The University of South Australia's influential Ehrenberg-Bass Institute (EBI) is back at it again – out in the world denouncing anything marketing effectiveness-related that hasn’t been produced by about 100 of its own marketing science researchers and academics. This time at the World Federation of Advertisers’ Forum Connect event in Singapore, following a similar spray at the B2B Next event in Sydney last year in which most advertising, media or marketing effectiveness thinking developed outside the EBI received brisk dismissal. Mi3 has decided to publish the full audio of last year's event alongside this piece, in which James Hurman says the EBI risks misleading its clients, soiling the legacy of its namesakes, and undermining marketing effectiveness.
An average of 6.8 people are now involved in a business buying decision and buyers spend almost three times longer conducting independent research than engaging with company representatives. They're likely to form their own opinions before ever meeting a sales rep – and much of that is influenced by what marketing activity they encounter online, says Prue Cox.