• February 28, 2011

The big three advertising trade groups -- the IAB, 4As and ANA -- have launched an initiative to develop digital metrics and cross-platform measurement solutions with the goal of making marketing and media management decision-making easier.

The joint program, "Making Measurement Make Sense," hopes to address the absence of a consistent approach to measuring and assessing the effects of digital media, which the groups say "has resulted in a cacophony of competing and contradictory measurement systems, contributing to a complex and costly supply chain for the industry."

The goals of the program are to define standard metrics and measurement systems, and make them transparent and consistent to simplify digital media deals. The three groups hope to get there by analyzing the current digital measurement situation from a business perspective; define a common currency for measuring online exposures; develop generally accepted standards for measuring brand impact online; and figure out a way to do cross-media measurement that works.

Part of their goal is to get industry consensus by getting stakeholder input, get industry leaders to promote the measurement process and create a measurement governance model.

"It is indeed time for the industry leaders to develop a 'currency' that is widely and consistently accepted and adopted," said Bob Liodice, president and CEO, ANA, in a statement. "Online media has an abundance of metrics, but none that serve as currency across the ecosystem. This process will allow the industry to use consistent measurements to evaluate a program's return."

"As more consumers have migrated to digital media, marketers have sought to follow them by deploying interactive campaigns," said Sherrill Mane, SVP Industry Services, IAB, in the release. "The 'Making Measurement Make Sense' initiative gives the industry the opportunity to understand how to follow and connect with the consumers targeted by these campaigns, and how to measure both within digital and across media platforms."