EMV Methodology: The Two-Set Approach (May 2026)

Earned Media Value (EMV) translates the visibility and engagement of organic content into a measurable paid media equivalent. We employ a strict two-set design to track this metric because relying on a single Italian-only figure introduces a structural vulnerability. A solitary benchmark will inevitably drift and misguide strategy if its underlying data lane is either artificially manipulated or simply too thin to be statistically reliable.

How we compute EMV

The Portfolio EMV (portfolio:2026-05) functions as our definitive first-party signal. We calculate this index by mapping verified Meta and YouTube paid spend to organic-equivalent reach for the specific brands operating inside the Sentia portfolio. This metric is isolated entirely to the Italian market to ensure regional accuracy. The calculation is recomputed monthly on a rolling 120-day window, which smooths out short-term anomalies while keeping the baseline responsive to recent media costs. The entire process is executed by an automated monthly cron.

The Public Consensus EMV (public_consensus:2026-05) operates as our public third-party signal. To generate this metric, an automated Serper plus Gemini extraction pipeline isolates and averages the latest market figures published by Kolsquare, Ayzenberg, Buzzoole, and IAB Italy. This external consensus is also updated on a monthly schedule. We maintain these two data lanes strictly in parallel at all times. We never blend the portfolio and public sets into a single synthesized number.

Why two sets

The rationale for maintaining isolated sets rests on data integrity and transparency. The portfolio number is anchored directly in verified Sentia spend data, meaning it is completely internally auditable, but it only reflects the realities of Sentia-tracked brands. Conversely, the public-consensus number covers a much broader spectrum of the industry, but it inherently adopts whatever distinct methodology each participating public source uses. Showing both datasets side by side allows a Chief Marketing Officer to observe exactly when the internal spend efficiency diverges from the broader public narrative and to ask targeted questions about why that gap exists.

Where to read the numbers

• The live data dashboard: /benchmarks/emv
• The May 2026 portfolio analysis: /benchmarks/emv-portfolio-2026-05
• The May 2026 public consensus analysis: /benchmarks/emv-public_consensus-2026-05

Update cadence and provenance

Both data lanes refresh on a strict monthly schedule driven by a Trigger.dev cron routine. To maintain complete transparency, the precise source and provenance for every public number are permanently stored alongside the final output value within the emv_benchmarks system. Calculations involving deeper engagement actions such as comments, shares, and saves are deliberately deferred until our first-party coverage is wide enough to prevent sample bias. At present, our EMV methodology remains strictly anchored on verified impressions and organic reach equivalents.