ROI Conversations are here (again).

Companies and boards are increasingly asking marketing teams to cut budgets while raising targets. This tension is becoming the norm, not the exception.

At the same time, relying purely on media spend is no longer sufficient. Media alone is unlikely to deliver the level of exponential returns that management expects, especially when media budgets are under strict scrutiny.

The Shift Toward Owned Channels

As a result, brands need to rely more on owned channels to drive growth. This is where the long-standing ambition of marketing comes into play: creating true synergy between paid and owned channels. However, despite the opportunity, many organisations are still struggling to make this work.

What’s Actually Holding Brands Back?

If we look beyond technical and data-related challenges, the core issue often comes down to people — specifically, conflicting KPIs and misaligned priorities.

Conflicting KPIs

Marketers are expected to drive synergy between paid and owned channels. In practice, however, these functions are typically managed by separate teams with different KPIs and different people. This creates friction. There is often a perception that:

• Greater integration may reduce media budgets

• Owned channel teams would not have a voice in creating that holistic customer journey

These concerns can slow down or prevent collaboration altogether and it does not have to be the reality.

Misaligned Priorities

Even when there is alignment on strategy, execution can be challenging. Driving this shift requires progress on data and MarTech capabilities. However, IT and data teams are often managing competing priorities and ongoing operational demands. This basically delay the changes needed to enable effective collaboration between paid and owned channels.

Moving Forward

Addressing these challenges requires both strategic alignment and the ability to execute. In situations where internal teams are constrained, external support can help accelerate progress, provide focused expertise and perform change management in a neutral manner.

How UpStride Can Help

UpStride works with organisations to navigate ROI conversations and identify practical ways to move forward. This includes helping brands understand:

• How to justify ROI

• How to better utilise their existing MarTech and data stack

• The most cost-effective ways to get started

• How to align teams and priorities to enable execution

If these challenges sound familiar, it may be time to take a more structured approach.