Paul DeBraccio, Interevo's chief executive, recruited 73 online media buyers to become part of an informal buyers panel. He plans to ask one question per month about the business. "It's a real world indicator of where spending will be going in the next quarter," he says. Conducted by email, the panel is comprised of media planners who handle clients across all categories--pharmaceutical, packaged goods, automotive, and more. The buyers include entry- to mid-level media buyers at agencies.
"The market is guardedly optimistic," DeBraccio says. The survey doesn't pretend to be scientific. It merely reflects a feeling on the part of online media practitioners, the people who do the work, that things aren't too bad.
Planners had the choice of responding to DeBraccio's question with: "Bearish," "Very Bearish," "Somewhat Bearish," "Neither," "Somewhat Bullish," "Very Bullish," and "Bullish."
Of the 73 panelists, 27 responded to the survey for a 37 percent response rate. The next survey, due out the first week of April, will be sent to more than 100 online media buyers.