85% of marketers overconfident about ROI tracking; only 32% do it effectively, finds study

New Delhi: Even as marketers claim high confidence in their ability to measure return on investment (ROI), very few are actually doing it effectively, according to Nielsen’s new global study. The report revealed that while 85% of marketers say they are confident about measuring ROI, only 32% measure it holistically across both traditional and digital media.

The data exposes a growing credibility gap between what marketers think they can measure and what they truly track, a gap that could have real consequences for accountability and ad spend efficiency.

The report found that despite advances in data analytics and attribution tools, most marketers continue to operate with fragmented measurement systems. These disconnected setups leave major gaps in understanding how campaigns drive real business outcomes.

Confidence levels in measurement vary significantly across regions. Asia-Pacific marketers reported the highest confidence at 90%, followed by North America (88%) and Latin America (87%), but the global reality remains unchanged. Only one in three marketers truly measures ROI holistically. In Europe, confidence was lower at 75%, reflecting the uneven maturity of measurement frameworks across markets.

Nielsen said the industry is entering a phase where confidence without evidence could undermine marketing’s credibility. “The gap between perception and practice is holding back real marketing performance. Marketers must unify their data and invest in holistic measurement frameworks to prove the true value of every dollar spent,” the report stated.

The study, based on the 2025 Nielsen Global Annual Marketing Survey, found that financial pressure is reshaping marketing priorities. With 54% of marketers planning to cut advertising budgets this year, brands are under more scrutiny than ever to prove that every rupee or dollar spent delivers measurable results.

At the same time, the focus of measurement is shifting. Around 38% of marketers now rank sales or ROI as their top metric, ahead of traditional measures such as reach or impressions. This reflects a move from visibility-led planning to performance-led accountability, but the systems to support that shift are not yet fully in place.

The report also found that measurement remains fragmented across emerging media formats. About 27% of marketers still measure sponsorships separately from other channels, and 4% do not measure them at all. Nielsen noted that this lack of integration leaves gaps in understanding the contribution of influencer marketing, branded content and sponsorship to long-term business impact.

To address this, Nielsen called for a unified measurement approach that merges data across all media platforms. About 60% of marketers have started combining both reach and ROI in their cross-media evaluation, a trend the company said is crucial to achieving more reliable and actionable insights.

The survey also found notable differences in measurement confidence by channel. Digital platforms such as social media and online video scored the highest, while traditional and emerging channels like linear TV, radio and direct mail continued to lag. 

As many as 12% of marketers said they had little or no confidence in measuring ROI for print and radio.

The report highlighted a growing focus on creative accountability as part of ROI measurement. 54% of marketers globally used media metrics as their main evaluation tool, while more are adopting techniques such as brand lift and sales lift to connect creative elements to actual business results.