How Data Should Serve Business Goals in Advertising
Laerte Finotelli analyzes TV measurement and explains why strategic needs must precede metric collection.
On Marketing - The Podcast, Laerte Finotelli explores how TV commercial break audience measurement works and why data must serve business goals rather than the other way around. The analysis covers the distinction between first-layer metrics and strategic decision-making for both B2B and B2C brands.
The connection between audience metrics and real sales impact is one of the most frequent debates in media planning. Speaking with Bruno Gimenes on Marketing - The Podcast, product coordinator Laerte Finotelli explained how advertising measurement operates in layers and argued that data should always address a prior business need rather than guiding decisions in isolation.
The excerpt is part of a broader episode discussion on product science, attention, and data. To catch the full conversation and the practical examples discussed in the studio, be sure to watch the video above.
First-layer measurement in television
Addressing metric delivery in broadcast television, Finotelli noted that monitoring initially focuses on direct exposure. According to Finotelli, "the focus is on the first layer; later on, there will be more ad hoc studies and everything else that addresses the qualitative side and takes things a few steps further, but the focus is: if we are measuring TV audience, I also measured the commercial break."
From this baseline assessment, demographic reports detail who was reached during the commercial slots. "And then for the commercial break, I see how many people were reached, the profile of that audience, which age group, socioeconomic tier, or gender it aligned with," Finotelli stated. Correlating these figures with retail sales results or brand recall then falls to agencies and advertisers through supplementary research and return on investment analyses.
Business objectives before metrics
Asked about the perceived value of broadcast TV among B2B and B2C brands, Finotelli emphasized that analytical tools should not dictate strategy on their own. "I think the first point is understanding that measurement, of whatever it may be, is in the role of being a servant," he explained. For him, "we can never use data as if data comes first."
Finotelli reiterated that the starting point must be the company's strategic question regarding distribution and budget optimization. Once the business context is defined, metrics step in to guide resource allocation. "And then, what data do I need to address those needs? That way, data comes in to enrich your decision," he concluded.