Marketing optimization system

1. A computerized method of optimizing a marketing investment through one or more data processors having processor-implemented instructions, the method comprising:

automatically obtaining, through the processor-implemented instructions, multi-dimensional marketing data from a multi-dimensional database, wherein the multi-dimensional marketing data includes a plurality of data records, and wherein each data record has a value and a plurality of hierarchically-arranged dimensions;

using the multi-dimensional marketing data to define one or more models;

storing the multi-dimensional marketing data in a data staging area including a metadata repository, wherein the metadata repository includes metadata and one or more transformation rules used to transform the multi-dimensional marketing data into multi-dimensional formatted data;

receiving input to use the metadata and at least one transformation rule to transform the multi-dimensional marketing data into multi-dimensional formatted data, wherein the input is received through a graphical interface, and wherein transforming the multi-dimensional marketing data automatically classifies the multi-dimensional marketing data into at least one marketing category; and

receiving a selection corresponding to a marketing investment, wherein the multi-dimensional formatted data is analyzed using the one or more models that correspond to the marketing investment, wherein analyzing produces multi-dimensional forecasted data corresponding to the marketing investment, and wherein the multi-dimensional forecasted data is used to optimize the marketing investment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein classifying includes apportioning the multi-dimensional marketing data into at least one marketing category.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein classifying includes assigning the multi-dimensional marketing data to at least one marketing category.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein transforming includes aligning the multi-dimensional marketing data with pre-existing multi-dimensional marketing data in at least one marketing category.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein transforming includes integrating the marketing data with pre-existing multi-dimensional marketing data in at least one marketing category.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein marketing categories include marketing goals, financial plans, and technical plans.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein transforming includes linking together at least two marketing goals, financial plans, and technical plans.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein marketing categories include a plans and programs classification, a business results classification, a market factors classification, and an audience and segment classification.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing includes analyzing effectiveness of a marketing strategy.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing includes at least one of: analyzing return on investment, forecasting business results, tracking brand performance, analyzing brand performance, reviewing efficiency of an investment, and measuring a variance of the at least a portion of the multi-dimensional marketing data.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein forecasting business results includes demand forecasting and supply forecasting.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein measuring a variance includes alerting the market client of the variance.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a marketing metric of the multi-dimensional marketing data within the at least one marketing category.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

reporting the marketing metric to a market client.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing includes at least one of: simulating a response to a marketing strategy to optimize the marketing investment, modeling a market to forecast results of a marketing strategy to optimize the marketing investment, creating an analysis path through the multi-dimensional marketing data optimizing consumer promotions, and annotating results of the analysis.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein modeling a market includes adjusting the marketing model to forecast results of a different marketing strategy to optimize the marketing investment.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enabling a user to analyze multi-dimensional marketing data in the marketing category to optimize a marketing investment.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

automatically obtaining the user analysis.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the dimensions of the multi-dimensional database is a time-based dimension; wherein the time-based dimension is arranged in a hierarchy of different time-based levels; and wherein the hierarchy of different time-based levels comprises different levels of specificity with respect to time.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the different time-based levels include a month-based level and a quarterly period-based level.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein analyzing includes using an on-line analytical processing (OLAP) system to perform a multi-dimensional analysis on the formatted data.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein another of the dimensions of the multi-dimensional database is a product-based dimension; wherein the product-based dimension is arranged in a hierarchy of different product-based levels; and wherein the hierarchy of different product-based levels comprises different levels of specificity with respect to products.

23. A system, comprising:

one or more processors;

a computer-readable storage medium containing software instructions executable on the processor to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

automatically obtaining multi-dimensional marketing data from a multi-dimensional database, wherein the multi-dimensional marketing data includes a plurality of data records, and wherein each data record has a value and a plurality of hierarchically-arranged dimensions;

using the multi-dimensional marketing data to define one or more models;

storing the multi-dimensional marketing data in a data staging area including a metadata repository, wherein the metadata repository includes metadata and one or more transformation rules used to transform the multi-dimensional marketing data into multi-dimensional formatted data;

receiving input to use the metadata and at least one transformation rule to transform the multi-dimensional marketing data into multi-dimensional formatted data, wherein the input is received through a graphical interface, and wherein transforming the multi-dimensional marketing data automatically classifies the multi-dimensional marketing data into at least one marketing category; and

receiving a selection corresponding to a marketing investment, wherein the multi-dimensional formatted data is analyzed using the one or more models that correspond to the marketing investment, wherein analyzing produces multi-dimensional forecasted data corresponding to the marketing investment, and wherein the multi-dimensional forecasted data is used to optimize the marketing investment

24. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that when executed, cause a computer to perform a marketing optimization method, comprising:

automatically obtaining multi-dimensional marketing data from a multi-dimensional database, wherein the multi-dimensional marketing data includes a plurality of data records, and wherein each data record has a value and a plurality of hierarchically-arranged dimensions;

using the multi-dimensional marketing data to define one or more models;

storing the multi-dimensional marketing data in a data staging area including a metadata repository, wherein the metadata repository includes metadata and one or more transformation rules used to transform the multi-dimensional marketing data into multi-dimensional formatted data;

receiving input to use the metadata and at least one transformation rule to transform the multi-dimensional marketing data into multi-dimensional formatted data, wherein the input is received through a graphical interface, and wherein transforming the multi-dimensional marketing data automatically classifies the multi-dimensional marketing data into at least one marketing category; and

receiving a selection corresponding to a marketing investment, wherein the multi-dimensional formatted data is analyzed using the one or more models that correspond to the marketing investment, wherein analyzing produces multi-dimensional forecasted data corresponding to the marketing investment, and wherein the multi-dimensional forecasted data is used to optimize the marketing investment.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing includes using one or more algorithms to analyze the formatted data.

26. The system of claim 23 , wherein analyzing includes using one or more algorithms to analyze the formatted data.

27. The method of claim 24 , wherein analyzing includes using one or more algorithms to analyze the formatted data.