Important Week For Online Research Currency

The future of a joint industry research currency for online is likely to be much clearer after an invitation-only IPA event on Wednesday.

In March 2008, JICIMS, the Joint Industry Committee for Internet Measurement Systems, issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to research companies as a first formal stage in the tendering process for its first contract.

The committee is hoping to award a contract for the planning system before the end of 2008.

In a NewsLine column published in March, JICIMS’ general manager, Peter Bowman, outlined the minimum requirements of this RFP, explaining that the prospective currency should have a user-centric approach and be primarily concerned with pre-campaign planning.

However, the greatest challenge remains that of ensuring the currency is universally supported and funded across the online industry.

While traditional media owners have been generally positive, not all of the pure play companies have expressed the same desire to drive this forward, and Wednesday’s event may be a final attempt to secure this support.

Speakers at the event will include senior advertisers. JICIMS has always been seen as a catalyst for increasing take up of online advertising by major brand advertisers, though recent debates have suggested some think this may not be the case now.

JICIMS recently appointed a chairman for the first time – Mark Cranmer, former chief executive of Starcom Mediavest Group EMEA (see Cranmer Appointed As Chairman Of JICIMS).

JICIMS: www.jicims.org.uk