UKOM appoints Nielsen to launch online planning system

UKOM has appointed Nielsen as its official partner to launch an industry-agreed online audience planning system in the UK.

The Audience Planning System (APS), which is due to be unveiled in January 2010, will be designed to allow advertisers and agencies to plan online campaigns that target specific audiences, using an industry-approved system similar to BARB, RAJAR and NRS.

The new system will be based on a panel of around 35,000 consumers across home and work locations and will supply online audience data down to sites as small as 50,000 unique users.

Guy Phillipson, CEO of the Internet Advertising Bureau and director of UKOM, said: “The UKOM Audience Planning System represents a genuine milestone for the online industry.  For the first time, advertisers and agencies will be able to confidently plan campaigns using industry-approved audience data comparable with traditional media, such as TV and press.

“Nielsen’s original submission to be the supplier of this system was a close match to UKOM’s exacting brief and we have worked closely with them, taking advice from all stakeholders, to hone the final specifications. I’m confident the UKOM Audience Planning System will transform the medium for brand advertisers.”

Louise Ainsworth, The Nielsen Company’s managing director of EMEA, Online, added: “As the world’s leading provider of marketing information and audience measurement, Nielsen is very proud to have been chosen by UKOM to develop and launch the UK digital industry’s first currency planning tool.  We look forward to continuing to help lead the success of the online medium.”