Understanding Item Contribution in TURF Analysis

This research paper discusses the concept of item contribution within the context of TURF (Total Unduplicated Reach and Frequency) analysis. It addresses the common client inquiry regarding the contribution of individual items to the overall success of a product portfolio. The paper outlines the TURF methodology, which identifies optimal combinations of items to maximize customer reach. It explains the computational complexity involved in determining each item's contribution and introduces the Shapley Value Attribution method as a solution. This method averages the marginal contributions of items across all possible orderings, providing a fair assessment of each item's value. The paper includes an example calculation demonstrating the application of this method to a portfolio of ice cream flavors. Additionally, it discusses when to use TURF versus Shapley Value Attribution, highlighting their respective objectives and applications in product line optimization. The technical notes emphasize the computational challenges associated with these analyses, particularly as the number of items increases.