketing intelligence, like so many other core competencies, takes time to evolve, grow, and to become smarter, stronger, and faster.

Regardless, measurement companies will not stop doing business. I do agree with Paul in a sense that any company that says, “this is it… we have the answer, and we are shoving it down your throat whether you like it or not,” are obviously not taking the right approach. It’s a matter of collaboration with thought leaders in the space. If major influencers and key decision makers in the advertising space we’re to get together with networks to help build a solution to help them understand how to buy digital out of home more efficiently–we would all be so much better off.