What CMOs need to know for their next brand health tracking study

The following blog references the 2026 Gartner® report, “2026 Market Guide for Brand Health Tracking Providers.” To access the full report, go here. 

Brand health tracking delivers critical insights into consumer perceptions, brand loyalty, and the effectiveness of marketing strategies. Despite its clear importance, most senior executives still struggle to connect brand performance to business outcomes — and that gap is costly. According to the 2026 Gartner Brand and Business Strategy Survey, 84% of senior executives struggle to understand brand’s impact on their enterprise, and organizations that fail to make this connection are nearly half as likely to hit their enterprise growth targets.¹ 

With CMOs under increasing pressure to justify every marketing dollar, now is the time to reevaluate your approach to brand health tracking — and your choice of provider. We believe the 2026 Gartner Market Guide for Brand Health Tracking Providers is an excellent place to start. 

How CMOs typically use brand tracking providers 

Tracking brand health is difficult to manage internally, so CMOs commonly outsource to specialized providers. Vendors typically deliver across three core areas. 

Audience management. Vendors handle the full process of recruiting, screening, and compensating survey respondents — sourcing from the brand’s existing customer base, proprietary panels, or independent recruitment channels. 

Survey design and execution. Vendors develop survey instruments aligned to brand objectives, program logic to reduce errors, and deploy surveys across in-person and digital channels to maximize participation and data quality. 

Data delivery and analysis. Results are packaged as static files (PowerPoint, Excel) or interactive dashboards. Vendors synthesize findings into executive summaries, highlighting key metrics, competitive context, and recommended next steps. 

What to look for in a brand tracking provider 

We believe CMOs should evaluate potential partners across several dimensions before committing. 

1. AI use and data governance. Vendors vary significantly in how they use AI — from real-time survey follow-up prompts to synthetic data generation and conversational insight interfaces. CMOs should confirm that a vendor’s AI practices align with their organization’s policies, and that any first-party customer data shared with a vendor is not being used to train models beyond their own brand’s use case. 
    

2. Proprietary brand indexes. Many vendors consolidate multiple metrics into a single proprietary score. This can simplify stakeholder communication but also introduces “black box” concerns among analytically minded executives. CMOs should assess whether a vendor’s index enhances clarity or creates unnecessary complexity. 
    

3. Pricing model alignment. Vendors use a range of structures — annual subscriptions, tier-based fees, user seat licenses, credit-based models, and engagement-based pricing. CMOs should weigh the predictability of fixed-fee models against the flexibility of variable ones, and account for potential incremental costs like setup fees, additional user licenses, and panel expenses. 
    

4. ROI support. Some providers offer modeling that links brand health metrics to commercial outcomes. This support can be valuable, but CMOs should scrutinize the underlying methodology. CFOs are often skeptical of brand ROI formulas that lack transparency or oversimplify brand’s long-term value. 
    

5. Data presentation and dashboard tools. Many providers now offer interactive dashboards with audience segmentation, scenario planning, and real-time updates. CMOs should confirm that vendors offer adequate training and onboarding, and that the tool’s complexity doesn’t hinder internal decision-making. 
    

6. Industry, regional, and B2B/B2C expertise. Providers with deep specialization offer better respondent access, lower recruitment costs, and more relevant benchmarks. CMOs operating in regulated industries or expanding globally should prioritize vendors with demonstrated expertise in those contexts. 

Access the full report 

You can access the full report from Gartner, here. In the report you will find:   

1. Gartner research and analysis on how the brand health tracking market is changing 

2. A list of Representative Vendors that provide brand health tracking services. This list mentions providers across a range of sizes, locations, and available tools and services 

3. Additional Gartner research, insights, and recommendations related to brand health tracking  

Ultimately, the organizations (and CMOs) that prioritize brand health tracking and invest in data-driven brand strategies will be the ones that make more informed decisions and stay ahead of the competition. Use Gartner insights to assess your current approach to brand health and identify the next steps to grow your brand’s impact. 

¹: Source: Gartner, Market Guide for Brand Health Tracking Providers, Julie Reeves, Carlos Guerrero, 1 April 2026. 

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