I-COM worldmeasurementnews

comScore to Acquire Certifica, Significantly Expanding comScore’s Footprint in Latin America

RESTON, VA, October 29, 2009 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today announced entry into a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Certifica, a leader in web measurement in Latin America. The acquisition helps enhance comScore’s presence and brand in the rapidly-developing Latin American market and positions the company for further expansion in the region.

Based in Santiago, Chile, Certifica has offices throughout Latin America, including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Peru. The company was founded in 2000 with the goal of becoming the leading analyst and auditor of Internet traffic measurement and has won the endorsement of the IAB in several Latin American countries to publish cross site statistics on Internet usage. The sites measured by Certifica will be available for inclusion (on an opt-in basis) in comScore’s Media Metrix 360 hybrid measurement solution, which combines panel-based audience measurement data and Web site analytics data to provide a more comprehensive view of activity, beginning in early 2010. The enhanced methodology will account for the full universe of Internet usage, including traffic from Internet cafes and mobile devices.

Under the direction of Alejandro Fosk, founder and former CEO of Certifica and now SVP and General Manager of comScore Latin America, comScore plans to sell and service the full suite of comScore products in the region.

“We are very excited to be joining forces with Certifica. Alejandro and his team have established a strong local presence, a high quality portfolio of services, and an excellent reputation for client service,” said Linda Abraham, comScore CMO and EVP of Global Product Management. “Latin America currently represents 9 percent of the world’s population, and although the Internet penetration there is relatively low compared to some other parts of the world, it is growing at a rapid pace, presenting growth opportunities for many advertisers and publishers. With 57 percent of the population under the age of 25, Latin America also owns the title of ‘the youngest continent’ and represents a sophisticated, engaged and connected Internet user base. This acquisition will strengthen our presence in the region and enable us to offer hybrid measurement as part of our Media Metrix 360 initiative using the same state-of-the-art measurement technologies we use elsewhere in the world. We warmly welcome our Certifica colleagues into the comScore team.”

“comScore is an ideal partner to leverage Certifica’s existing expertise in Latin America and provide the market with a more comprehensive digital measurement platform that will promote the growth of the online advertising market,” said Alejandro Fosk, founder and former CEO of Certifica. “We are excited that Certifica’s clients will have access to comScore’s robust reporting platform, which will enable them to understand the complete digital landscape and lead to new ways to optimize their digital marketing strategies.” More...

Gemius wins IAB Turkey Internet Audience Measurement tender

Gemius writes: Gemius recently won a tender for analysing the Turkish internet audience which was submitted by IAB Turkey. The President of IAB Turkey, Levent Erden, emphasised that the company’s primary objective is to obtain a reasonable share in advertising budgets next year, adding that: “Internet Audience Measurement will be one of the major tools to develop the interactive market even faster in Turkey. The selection process for a research company was conducted extremely scrupulously. All major companies were invited and three were shortlisted out of the original seven. Gemius was selected for its efficient methodology and its ability to respond to the requirements of the market with success.”

“I am extremely happy we have launched this most advanced of audience hybrid methodology measurements in Turkey. IAB Turkey has taken an important step in choosing research that will greatly benefit the market using expertise gained from the perspective of both emerging and developed markets. I strongly believe that initiating internet audience measurements will stimulate the rapid growth of the Turkish internet market and will dramatically boost internet ad spends,” says Filip Pieczyński, vice-president of Gemius SA. More...

In UK, UKOM reveals details of online planning system

New Media Age writes: UKOM confirmed the panel-based measurement system, provided by The Nielsen Company, would be available from January. The audience planning system (APS) will be based on a panel of at least 31,000 consumers at home aged over two, with a further panel of 4,000 individuals at work. It will supply audience data on sites down to 35,000 unique visitors, reporting page views and time spent.

Matt Simpson, head of digital at OMD Group and chair of the IPA Digital Group, said the panel should help address the problem of the small budgets currently being allocated to brand activity online. OMD estimates that of the £3.7bn spent on brand advertising in the UK, only £180m is spent online. More...

In UK, UKOM names Douglas McArthur as chairman

UKOM writes: Tuesday, 13 October 2009, Douglas McArthur OBE, former chief executive and founder of the Radio Advertising Bureau has been named as the chairman of UKOM – the UK online audience measurement company. The announcement comes at a crucial time for UKOM, as it prepares for the January 2010 launch of its Audience Planning System, powered by the Nielsen Company.

A media heavyweight and highly relevant appointment, McArthur worked to develop the radio audience measurement system, RAJAR, in 1992. At the head of the RAB, he spent 14 years leading and sustaining radio's revenue share growth from 2% to 7%, and in May 2006 launched his own marketing consultancy – Planning for Results.

As independent chair, McArthur will ensure that the key stakeholders are able to contribute to the development of UKOM: agencies and advertisers, primarily via their representative trade bodies the IPA and ISBA, and UK publishers. McArthur has been working with UKOM in a consultancy role since Mark Cranmer stood down from UKOM earlier this year to join Aegis Media's digital agency network Isobar, as chief executive. More...

In UK, ABCe issues clarification on recent comScore press coverage

ABCe writes: Some recent press coverage in Marketing and on Brand Republic states that:
“comScore, which lost the UKOM tender to Nielsen, plans to team up with ABCe to create its own measurement service, combining websites' server data with panel information.”

This misleading coverage does not make it clear that ABCe, via its role as an independent, industry-owned organisation, works in partnership with a wide range of suppliers to facilitate the development of digital industry standards via JICWEBS. ABCe is not tied to any one supplier.

JICWEBS is the industry-owned standards body for digital census data measurement standards. (UKOM by contrast is focused on panel based research data). JICWEBS remit is to consider recommendations from the ABCe Internet Technical Group and then decide whether the Industry Agreed Measurement Metrics should be updated. JICWEBS is comprised of representatives from advertisers, media owners and agencies via the following trade associations; IPA, IPA digital, ISBA, AOP, IAB, NPA and NS. Please see www.jicwebs.org for further details.

ABCe’s role, as the industry-owned auditor, is to facilitate debate and independently verify compliance with the industry-agreed standards. comScore is one of some 40 technology providers who, as ABCe Associate Subscribers, can be involved in developing these industry standards via the Internet Technical Group (ITG). Others include Nielsen Online, Nedstat, Gemius, Omniture, Webtrends and almost 200 digital media owners such as Government (COI), BBC, all the national newspapers, around 70 regional newspapers, RTE and BSkyB.

Web analytics, including the use of cookies, continually evolve and we look forward to ensuring that comScore’s contribution in that debate is explored at the ITG and JICWEBS, alongside contributions from other ABCe Subscribers.

For reference at the next meeting JICWEBS will clarify that: 1. Daily UU/B data eliminates the relevance of cookie deletion, to all intents and purposes. 2.The JICWEBS UU/B metric is expressly aimed at counting devices (not people) In addition, Nielsen Online will be invited to update JICWEBS about their fused solution and Effective Measure will be invited to update JICWEBS about their Flash cookie- based solution. More...

comScore Submits Proposal to ABCe in U.K. for a new Person-Centric Measure for Web Site Server Measurement

LONDON, U.K., October 7th, 2009 – comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today published an open white paper entitled “Proposal for a New Person-Centric Measure for Web Site Server Measurement in the U.K.” This proposal is based upon original comScore research which shows that by calculating cookie deletion rates from an online panel and applying the appropriate adjustments to Web-site server data, accurate user (i.e. people-based) metrics can be derived.

The results represent a major breakthrough in the reconciliation of panel-based and Web site server data to create a unified set of numbers for online audience measurement. This open white paper has been submitted to the Audit Bureau of Circulation’s electronic arm (ABCe) for consideration by its Internet Technical Group and by the Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards (JICWEBS) to help inform the current debate concerning the development of new industry-agreed audited metrics for the measurement of online audiences. comScore will also submit a closed white paper on the methodology used to create these measures using comScore’s Media Metrix 360 solution. More...

In UK, comScore goes head to head with UKOM over online currency

New Media Age writes: ComScore has proposed an online measurement currency just a week after UKOM confirmed its partnership with Nielsen to establish a universal online planning system.

Guy Phillipson, chief executive of the IAB and director of UKOM, said ComScore’s proposal doesn’t affect UKOM. “It doesn’t matter what technology is used as long as online is measured against an industry-agreed set of demographics that enable it to be compared with other channels,” he said.

Matt Simpson, head of digital at OMD Group and chair of the IPA Digital Group, said, “A lot of agencies have stated that UKOM has come too late and that it’s basic. But these are the building blocks of a common currency. There’s a place for more advanced metrics but there’s also a need to compare to other channels.” More...

In US, Arbitron announces Cross-Platform Media Measurement Group

COLUMBIA, Md., Sept. 30 -- Arbitron Inc. (NYSE: ARB) announced today the formation of a Cross-Platform media measurement group and the complementary expansion of its executive management team. By establishing this group, which brings together product development, sales and product management, Arbitron is taking a significant step in leveraging its Portable People Meter™ (PPM™) technologies beyond its traditional radio business.

Industry veteran Pierre Bouvard has been charged with driving Arbitron's cross-platform strategy as Executive Vice President, Cross-Platform Services. By leveraging PPM technology and domestic and international partnerships, Arbitron plans to capture an integrated view of the modern consumer media experience -- bridging the measurement gap amongst television, radio, Internet, mobile and placed-based media. Bouvard's team will develop the cross-platform media measurement strategy, define key offerings and take them to the marketplace. More...

UKOM confirms appointment of Nielsen to launch industry-agreed planning system in UK

UKOM – the UK online measurement company – has appointed The Nielsen Company as its official partner to deliver an industry-agreed online audience planning system. In a landmark step for the industry, the much-anticipated currency has been approved with the backing of the UK’s largest advertisers and agency groups. Set to launch in January 2010, the UKOM Audience Planning System (APS) will allow advertisers and their agencies to plan online campaigns that target specific audiences, using an industry-approved system just as they do with TV (BARB), radio (RAJAR) and print media (NRS).

Providing the all-important reach and frequency metrics that agency planners require to build media schedules, the APS will be based on a panel of at least 35,000 consumers across home and work locations and will supply online audience data down to sites as small as 50,000 unique visitors.

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. More...

Omniture and comScore Announce Strategic Partner Relationship to Deliver Unified Digital Audience Measurement Service

New York, Advertising Week, Sep. 21, 2009 – Omniture, Inc. (NASDAQ: OMTR), a leading provider of online business optimization software, and comScore, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCOR), a leader in measuring the digital world, today announced a strategic partner relationship to deliver a unified digital audience measurement system. Specifically designed to meet the unique demands of the digital advertising world, the offering will combine the power of Omniture’s Web analytics with comScore’s new Media Metrix 360 hybrid audience measurement to help provide publishers and advertisers with a unified and comprehensive view of online audiences.

We are excited to join forces with Omniture, a leader in quality and innovation in the Web analytics industry, to bring this solution to the marketplace,” said Dr. Magid Abraham, comScore President & CEO. “As leading providers of Internet audience measurement and Web analytics, comScore and Omniture are working to provide the marketplace a much-needed solution for consistent Web-wide measurement. This relationship will deliver to our customers the solution that they have been seeking, thus helping to promote and accelerate the usage of digital marketing intelligence for delivering actionable business results and competitive advantage. We believe it will also help the industry overcome concerns of inconsistent measurement of digital audiences and promote further adoption of digital media advertising.” More...

comScore, CMO, Linda Abraham will be presenting elements of this collaboration at the I-COM Session at dmexco on Sep. 23rd in Cologne.