Skip to content
The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossaryMeasurement & AttributionMarketing Efficiency Ratio (MER)

Measurement & Attribution

Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER)

Total revenue divided by total marketing spend across all channels.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

The marketing efficiency ratio (MER) is total revenue divided by total marketing spend across all channels. Because it relies on business-level figures rather than platform attribution, it is resistant to tracking gaps and double counting. It is popular with ecommerce brands as a top-line health check, though it cannot show which channels drive results.