Conducting an Upwave measurement study is broken out into 6 distinct stages: 

1. Campaign Creation

2. Tags and Ad Server Reporting

3. Generate and Approve Questionnaire

4. Campaign Launch

5. Early and Mid Campaign Reporting

6. Late and Post Campaign Reporting

1. Create your campaign

   1. When: 7 days before your Media Start Date

   2. What: Create your campaign in the Upwave platform using the instructions here: Creating and Editing a Campaign. Be intentional when inputting your campaign information as these fields inform, and trigger, various Operational processes throughout the campaign's lifecycle. 

2. Confirm your media flight dates

   1. When: Ongoing

   2. What: The Media Start Date and Media End Date inputted on your Campaign Information form should be accurate, and kept up to date if something changes. Otherwise, false actions and/or notifications will occur throughout your campaign. You can read more about Media Start/End Date implications HERE. 

3. Invite new users

   1. When: Ongoing

   2. What: This step provides campaign permissions for users based on their Team. Please see these instructions for adding new users to your Team: Accounts & Login

4. Define your notification settings

   1. When: Ongoing

   2. What: Notification settings inform a variety of important communication lines throughout your campaign to ensure successful measurement. Be sure these are accurate, and kept up to date, so the right people receive the right notifications. You can read more about notification settings HERE. 

1. Generate and download tag(s) using the Tag Manager

   1. When: ASAP after campaign creation, or before your Media Start Date

   2. What: Generate and download tags on-demand within the Upwave Tag Manager. Select the Media Platform(s) where your tag(s) will be implemented. Then, download and distribute those tags to your Ad Ops team and/or Site-served partners for implementation. Please see instructions below based on how you're tagging your campaign: 

      1. CM360-Integrated Tags Creation

      2. Non-CM360-Integrated Tag Creation

2. Implement tag(s)

   1. When: ASAP after campaign creation, or before your Media Start Date

   2. What: Tags must be implemented with the Media Platform for which they're intended; otherwise, they will not function. Please see instructions below based on how you're tagging your campaign: 

      1. CM360-Integrated Tag Implementation

      2. Non-CM360-Integrated Tag Implementation

3. Schedule Ad Server reporting to your tag(s)' designated Reporting Email(s)
   

   1. When: ASAP after campaign creation, or before your Media Start Date

   2. What: Ad Server reporting allows us to (a) QA your tags through Discrepancy Reports, and (b) map your audiences. To unlock these features, please see instructions below based on how you're tagging your campaign:  

      1. CM360-Integrated Tag Ad Server Reporting

      2. Non-CM360-Integrated Tag Ad Server Reporting

4. Monitor and resolve variances using Discrepancy Reports

   1. When: Each time a Discrepancy Report is received

   2. What: Discrepancy Reports are used to QA your tags. They are initiated within 4 business days of receiving your correctly configured ad server reporting (allowing time for initial reporting QA, and processing); then run regularly each time a correctly configured report hits the tag(s') designated Reporting Email(s). For a full explanation of what Discrepancy Reports are, why they're important, and how to use them, please see our article: Everything You Need to Know About Discrepancy Reports

1. Submit the Objectives & Targets form

   1. When: ASAP after campaign creation (as this can delay launch)

   2. What: Submitting your Objectives and Targets form is what initiates the Questionnaire creation process (see more about our supported Objectives and Targets). Please allow up to 3 business days to receive the Questionnaire after submitting your Objectives and Targets form. The Questionnaire will be sent to your Campaign Setup & Management contacts on file for that campaign. 

2. Approve the Questionnaire

   1. When: ASAP after receiving the Questionnaire for approval

   2. What: You are required to approve the Questionnaire prior to campaign launch. Please note that there can be significant delays if there is friction over the Questionnaire among your stakeholders.

1. Upwave launches your campaign

   1. When: The study will launch based on the Media Start Date you have inputted on your Campaign Information form, with a 3 business day SLA from date of Questionnaire approval.

   2. What: Once the campaign is launched, your Upwave measurement study will collect exposed and control respondents until the Media End Date designated on your Campaign Information form is reached. 

2. Review dashboard to monitor respondent collection

   1. When: ~1 week after campaign launch

   2. What: Data populates after 100 control and exposed respondents are collected (you will see "No Data" displayed until that time). Weighting and modeling are run each night, with updated cumulative reporting available next day. 

1. Populate Tactic Mapping document

   1. When: ASAP after receiving the Tactic Mapping document

   2. What: Tactic Mapping allows you to achieve cut-level insights within your dashboard. Tactic Mapping is sent within 4 business days of receiving your correctly configured ad server reporting (allowing time for initial reporting QA, and processing). Once you've received your Tactic Mapping document, you have 1 week to populate it (the deadline will be provided in your email notification). Please refer to these instructions when populating: How to Complete Tactic Mapping.

2. Review Outcomes, Optimization and Reach data

   1. When: Results will appear "next day" after the Tactic Mapping document has been applied

   2. What: Once you've completed your Tactic Mapping document and Upwave has applied it to your campaign (either on the deadline provided, or expedited upon request), "tactic" cuts will be enabled within your dashboard. Optimization opportunities will then be generated and sent to your Opportunity contacts on the campaign, thus, empowering you to maximize performance. 

1. Refresh Tactic Mapping document as needed

   1. When: Monthly after initial Tactic Mapping delivery

   2. What: Upwave will send you updated Tactic Mapping documents throughout the campaign to capture new units (assuming your ad server reporting continues sending in a correctly configured format). This delivery/application will follow the same process as above. Please refer to these instructions when populating: How to Complete Tactic Mapping.

2. Review Outcomes, Optimization and Reach data

   1. When: Results will appear "next day" after the Tactic Mapping document has been applied

   2. What: Updating your Tactic Mapping document may enable new insights within your dashboard such as new Cut Categories and/or cut-level reads. Optimization opportunities will continue being sent to the Opportunity contacts you have designated on the campaign.

3. Request custom/nested cuts as needed

   1. When: Ongoing

   2. What: "Custom Cuts" can be requested using the "Get Help" button in the platform (see detailed instructions HERE). Most often, these are used to enable "cross cuts" that can't be added to the mapping document itself. Please work with our Product Support Team to see if custom cuts are feasible and/or recommended for your campaign. 

4. Modify campaign end date as needed

   1. When: Before the Media End Date designated on your Campaign Information form

   2. What: Your campaign will close based on the Media End Date that you have designated on your Campaign Information form. This field is editable until the campaign closed. As such, please be sure you keep this field up to date if your media is extended. 

5. Download post-campaign summary

   1. When: After campaign closed

   2. What: Once the campaign has closed (i.e. displays "Completed" in the Upwave platform), the "Download Campaign Summary" button will become available on your campaign card. From there, you can download your overall results for your campaign.