Cannes Fireside: TikTok's Measurement Chief - ‘Build For The Platform’

Introduction

In a recent fireside chat at Cannes, George, the Global Head of Marketing Science at TikTok, shared insights on the intersection of marketing science, measurement practices, and the evolving landscape of digital advertising. George's responsibilities are centered on two fundamental questions that marketers often grapple with: Do the ads work, and if so, why and how do they work?

The Structure of TikTok's Marketing Science Practice

At TikTok, George leads a comprehensive marketing science practice consisting of three primary teams: measurement, research, and data science. These teams collaborate closely with product and marketing organizations to provide clients with the expected value from TikTok's advertising solutions. George emphasizes the significance of hiring talented individuals and empowering them to ensure outcomes reflect the insights provided.

Outcomes Over Exposure

George's focus has always been on outcomes rather than simply counting exposures. Reflecting on the company's evolution over the last four and a half years, he explained that early on, TikTok's value was uncertain. Initial measurement efforts employed mixed-media models to quantify the effectiveness of both paid and organic activities. Collaborating with partners like Nielsen, TikTok has consistently identified strong returns on ad spend, allowing the brand to refine its strategies and deepen its understanding of sales effectiveness and creative impact.

Measuring Effectiveness Across Markets

George further elaborated on the importance of understanding that measurement questions can vary across brands and markets. While some fundamental questions remain consistent, the execution can differ significantly. For example, marketers in Brazil are recognized for their expertise in full-funnel strategies, whereas regions like the Middle East and Southeast Asia leverage limited resources effectively to understand brand and ad equity, resulting in well-planned campaigns.

The Partnership Ecosystem

Measurement has become a collaborative effort, and TikTok has cultivated a robust ecosystem of measurement partners. By combining first-party and third-party solutions, TikTok aims to meet marketers at their level of sophistication. This collaborative approach ensures effective audience measurement, incrementality testing, and comprehensive media analysis.

As brands evolve, George notes that their measurement ecosystem must refresh to incorporate innovative methodologies. For instance, while assessing attribution, the focus has shifted towards understanding how to connect various systems to provide actionable insights.

A Long-term Journey

The dialogue around maximizing outcomes between TikTok, brands, and their agencies is essential. George emphasizes that trust is built over time, through shared experiences and learning. Brands often require guidance as they navigate their unique journeys, and improving performance requires continued communication and collaboration.

Traits of Sophisticated Brands

The distinction between brands that handle marketing effectively and those that struggle lies in their approach to measurement and accountability. High-performing brands invest time upfront to develop their creative assets and understand connections between data and marketing actions. George cites a Brazilian client who worked diligently for over a year to refine their creative strategy before focusing on performance.

The Role of Measurement in Marketing Today

In today’s landscape, marketers have access to vast amounts of data to measure effectiveness, yet challenges remain. Signal loss, compatibility issues, and noise make it difficult to derive actionable insights, yet George is optimistic. He argues that the future of measurement is shifting toward utility measurement, where businesses demand systems that provide specific answers rather than relying on comprehensive insights from interconnected data.

The Future of Creative Effectiveness

The conversation also turned to creative effectiveness, where there has been a resurgence of interest. Marketers now have tools to evaluate how well their creative works on various platforms, underscoring the importance of creating content tailored for specific environments. Authenticity and relevance to the platform contribute significantly to engagement and effectiveness.

Conclusion

Looking ahead, George envisions the future of measurement as focusing more on integrating systems and automating insights. By 2030, he anticipates organizations will have enhanced capabilities to rapidly access data, enabling them to act on insights more effectively, thereby boosting productivity.

Keyword

• TikTok
• Marketing Science
• Measurement
• Creative Effectiveness
• Outcomes
• Data Science
• Audience Measurement
• Performance Marketing
• Incrementality
• Mixed-Model Analysis
• Authenticity

FAQ

Q1: What is the role of George at TikTok?
A1: George is the Global Head of Marketing Science at TikTok, leading teams focused on measurement, research, and data science to understand ad effectiveness.

Q2: Why does TikTok emphasize "building for the platform"?
A2: TikTok calls for creating content specifically designed for its platform to enhance engagement and maximize marketing effectiveness.

Q3: How does TikTok measure the effectiveness of its advertising?
A3: TikTok uses a combination of mixed-media models, audience measurement, and creative effectiveness assessments to evaluate advertising performance.

Q4: What challenges are marketers currently facing in data measurement?
A4: Marketers are dealing with issues such as signal loss, compatibility problems across platforms, and the need for actionable insights amidst vast data noise.

Q5: What is the expected trend in measurement technology over the next few years?
A5: There will be a focus on integrating systems and automated insights, leading to improved productivity and faster access to actionable data within organizations.