IAB And IPA To Tackle Online Measurement Issues
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and the Institute of Practitioners In Advertising (IPA) have joined forces to tackle the problems of online audience measurement.
The initiative, described by the IAB as a “long-term mission” aims to create a new, reliable and universal system of online audience measurement. The plan comes in response to advertisers’ concerns over the issue and is a key strategic priority in a long term programme aiming to improve the industry’s accountability and image.
Both the IPA and the IAB believe that the lack of clarity over the way online audiences are measured is creating a stumbling block to the growth of online advertising. It is hoped by attempting to put online ad measurement in the same framework of traditional media advertising, marketers will be more willing to dedicate a larger proportion of their ad budgets to new media.
Commenting on the new initiative, Danny Meadows-Klue, chief executive of the IAB, said: “In its short life the internet has developed a vast range of measurement tools, made possible by the precision and counting that digital media brings.
He continued: “Now its time for audience measurement to grow up and be more comparable to traditional media measurement. This project starts by shrugging off technical jargon that serves more to confuse marketers than enlighten them. We will clarify the issues, explain the facts, and work with measurement systems to advance these issues even further.”
Lynne Robinson, research director at the IPA, added: “The investment in online advertising is now significant and if it is to continue to grow we need transparent and accountable audience measurement.”
The IAB recently appointed Laurence Bour as its first ever research manager, as part of its drive to double the volume of internet advertising by autumn 2004 (see IAB Appoints First Ever Research Manager).
The internet is starting to play a more prominent role in the marketing mix and the latest figures released by IAB show that UK online advertising spend increased by 18.7% year on year during 2002 to almost £200 million (see Online Ad Industry Bucks Recession In 2002).
IAB: 020 8683 9557 www.iabuk.net
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