NBCU points to premium video's broad value as social marketing rises. The Peacock owner and partner Gain Theory broke down simulations that showed a hit to performance when shifting investments lower in the funnel. Published June 1, 2026 With major brands directing more budgets to social and creator-first marketing, legacy broadcasters are making the case for a balanced media diet, even when the upfront price tag of formats like premium video is steeper. NBCUniversal for the past several years has been collaborating with Gain Theory, WPP's marketing effectiveness consultancy, on marketing mix models and research that show how premium video - the Peacock owner's bread and butter - can deliver superior performance when stacked up against campaigns that skew lower funnel. The two companies discussed takeaways from their partnership during a talk at an Association of National Advertisers event hosted at WPP's downtown Manhattan offices last Thursday. NBCUniversal and Gain Theory have run simulations which leverage syndicated data from advertiser categories including automotive, CPG, retail and pharmaceuticals to pressure-test the value of premium video, or well-produced video advertising that airs in trusted, brand-safe media environments. Scenarios where dollars allocated to premium video were rerouted to non-premium social and digital advertising delivered notably worse results. In one case, a simulated media plan that shed premium video spend experienced a 29% drop in incremental revenue. Meanwhile, the tactics that ended up receiving the premium video resources saw 20% declines in return on investment compared to the more well-rounded media plan. "[By] eroding that foundation or removing those [premium video] dollars to the other tactics in search of maybe short-term efficiency or whatever, that will not only impact the performance of that premium video buy, but also the overall performance of your media plan," said Vignesh Kumar, a senior director at NBCUniversal specializing in measurement and insights, during the ANA presentation. The upshot is that obsessing over tangible near-term gains may actually hamper performance in the long run. Marketers still need to make that case to their CFO, which can be an uphill battle even when backed by data-driven insights. "You have to have somewhat of a complex marketing framework. That's the reality of how we do business and how we understand what we're trying to do with these campaigns," said Laura Laird, senior director at Gain Theory, during the talk with Kumar. "So having the framework reflect that complexity, but then being able to translate it in a really simple and concise way, particularly to the rest of the organization, it's by no means easy." Tentpole opportunities. Kumar's point about short-term efficiency comes as CMOs are facing greater pressure to tie marketing directly to results, which can be difficult to do with premium video channels aligned toward longer-term goals. Macroeconomic volatility is further rattling the industry, with marketing departments often the first to feel cuts in the case of a downturn. That said, the video advertising space is evolving with the rise of internet-connected TV and may perform better in middle-funnel areas like search than its reputation suggests, per Kumar. "We know that the middle of the funnel is incredibly important. That's really where purchase decisions are being made," said Kumar. "What we saw is that while premium video does take up a significant share of media budgets in the brands that we measured, we saw that it really was punching about its weight in terms of driving that middle-funnel performance." Premium video this year is getting a boost from cyclical events like the Winter Olympics and FIFA World Cup that have drawn a significant amount of marketing activity, to the benefit of publishers like NBCUniversal. Live sports were inarguably the dominant programming topic at the upfronts, a recent series of presentations aimed at wooing advertisers in which NBCUniversal participated. The category is incredibly expensive for advertisers, with costs only seeming to go up. Still, treating such tentpole moments as one-off activations often means marketers are not getting the most bang out of their not-inconsiderable buck.

Gain Theory unveils five essential strategies to navigate the crowded MMM landscape in 2026. November 11, 2025. Gain Theory today released a new guide, Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers, providing guidance on navigating the rapidly evolving marketing mix modeling (MMM) ecosystem and maximizing marketing effectiveness in an increasingly volatile landscape. The comprehensive guide addresses the surge in MMM adoption, with nearly half (47%) of US marketers planning to invest in MMM over the next year, according to EMARKETER data cited in the guide. It comes as marketers face mounting pressure to demonstrate the value and impact of marketing against business objectives and defend budgets amid economic volatility. The report also warns that a surge of new entrants in the MMM ecosystem, from SaaS platforms and open-source tools to technologies that complement existing solutions, is making it challenging for marketers to discern meaningful differences among providers. "In an increasingly crowded MMM ecosystem, marketers need clarity on how to extract maximum value from their measurement investments. Speed and sophistication should not be seen as a trade-off - the best MMMs deliver both through a combination of technology and expertise. If your MMM can only tell you where you've been, you're flying blind into 2026. This guide provides the roadmap for making MMM a true business growth engine" Sam Fellows Managing Partner, Gain Theory The guide provides five recommendations for marketers to maximize value potential from their MMM programs and build confidence in marketing impact in 2026. These include: * Balance speed with adaptability and actionability: Technology is pushing boundaries in cost and speed, but an overfocus on reporting frequency can come at the expense of generating actionable insights that drive real business value. * Prove long-term value, not just short-term ROI: IPA Databank Research indicates that while marketing ROI has increased by 4% since the COVID pandemic, net profit has decreased by 11%. Overly focusing on ROI reinforces the view that marketing is a cost that can be cut, risking untapped incremental sales. * Go beyond media-only measurement: MMM is most often used to understand how media has impacted sales. But it can also measure non-media drivers such as creative, sponsorships, pricing and macroeconomic factors, which are crucial in volatile market conditions. * Don't strive for perfect data: The quest for perfect data is a luxury few businesses can afford. Focus on using available data for directional insights whilst building a pragmatic roadmap for continuous data improvement. * Get insights into what might happen, as well as what has happened: If your MMM can only tell you where you've been, you're flying blind in 2026. Embedding forecasting and scenario planning enables proactive optimization rather than reactive analysis. The guide also includes a practical checklist to help marketers evaluate MMM capabilities and five critical questions to ask current or potential MMM providers, so they can confidently navigate provider selection and maximize measurement investments. Download Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers. About Gain Theory: Gain Theory is a leading global marketing effectiveness and foresight consultancy with over 50 years of innovation. By fusing deep expertise with advanced AI, Gain Theory Ltd empower marketers to make smarter and faster data-informed investments that deliver unmatched value. Its innovative solutions provide actionable insights that enable continuous experimentation and improvement, transforming marketing into a sustainable engine for growth. Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers blends current market trends, proprietary research, and real-world case studies to provide actionable guidance for marketers preparing for 2026. Making MMM Fit for 2026: An Essential Guide for Marketers was compiled by experts from Gain Theory's global team in November 2025, drawing on over 50 years of innovation in marketing effectiveness and insights from working with leading global brands across multiple sectors.