This is a guide created by https://www.truedigital.co.uk/ on the agency approach to effectiveness. Two years ago, true were one of 19 agencies to receive the IPA’s Effectiveness Accreditation, an award that recognises leadership in marketing effectiveness. Since then, economic conditions have tightened and scrutiny of marketing budgets has increased. Brands and agencies must work harder than ever to demonstrate the impact of investment. So we have created this guide to share the lessons we've
 learned and how we apply them to the work we deliver.

1. © 2023 true digital Ltd, All rights reserved
The true guide
to effectiveness

2. 1.0 Introduction
Introduction
Two years ago, true were one of 19 agencies to receive the IPA’s
Effectiveness Accreditation, an award that recognises
leadership in marketing effectiveness.
Since then, economic conditions have tightened and scrutiny of
marketing budgets has increased. Brands and agencies must
work harder than ever to demonstrate the impact of investment.
So we have created this guide to share the lessons we've
learned and howwe apply them to the work we deliver.
Contents
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Defining effectiveness
3.0 Delivering effectively
4.0 Measuring effectiveness

3. 2.1 Defining effectiveness
Defining effectiveness - assessing the latitude
We define success in relation to each client’s unique strategic
situation: there is no one-size-fits-all. So we start by defining
the type of value we want to create.
That might be lowering customer acquisition costs to drive short
term growth, building brand value over the longer term through
creative-led communications, improving customer experience or
creating efficiencies to lower the cost of serving customers.
We call this ‘assessing the latitude’ and it provides clarity on
the real challenge at hand.

4. 2.2 Defining effectiveness
Defining effectiveness - assessing the altitude
We also define effectiveness in relation to the scale of the
outcome a client wants to create.
Not every project is transformative. Some briefs involve
making strategic decisions about where and how to invest in
brand communications or technology platforms that might
only pay-off in the longer-term. Others are about optimising
the performance of individual ads or web pages to yield
immediate results.
We call this process ‘assessing the altitude’. Being clear
about this makes it easier to decide how much to invest in
each project.

5. “The unique way in which the water industry
is regulated means customer experience
metrics are central to demonstrating the
effectiveness of all of our digital projects.
As a strategic partner, I know that true
understand those nuances and can help
us to measure the impact of the work we
do together.”
Richard Jenner, Pennon Group
2.3 Defining effectiveness

6. Delivering effectively - the agency brief
What does this look like
A formal briefing session that takes place
as soon as a project enters the agency
A summary of project requirements, along
with the goals the client wants to achieve.
A deep dive; what’s the logic behind the
brief? We use this session to instigate
openness and have exploratory
conversations
What do we need to achieve? We get to
grips with what success looks like and the
data that’s needed to prove it.
3.1 Technology projects

7. 3.2 Technology projects
Brief
Discover
Problem Discovery Problem
Definition
Solution
Discovery
Solution
Definition
Development
Plan
Development
Implementation
Test and
Validate
Define Design Develop
defined
problem
detailed
solution
detailed
solution
launch
Delivering effectively - methodology
True have adapted version of the Design Council’s double-diamond process. We break each project into three stage convergent
checkpoints enabling multi-disciplinary teams come together to consider effectiveness: firstly defining the problem we’re trying to
solve, designing a solution and delivering it.

8. 3.3 Technology projects
Delivery effectively - the product strategy canvas
Description
Users Quality
Objectives Culture
KPIs
Purpose Proposition
Complexity is the enemy of effective work, particularly when it comes to technology projects. At true, we use a lean one-pager
framework to define a product’s purpose, ambition, target audiences, constraints and effectiveness measures.
It’s a useful reference point at delivery stage - and keeps the team focussed on the outcomes that need to be achieved, along
with the outputs that need to be delivered.

9. 3.4 Technology projects
Delivering effectively -
setting up a roadmap
External trends
Customer experience
Business milestones
Key
moments
Swim
lanes
Wider digital estate
Website features
Self-service
Content & comms
Data & optimisation
Infrastructure & planning
Apr May Jun
Q1
Jul Aug Sep
Q2
Oct Nov Dec
Q3
Jan Feb Mar
Q4
A roadmap is a plan of what you want to do, but it should also be a
timeline for the results you want to achieve. True use roadmaps to
tie each project back to a strategic objective and a set of KPIs that
we can use to evaluate its success.

10. 3.5 Marketing communications
Delivering effectively -
ongoing optimisation
True use monthly sprint planning sessions to reflect on
performance data and assess the progress we’re making
against our goals. It allows us to be agile and adjust our
priorities, whilst not losing sight of the long-term vision.
To Do

Update page
template
State To Do
Adam
Doing

Bug - Text not
being displayed
Severity
Priority
3 - Medium
Adam
2

Bug - Add titles
to CMS
State To Do
Alex
Blocked In Testing

Add new form
template
State In Testing
Laura

Add new
button to page
State In Testing
Alex
UAT Done

Bug - Widget
doesn’t display
Severity
Priority
2 - High
Unassigned
2

11. “Our ecommerce project has ambitious
commercial targets and it’s vital that we can
prove the value it’s contributing to the
business. true gets that.
During regular reporting and planning
sessions, we reflect on performance data and
identify opportunities to make our budget
work as hard as possible.”
Kerrie Crawford-Hackley, St. Austell Brewery
3.6 Delivering effectively

12. Measuring Effectiveness
Rich and varied data
Marketing activity can contribute towards business goals in a variety
of different ways. That means it takes different types of data to
measure the impact work is having. A robust framework for a
campaign might combine attitudinal, behavioural and commercial
KPIs and having the right data in place will allow for much smarter
decision-making.
4.1 Measuring effectiveness

13. 4.2 Measuring effectiveness
Never rely on platforms to mark their own
homework
When it comes to digital media, we try never to
rely on a single data source - particularly where
the data provider is also a media owner.
There’s lots of value in data from Google and
Meta, but it only ever tells part of a story. We
always try to combine it with independent data
that can validate in-channel results.
Measuring Effectiveness
Measuring Effectiveness

14. Measurement is a team sport
As measuring effectiveness becomes more
complex, it’s also becoming more collaborative.
One agency rarely has the right mix of skills and
disciplines to provide the context needed to
understand the full impact investment is
having. True often partnerwith specialist
research agencies, consumer data providers
and analytics consultancies.
Working in partnership like this gives a more
rounded view of success and a better chance
of getting the big calls right.
4.3 Measuring effectiveness
Measuring Effectiveness

15. “We use a range of data sources and metrics
to judge the success of our marketing
communications.
true are always an open and collaborative
partner, they work closely with our team to
review data and identify the trends and
opportunities that can inform our strategy.”
Lizzie Taylor, Cribbs Causeway
4.4 Measuring effectiveness

16. Get in touch
If you need support defining,
delivering or measuring
effective marketing, then get
in touch. We'd love to help.
Drop us a line:
info@truedigital.co.uk