Kinetic To Media: No 'Eyes On,' No Ad Budget

Editor’s Note: A Kinetic spokesperson clarified that the agency will not actually exclude out-of-home vendors that do not adhere to the industry’s “Eyes On” audience methodology, and would continue to buy space from smaller vendors that use the industry’s old “daily effective circulation,” or DEC method, but would “heavily scrutinize” and “discount” those deals. A separate clarification has been published.

In a move that could drop thousands of smaller out-of-home media suppliers from its 2012 media plans, Kinetic, the largest buyer of out-of-home media in the world, says it will no longer place buys with suppliers who don’t utilize the industry’s new “Eyes On” measurement system. Kinetic, which is a unit of WPP Group, and controls nearly 20 cents of every dollar spent on out-of-home media in the U.S., said it will become an exclusive Eyes On compliant agency effective in January.

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“As an agency, Kinetic will not accept DEC from vendors who have declined to be measured under the new system,” said John Connolly, COO, Kinetic Americas, in a statement released by the agency. By DEC, Connolly was referring to the impressions-based “daily effective circulation” method that the out-of-home industry used before adopting Eyes On, which also factors whether consumers are likely to be exposed to out-of-home ads.

“Unlike measurement in other broadcast forms of media, Eyes On measures actual impacts, or those who actually see the advertising, and provides demographic details,” Kinetic said in its statement, adding that “nearly 400,000 units (including bulletins, posters, and other street furniture) are currently measured.”

The agency, however, noted that some out-of-home media suppliers -- especially smaller vendors -- have yet to convert to Eyes On due to “added expenses” associated with it. Those suppliers, Kinetic said, will no longer be eligible for its clients’ advertising budgets.

Because it raises the bar from “opportunity to see” to a likelihood to see, Eyes On generally is considered the most accountable audience measurement methodology used by any major medium.

“The system provides rich demographic data that facilitates out-of-home planning in comparison and conjunction with TV, radio, print, and the web,” added Kinetic Americas CEO David Payne.

2 comments about "Kinetic To Media: No 'Eyes On,' No Ad Budget".
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  1. Fraser E from Opinions expressed herein are solely my own, November 21, 2011 at 12:55 p.m.

    "Eyes On measures actual impacts, or those who actually see the advertising" is a serious and unfortunate overstatement of Eyes On's methodology and capability. Eyes On is not, as its name implies, a direct measurement. It is still a projection that is based on traffic patterns (yes, DEC's) and on visibility estimates based on simulations, coupled with census-based trip-length data and some commuter surveys, all rolled together into...a projection, not an observation. It's an improvement, but not a revolutionary change.

  2. John Grono from GAP Research, November 21, 2011 at 4:50 p.m.

    Fraser I think you are being a tad harsh. Yes, like Australia's MOVE system 'Eyes On' is a model. An empirical model.

    At the core is traffic data (DECs) which is 'converted' to people data (in Australia there is an average of around 1.4 people per vehicle). This larger number is then deflated by the "likelihood-to-see" factors to produce the final 'Eyes on' number.

    Given that the posting durations are in the main long (unlike a 30-second TV spot), it is fine to use average traffic flows, average LTS factors etc to produce a campaign-duration audience estimates.

    The challenge such systems face is the impact of digital signs which can are sold on a rotational basis. That is, the fact a person passes through the zone of visibilty will no longer be enough, but the duration they are in that zone needs to be weighed against the digital posting duration (and yes we have to unroll that one here in Australia once digital OOH signage reaches its tipping point).

    ALL audience measurement are estimates (even observational ones). Very little in research IS revolutionary. But I think it's more than "an improvement" over DECs alone.

    Cheers,

    John Grono
    GAP Research
    Sydney Australia

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