Andy Morley Says ROI “Nearly Always Undervalues the Long-Term Effect”

Hannah McHard, head of effectiveness at BMF, has championed embracing missteps as a catalyst for growth, urging marketers to rethink their approach to failure in an era of media saturation and shrinking budgets.

“When something isn’t working, it’s about getting curious rather than defensive,” Hannah said.

Speaking at the ACA’s Inside Effectiveness event yesterday on a panel moderated by Fran Clayton, chief strategy officer at Ogilvy Australia and New Zealand, Hannah advocated for the “test and learn” methodology employed by BMF, urging brands to trade rigid ROI metrics for curiosity, experimentation, and long-term growth.

“We’re not going to know if these things work unless we try them,” she said.

“It’s about entering into them with a spirit of experimentation and understanding rather than expecting perfection right away.

“When something doesn’t seem to be working, it’s about asking, ‘What’s not tapping into what we thought would work?’ and being open to learning from it.

“This mindset can broaden into how we approach change and how we embrace the challenges of media abundance. We’re only going to succeed if we get comfortable with trying new things and moving away from the need for perfection.”

She also highlighted the importance of transparency in building trust within organisations.

“If we engender a culture of effectiveness in an open and transparent way, we can lean into the things that haven’t gone well, understand why, and share those experiences across the organisation,” she said.

“That’s how you get buy-in and create a culture where failure is seen as a stepping stone, not a setback.”

Andy Morley, director of marketing for Uber and Uber Eats APAC, echoed this sentiment, challenging the industry’s obsession with ROI.

“I’m very sceptical of anyone who thinks they can pinpoint the exact ROI on something. It nearly always undervalues the long-term effect,” he said.

Instead, Andy advocated for a holistic approach, combining short-term business impacts with long-term brand-building efforts.

“The easier route is to draw some correlation, but the better method is to educate everyone on the pitfalls of measurement and what we learn on that journey,” he added.

Edward Pank, WARC APAC vice president, shared a case study from Instagram’s Laura Jones, who openly dissected why a high-profile campaign featuring Lizzo fell short.

“They didn’t link the brand campaign to performance metrics, and they didn’t measure it long enough,” Edward explained.

“But by sharing those lessons, they were able to integrate brand and performance seamlessly in their next campaign, achieving remarkable results.”

Andy also highlighted a cultural shift within Uber’s Japanese team, where a campaign that initially underperformed became a catalyst for change.

By openly sharing their learnings with the broader business, the team not only elevated trust but also delivered their highest-performing campaign the following year.

“That would not have happened if there wasn’t an open discussion around why the first campaign didn’t work,” he said.

As budgets shrink and competition intensifies, Hannah sees the ability to learn from failure as a defining factor for success. Brands that thrive will be those willing to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and prioritise long-term impact over short-term wins.

“We’re not going to know if these things work unless we try them,” Hannah said.

The event also showcased the strategy behind three Effie-winning campaigns, including Uber’s ‘Get Almost Almost Anything’ and ALDI’s ‘Shop ALDI First’, which demonstrated how creativity and effectiveness can drive tangible business results.

Tony Hale, CEO of Advertising Council Australia, said the event addressed the pressures of shifting consumer behaviours and increasing demands for accountability.

“Inside Effectiveness provides marketers with informed strategies to excel in today’s competitive landscape,” he said.