IAB Australia’s Online Audience Measurement deed review process to launch on March 19th

IAB Australia will host a ‘town hall’ meeting on March 19th 2014 for agencies, marketers and publishers to discuss the industry priorities and issues around online audience measurement including the need for measurement which moves beyond the desktop to mobile, tablet and other smart devices.

The meeting marks the first step on what is expected to be an eight month review process of IAB Australia’s existing Online Audience Measurement deed which is currently held by Nielsen.

IAB Australia’s objective with the appointment of a preferred supplier or suppliers for the provision of an online audience measurement services is to ensure greater accuracy in audience measurement which will lead to greater credibility, confidence and investment in digital advertising.

Full tender documentation is scheduled to be released by April and IAB will be seeking responses from a broad range of suppliers, including those interested in pursuing particular aspects of the broader online audience measurement requirements such as mobile or video; companies who may wish to jointly respond to the tender and those who believe they can address the full tender requirements. 

Ian Muir has been announced as the independent chair for the Deed Renewal process. Muir is a media measurement expert and veteran of TV, outdoor and newspaper measurement tenders.  He was the chair of the original IAB Australia tender process. The MFA and AANA will also be involved in the review process again.

According to Alice Manners, CEO of IAB Australia, the industry meeting will be the first step on what will be a very transparent review process.

Says Manners: “Online measurement is an issue that is of critical importance for our industry so it’s vital that our tender process reflects the combined interests of our industry.  Australia is a leader in digital audience measurement being one of the first markets globally to test and embrace hybrid methodology to help with more accurate and inclusive data.

“We anticipate considerable input and opinion at our meeting in March and we are also encouraging all potential online measurement suppliers to get involved in responding to the tender. We are looking forward to reviewing a range of innovative and challenging new solutions for this complicated issue which will help us support and grow the online advertising industry as a whole.”

Says Gai Le Roy, director of research at IAB Australia: “The IAB Australia Measurement Council members have already begun planning for the town hall meeting and considering preliminary aspects of the tender document around metrics, deliverables and scope.  We look forward to developing this further once the meeting has been held and all interested publishers and agencies have had their chance to share their views.”

Full details about the meeting and tender process can be found at www.iabaustralia.com.au.

Nielsen is currently the sole and exclusive preferred supplier of Online Audience Measurement services in Australia for IAB Australia following a tender process conducted in 2011 which was overseen by a specially convened Technical Review Group.