Comcast Advertising’s Agency Leadership Council (ALC) recently commissioned Advertiser Perceptions to find out how more than 300 cross-screen TV advertisers and marketers are approaching measurement in 2021.
The results are now here, and they examine advertisers’ and marketers’ openness to new providers, and what may be holding them back from moving more quickly on new measurement currencies.
In today’s multi-screen, multi-device world, advertisers are continually finding ways to evolve and grow with their fast-moving audiences, lest they be left behind. As a result, advertising measurement is moving past age and gender definitions and panel-based approaches to bring focus on the audience itself, the most accurate source of measurement.
To get a better understanding of this topic and what’s next, Comcast Advertising commissioned Advertiser Perceptions to find out how over 300 cross-screen TV advertisers and marketers are approaching measurement, their openness to new providers, and what – if anything – is holding them back from moving more quickly.
Across the media industry today, there is a strong appetite to evolve from age / gender to audience-based measurement.
TV and Video advertisers, long reliant on measurement solutions that were age and gender based, today have the opportunity to measure their audiences in new ways. According to our survey, nearly 3 out of 4 advertisers are willing to try new audience measurement currencies, with 67% saying audience-based measurement is the
leading factor influencing the decision to adopt new currencies.
Advertisers are looking ahead to newer, smarter ways to approach measurement, but they are not prepared to overhaul their entire approach; in fact, 56% of advertisers and marketers acknowledge that it’s critical that new measurement approaches integrate seamlessly with their existing tools and workflows.
When considering audience measurement and currency providers, marketers and advertisers say that data scale and integrity, as well as more open
methodologies and proper accreditation, are the most critical factors.
When asked to rank the top considerations when making a decision about measurement currencies and providers, marketers revealed several factors that stood out most: 86% said data scale and integrity were critical, 63% said they are looking for open methodologies behind modeling / predictions, and 59% said they are looking for formal accreditation from measurement reporting bodies, such as the MRC. Additionally, nearly 90% say that it is important that measurement
partners work with specific data matching solutions and third-party providers.
Despite the strong support for audience-based measurement, there is still a need for more education in the industry.
Many respondents reflected on the opacity of the measurement space. When asked what would prevent them from working with a new audience measurement provider, 57% pointed to a lack of internal knowledge about the topic, while 53% felt that concerns on methodology would hold them back – both suggesting a need for greater education and transparency around measurement in the industry.
For audience-based measurement to enter the next phase of growth, consistency is key.
As with any new innovation, businesses are hesitant to undertake a different approach until it is proven. As our definitions of “TV” and “video” advertising continue to expand, so must the measurement providers and currencies that support them. The time is now and the future for measurement is bright: advertisers and marketers are ready for a new measurement era.
Key Findings:
- Nearly 3 out of 4 advertisers are willing to try new audience measurement currencies.
- Nearly 90% of marketers and advertisers say it’s important that measurement partners work with specific data matching solutions and third-party providers
- 57% of marketers and advertisers say there is a lack of internal knowledge about measurement
