Certified Professional Category Analyst (CPCA) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CPCA Exam Practice Questions and Study Guide

Using syndicated scanner data to identify baseline sales and compare that baseline to incremental sales due to the ad is the most effective approach to measure Retailer X's sales effect of a feature ad run during the second week in April.

Syndicated scanner data provides a comprehensive view of sales trends and patterns over a specified period, which is crucial for establishing a reliable baseline. This data allows analysts to capture not only the baseline sales figures prior to the ad campaign but also account for market variability, seasonal effects, or any other external factors that may influence sales during that time.

The benefit of comparing incremental sales to a well-defined baseline is that it highlights the direct impact of the advertising campaign. This method isolates the effects of the ad by measuring sales that can be attributed specifically to the marketing initiative, rather than fluctuations that may occur due to other variables. Therefore, it provides a clearer understanding of the ad's effectiveness in driving sales.

In contrast, the other options do not provide a robust mechanism for isolating the effect of the advertising campaign. For example, simply using the sales figures from the first week as the baseline could be misleading due to pre-existing sales trends or fluctuations unrelated to the ad. Similarly, dividing total sales for April by four weeks lacks the