Traditional agencies still measure success through overall sales lift, gross rating points (GRPs) and, if they're progressive enough, clickthroughs. Those metrics don't move as much as they used to. Brand equity has given way to loyalty. GRPs have yielded to engagement metrics. Net Promoter scores count, reputation scores count, blog metrics count. Traditional agencies still don't speak the modern metrics language.

"Customer indifference is almost as bad as brand saboteurs," says Michael Lowenstein, VP and senior consultant for Harris Interactive. "Agencies need to be dramatic, strategic and flexible from industry to industry. At some point you have to wonder where media fits in the equation. I mean, word of mouth has always been important, but now brands actually want to measure it. The level of importance for trust in a brand is higher than ever before, but we don't know if people trust advertising."

Lowenstein believes a new equation needs to be considered, and metrics for advertising effectiveness need to follow. He says trust in media and service will lead to customer commitment. Commitment will lead to customer advocacy. Customer advocacy will lead to incremental profits and higher brand equity.

"Consumers are looking beyond the things that are rational," he says. "How can we measure emotional attachment? I can tell you that indifference or the lack of emotional attachment will be easy to measure. The brand will start to lose equity."