ROI 2026: From campaign score to proof of capital

2026 will be the year CMOs must redefine Return on Investment (ROI). Traditional KPIs like reach or CTRs no longer convince CFOs. Boards demand proof that marketing is not just generating short-term impact – but delivering long-term enterprise value.

👉 CMOs must prove: Marketing is an investment, not a cost.

• Reach is fleeting: Views fade quickly.

• Campaigns are firework shows: Short-lived, little residual value.

• CFOs want hard numbers: Revenue, margin, cashflow.

👉 ROI in 2026 must go beyond outputs: it must include repeatability, scalability, and learning effects.

1. Return on Learning (RoL) – every experiment builds knowledge, lowering future costs. 
    
2. Return on Reuse (RoR) – content, models, workflows reused across campaigns compound in value.
    
3. Return on Assets (RoA) – systems like content engines and data platforms appreciate in value over time.

Formula:

ROI 2026 = (direct revenue + cost savings + reusable value + learning effect) ÷ investment

Example:

• Investment: € 200,000 in AI content engine
• Direct revenue: + € 150,000
• Cost savings: + € 80,000
• Reusable asset value (3 years): + € 120,000

• Learning effects: + € 50,000

   

  👉 Total ROI: 400 % over 3 years

• Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) – not just CAC.

• Cost per Scaled Asset (CpSA) – cost per reusable content unit.

• Time-to-Market ROI – speed of value creation.

• Balance Sheet Impact – CapEx logic for marketing assets.

• FMCG (EU): + 350 % ROI via AI-driven content reuse.

• Tech (DACH): Return on Learning → new journeys unlocked +15 % revenue.

• Retail (EU): CapEx data platform → + 22 % conversion over 2 years.

In 2026, CMOs who argue with reach and engagement lose. Those who prove Return on Learning, Reuse, and Assets win CFOs, boards, and investors.

👉 ROI 2026 is not a campaign score – it’s a balance sheet argument.

👉 Contact DAVIES MEYER to create your ROI 2026 Framework and secure your budget.