‘Prescriptive briefs, technical committees, cost efficiency, industry standards must for best outcomes from audience measurement’

Audience measurement was one of the key themes discussed in the recently concluded 2^nd WOO APAC Forum organised in Bali on November 1-3. In a panel discussion on the theme of ‘How can the Out-Of-Home Industry get the best performance from Audience Measurement providers?', anchored by Gideon Adey of World Out of Home Organization, the discussants Maud Moawad, CEO, Seventh Decimal, Kristina Rudoman, Chief Commercial Officer, Allunite, Jun Sakurai, CEO, LIVE BOARD, and Daniel Wong-Chi-Man, Chief Commercial Officer – Audience Measurement, Ipsos brought forth the critical success factors for the metrics.

The discussion covered various aspects of audience measurement, including the need for prescriptive briefs, understanding client expectations, data usage, and the importance of industry standards. The panel also discussed the role of technical committees and the value of transparency in measurement methodologies. Additionally, the panel addressed the challenge of maintaining stakeholder agreements and the role of better measurement in increasing advertiser trust and driving revenue.

Key takeaways from the discussion were:

• Prescriptive Briefs and Client Expectations: The panel emphasised the importance of getting to know the supplier and leaving room for creativity in the brief. It is imperative understand what the client expects from the output data.
• Understanding Data Usage: The panel stressed the importance of understanding how clients will use the data and tailoring measurement systems accordingly to meet their needs.
• Collaboration and Technical Committees: The discussants referred to the need for technical committees comprising representatives from both the demand and supply sides to ensure transparency and build trust. Collaborative efforts are essential to building a measurement system.
• Cost Efficiency and Product Enhancements: The panel noted that it is not necessary to build every component of a measurement system from scratch. Utilising existing data and industry standards can lead to cost efficiencies and product improvements.
• Transparency and Retaining IP: The discussion highlighted the importance of transparency in measurement methodologies. The panelists discussed their approaches, with some emphasising on open source methodologies, while others followed a proprietary approach.
• Stakeholder Agreements and the 5% Barrier: The panel agreed that stakeholder agreements should include discussions about how suppliers will make money and the ROI calculations. The 5% barrier can be met by creating an industry standard and offering better measurement to increase advertiser trust.
• Industry Standards: They the need for industry standards in each country to provide advertisers with a basis for comparing media and making decisions between different options.

Overall, the panel discussion shed light on the complexities and challenges of audience measurement in new markets and highlighted the importance of collaboration, transparency, and industry standards to build trust and drive revenue in the advertising industry.