In the dynamic realm of digital advertising, the Modern Marketing Association (MMA) embarked on a pioneering project with the aim to standardize engagement metrics—a keystone for evaluating campaign effectiveness and ensuring equitable evaluation of awards entries. This comprehensive guide captures the journey of the Engagement Metrics Project from its ambitious beginnings to its pivot – a pragmatic decision made in the face of the industry's complex digital ecosystem particularly with video metrics. Herein, we present the findings, challenges, and the MMA's strategic recommendations for aligning engagement metrics with business objectives, thus enabling a fair and consistent benchmarking across the advertising landscape.