Marketers are struggling to trust their own data. According to a new report from TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) and eMarketer, The True Cost of Trust in Marketing Measurement, confidence in marketing metrics has plateaued — even as technology promises greater clarity.

The survey of 196 U.S. marketers revealed that while 62% feel somewhat confident in their performance measurement, over half (54%) said confidence levels haven’t changed from last year. Alarmingly, 14% admitted their trust has declined.

“Marketers have access to more data than ever before, yet effective and trustworthy measurement is getting harder — not easier — to come by,” said Brian Silver, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing Solutions at TransUnion.

Internal Doubt Threatens Marketing Budgets

The lack of faith isn’t just a morale issue — it’s costing real money. The study found that 60% of marketers face internal skepticism, with stakeholders frequently questioning the reliability of their metrics. Nearly one-third said that up to 20% of their marketing budgets have been frozen or redirected due to uncertainty around measurement accuracy.

To counter that, 67% of marketers now focus on incremental ROI, followed closely by business-outcome alignment (66%) and cross-channel attribution (55%). The takeaway is clear: performance proof has never been more essential.

Data Fragmentation Fuels Distrust

Marketers identified siloed data (49%), cross-channel duplication (48%), and walled-garden reporting limits (41%) as the biggest barriers to accurate measurement.

“The key to unified measurement is unified data,” said Jeremy Rose, Head of Unified Marketing Measurement at Bayer. “Interoperability is no longer optional — it’s essential to connect systems that were never meant to work together.”

In a landscape where consumer journeys span dozens of platforms, fragmented insights often lead to conflicting conclusions. Without a consistent data framework, brands risk losing both efficiency and credibility.

Budget Cuts Push AI and Long-Term Strategy

Despite the challenges, the study points to a major shift in how marketers plan to restore trust — through AI and smarter modeling. With almost 30% of respondents facing cuts to analytics budgets, 50% are turning to AI or machine learning to automate reporting, while 40% see data analysis as the leading AI use case.

Still, dissatisfaction with existing tools remains high (26%). As a result, nearly half (47%) plan to increase spending on Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), and 35% intend to invest more in Multitouch Attribution (MTA) over the next year.

“The days of monolithic measurement are over,” Silver added. “AI-enabled data management will unite methodologies like MMM, MTA, and incrementality testing.”

The Bottom Line

The TransUnion–eMarketer study exposes a paradox at the heart of digital marketing: more data hasn’t meant more confidence. As privacy laws, walled gardens, and cross-channel fragmentation reshape the ecosystem, marketers must evolve from collecting data to connecting it.

AI may not be a cure-all, but for now, it’s the best shot marketers have at turning measurement chaos into measurable clarity.

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