As it seeks new means to gauge media and advertising effectiveness, NBCUniversal Media LLC has announced a cross-section of clients, agencies and industry organizations as members of its Measurement Innovation Forum.
The group aims to bring stakeholders together to learn about measurement solutions. It will supplement efforts being by other industry groups, according to Kelly Abcarian, executive vice president for measurement and impact in NBCU's advertising and partnerships group.
"The potential for industrywide innovation makes transparency more important, so that everyone can share in the findings — and the future," Abcarian said in a blog post.
Advertisers in the forum range from banks to automakers to retailers, while GroupM, Horizon Media, MAGNA and Wieden+Kennedy are on board from the agency side.
As to trade groups, the Ad Council, the American Association Of Advertising Agencies Inc, the Association of National Advertisers, the Advertising Research Foundation, the Interactive Advertising Bureau Inc., OpenAP, Television Bureau Of Advertising Inc. and the Video Advertising Bureau Inc. are all part of the forum.
The Media Rating Council is working as an advisor to the group.
As a global media buyer and sell and measurement customer, NBCU understands the need for alternative measurement solutions, Abcarian said.
To that end, NBCU is investing in technology, convening industry experts, and devoting resources "to bring more awareness to every measurement option available and to help the industry create a measurement system that accurately reflects consumer behavior and advertiser impact in this new era."
Measurements companies are not part of the Measurement Innovation Forum. NBCU previously issued a request for proposals aimed at bringing new solutions and measurement independence to the marketplace. It has now received responses from 80 such firms, including Nielsen Holdings PLC.
Nielsen, long the industry standard for measuring viewership, has come under fire for under-reporting audiences stemming from erosion to its sample base during the pandemic, when field visits to panel homes were limited.
The MRC, an industry watchdog organization whose membership includes most major media companies, in September suspended accreditation for Nielsen's national service, its local people meter and set meter market services.
Nielsen has said it is committed to the audit process and resolving the suspension.
ViacomCBS Inc. has also taken steps to broaden its measurement and transaction options, inking a deal with VideoAmp Inc. to use the firm's commingled TV viewership data to guarantee linear transactions against age and gender demographics.