Nielsen appointed by UKOM to launch industry-agreed online planning system in the UK.
Full industry backing for official launch in January 2010.
UKOM – the UK online measurement company – has appointed The Nielsen Company as its official partner to deliver an industry-agreed online audience planning system. In a landmark step for the industry, the much-anticipated currency has been approved with the backing of the UK’s largest advertisers and agency groups.
Set to launch in January 2010, the UKOM Audience Planning System (APS) will allow advertisers and their agencies to plan online campaigns that target specific audiences, using an industry-approved system just as they do with TV (BARB), radio (RAJAR) and print media (NRS).
Providing the all-important reach and frequency metrics that agency planners require to build media schedules, the APS will be based on a panel of at least 35,000 consumers across home and work locations and will supply online audience data down to sites as small as 50,000 unique visitors.
Guy Phillipson, CEO of the Internet Advertising Bureau and director of UKOM, said: “The UKOM Audience Planning System represents a genuine milestone for the online industry. For the first time, advertisers and agencies will be able to confidently plan campaigns using industry-approved audience data comparable with traditional media, such as TV and press.
Nielsen’s original submission to be the supplier of this system was a close match to UKOM’s exacting brief and we have worked closely with them, taking advice from all stakeholders, to hone the final specifications. I’m confident the UKOM Audience Planning System will transform the medium for brand advertisers.”
Neil Mortensen, Research Director at OPERA Media said: “We welcome today’s announcement and applaud UKOM and Nielsen for their efforts in establishing an industry benchmark for online audience measurement. I feel sure that this will meet the needs of marketers, media agencies and media owners alike and help accelerate growth of brand advertising online.”
Louise Ainsworth, MD, EMEA, Online, The Nielsen Company said, “As the world’s leading provider of marketing information and audience measurement, Nielsen is very proud to have been chosen by UKOM to develop and launch the UK digital industry’s first currency planning tool. We look forward to continuing to help lead the success of the online medium.”
Rob Salmon, Chair of ISBA's Digital Action Group and MarComms Partner at Molson Coors Brewing Company (UK) Ltd said: “The ISBA Digital Action Group, as well as the wider advertising community, have long called for the formation of a user centric online audience currency. We sincerely hope that the partnership of UKOM and Nielsen will be a major development in making this happen. As a UK marketer I will welcome this new system if, as anticipated, it provides the reach and frequency data which will help us plan and place online campaigns more effectively.”
