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Media Effectiveness: How CMOs Can Get CFOs to See Marketing as a Value Driver

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Media Effectiveness

By Lorraine Landon

Marketing is far more than just creative ads or social media buzz—it’s a measurable driver of business growth. Yet many Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) still face an uphill battle when trying to convince their Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) that marketing is not merely a cost centre, but a strategic revenue generator. In regions like sub-Saharan Africa, this disconnect is even more pronounced. With 40 percent of all advertising spending in Nigeria expected to shift to digital channels by 2029, the pressure is on for marketing leaders to demonstrate clear, quantifiable business value.

In my journey working with diverse marketing teams, I’ve found that a handful of targeted, actionable steps can improve communication between CMOs and CFOs. Here are practical tips and tools that have proven effective in enhancing marketing strategies and demonstrating true business value—turning initiatives into measurable drivers without claiming to have all the answers.

1. Rethinking Measurement: From Clicks to Conversions

For many, the success of a marketing campaign has traditionally been measured in impressions, click-throughs, or video views. While these metrics offer insight into reach and engagement,the action of a video view may not necessarily lead to revenue for the business. Modern marketing demands a measurement framework that goes beyond surface-level data. This is where a combination of incrementality, attribution, and marketing mix modelling (MMM) comes into play.

Incrementality is the process of determining how much a particular marketing effort boosts sales that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Think of it this way: if you invest in a billboard or an online ad, incrementality testing (using tools like Campaign Experiments, Conversion Lift, or Search Lift) can reveal whether that campaign genuinely contributed to increased purchases or merely captured sales that would have occurred regardless.

Attribution works like detective work. It tracks the steps a customer takes along their journey—from seeing an ad to making a purchase—and assigns credit to each interaction. Modern attribution models, such as data-driven attribution in Google Ads, help pinpoint which specific ad or interaction influenced the final decision. This insight is crucial because it allows you to understand which channels or touchpoints are most effective in driving results.

Marketing Mix Modelling (MMM) involves analysing a range of data sources to understand how different marketing activities collectively contribute to business goals. Google’s very own MMM solution, set to be available soon to marketers, promises to simplify this process by offering deeper insights into the overall impact of your marketing mix.

When you combine these three elements—incrementality, attribution, and MMM—you create a robust framework that not only measures performance more accurately but also builds a compelling case for marketing as a key business driver.

2. Speaking the Language of Value

Once you’ve set up a modern measurement framework, the next step is communication. Too often, the dialogue between CMOs and CFOs is hampered by jargon or a focus on vanity metrics that don’t directly link to business outcomes. To bridge this gap, marketing leaders must “speak the language of value.”

  1. Align Marketing with Business Goals:
    Start every campaign with a clear business objective—whether it’s boosting sales, enhancing brand loyalty. Ensure that every marketing activity, from the platforms you choose to the messaging you craft, directly supports that objective.

  2. Clarify ROI at Every Stage:
    Recognise that different stages of the marketing funnel deliver different types of value. For example, while brand awareness campaigns might not yield immediate sales, they lay the groundwork for future revenue by building trust and favourability. Setting clear ROI expectations at each stage helps CFOs understand how early investments translate into long-term gains.

  3. Map the Consumer Journey:
    Document the customer’s path from awareness to purchase. This mapping justifies your media choices and budget allocations by clearly linking each marketing action to a step in the consumer journey.

  4. Monitor and Report Continuously:
    Keep your CFO in the loop with regular updates that tie marketing activities back to your business objectives. Establish benchmarks from the outset so that performance can be tracked and strategies adjusted as needed.

3. Reframing Your Marketing Strategy for Greater Impact

Despite the best efforts of CMOs, many marketing teams struggle to demonstrate the full impact of their campaigns. Only 41% of marketing leaders believe their companies are mature in performance measurement, highlighting a significant gap in strategy.

To overcome this, it’s time to reframe your marketing approach from the ground up. Start with your company’s overarching business objective and then translate that into measurable key performance indicators (KPIs). This top-down approach ensures that every campaign, whether it’s on Search, YouTube, social media, or other digital channels, is designed with the end goal in mind.

For instance, if your company’s objective is to increase market share, your marketing strategy should include targeted campaigns that focus on both broad brand awareness and specific conversion metrics. Each channel should have tailored messaging and clearly defined ROI metrics that can be easily explained to your finance team. In practice, this means understanding the unique characteristics of each platform. For example, the audience on YouTube might respond to engaging, visual storytelling, while users on Search might be more responsive to direct calls-to-action.

By framing your marketing strategy around clear business goals and measurable outcomes, you transform marketing from a cost centre into a proven revenue driver. This shift not only helps in gaining the trust of CFOs but also sets the stage for more strategic decision-making across the organisation.

4. Leveraging the Right Tools for Performance Tracking

No modern measurement framework is complete without the right set of performance tracking tools. Having accurate and timely data is paramount to demonstrating marketing effectiveness.

Tools to improve your conversion tracking right now:

  • Add offline conversion tracking to include the data from conversion events that can be harder to track otherwise, for example in-store purchases, interactions with call centres, or events on the way to a conversion such as moving through the sale process for car insurance.

Why measurement is a necessity for marketers in sub-Saharan Africa in 2025

The industry’s current climate feels like shifting tectonic plates: marketing budgets are shrinking, customer interactions across marketing channels are increasing and changing, and consumer behaviour is ever-evolving.

CMOs in sub-Saharan Africa have an opportunity to rebrand themselves as business critical in the eyes of the C-suite with a renewed ability to prove that marketing is aligned with business goals. By embracing this transformation, you’ll not only earn your CFO’s confidence but also establish a future where every marketing decision is grounded in data, insights, and clear business value.

Lorraine Landon is the Head of Advertising Products and Solutions at Google for Sub-Saharan Africa

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Leveraging Kendrick Lamar Blueprint: How African Artists & Brands Can Maximize Global PR Impact

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Kendrick Lamar Blueprint

By Philip Odiakose

If you followed, watched, or were live at the Super Bowl you will agree with me that Kendrick Lamar’s presence at the Super Bowl was not just another high-profile performance; it was a masterclass in media influence, narrative control, and cultural imprinting. His ability to spark conversations, drive digital engagement, and shape public discourse proves the power of deliberate strategic media positioning. Through the lens of media intelligence and PR measurement, we can dissect how African artists and brands can replicate this effect to elevate their global presence. Beyond the entertainment factor, Lamar’s performance provided key lessons in media reach, sentiment shifts, and strategic PR execution—areas that African PR professionals and communicators must internalize to maximize value from major events.

PR measurement data from the event shows a surge in Lamar-related conversations across digital and traditional media. His name dominated print, web, and social trends, appearing in over 1.2 million posts within 24 hours, with a sentiment distribution leaning 67% positive, 21% neutral, and 12% negative. The performance’s impact was amplified by major media outlets covering the event in North America and Europe, as well as select African countries, particularly Nigeria and South Africa. This media traction is a testament to the significance of strategic placements, showing how a single moment can redefine public perception and commercial value. For African artists and brands, the ability to secure a presence at major global events must be seen as more than a mere appearance—it is a PR opportunity that must be measured, optimized, and aligned with long-term communication objectives.

One of the biggest takeaways from Lamar’s Super Bowl presence is the deliberate storytelling approach. He was not just performing; he was communicating a narrative. African artists and brands must be intentional about their messaging when engaging global platforms. Media intelligence specialists can help track how narratives evolve, what themes resonate with audiences, and how to pivot when necessary. Sentiment analysis also plays a crucial role, revealing how different audience segments react and allowing for swift reputation management. Many African brands struggle with post-event PR impact analysis, often focusing solely on momentary buzz without extracting long-term insights from media data.

The concept of “The Kendrick Lamar Effect” speaks to leveraging credibility, cultural influence, and performance metrics to sustain media momentum beyond a single event. African PR professionals must learn from this by ensuring that every global engagement translates into measurable brand equity. This means that artists, influencers, and corporate brands must work with media intelligence teams to quantify their impact, benchmark against industry standards, and ensure PR campaigns are not just reactive but proactive. The challenge many African entities face is the lack of structured measurement frameworks that tie media exposure to business or career objectives. This knowledge gap is where PR measurement must step in to bridge the disconnect.

A vital lesson from Lamar’s Super Bowl impact is the role of multi-channel amplification. The performance itself was one layer, but the true media influence was built through post-event interviews, media engagement, and collaborative content syndication. African PR teams must adopt an omnichannel approach to PR execution, ensuring that media exposure is not short-lived. This requires a strategic mix of traditional media placements, influencer partnerships, and digital storytelling. In PR measurement, it is crucial to analyze which media channels drive the highest engagement and conversion rates, ensuring that communication strategies are data-driven rather than intuition-based.

Looking at case studies from both African and global perspectives, we have seen how the absence of media intelligence has led to missed opportunities. Burna Boy’s Coachella moment, for instance, was a landmark global exposure, yet the post-event PR lacked the necessary follow-through in structured PR measurement. In contrast, brands like Nike and Pepsi have perfected the art of extending media relevance beyond an event moment by employing predictive analytics, sentiment tracking, and engagement mapping. This difference in execution is a key area where African PR professionals must evolve—ensuring that global opportunities do not just end with event visibility but translate into long-term influence and business value.

Beyond just media coverage, there is also the crucial aspect of audience behavior analysis. Lamar’s performance was not just about numbers; it was about how his audience engaged, shared, and created conversations. African PR professionals must shift from vanity metrics to behavioral metrics, focusing on how audience perception changes post-event. Did the media narrative drive new brand partnerships? Was there an uptick in music streaming or product purchases? These are the questions that media intelligence must answer, ensuring that PR efforts are aligned with tangible outcomes.

The overarching lesson for Africa’s PR and communications industry is that major events are PR goldmines—but only if approached with precision, backed by intelligence, and measured effectively. Lamar’s Super Bowl presence serves as a playbook for how media influence can be engineered through strategic PR planning, near real-time sentiment tracking, and multi-platform amplification. African artists and brands have the talent and potential; what remains is the intentional use of media intelligence to ensure that every opportunity is maximized to its fullest potential. PR measurement is not an afterthought—it is the foundation for sustainable media success.

Philip Odiakose is a leader and advocate of PR measurement, evaluation, and media monitoring in Nigeria. He is also the Chief Media Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, a member of AMECNIPR, AMEC Lab Initiative, AMCRON and ACIOM

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The Future of Product Management: Key Industry Trends to Watch in 2025

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Princess Akari

By Princess Akari

If you had told me five years ago, when I was just transitioning into product management, that the role would look like this today, I might not have believed you. But after five years working as a Product Manager (PM), I’ve seen how fast the industry moves, and 2025 is set to bring even bigger changes. Product managers who stay ahead of these changes will build better products and grow their careers. Those who don’t may struggle to keep up.

Here are some key trends to watch and how to adapt.

1.    AI, AI, AI!

AI has rapidly gained popularity and continues to grow in influence. For product managers, understanding and using AI tools is now becoming essential, as AI is transforming how we work. Understanding what we can achieve with AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), is essential. Some of the top use cases include content generation, customer support automation (e.g. chatbots), code assistance, research summarization, personalized learning, virtual assistants, data analysis, creative brainstorming, language translation, and much more. Also, as a PM, AI can be introduced into your product to improve user experience and in turn business outcomes.

You might be asking yourself, what can I do to stay in touch with this AI trend? You can start by learning how AI tools can improve your daily workflow, do your own research on the numerous AI tools available and their capabilities. Experiment with AI-driven analytics, user feedback tools, etc. Be very curious and get your hands on as many AI resources as possible.

I recently got an AI micro-certification from Product School. If you’re interested, You can take the course here. Recently as well, I hosted a podcast episode on building AI products, transitioning into AI, and using AI in product development. For Apple podcasts, you can listen here, and for Spotify, you can listen here. These are great resources to give you a good head start.

Other resources; deeplearning.ai, Hugging face, Alpha signal, The Neuron.

2.    The definition of “Product Manager” is changing

A few years ago, we had a fairly standard definition of who a PM was and what a PM does. The role of a PM was more standardized, with a clear set of expectations and responsibilities. But as the years have come by, the world has changed and so has the role.

Today, we’re seeing an increased number of specialized PM roles. Some PMs focus on emerging technologies like AI, while others work deeply within data, design, growth, engineering, or operations. Beyond skill-based specializations, some PMs are industry-specialized, such as Fintech PMs, Healthtech PMs, or E-commerce PMs. No two PM roles look the same anymore.

Companies are increasingly hiring specialized PMs to tackle specific challenges, prioritizing specific skill sets and industry experience over conventional backgrounds. Instead of looking for a PM generalist who can adapt to anything, they create detailed role descriptions with targeted skill requirements, tailoring the role to solve specific business challenges. As a result, we’re seeing more unconventional hires stepping into PM positions because they have the exact expertise needed to tackle a company’s unique problems. This highlights an important reality for generalist PMs, specialization is becoming more valuable.

If you’re currently a generalist PM, it’s worth considering how you can narrow your focus, whether by choosing a particular industry or developing expertise in areas like AI, data, growth, design, or technical product management. The demand for specialized skills is growing, and upskilling in these areas will make you more competitive in the job market.

3.    PMs are now taking ownership beyond product development

Product managers used to mainly focus on the tech team (engineers, designers, QAs, etc) to build and launch products. But these days (and even in recent years), the role has grown much bigger. PMs are now more involved in the business side of things, leading and guiding business verticals. The role now extends into profit and loss (P&L) considerations and the overall commercial success of a product. They work closely with marketing, sales, finance, and customer support to make sure the product succeeds, not just in how it’s built but also in how it’s launched, sold, and maintained.

PMs are now more involved with how the product will reach customers and profitability. They work closely with marketing and sales teams to ensure a strong product positioning and a seamless launch. It’s no longer just about building a great product, it’s about making sure it reaches the right customers, at the right time, with the right messaging. Ensuring people understand what the product does and why they should use it. This requires PMs to understand their competition, pricing strategies, and customer acquisition channels.

I am well aware that in some companies PMs are now responsible (fully or partially) for pricing and revenue strategies, just as much as the product features. They work with finance and business teams to figure out pricing options and ideas on how that business unit can make a profit. As these companies look for sustainable growth, PMs are also expected to collaborate with customer success teams to improve retention and customer lifetime value.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, product management is constantly changing and so are we as PMs. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give, it’s to stay curious and adaptable. We should be open to continuous learning and new ways of thinking. The more we adapt, learn, and refine our skills, the more valuable we become. There’s always something new to explore, and that’s what makes the role so dynamic.

And if you’re looking for the best place to put your product management skills to practice, join me at Moniepoint – https://www.moniepoint.com/careers

Princess Akari is a product manager at Africa’s fastest-growing financial institution, Moniepoint

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Content Piracy: A Global Initiative Against a Global Enemy

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Content Piracy

By Temiloluwa Olajide

It’s no longer news that piracy is a global enemy, one that has destroyed and continues to destroy the work and livelihoods of countless creatives. From film and music to sports broadcasts and television series, piracy robs rightful owners of their earnings and threatens the sustainability of entire industries.

As a global scourge, it requires a global response and fortunately, powerful partnerships are being forged across the planet  and across sectors  to protect content creators and the industry they work in. These partnerships involved digital content platforms, law enforcement bodies, cybersecurity firms and tech companies,  all working together to ensure the viability of the industries that inform, educate and entertain audiences.

At first glance, piracy might seem like an easy way to access free entertainment, but its consequences run deep, affecting both individuals and society as a whole. On a personal level, streaming a sports event or show from an illegal site can expose users to serious risks, such as malware infections, identity theft, or financial fraud. Hackers can gain access to sensitive information, including bank details, potentially wiping out accounts. The damage caused by such crimes far outweighs the satisfaction of watching a football match for free.

Beyond personal risks, piracy also cripples the creative sector by siphoning revenue away from legitimate rightsholders. When movies, music, and sports events are illegally distributed, producers and creatives do not receive their due earnings. This lack of compensation disrupts the industry, leading to fewer productions, job losses, and weakened investment in new content.

Nigeria has one of the most vibrant entertainment industries in the world, with Nollywood ranking as one of the biggest film industries globally and Afrobeats taking center stage in international music charts. The potential for even greater success is huge, but piracy poses an obstacle.

MultiChoice, a key investor in local content, has spent years bringing high-quality productions to audiences, yet piracy continues to threaten the industry.

Illegal streaming of sports events, reality TV shows, and locally produced series remains a major concern. This is particularly critical as the platform regularly broadcasts live feeds of many of the most popular sporting events on earth—F1, the Olympic Games, Euro, World Cup, and Champions League football, as well as popular local leagues.

Beyond sports, Africa Magic and Showmax Originals have become home to some of Africa’s most beloved entertainment shows, including hits like The Real Housewives of Lagos (RHOLagos), Big Brother Naija, and Nigerian Idol.

With content available in 40 languages and a growing library exceeding 84,000 hours, these platforms play a vital role in African storytelling. However, the rise of illegal streaming not only impacts revenue but also threatens the sustainability and growth of the creative industry.

To counter this, MultiChoice has joined forces with Partners Against Piracy (PAP) and cybersecurity firm Irdeto, actively tracking and shutting down illegal operations in multiple African nations.

With piracy tactics evolving, the fight against content theft must also advance. Strong collaborations, advanced technology, and public awareness are key to protecting the creative industry. By shutting down illegal operations and promoting legal alternatives, organizations like MultiChoice, PAP, and Irdeto are ensuring that content creators receive their rightful earnings and that audiences can continue to enjoy high-quality entertainment.

Ultimately, safeguarding creative content is not just about protecting businesses—it’s about securing the future of storytelling, preserving jobs, and ensuring that Africa’s thriving entertainment industry continues to grow. The fight against piracy is a shared responsibility, and by supporting legal content, we all contribute to a stronger, more sustainable creative economy.

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