For years, metrics and analysis have been arguing for validity among marketers. Sure, everyone talks about the importance, but as research has shown, this doesn’t always correlate to making its way into the budget. Even as recently as a year ago, I can remember being at a marketing awards show, in which one of the judges for the ‘measurable marketing’ category commented that the concentration was primarily subjective. Given the technology now available for tracking marketing spend, such a statement is now laughable. That said, the need for a ‘full spectrum’ analysis tool is growing at an exponential rate.

In an effort to define a tool that meets these demands, Rubicon has began using the Tableau platform. The most beautiful aspect of this solution is the visual analysis that allows users to interact with a data to solve the questions they have. One of the most interesting examples I’ve seen recently using Tableau comes from Tim Graham and centers on how global brands hold various levels of popularity in different countries.

In the months to come, look for this field to continue to take leaps and bounds toward the spotlight. If the trend continues, actionable analysis will be a consistent theme with executive management in 2010. If you haven’t had a chance to familiarize yourself with the capabilities, be sure to check out the Tableau Software blog and also an independent site, Information is Beautiful. If you have had a chance to employ technology such as this, what have you gained? Any surprises or hurdles?