Scott Karp writes a scathing analysis of why a recent McKinsey report was able to draw the conclusion that:

…many advertisers are reluctant to shift dollars online — despite the massive shift of consumer attention online — because of the “absence of meaningful metrics and adequate capabilities.”

Wow…yeah, we’re lacking lots of stuff in the online world, but let’s just say that Metrics isn’t among them…

The reality is that the attitudes expressed in the McKinsey report are all a smoke screen, intended to protect vested interests and organizations adapted to static media models, which went unchanged for decades, and not the dynamic innovation of the web. But they can’t deny that the future of advertising and marketing is online.

Ouch…now that sounds like the corporate advertising world we know and love. Scott makes the seminal point:

It’s not that traditional advertising is more “accountable,” but rather it’s more “comfortable,” more “familiar.” Just ask media companies how uncomfortable the transition to digital can be.

That very well could be the crux. Online advertising may not be in it’s infancy, but it’s at best a toddler, who may at any moment take a whizz on your shoes. There’s a lot of Balkanization of standards, and frankly, it’s got a feel that doesn’t appeal quite so well in the large corporate settings. Let’s face it, Google AdWords campaigns aren’t very sexy.

The real truth is that if you’re in corporate marketing, “comfortable” and “familiar” may seem like safe bets, but marketing is like a shark. If it ain’t swimming forward, it’s gonna start to smell funny.