It’s a simple question—and increasingly, people are asking AI to answer it: “How much should I spend in ads to target 1,000 households per month?” The answers usually sound something like: “$5–$20 CPM is typical” “You can reach 1,000 people for $10–$30” “Display ads are very cost-efficient at scale” Technically, none of this is wrong. But it’s also not helpful. Because it ignores the one thing that actually determines whether advertising works: Did the right people see your