
PALM SPRINGS, CA (February 28, 2011) — Three advertising trade groups have launched a major initiative to lead the industry in developing digital metrics and cross platform measurement solutions, with the goal of enhancing marketing and media management decision-making.
The initiative entitled “Making Measurement Make Sense” is a joint undertaking of the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau), the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) and the 4A’s (American Association of Advertising Agencies). These organizations, which represent the entire value chain in marketing and advertising, have engaged the management consulting firm Bain & Company and the strategic advisory firm MediaLink, to support the initiative.

“As more consumers have migrated to digital media, marketers have sought to follow them by deploying interactive campaigns,” said Sherrill Mane [pictured above], SVP Industry Services, IAB. “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.”
“It is indeed time for the industry leaders to develop a ‘currency’ that is widely and consistently accepted and adopted,” said Bob Liodice [pictured left], President and CEO, ANA. “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.”

“The leading marketing and media trade organizations have united to spearhead an ecosystem-wide solution to many of the critical issues in measurement,” said Nancy Hill [pictured left], President-CEO, 4A’s. “The confusion in this area has added costs to advertising agencies, which have been forced to use, subsidize and staff around increasing numbers of metrics and data in order to plan, purchase and post-analyze their media buys. This initiative will streamline and simplify those processes.”
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