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Three Dimensions Of Metrics For The 21st Century

Lydia Loizides writes for Mediapost: The characteristics and qualities of metrics are generally perceived as quantitative in nature, whereas the characteristics and qualities of creativity are perceived as qualitative. Get over it. Metrics have a history and are, at their essence, the derivates of subjective actions. A mouthful, yes, but follow me for a moment. Nielsen ratings are metrics (a quantitative measure) that are based on the viewers' likes or dislikes of a program (a qualitative action). If we could find a way to enhance the qualitative characteristics of quantative measurements, the learnings would be far closer to a 360-degree view. Interesting hypothesis, no? More...

In UK, TouchPoints2 Integrated Planning Database launches

The IPA TouchPoints2 Integrated Planning Database will be launched on 16th October at the IPA. This launch marks the second phase of IPA TouchPoints2, following the publication of the IPA TouchPoints2 SuperHub database in July.

The IPD allows practitioners to plan across all media included on the survey – television, print, radio, cinema, outdoor, event sponsorship, direct mail, SMS and online - we are also delighted to announce the incorporation of a search metric for the first time. This means that users can create and evaluate multi-media scenarios against a wide range of communications objectives and audiences, with combined coverage and frequency as key outputs. More...

Was WPP'S acquisition of TNS good for the market?

Pat LaPointe writes for Mediapost: Which Metrics Apply When The Fox Eats The Henhouse? The formal announcement of WPP’s acquisition of TNS has me wondering, who is this good for (other than WPP and some TNS shareholders)? What are the metrics for success in this deal? Clients, promised the benefits of synergy (a.k.a. “effectiveness”) and efficiency, may find that objectivity and differentiability are more important metrics. Let me explain….

NDS and TNS Join Forces to Develop Set-top Box Audience Measurement Solution

NDS writes: LONDON, UK – September 9, 2008 – NDS, the leading provider of technology solutions for digital pay-TV, including satellite, cable and IPTV platforms, and TNS Media Research (TNS), a global leader in TV, radio and internet audience measurement, today announced a global partnership to create and market an end-to-end STB audience measurement solution for digital TV operators.

The solution, based on the NDS Dynamic™ advertising suite and the TNS Media Research Return Path Data (RPD) audience measurement service, will help TV operators to better understand audience behaviour and, as a consequence, increase the revenue potential for their digital platforms. More...

WPP Extends TNS Deadline

AdWeek writes: NEW YORK WPP Group said it has extended the deadline for Taylor Nelson Sofres shareholders to accept the holding company's $2 billion-plus offer to acquire the research firm. The new deadline is Sept. 12. The original deadline expired earlier today, and shareholders representing less than 9 percent of the company's stock had agreed to accept the offer, per WPP. More...

TNS still opposes WPP bid

The Wall Street Journal writes: LONDON -- British market researcher Taylor Nelson Sofres PLC refused to drop its opposition to a £1.1 billion ($2.02 billion) takeover bid from ad giant WPP Group PLC, pushing for a higher price despite the fact that the only other bidder had walked away. More...

GfK stops talks on bid for TNS

GfK announces: 27 August 2008 - Further to the announcement on 1 August confirming that GfK was pursuing an offer for TNS, the Management Board of GfK (the “Management Board”) announces that it has terminated all discussions in relation to financing for a possible offer and that GfK will therefore not be pursuing an offer for TNS. The Management Board, after careful consideration, has concluded that the terms of the financing available did not enable a sufficiently compelling alternative cash offer to be made for TNS that was also economically in the best interests of the GfK shareholders. More....

KDPaine announces MarketFramer, a new tool to help marketers better frame messages for their markets

BERLIN, N.H. ( August 12, 2008)—New Hampshire-based social media and PR measurement consultancy KDPaine & Partners announced today an advanced social media tool designed to help organizations quickly get a handle on what their marketplace is saying and thinking, enabling them to craft their messages accordingly. Based on KDPaine & Partners’ 22 years of media analysis and research experience, the new tool, MarketFramer, takes fundamental principles of sociology, public relations measurement and survey research and applies them to social media, blogs and other consumer generated media, to order to produce a report that answers questions like.....more...

WPP makes offer for TNS

WPP announced: The board of WPP announces the terms of an offer to acquire the whole of the issued and to be issued share capital of TNS. A Kantar/TNS combination would create the second largest information, insight and consultancy group globally, with leadership positions in key geographies, competencies and sectors. WPP believes that the Enlarged Group would be able to lead the industry in terms of the quality of market insight and the way it is delivered to and used by clients.....the Enlarged Group would be one of the leading participants in a number of growing, highly attractive competency areas and sectors, including Retail & Shopper, Media evaluation (with the exception of the US), Digital evaluation, measurement and understanding, Communications, Innovation, FMCG and Healthcare. More...

Yesterday’s Research is Failing Today’s Advertising

Erwin Ephron writes: Media are learning that sample-based research is no longer adequate to report the size and personality of their many audiences. Yet media research continues with business as usual. Most of the focus is on adding new measurements like engagement or product purchase, not on repairing the basic counts of audience. That would require a complete remake of how we do the measuring.