Central Force International, an established research firm with a heritage going back to 1996 has just completed a study commissioned by Plan B OOH in Singapore, to deliver audience impressions data for out of home media.
The media trading ecosystem obviously needs audience measurement and the OOH media sector is often lacking versus other media. The Association of Advertising and Marketing Singapore (AAMS) has been educating the industry on the importance of measurement, and strongly urge the Singapore OOH media industry to establish and support a unified industry-wide currency of OOH measurement for collective development and growth. The absence of dependable data is leading some OOH media owners to seek individual solutions.
In February, Plan B OOH appointed Central Force to provide reliable, independent audience measurement, Plan B is quick to clarify that they will support any industry-wide solution whenever that becomes available – Ed.
Central Force was able to combine its substantial field force resources and research knowledge with experience in OOH measurement from local consultant Media On The Go (MOTG), to deliver robust and credible impressions for individual media assets. Global guideline methodology for OOH measurement (as published by ESOMAR*) were adopted and applied to collect actual timed traffic counting which is then converted into audience impressions exposure data, at individual panel level, based on actual viewability.
Ron Graham, international director at Plan B Media PCL, explained that factual counting is viable for individual OOH and Digital OOH media assets whereas device-based data has limitations when assessing audience delivery for OOH media planning and buying. Device-based data capabilities vary, for example indoors, where people hang around, it is easy to discover device signals and capture data, but for roadside situations, with audiences passing by, it is more difficult to collect relevant and accurate data. Most device-sourced data work on a radius of catchment, which may not account for line of sight, direction of traffic or other variable visibility factors.
MOTG conducted detailed site surveys and studied satellite imagery to determine specific traffic flows which were visible to individual billboard panels. Central Force was then briefed and they previewed the survey locations before deploying a well-prepared and rehearsed field-force to conduct the counts under strict controls. Several quality control checks were implemented to ensure the data is accurate and credible within usual statistical parameters.
Plan B OOH can now publish the findings and apply audience impressions deliverables to all of its assets, both traditional static OOH displays as well as digital screens.
Genevie Go, General Manager of Plan B OOH said; “We were concerned to do something, to show clients the real value of our sites. We are excited to be able to confidently quote audience impressions, with transparency of globally proven methodology. For example, our giant building wrap at Sim Lim Square has 4,365,716 total impressions in a four-week booking cycle, whereas the Digital LED screen at Wilkie Edge, has 382,915 impressions per week subject to share of voice. Our dialogue with media buyers includes cost per thousand metrics (CPM) and comparative value based on audience.”
The Central Force data allows Plan B OOH to precisely state weekly or even daily
impressions plus impressions per Spot played, to support programmatic Digital OOH buying on a CPM basis.
Wong Yee Wha, director at Media On The Go Pte Ltd., commented, “We are proud of the work done, with diligence which ensures counting only viewable audience and within the operating hours of each asset. There is total accuracy of counting and the resulting impressions data can be trusted. We hope that others will be encouraged to source suitable measurement for their media and avoid unsupportable estimations.”
She added that this system does not suit all OOH formats or all media owners. “The
fieldwork is affordable for smaller volume of locations and the investment is worthwhile for large format billboards, such as Digital OOH screens and other high value sites. The
research is unlikely to make sense to operators with 500 or 5,000 sites or for small format ‘commodity’ media assets, where viewing parameters are largely the same, such as bus shelter or office building lift lobbies.”
* ESOMAR is the publisher of the Global Guidelines on Out-Of-Home Measurement – a collaboration with key industry associations – to provide consistent and realistic measurement of audiences for OOH media and promote best practice
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