Cross-media measurement is more of a “nice to have” at the minute with different media more prepared to to work towards a single currency than others, an IAB Measure Up panel has said.
The discussion featured IAB Australia director of research Gai Le Roy, Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) chief executive Joan Warner, OzTAM CEO Doug Peiffer and Ooh!Media CEO Brendon Cook. It was moderated by PwC CMO Advisory director Justin Papps.
While the IAB and OzTAM sais that there are discussion about cross-media measurement in the background, it is not at the top of anyone's agenda.
Warner admitted radio was more concerned with evolving how radio is measured before looking to crack cross-media measurement.
“We need to get our own houses in order,” Warner said. “We think it’s time for us to be more transparent. We have all held our currencies close to our chest.”
Warner said the cost of finding a cross-media measurement was prohibitive and radio wouldn’t take part in a program to address the issue until it was confident in its own measurement regime, which the CRA recently revealed is a major focus in the year ahead.
OzTAM chief executive Doug Peiffer agreed that each media tends to be protective of its own currency and there was an urgent need to get better alignment across key definitions, such as what constitutes reach, viewability and the difference between a digital ‘view’ and a TV ‘viewer’.
“We have to stitch it together, but we are stitching apples and oranges and bananas at the minute,” Peiffer said.
Ooh!Media boss Brendon Cook admitted “trust is a difficult thing because everyone has to protect their bottom line”.
“Pulling together the out of home industry over measurement was tough enough,” he added. “There’s a challenge getting consistency across different outdoor mediums.”
Le Roy suggested that the IAB had greater urgency in finding a solution, pointing out that print media have had cross-media measurement for the past 4-5 years.
“It’s important for newsbrands,” she said. “It’s pretty high [on the IAB’s priority list], the cross-device piece has also been important.”
Peiffer added that he didn’t think it was helpful when different media channels are “throwing stones at each other”, a reference to barbs thrown between digital and TV.
“I don’t think it helps when some people are shitting on other people’s currency,” Peiffer added.
Check out photos of the panel below.
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