Guideline for Conducting Mobile Market Research (consultation DRAFT)

 

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ESOMAR GUIDELINE FOR CONDUCTING MOBILE MARKET RESEARCH
created in partnership with the Mobile Marketing Research Association (MMRA)

CONSULTATION DRAFT | SEPTEMBER 2012
Copyright © ESOMAR 2012

1. INTRODUCTION

In 2010, ESOMAR in cooperation with CASRO released a first guideline for conducting research via mobile phones. This addressed the legal, ethical and practical considerations for conducting market research by using voice or text messaging (SMS) to contact respondents on their mobile phones. Since then the use of mobile devices of all kinds (feature phones, smartphones, tablets and portable computers) has grown dramatically across the globe and, in the case of smartphones and tablets, has enabled a new range of research methods. These include online surveys, passive data collection, geo-location and geo-fencing applications, open ended mobile contextual data, online diaries and other forms of mobile ethnography where respondents record their and other people’s everyday movements, sometimes taking advantage of portable photographic and video technology.

The fact that so much personal data can be collected so easily has caused regulators to question whether current legislation provides sufficient guarantees that individuals are aware and informed when personal data are being collected and shared. Areas of special focus are notice, choice and consent, security and accountability.

Therefore, it is critical that ESOMAR expand its earlier guidance to include the conduct of market, social and opinion research using mobile devices. To that end ESOMAR partnered with the Mobile Marketing Research Association to develop this new guidance. Its purpose is to promote respectful relationships with the individuals contacted for research purposes and to assist researchers in addressing legal, ethical, and practical considerations when conducting mobile market research.

1.1. Scope

This guideline covers the collection of information by mobile device (mobile phones, tablets and portable computers) for market, opinion or social research purposes (hereafter referred to as market research). It recognises that there are many different activities enabled by these devices of which market research is just one. These may include personal communication and accessing social media networks but also advertising and direct marketing. It is critical that researchers do not allow any personal data they collect in a market research project to be used for any purpose other than market research.

This guideline should be read in conjunction with the ICC/ESOMAR International Code on Market and Social Research and other ESOMAR guidelines listed at the end of this document and available atwww.esomar.org.

1.2 Definitions

Research user or client is any individual or organisation that requests, commissions or subscribes to all or any part of a market research project. The research user receives the results of the research but not the personal data, unless informed consent for this has been given by the respondent.

Consent means the freely given and informed agreement by a data subject to the collection and processing of their personal data. In market research, this consent is based on the fact that the respondent voluntarily provides answers in a survey having been provided with clear information about the nature of the data being collected, the purpose for which it will be used and the identity of the person or organisation holding the personal data. The respondent may withdraw their consent at any time by refusing to cooperate in an interview or research project.

Market research, which includes social and opinion research, is the systematic gathering and interpretation of information about individuals or organisations using the statistical and analytical methods and techniques of the applied social sciences to gain insight or support decision making. The identity of respondents will not be revealed to the user of the information without explicit consent and no sales approach will be made to them as a direct result of their having provided information.

Personal data, sometimes referred to as personally identifiable information (PII) means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, i.e. a private individual as opposed to a corporate or other comparable entity. An identifiable person is someone who can be identified directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identification number or the person’s physical, physiological, mental, economic, cultural or social characteristics. In some types of research where there may be no data records per se, individuals might also be identifiable because of photographs, video and audio recordings, or other personal information collected during the research.

Researcher is defined as any individual or organisation carrying out, or acting as a consultant on, a market research project, including those working in client organisations and any subcontractors used such as technology providers.

Sensitive data means any information about an identifiable individual’s racial or ethnic origin, health or sex life, criminal record, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs or trade union membership. In the U.S., personal health-related information, income or other financial information, financial identifiers and government-issued or financial identity documents are also regarded as sensitive.

2. KEY PRINCIPLES

All of the core fundamental principles of the ICC/ESOMAR International Code apply to mobile market research. This section describes the how these principles should be operationalised in that context.

2.1 Distinguishing market, social and opinion research as the purpose

Researchers must not allow any personal data they collect in a market research project to be used for any other purpose than market research. The ICC/ESOMAR Code requires researchers to be transparent in their dealings with research participants and to not misrepresent as market research any project that has another purpose. To aid clarity and protect the reputation of the researcher and of market research in general, the researcher should present the research services and the organisation or company carrying them out in such a way that they are clearly differentiated from any non-research activities. It is recommended that:

· The organization’s privacy policy, promotional literature and contracts differentiate the different services offered and separate market research from other activities;

· it is easy for participants and others to contact the researchers carrying out market research and those making enquiries without being confused by having to deal with a non-research organisation or deal with non-research staff to raise queries or complaints about market research activities; and

· the introduction used when contacting a potential research participant must clearly define the purpose so that a potential participant is not left with the impression that the exercise has a research purpose if it does not.

These requirements do not prevent researchers from being involved in non-research activities providing the purpose of collecting personally identifiable data is not misrepresented and that any personally identifiable data are not used for another purpose unless specific informed consent is obtained from each participant. Nor do they in any way restrict the right of the organisation to promote the fact that it carries out both market research and other activities providing they are clearly differentiated and that they are conducted separately and in accordance with the relevant laws and local professional rules of conduct.

2.2 Conforming to the law

Mobile technology and communications have grown rapidly in some countries and at a slower pace in others, and legal frameworks are still evolving. Only a few countries have addressed the legal parameters for unsolicited communication and interaction with mobile device users. The regulatory dimension is complicated by the multiple communication mediums that mobile devices provide. Further, there may be national laws that pertain specifically to mobile users, e.g., restrictions on using mobile phones while driving. Such regulations indirectly affect, and could potentially be construed as establishing legal liability for a researcher contacting a potential research participant via a mobile device.

Given the above it is critical that researchers be aware of and respect regional, national and local laws and regulations as well as relevant cultural dispositions that may mandate a stricter standard of practice than described in this guideline. In some countries anti-spamming laws prohibit unsolicited approaches or messages to potential participants by text or other electronic means such as email. Even where such laws do not exist Internet service providers (ISPs) or mobile service providers may have their own policies to protect customers from unwanted contacts.

In all cases, researchers must remain mindful of concerns about privacy and intrusion and not make unsolicited email approaches to potential participants even in countries where this is still permitted by the law unless individuals have a reasonable expectation that they may be contacted for research. Researchers should also reduce any inconvenience such an email might cause to the recipient by clearly stating its purpose in the subject heading and keeping the total message as brief as possible. The same requirement applies to other electronic messages (e.g., instant messaging and SMS).

In the case of calling mobile phones researchers should recognise that even where legislation restricts unsolicited calls for commercial purposes but not market research, it is important to consult and apply any existing research-specific do-not-contact lists for mobile as well as fixed line phones.

Some countries have laws or standards that specify calling hours allowed for unsolicited calls of any type and these should be observed for surveys via mobile phones as well. Mobile phone numbers rarely indicate the respondent’s location and therefore the researcher should anticipate that the person being contacted might be in a different time zone, and thus verify the convenience of the time, location and situation. In the absence of such requirements, researchers should observe the same calling hours as for fixed-line phone surveys. For surveys in the business-to-business sector, acceptable times are implicit in the office hours of the business concerned. Similar attention should be paid to the sending of SMS text messages to mobile phones to avoid the participant receiving the message received alert outside "normal hours”.

Researchers should note that a number of countries restrict the use of auto-diallers and other automated dialling equipment including predictive diallers[1]. Some countries[2] may permit the use of such equipment only if a person has given prior explicit consent (for example, as a member of an access panel) to be dialled by automated dialling equipment. Where automated diallers are permitted and used, "abandoned or silent calls”, where no live interviewer is immediately available, are not allowed.

2.3 Consent and notification

The ICC/ESOMAR Code states that research participants’ co-operation must be based on adequate information about the purpose and nature of the research and their agreement to participate obtained. In some countries, existing data protection laws may also require participants be informed when personal data are to be collected.

Therefore, researchers must always obtain informed consent from each research participant before collecting and processing any form of personal data and be completely transparent about the information they plan to collect, the purpose for which it will be collected, how it will be protected, with whom it might be shared and in what form. The information should be clear, concise and prominent. Participants must never be misled, lied to or tricked. Participation in research is always voluntary and participants must be allowed to withdraw at any time.

If at any time during the research there are material changes in the research plan (for example, additional passive data collection such as location or identifiable data shared with research user clients) participants must be informed prior to implementation so that they can make in informed choice about whether to continue in the research. When research involves multiple waves of data collection or extends for several months or longer researchers, should periodically refresh consent by reminding participants of the data being collected, the reasons for collecting it and the intended use.

As with other forms of data collection for research purposes, researchers must inform mobile research participants of their privacy policy, explaining how any personal data they collect are handled. The standard elements in the privacy policy should include:

· Identification of the company doing the research, its place of business and other contact information;

· a guarantee of confidentiality;

· a promise to not mislead about the nature of the research or its intended use;

· a reminder that all research is voluntary and participants may withdraw at any time as well as ask that their personal data be deleted or corrected;

· a clear statement about any tracking, cookies or tags or passive data collection that may be used and what data is captured;

· a clear statement about how research with children is carried out;

· a description of where personal data will be held, and how they will be protected.

A more detailed discussion of the necessary elements of a privacy policy can be found in Section 2.3 of The ESOMAR Guideline for Online Research. Appendix 2 of that document also contains an example policy.

Where the privacy policy is to be delivered via a mobile device researchers must also recognise that space limitations on the screen of many mobile devices make it difficult to display a full privacy policy and provide a solution that minimises cost while maximising convenience in accessing the relevant information. Strategies may vary but one solution is a layered hypertext document with a concise top level statement on how privacy will be protected and data used, a second level general introduction that describes the purpose and general principles and a third detailed section covering all aspects of how the researcher treats personal data.

Participants must also be informed of the law(s) under which the data are being collected. In the EU, ESOMAR requires the researcher collecting the data (the data controller) to comply with the law of the country where they are established and, if collecting data in several countries, also to comply with the laws of those countries in which research is taking place. Where it is possible to know the participants’ country of residence, researchers should follow the legal requirements of that country noting that requirements in the EU are not exactly the same, for example, both Germany and Italy have stricter requirements than other member states. EU law in this area is still being clarified and ESOMAR will monitor developments.

With all of these issues ESOMAR and MMRA advises researchers to consider the participant’s point of view and that, in participating in research, people will assume that the legal requirements of their own country will be met.

2.4 Protecting personal data

Data privacy legislation applies only to personally identifiable data, not to data sets where it is impossible to identify any individual. For example, the inclusion in a data set of a name, address, email address or phone number would create personally identifiable data. It might also occur if there were an exact geographic location or postal code that could be combined with other information in the data set.

Researchers must ensure that data sets or other materials (photographs, recordings, paper documents, etc.) collected for market research that contain personally identifiable information are kept securely and are only used for market research purposes. Personally identifiable data can only be passed on to a research user, if the participant has explicitly expressed this wish, or gives explicit consent and on the understanding that no commercial activity will be directed at them as a direct result of their having provided information. Researchers are advised to have written agreements with research user clients to ensure these requirements are respected. Personally identifiable data collected for research purposes cannot be used for non-research purposes. However, data that have been 100% anonymised and therefore no longer personally identifiable can be passed on to research user clients and processed for other purposes.

Researchers should also recognise that some personally identifiable information may be characterised as "sensitive” and therefore handled with greater care.

Two features of newer data collection methods like mobile make protection of personal data more complex: (1) increased involvement of research users in the research process and (2) shortened cycle times. It therefore is essential that researchers anticipate the potential for research users to inadvertently hear or see things that may be defined as personal data and design the research to minimise such risks. Likewise, interim deliverables or sharing of research materials via applications such as online portals should be designed with the same protections as planned for final deliverables.

Data privacy legislation normally specifies an individual’s right of access to data held in a personally identifiable form, to view records being held in their name and to request corrections if there are errors. This right of access no longer applies once the personally identifiable elements have been removed from the data set.

Before personal data are transferred from the country of collection to a third country, the researcher must ensure that the data transfer is legal, and that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure adequate security to maintain the data protection rights of individuals. This also applies if using a "remote” server in a different country to collect data from the respondent or if it is processed in an international "cloud.” The researcher should explain this process in their privacy policy and provide appropriate safeguards to protect personal data when asking the respondent for permission for the data transfer.

Given the heightened sensitivities concerning personally identifiable data among the general public and regulators, researchers should always use conservative approaches to data release and transfer, bearing in mind their desire to maintain consumer trust and have this recognised by legislators.

2.5 Ensuring no harm

Another key principle of the ICC/ESOMAR Code is that the rights of research participants as private individuals must be respected and they must not be harmed or adversely affected as the direct result of participating in market research.

Researchers should recognise that personal data stored locally on a participant’s mobile device is potentially available to others should the device be stolen or used by another person. Examples include data stored in data collection apps installed on the device, photographs that may be taken as part of an ethnographic study and messages (by SMS or email) that may have been used to transmit data. It is essential that participants be made aware of these risks and that researchers implement practices to protect personal data such as data encryption, password-protecting the device or providing respondents with instructions on how to delete all personal information at the conclusion of the research.

Unlike most other research methods, mobile research participants may incur costs as a consequence of participating in research. While specific costs will vary substantially by country and service provider, they can include charges for data downloads, online access, text messaging, data plan overages, roaming charges and standard telephone charges. If possible, the researcher should design the study so that participants incur no cost. If this is not possible, the researcher must be prepared to offer compensation. Where mobile participants are added to a panel or sampling database the issue of cost and compensation should be agreed to at the "sign up” stage.

Researchers should also inform participants prior to installing or activating apps that may degrade battery life. The researcher must take all reasonable precautions to ensure that respondents are not harmed as a direct result of participating in research. Some mobile research methods involve asking participants to go to specific places or perform specific tasks. In such instances researchers should caution participants against doing anything that might put them at risk or break the law. Examples include warning participants not to text or otherwise interact with their mobile device while driving or taking photos in places or situations where this is prohibited.

When the research design involves calling mobile phones researchers may sometimes contact potential respondents who are engaged in an activity or in a setting not normally encountered in fixed-line calling. This might include driving a vehicle, operating machinery, walking in a public space, or when the caller is in another country/time zone. The researcher should confirm whether the potential respondent is in a situation where it is legal, safe and convenient to take the call. If the researcher does not receive confirmation, then the call should be terminated while allowing the possibility of making further attempts at another time.

Furthermore, a researcher might contact a potential respondent who is engaged in an activity or in a work or social situation where others may overhear the call and confidentiality is compromised. Since a respondent could be reached in a public or semi-private space, the researcher must consider the nature of the research content in light of the possibility that the respondent might be overheard and personal information or behaviour inadvertently disclosed or responses modified on account of the respondent’s situation. If appropriate, the call should be rescheduled to another time or location when confidentiality will not to be compromised.

Finally, researchers must remain mindful of concerns about privacy and intrusion and politely terminate the call if it becomes apparent that the recipient is not in a position or does not wish to take the call, is not competent, or is a child (unless the researcher receives permission from an appropriate adult to proceed with the call). If the respondent is a child, the researcher must not go further with the interview unless permission is obtained from a parent or legal guardian to invite a child to participate in research.

2.6 Children

Researchers must take special care when carrying out research among children and young people. All reasonable measures should be taken to ensure that verifiable and explicit permission is obtained from a parent or legal guardian (hereafter referred to as ‘parent’) to invite a child to participate in research, or to install an app on their mobile phone, although it is recognised that the identification of children and young people sometimes is not possible with certainty.

Researchers must observe all relevant laws and national codes specifically relating to children and young people noting that the age definition for children varies from country to country. Where there is no specific national definition, those aged under 14 should be treated as "children” and those aged 14-17 as "young people.” These age ranges generally recognise the different stages of mental and psychological development.

When first contacting a potential participant whom one might reasonably expect to be a child, researchers must ask for the person’s age before any other personal data. If the age given is below the nationally agreed upon definition of a child, the child must not be invited to provide further personal data until the appropriate permission has been obtained. The researcher may ask the child to provide their parent’s contact details so that permission can be sought. The request to the parent must include all relevant information about the research as detailed in Section 2.3 above.

Where personal data collected from children will only be used for research purposes and no personal data will be passed on for any other purpose, permission can be a return email from the parent or other suitable method that is in compliance with the relevant laws and national codes.

Prior parental permission is not required to:

· Collect a child’s or parent’s email address solely to provide notice of data collection and request permission or

· collect a child’s age for screening and exclusion purposes. If this screening leads to the decision that a child does qualify for interview, parental permission must then be sought to continue with the interview.

In ensuring that all reasonable precautions are taken to ensure respondents are not adversely affected as a result of participating in a research project, asking children and young people questions on topics generally regarded as sensitive must be avoided wherever possible and in all cases handled with extreme care. Researchers should consult the ESOMAR Guideline on Interviewing Children and Young People for more details.

2.7 Reputation of the industry

Researchers must not do anything that might damage the reputation of market research. They must always be mindful of the core principles of the ICC/ESOMAR Code in the work they and their companies conduct and avoid activities and practices that could undermine public confidence in market research.

Some people consider their mobile phone to be a personal and private instrument. The researcher must be sensitive to these privacy concerns and therefore differentiate the calling protocols for research via mobile phone from the practices used in fixed-line phones research. For example, the researcher should consider limiting the number and pattern of call-backs when contacting a known mobile number.

In line with the ICC/ESOMAR Code requirement that researchers identify themselves, calls to mobile numbers should be set to allow the display of the caller’s number where this is possible and this facility should not be deliberately suppressed. If the researcher chooses to leave a voicemail message for a potential respondent (who may have to pay to retrieve the message) then this message should detail how the researcher will offer to recompense for the cost of retrieval.

Wherever feasible, it should be made possible for the called party to contact the researcher by calling the number displayed to establish the researcher’s identity. It is good practice to provide a toll-free contact number, recognising that the respondent may need to call the researcher over a fixed-line.

2.8 Reporting

The ICC/ESOMAR Code requires that projects are reported and documented accurately, transparently and objectively. This includes notifying research user clients prior to work commencing if any part of the work is to be subcontracted outside the researcher’s own organisation. Research user clients must be told the identity of any such subcontractor on request.

3. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR MOBILE MARKET RESEARCH

3.1 Downloadable and web-based apps

Where researchers install apps on mobile interactive devices or when the research requires the use of web-based apps, they must obtain consent and offer respondents an appropriate channel and mechanism for giving permission and a place where they can read more about the relevant privacy policy. Researchers must also disclose to potential participants the purpose of the app, the specific data it collects or uploads, and any impact it may have on the functioning on other installed apps or the performance of the device in general. To the maximum extent possible researchers should ensure that any app required as part of the research does not:

· Install software that modifies the mobile settings beyond what is necessary to conduct research and does not cause any conflicts with operating systems or cause other installed software to behave erratically or in unexpected ways;

· install software that is hidden within other software that may be downloaded or that is difficult to uninstall;

· install software that delivers advertising content, with the exception of software for the purpose of advertising testing;

· install upgrades to software without notifying users and giving the participant the opportunity to opt out;

· create a risk of exposing personal data during data transmission or storage;

· change the nature of any identification and tracking technologies without notifying the user; or

· fail to notify the user of privacy practice changes relating to upgrades to the software.

Researchers who deploy tracking technologies for research must also be proactive in managing distribution of the software and vigorously monitor their distribution channel and look for signs that suggest unusual events such as high churn rates.

3.2 Passive data collection

Passive data collection refers to a family of research methods that acquire personal data from participants without the traditional asking and answering of survey questions. Sources for passive data collection include web browsing data, loyalty cards and store scanners, geo-location data from mobile devices and some types of social media data. As mobile technology continues to evolve many of these data sources can now be accessed via mobile. These developments bring a growing need to differentiate market research from other activities and for transparency with respondents about the information that is being collected, especially in view of data protection legislation.

In many countries, some of these activities are controlled by data privacy legislation, but these activities can also raise ethical concerns as well as legislative issues. Researchers must either have the respondent’s consent before collecting and processing data from these and similar passive methods or the data must be effectively anonymised noting that consent is needed for sensitive data and for placing apps and similar technology as described above.

While it is possible to passively detect the type of device a participant is using, this is not personal data since the purpose of detecting device type is to optimise app performance and survey rendering (e.g., smart phone versus tablet) as opposed to collecting personal data.

A more detailed discussion may be found in the ESOMAR Guide on Passive Data Collection, Observation and Recording.

3.3 Photographs, video and audio recordings

The ability of smart phones and other mobile devices to create, store and transmit photographs, video and audio recordings has provided a new set of tools for researchers to integrate into their methodologies. Two prominent examples where these capabilities have enhanced traditional methods are ethnography and mystery shopping.

Researchers must recognize that photographs, video and audio recordings gathered, processed and stored as part of a research project constitute personally identifiable data (described in Section 2.4) and must be handled as such. They can only be passed to a research user client if the participant gives his or her permission and even then only to achieve a research purpose. Information that has been 100% anonymised (such as through pixelisation or voice changing technology) to a point where it is no longer personally identifiable can be passed to a research user client and processed for other purposes.

The guideline recognizes that there may be instances in which someone other than the participant is captured in a photograph or video and it may be impractical or even impossible to gain permission. Examples include store personnel and passing pedestrians. While these individuals are not defined as research participants, the researcher nonetheless has the responsibility to accord them the same respect and privacy protections as research participants.

Some types of observational research may involve photographing or recording in public settings involving people who have not been recruited as research participants. In such instances researchers must gain permission to share from those individuals who are central to the image or prominent in the foreground. If permission cannot be obtained then the individual’s image should be pixelated or otherwise anonymised. In addition, clear and legible signs should be placed to indicate that the area is under observation along with contact details for the individual or organization responsible. Cameras should be sited so that they monitor only the areas intended for observation.

Researchers also must caution participants against taking photos or recording in places where this is not allowed such as government buildings, banks, schools, airport security areas, private spaces or any area where signs are posted prohibiting the use of cameras. In all cases, researchers should be aware of any applicable local laws and customs and conduct their research appropriately. More practical details may be found in the ESOMAR Guide on Passive Data Collection, Observation and Recording.

Mystery shopping poses a special case because by its very nature research subjects are unaware they are being observed. Nonetheless, their personal data must be protected and no photographs or recordings may be shared with any third party, including the research user client, unless the subject’s permission has been obtained.

Finally, researchers must take special care when photographing or recording children. It must never be done without the permission of the parent or legal guardian. This requirement carries over to public spaces where researchers should avoid capturing images of children even as passersby or in the background. Should images of children be captured inadvertently, their faces must be masked or pixelated to protect their identity.

As with all personally identifiable data researchers should always use conservative approaches to data release and transfer and are advised to gain agreement from the research user on this matter in advance.

3.4 Mystery shopping

The expanding capabilities of smartphones have led to an increased interest in mystery shopping. As a research method mystery shopping presents a special case because by its very nature research subjects are unaware they are being observed. Researchers carrying out mystery shopping studies must take care to ensure as far as possible that individual privacy is respected and that research subjects are not disadvantaged or harmed in any way as a result of this work. Their personal data must be protected and no photographs or recordings may be shared with the research user client, unless the subject’s permission has been obtained. For a more detailed discussion refer to the ESOMAR Guideline on Mystery Shopping Studies.

3.5 Incidental data

In this digital age much opportunity exists for personal data records to be created that are incidental outputs from some everyday transaction or activity. A mobile phone will create records not just of who you call and who calls you, but also approximately where you have been – which mobile cell areas you have been connected to. All of these data are legitimately collected for specific purposes such as billing you accurately or knowing how to connect calls to you.

Such personal data can be processed for those purposes and analysed for management purposes, although usually these data contain limited sets of variables and often do not allow much by way of general research insights.

It must not be analysed for different purposes. For example analysing frequently called numbers in order to offer personal discounts, or analysing flight destinations of frequent flyers to make special offers to them for flights to those locations.

The research value of these behavioural data can be extracted when it is combined with other data about customer habits, attitudes or characteristics; in other words, when two independent personal data files are combined. (This is frequently referred to as database enhancement.) This is permissible as long as the following criteria are met:

· The enhancement serves a clear research purpose such as increasing the analytical value of the data;

· the research participant is informed and agrees

· no action (e.g., delivery of marketing messages) is taken against a participant as a result of the enhancement; and

· the enhancement or matching process is designed so that the personal identity of the participant is never disclosed without their consent.

3.5. Appropriate design

When conducting research with respondents on mobile devices the researcher should ensure that any task given to the participant (e.g., a survey, a diary or discussion forum) is an appropriate length and presented in a suitable format that is optimised across devices. While the research continues to evolve current evidence suggests that mobile respondents may expect shorter interactions with researchers than in other modes such as phones surveys or in-person focus groups. Because of the small size of the screen on some mobile devices it is important that any instructions, questions, or forms presented on the screen be clear and concise. Given the nature of mobile technology respondents may be more easily distracted and more likely to lose concentration or the connection interrupted or dropped.

Similar cautions apply when designing surveys to be administered via mobile phone where anecdotal reports indicate greater difficulty keeping respondents online with mobile phones as opposed to fixed-line phones.

GUIDANCE ON PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

Maintaining consumer trust is integral to effective market, social and opinion research. ESOMAR through its codes and guidelines promotes the highest ethical and professional standards for researchers around the world.

The ICC/ESOMAR Code on Market and Social Research, which was developed jointly with the International Chamber of Commerce, sets out global fundamentals for self-regulation for researchers. It has been undersigned by all ESOMAR members and adopted or endorsed by more than 60 national market research associations worldwide.

In addition, ESOMAR and MMRA have issued the following guidelines to provide more detailed advice on how to address the legal, ethical, and practical considerations of conducting specific areas of research available on the ESOMAR website at www.esomar.org.

· Guideline on Guideline on Online research

· Guideline on Social media research

· Guideline on Distinguishing market research from other data collection activities

· Guideline on Passive data collection, observation and recording

· Guideline on Interviewing children and young people

· Guideline on Customer satisfaction studies

· Guideline on Mystery shopping

· Guideline on How to commission research

· ESOMAR/WAPOR Guide to opinion polls

Queries about implementing the Guideline should be sent to the ESOMAR Professional Standards Committee, professional.standards@esomar.org

PROJECT TEAM

· Reg Baker, Senior Consultant at Market Strategies International, consultant to ESOMAR’s Professional Standards Committee and Editor of the text

· Mark Michelson, Executive Director of MMRA

· Siamack Salari, Founder of EverydayLives and MMRA President

· Gloria Park Bartolone, Senior Vice President of Global Fieldwork Operations at Maritz Research and MMRA Member

· Andreas Piani, General Manager Europe of Arbitron Mobile and MMRA Member

· Betsy Leichliter of Leichliter Associates, LLC and MMRA Member

· Adam Phillips, Chair of ESOMAR’s Legal and Professional Standards Committees

The project team was also assisted by James Randall, Head of Ipsos MORI Digital, Guy Rolfe, Global Mobile Knowledge leader, Kantar Operations, Tim Snaith, Chief Research Officer, OnePoint Surveys and AJ Johnson, Director of Innovation Technology at BrainJuicer.

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[1] This includes Germany and the UK.

[2] This includes the US

Nielsen Marries TV, Online Ratings Cross-Platform Metrics Will Allow Networks to Use Digital Views as TV Make-Goods -- and Vice Versa. But Is Equating the Two Channels 'Oversimplifying'?

 

http://adage.com/article/media/nielsen-marries-tv-online-ratings/237516/

By: Jeanine Poggi Published: October 01, 2012

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Is an online viewer just as valuable to advertisers as a TV viewer? Up until now, the answer was no. Nielsen is looking to change that with the introduction today of its Cross-Platform Campaign Ratings, which will measure the number of people who watched a campaign only on TV, the number who viewed it digitally and the overlap between the two.

"This is the first time we can show the number of people who saw a campaign no matter where it lived," said Steve Hasker, Nielsen's president of global media products and advertiser solutions.

Since traditional TV and the web typically use different metrics, it has been hard to calculate a campaign's total reach and frequency across platforms. This effort builds upon Nielsen's Online Campaign Ratings, which was rolled out last year to provide demographic ratings of online-ad campaigns with metrics comparable to those used for TV advertising.

So far, OCR has been used by pure online players like AOL to offer guarantees to advertisers. But beginning this fall, the CW will also adopt the measurement as a major part of its digital-advertising strategy. The CW move shows how cross-platform metrics could give TV networks more flexibility in their ad packages and a better sense of a program's digital traction.

The network, jointly owned by CBS and Time Warner, will tag every online video ad and use OCR to offer advertisers demographic guarantees for all online campaigns of the 2012-2013 season. If these guarantees fall short, it will provide make-goods.

Last week the CW renewed summer dance docu-drama "Breaking Pointe" despite lackluster TV ratings, citing its success online. The show, which focuses on the dancers of the Salt Lake City Ballet, on average garnered only about 966,000 total viewers each week, bottoming out with about 620,000 viewers. This is low even for the CW, whose series like "Hart of Dixie" and "Nikita" had on average about 1.8 million total viewers last season. But the CW claims "Breaking Pointe" was a digital success, though the network would not reveal its online ratings.

Cross-platform ratings have been tested by ESPN, Facebook, Group M, Unilever and Hulu, but Mr. Hasker said it's too early to tell if more ad dollars will flow from TV to online as a result.

"This is helping to equalize buying across online and TV," said Kate Sirkin, exec VP and global research director for Starcom MediaVest Group, whose clients use Nielsen's online campaign ratings, adding efficiency and ensuring "we are not duplicating in areas."

"While having a similar metric isn't bad, Nielsen is oversimplifying it and trying to say everything is equal," said Michael Hayes, president of digital communications, Initiative Worldwide. How people watch TV is different from than how they engage with their digital devices, he argued. "TV watching hasn't changed for decades; it's a lean-back mentality," he said. But consumers can use tablets in different ways. They can do research while on the car lot or while watching TV to learn more about a car ad.

"Digital buyers plan differently and buy media based on the context," Mr. Hayes said. "There are times when we are looking for the inverse of [gross rating points] -- less impressions and less frequency to hit the right consumer."

Tech and media events you should be attending

To help you keep track of interesting technology events around the globe we update a list of upcoming tech conferences, meetups & get-togethers every two weeks. Some of the bigger events you might already be familiar with, but don’t forget to keep an eye out for some of the smaller and unfamiliar gems.

For most of these events we’ve arranged a special discount.

If you think your event should be included feel free to submit it for review.

* denotes events organised by The Next Web.

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*Kings of Code Festival, 1 – 4 December 2012, Amsterdam
From the 1st until the 4th of December 2012 at the Kings of Code Festival, 450 developers from around the world will gather in the centre of Amsterdam. See leading international speakers discuss the latest trends, developments and best practices in web and mobile development technologies. Are you a hacker? Join us for the Hack Battle in the weekend prior to the conference to hack on cool API’s and SDK’s.

Grab the last early bird tickets before they sell out!

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*The Next Web Europe Conference, 25-26 April 2013, Amsterdam
Expect the 8th edition of The Next Web Conference to be packed with amazing speakers, high quality content, networking events, parties and dealmaking opportunities. On April 25th & 26th we’re expecting 2000 attendees in Amsterdam to join us in raising the bar for every technology conference in the world. The attendees are a blend of decision makers from the European & American tech scene, developers, start-ups, innovators, along with venture capitalists, industry journalist, bloggers, and senior level executives.

Grab the limited early bird tickets by registering today!

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Apps World 2012, 2-3 October 2012, London
Now in its 3rd year, Apps World has grown to be one of the leading global multi-platform events in the mobile industry, and this year’s Earl’s Court 2 event (2-3 October) is set to be the biggest yet. Apps World are delighted to be launching the Appster Awards, a welcome addition to the event. Developers can attend workshops for free, register below.

TNW readers can save 15% using code “TNW15″ here.

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O’Reilly Velocity Europe, 2-4 October 2012, London
The only things expanding faster than new techniques and technologies to build a faster, stronger web are the expectations of web and mobile users. Pages and services must be fast, reliable, secure, and unbreakable. The O’Reilly Velocity Conference is the best place on the planet for web ops and performance professionals. It’s become the essential training event for web professionals tasked with building faster, scalable web sites. Learn from peers, exchange ideas with experts, and share best practices and lessons learned.

TNW readers can save 20% by using code “TNW” here.

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Techpitch 4.5, 3 October 2012, London
The next techpitch 4.5 will be held on 3 October 2012 at Pinsent Mason’s auditorium in London. The event will start with a keynote presentation by Paul Murphy, founder editor of Financial Times Alphaville. Thereafter 8 startups will then pitch their businesses to the judging panel chaired by Danvers Baillieu, COO of Privax. The judging panel will include the previous techpitch 4.5 winner MarketInvoice, in addition to representatives from Nokia, Doughty Hanson Technology Ventures, and Pinsent Masons/Bootlaw. Deadline to apply to pitch is 7 September 2012.

TNW Readers can get a 20% discount by using promo code “TNW20″ here.

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EyeforTravel’s Online Marketing, Mobile & Social Media in Travel Summit, 3-4 October 2012, Amsterdam
Europe’s premier event for social media, mobile and online marketing professionals from across the travel industry is back for another successful year, brought to you by EyeforTravel. Attendees will hear insightful presentations from Disney, KLM, Wyndham, IHG, Best Western, TUI, HomeAway, Contiki Holidays, Google, Lufthansa, and many more. Key topics include driving meaningful social media engagement, improving web content and user experience, getting to grips with mobile and much more.

TNW Readers can save €150 using code “TNW150″ here.

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FOCUS100 Pitch BootCamp & Symposium, 5-6 October 2012, New York
The FOCUS100 symposium connects thought leaders, tech startups founded or co-founded by black women, brand managers, and innovators. The event is comprised of a half-day pre-event pitch bootcamp for startups with black women as founders/co-founders, followed by a day long symposium, featuring a PITCH session with top Angel and Venture Capitalists.

TNW Readers can save 25% by using code “TNW2012″ here.

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MUSIC techpitch 4.5, 11 October 2012, London
The next MUSIC techpitch 4.5 event in partnership with City Showcase: London 2012 will take place on 11 October at the Gibson Guitar Studio in London. The evening will feature a keynote presentation by Ashley Elsdon, founder of PalmSounds, who will provide a market overview and insight into what the mobile music application market looks like, where the gaps and the opportunities are. Following the keynote, eight music-tech startups will present their business ideas and revenue models during a three-minute pitch followed by Q&A by a panel of judges.

TNW Readers can save 20% using code ‘TNW20′ here.

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Barcelona Affiliate Conference, 11 October 2012, Barcelona
The Barcelona Affiliate Conference is back in the sunny coastal city, giving affiliates and affiliates programs the perfect environment to make new contacts and do business. Last year we had over 1600 attendees join us for four days of learning, conference, exposition and networking. So put the dates in your diary and attend on the 11th-14th of October 2012 for one of the most comprehensive and well-respected affiliate events of the year.

TNW readers can save 10% by e-mail, quoting ‘TNW & BAC’ here.

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Asia Digital Analytics Summit 2012, 12 October 2012, Hong Kong
Asia Digital Analytics Summit is the only annual digital analytics meeting for over 200 digital analytics professionals. Join us to keep up with the latest digital analytics trends, best practices, new technologies and practical tips that will help understand your business as well as your customer! Book now and you can save 20%!

TNW Readers can save 20% using code “tnw2012″ here.

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E-nnovation, 15-16 October 2012, Poznań, Poland
E-nnovation is all about the latest trends, innovative solutions and strategic aspects of e-commerce. Two days of conference are always an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas which, hopefully, will motivate and inspire attendees to start new ventures together. E-nnovation is organized by the Allegro Group, a unique business that is both the pioneer and leader in the e-commerce industry within Europe.

Meet up with TNW’s Head of Social Media, Amalia, who is speaking.

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Social Edge Summit, 16 October 2012, San Francisco
The Social Edge Summit is a bi-annual conference held on the West Coast discussing the state of digital innovation around the evolution of increasingly sophisticated social technologies. The summit uncovers new ways to discover, share and highlight the latest digital trends and ideas. The Social Edge Summit brings together well-recognized industry professionals and makes them accessible to conference participants.

TNW readers can save 20% discount using code ‘TNW20′ here.

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Structure:Europe by GigaOM, 16-17 October 2012, Amsterdam
GigaOM’s Structure:Europe conference will be coming to Amsterdam on 16-17 October. From big data to the minefield of regulations, Structure:Europe will explore the biggest opportunities and hottest companies in cloud computing today. This conference is unlike any other event, bringing together leading thinkers, innovators and pioneers in cloud computing from the best companies and startups in Europe and the U.S, along with GigaOM editors, GigaOM Pro research analysts and top-tier press.

TNW readers can save 40% using code ‘TNW’ here.

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StartTWS, 17 October 2012, Tel-Aviv, Israel
StartTWS 2012 is the first International Startup conference held in Israel, organized by TheCoIls and Newsgeek.co.il, the largest startup & tech blog in Israel . StartTWS is a one-day single track conference with keynotes by industry leaders and the Startup Arena where 10 startups from Israel, Europe and the US will get a chance to launch their new venture on the main stage. This great content along with the awesome networking opportunities make StartTWS THE place to be in if you are doing anything related to startups.

Registration for startups is free and open here.

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Glimpse: the Social Discovery Conference, 18 October 2012, New York
Glimpse: the social discovery conference, is the first conference focused on the future of social discovery. Launched in San Francisco in June, Glimpse promises to bring local NYC experts together to uncover what social discovery is today, where it is headed and why it matters. The goal: to fuel innovation in the space and assist the community in uncovering and building new social technologies.

TNW Readers can request an invitation here.

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IDCEE 2012, 18-19 October 2012, Kiev, Ukraine
The IDCEE 2012 conference gathers internet-entrepreneurs, top-level executives of technology companies, leading VC investors and business-angels from the CEE region and beyond, who meet to learn about the latest trends and future development of Internet technologies, listen to insightful keynotes and panel discussions by the global luminaries of Internet entrepreneurship and venture capital, exchange ideas, do networking and establish business contacts. TNW co-founder Patrick will also be speaking at this conference, if you want to meet up with him just drop a tweet!

TNW Readers can save 25% using code “TNW+IDCEE2012″ here.

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App Conference, 18-19 October 2012, California
Mark your calendars for the second annual App Conference October 18-19, 2012 in Santa Clara, CA. Once again we will address key components of app development, marketing and revenue. With an emphasis on cross-platform development and revenue strategies, the show provides key insight for both developers and business professionals. The show will host two conference tracks providing attendees the critical elements with their app strategies: App Business Strategies and App Product Strategies.

TNW Readers can save 20% using code “NextVIP” here.

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WPDevCon, 22-24 October 2012, San Francisco
The first WPDevCon: Windows Phone Developer Conference is the independent conference for software developers, marketers and entrepreneurs building applications for Windows Phone-powered smartphones. Windows Phone is poised for take off with Microsoft putting the engines on full power in 2012. Projected attendance is 500+ from across the globe. Exhibits admission is free!

TNW Readers can save $100 using code “MEDIASPONSOR” here.

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CrowdConf 2012, 23 October 2012, San Francisco
CrowdConf 2012, hosted by CrowdFlower, is the first and leading conference on crowdsourcing and the future of distributed work. Join an international audience of more than 500 execs, scholars, investors, entrepreneurs, and data heads at the 3rd annual crowdsourcing conference. CrowdConf will feature presentations, panel discussions and smaller breakout discussions in three tracks, as well as a lively expo hall full of exhibitors and sponsors. Keep current on the latest trends, research and real-world applications in crowdsourcing.

TNW Readers can save 25% directly here.

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Russian Innovation Week Conference, 25-26 October 2012, Mountain View, California
Join leading startup entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and successful business leaders from the U.S. and Russia at the inaugural Russian Innovation Week Conference on Oct. 25 – 26, 2012 at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA. Meet Russian innovators and startups in search of their perfect investment partner, explore up-and-coming developments in the fields of clean-tech, bio-tech, pharmaceuticals, the life sciences, nanotechnology and IT, and mingle with your new business contacts at evening networking receptions and keynote dinners.

Register using code ‘RIWTNB12′ here for 1/10 conference invitations.

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Hacker Halted USA 2012, 25-31 October 2012, Miami
The flagship information security conference series of EC-Council, with its objective being to raise awareness towards increased education and ethics in Information Security. Since 2004,Hacker Halted has been organized in world-class cities such as Miami, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taipei, Guangzhou, Cairo, etc. Hacker | Halted by EC-Council will be the iteration of the globally successful series of academies and conferences, created solely with the emphasis to equip security professionals with the latest tools and know-how to ensure the integrity of our security system from malicious attacks.

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TV Hackfest London, 26-27 October 2012, London
Hacking for Good? Hacking for Innovation? Yes, it’s not hacking the Pentagon or MI6… To the contrary – creatives, developers, coders, and entrepreneurs get together, get creative and get to build cool stuff for TV during TV Hackfest London. In partnership with London Transmedia Fest 2012 event on the 26th & 27th October, organised by the BBC Writers Room, Ogilvy Labs, Portal Entertainment, DMIC project, the EDRF, Greenwich Digital Peninsula, Oxford University Said Business School, Young Rewired State, Appmarket.tv and Agora Media, it will be held at London’s Ravensbourne College in London.

This event is free to attend!

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Pioneers Festival, 29-31 October 2012, Vienna, Austria
On the 30th-31st of October, the Hofburg Imperial palace will open its doors to 2500 visitors and host two tracks: The startup academy with the best mentors in the world and the main stage for the big discussions and inspiration with speakers like Adam Cheyer (the father of Siri), WordPress Founder Matt Mullenweg and influential Venture Capitalist and Backup Cosmonaut Esther Dyson. At the Startup Challenge (last year the 7 best teams got investments between. 500K and 2,2M from YC, VCs and Business Angels), 50 hand-picked ones get to spend a day prior to the conference days solely with investors; check out the 50 start-ups selected out of more then 850 applications. The final eight get to pitch to the big audience and the winner takes home 25K as the prize.

Grab the early bird tickets for the Pioneers Festival until 17th of September here.

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Decoded Fashion London, 1 November 2012, London
Decoded Fashion London presents curated discussions and new content that bridges fashion and technology to accelerate innovation at the intersection of fashion and retail. We blend disparate industries—startups, designers, developers, media professionals, and investors—with the goal of fostering valuable partnerships. We are here as your intelligence source for technologies that revolutionize fashion and retail. Our TNW editors will be here, make sure you meet them!

TNW Readers can save $20 using code ‘TNWDecoded12′ here.

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Social Mobile Payments: Americas, 6-8 November 2012, Miami
The convergence of social media, mobile connectivity and payments technology is changing the way we interact, live and shop. Meet and interact with thought leaders, experts and innovators in the social, mobile and payments ecosystems. Participate, share your findings with your peers, meet like-minded individuals and explore your passions. Shoppers check-in and check-out with their mobile devices, telling their network, family and friends about their finds and fails. Social Mobile Payments: Americas will explore the forces that are changing the way today’s consumers interact, live and shop in Generation-M!

TNW Readers can save $100 using code “DELEGATE” here.

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How To Web, 7-8 November 2012, Bucharest, Romania
How to Web is the most important conference on web business and technology in South-Eastern Europe, putting together more than 800 leading innovators, entrepreneurs and professionals for a feast of hands-on talks on global web trends, product & business innovation and new technologies. During How to Web we organize the Startup Spotlight program & competition, showcasing some of the most innovative startups in Central & Eastern Europe, along with world-class accelerators, investors and support programs. Co-founder Patrick will also be speaking at this conference, if you want to meet up with him just drop a tweet!

TNW Readers can save 15% using code ‘TNWGOES2HTW’ here.

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Mexico Investors Forum 2012, 12 November 2012, Mexico City
Mexico Investors Forum 2012 is Mexico’s largest investor event. More than three hundred delegates will be attending. Speakers currently include former Mexican President Vicente Fox, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Mexico Manuel Sanchez, and Chief Investment Officers from three of the AFOREs. This forum will bring together investors, fund managers, and advisors to discuss both traditional and alternative investments.

TNW Readers can save 20% using code “LM20″ here.

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Smartphone & Tablet Games Summit, 15 November 2012, London
The Smartphone & Tablet Games Summit London is a full-day conference focused on the emerging smartphone and tablet games space. As the power and revenue of the industry continues to shift from retail to instant downloadable delivery, the rise of smartphones and tablets has ushered in a true renaissance in gaming. The summit will touch on a number of key trends including:, Customer Acquisition and Distribution: Facebook and Beyond, Mobile App Metrics for Success, Colliding Worlds: Real & Virtual Currency Gambling, and Monetizing Apps in a Saturated Social Environment.

TNW Readers can save 15% using code ‘TNW15′ here.

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Social Gaming Summit, 15 November 2012, London
The third annual London Social Gaming Summit is a conference focused on the intersection of mobile gaming, immersive worlds, real-life brands and social networking. The Social Gaming Summit unites established industry leaders along with emerging start-ups in free-to-play games, real money and credit based gaming in the social space, virtual goods and payments infrastructure for one full day of illuminating keynotes, lively panels and engaging discussion on the convergence of gaming and the social web.

TNW Readers can save 15% using code ‘TNW15′ here.

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Under the Radar: Commerce, 16 November 2012, San Francisco
Under the Radar has been recognized as the most important showcase of innovation in Silicon Valley.
Why Attend? Connect with over 300 executives from leading brands and businesses, learn about the latest technology that’s disrupting the way business is done, meet face to face with innovators and thought leaders and hear where buyers of technology are placing their bets.

TNW Readers can save $200 directly here.

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TechMeetups Hackathon, 16-18 November 2012, London
For all developers, designers, ideas people interested in hacking Mobile apps for any platform! Whether you’re already looking to build an app of your own, or looking to explore the mobile app space, there’s no better place than this weekend! Mentors will be on hand to help throughout the weekend, workshops will help you get to grips with new skills, tools & techniques. Join in and make the most of this great opportunity!

TNW Readers can save 25% using code “TNW” here.

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Global Mining IT & Communication Summit 2012, 20-21 November 2012, London
Mining companies are increasingly looking to in to technology solutions to manage increasing complexities of day-to-day operations and boost operational efficiency. However mining companies have conservative approach towards investing in development of IT infrastructure and understanding the progressive need of having IT-centric operations. Even though mining companies are investing in Information technology and development, there are key concern areas that need to be addressed. This conference aims to address majority of these issues and facilitate this industry as a whole.

TNW Readers can save 15% by e-mailing the event organizers.

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Trends Plus, 4 December 2012, London
There are 1000s of influencing factors that are shaping tomorrow’s consumer trends everyday – some small, some big, some that will never last and some that are here to stay.
Trends Plus will give you a unique opportunity to explore and gain a 360° view on a well-balanced blend of trends and ideas that are actively shaping your future consumers. With heaps of forward thinking and a wealth of visionary ideas, you are bound to leave this event in-the-know and inspired!

TNW Readers can save 10% by quoting “TNW” here.

CIMM Taps Symphony Advanced Media for Cross-Media Advertising Effectiveness and New-Media Research

 

CIMM Taps Symphony Advanced Media for Cross-Media Advertising Effectiveness and New-Media Research

SAM’s ground-breaking smartphone-based technology to provide insights into cross-media advertising effectiveness linkage among media behavior, social media profiles and activities on Facebook and Twitter

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) announced today that it is collaborating with Symphony Advanced Media (SAM) to pilot test innovative new approaches to cross-platform advertising effectiveness by directly linking passive measurement of actual advertising exposure to consumer response data. In addition, the test will include new approaches to segmenting media consumers based on their social media profiles, activities and influence by analyzing Facebook and Twitter data and linking it directly with media consumption.

“Technology is driving change in media delivery and consumption at an accelerating pace. The need to provide the industry with insights into changing consumer behavior is acute”

To conduct the analyses, SAM will collect data from its Media Insiders Panel, which focuses on three-screen and social media consumers, and utilizes SAM-developed apps to track media usage across multiple platforms, including Facebook and Twitter.

“Technology is driving change in media delivery and consumption at an accelerating pace. The need to provide the industry with insights into changing consumer behavior is acute,” said SAM President and CEO Manish Bhatia. “What we don’t know about consumer behavior is starting to outweigh what we do know. SAM is using its deep industry knowledge to create the insights the media industry needs to make informed business decisions surrounding new- and cross-media investments related to content and advertising. We couldn’t be more excited to collaborate with CIMM and address business questions most relevant to CIMM members.”

“Uncovering new insights on multi-platform ad effectiveness—and linking these to activities like social media engagement—are increasingly valuable to advertisers and brands,” said Jane Clarke, managing director of CIMM. “To succeed, companies must have deep knowledge about the workings of each of the media and create solutions that address emerging and unmet client needs. We have been reviewing SAM’s strategies and technologies over the last few months and recognize the solution set they are building addresses key media and advertiser questions. As this collaboration progresses, we look forward to generating new insights for CIMM’s member companies and those in the media and advertising industries who are searching for ways to improve their understanding of cross-media consumption and effectively connect with consumers on different platforms.”

The research collaboration will initially focus on the linkage between multi-media consumption and social media usage. Additional research examining next-generation TV and cross-media advertising performance measurement solutions using passive tracking technologies will be conducted by the end of 2012. Findings from these efforts will be made available early in 2013.

About Symphony Advanced Media

Symphony Advanced Media (SAM) enables clients to assess cross-platform advertising campaign performance, optimize channel strategies and drive increased target-consumer response. SAM’s solutions provide an integrated view of consumer media consumption, purchase behaviors and brand attitudes. SAM’s innovative analytic methods deliver rapid strategic insights on advertising performance across all media including online, TV, print and mobile, and identify opportunities for improved marketing ROI. Clients include leading global brand advertisers in the media, automotive, financial services, pharmaceutical, consumer packaged goods and telecom industries. SAM is part of Symphony Technology Group (STG)whose portfolio of companies include Symphony IRI, Impact RX, Teleca and EYC. Learn more about SAM at www.symphonyam.com.

About CIMM

The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) was founded by leading television content providers, media agencies, and advertisers to promote innovation in audience measurement for television and cross-platform video. CIMM’s mission is to explore and identify new methodologies and approaches to audience measurement through conducting pilot studies with independent measurement companies focusing on two key areas: the current and future potential of television measurement through return path data, and new methods for cross- platform media measurement. www.cimm-us.org

Current members are: A+E Networks, Belo, CBS Corporation, Carat USA, ConAgra, Discovery Communications, Gannett, GroupM, Hearst, Interpublic Group Mediabrands, LEGO Systems, Inc., Microsoft, NBC Universal, News Corporation, Omnicom Media Group, P&G, Publicis Groupe, Scripps Networks, Time Warner, Unilever, Univision Communications, Viacom, and The Walt Disney Company.

Could Arbitron Win The New Media Measurement Race?

Could Arbitron Win The New Media Measurement Race?

by David Goetzl, May 16, 2012, 1:51 PM

• TAGS

television

With all the urgency to find a widely accepted cross-platform measurement system, one element of the chase involves going back to the future. Recall Project Apollo, the would-be breakthrough that looked to match media consumption with purchase data to get a better sense of the connection.

The initiative, a joint effort by Nielsen and Arbitron, included not just TV and radio on the media side, but magazines and newspapers. That seems laughable now, since hardly anyone is suggesting print be included in current efforts. The most prominent quest is for tracking TV, mobile and Internet video viewing.

Apollo was abandoned in 2008. Carrying the space age name, it may have come early.

“That was a pretty compelling product that was a little bit before its time,” said Arbitron COO-CFO Sean Creamer this week.

Yet, Creamer said lessons and insights gained from Apollo are informing R&D efforts at Arbitron, Nielsen and others racing to offer the industry standard for cross-media measurement. Nielsen’s Susan Whiting had indicated that potential back when Apollo was shuttered.

Few argue the collapse of Apollo was because the customers, which were the likes of Procter & Gamble and Wal-Mart, balked at the investment costs. Maybe the recession played a role.

Now, though, with so much video consumed so many ways, the thinking may have changed. Advertisers are willing to spend in pursuit of a way to evaluate the effectiveness of TV, mobile and Internet video in an apples-to-apples way, that it's cost be darned.

Or, are they? And, what about their agencies? “Two or three years ago, there was a lot of talk and very little money flow,” Creamer said at an investor event. “Today, there remains a lot of talk and relatively little money flow, which is a positive advancement, but certainly not as far along as we’d like.”

Creamer does think a better roadmap will come into focus within the next 18 to 24 months. But, then that could be ripped up as media consumption changes so swiftly.

Arbitron is working to become a leading option in cross-media measurement through a recent trial it conducted with the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) and other efforts. It wants to “make sure we have a seat at the table once the money starts to flow in a significant way.”

Creamer said Arbitron is using its exposure to the CIMM membership, which includes marketers, agencies and networks, to expand its opportunities. If it's able to make inroads with, say, 10 CIMM members, it might have a very cushy seat.

“We are now working with individual members of CIMM to find out what incremental insights we can provide and how we can scale what we did … (to offer) something that has applicability to a broader customer base,” he said.

ComScore, which also has worked with CIMM, and others also want that seat at the table. But can’t Arbitron make a stronger case with its portable people meter (PPM) technology, a device people carry that picks up audio signals?

The PPM has the potential to not just capture video on the TV-mobile-Internet troika, but radio and out-of-home TV consumption as well. The latter two may be drawing less interest, but if Arbitron can offer at least a parity product, why not toss them in?

Certainly, the out-of-home element is important to CNN and CNBC, which have both sought Arbitron data there. And, ESPN is using Arbitron data for cross-platform tracking of football on TV and radio.

One hurdle Arbitron is working to overcome, which is driven by its core radio business, is how to recruit more people who have dropped landlines to join its 70,000-person panel. Those in an 18-to-34 demographic who only use mobile phones are tough to find, so Creamer said the company is investing about $18 million this year for cell phone and in-person recruitment.

Creamer doubts a panel with 70,000 could ever be assembled for cross-media measurement, let alone with an acceptable amount of mobile phone-only types.

“Would they agree to download a meter and something onto their cell phone, I think the likelihood of that is very close to zero,” he said.

Which shows just how thorny the multi-media measurement push will likely continue to be. And, if there's a Project Apollo-style retrenchment, who knows where things go? 

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/174869/could-arbitron-win-the-new-media-measurement-race.html#ixzz27WcUpTYY

Major Networks Sign For Nielsen Online Ratings

 

by Wayne Friedman, Wednesday, September 19, 2012 11:12 AM

Nielsen says its big online campaign ratings service is gaining steam.
The media research company reports it has 15 advertising platforms/networks as clients for its Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings. Many are major networks, including Adap.tv, AudienceScience, DataXu, Innovid, Jivox Corporation, LiveRail, SET, TubeMogul, Turn, VideoHub, Videology, VINDICO and ZEDO. Ad technology company FreeWheel has also signed on.
Nielsen says the Online Campaign Ratings are intended to -- among other things -- enable online ad networks to improve their ability to set up audience guarantees. In addition, the service can be used in a variety of ways, from planning to in-flight campaign optimization to campaign analysis. Many of the biggest spenders in online media use a number of the ad networks signed on by Nielsen.
"The platforms that sit between the buy and sell sides are the nerve-center of online advertising, where advertisers and publishers extract the maximum mileage out of their spend and inventory respectively,” stated Amit Seth, executive vice president of global media products for Nielsen.
Nielsen started up Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings in 2011, beginning with VideoHub.
Says Anthony Risicato, general manager of VideoHub: “Now, with VideoHub, marketers have a platform to measure their ratings and also know if/where/why those ratings are having an impact — in real-time, anywhere they are running video campaigns. This joint effort has been a catalyst for true innovation across brands, agencies and publishers."

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/183355/major-networks-sign-for-nielsen-online-ratings.html?print#ixzz27VSH0TC8

Multiscreen Ad Targeting Connects With Consumer Experience

 

by Laurie Sullivan, Wednesday, August 29, 2012 4:41 PM

Consumers spend 4.4 hours of leisure time in front of multiple screens daily, according to a Google study. The findings released Wednesday reveal that consumers spend an average of 17 minutes per interaction on a smartphone screen compared with 30 minutes on a tablet; 39 minutes, a PC or a laptop; and 43 minutes, a television.

Google identifies two types of screen use: sequential and simultaneous. The former, more common, typically occurs over the same day. Some 98% of people move between devices in the same day to accomplish a task.

Search connects consumer experiences across screens. Some 78% of consumers simultaneously multi-task using several devices. The study reveals that 92% use PC and smartphone or TV and PC, where as 90% use the TV and smartphone, and 89% prefer TV and tablet.

Brands should start targeting ads on multiple devices simultaneously to make the most of advertising budgets. The change in consumer behavior suggests a need for brands to consider retargeting across multiple devices, as well as an attribution strategy to determine paths to conversion based on the devices that specific types of consumers might use.

Google's study suggests that 67% of shoppers move from one screen to another, taking multiple-device paths to purchase. While 65% start on a smartphone, 61% continue on a PC or laptop and 4% with a tablet.

Smartphones are the most common starting place, but PCs are the starting point for complex activities, and tablets are the starting place for shopping and planning trips. Of the 25% of consumers who start on a PC or laptop, 19% continue on to a smartphone and 5% on to a tablet. For the 11% who start on a tablet, 10% continue on to a PC or laptop.

Smartphones attract spontaneity with 81% admitting to being grabbed by a purchase in the spur of the moment versus 19% planned. About 59% of people that will particpate in any part of the shopping process on a smartphone while in the home versus 41% out of the home. Some 84% of consumers on a PC or a laptop will shop while in the home versus 16% out of the home.

Even before the purchase, Google's research shows that more consumers search for information about products and services across devices. Those with mobile devices search for information triggered by events, locations and physical items, but Google's study suggests that consumers search more often for things seen on TV. Respondents could choose mroe than one option when asked what prompted them to do a search.

The net number, 22%, of people said television prompted a search on smartphones compared with 17% seeing a commercial on TV, and 7% seeing a TV program. When it comes to searches on PC and laptops, TV contributed 10%, whereas TV commercials and programs each contributed 6%.

Most consumers accomplish goals through "spontaneous vs. planned search" activities. On a smartphone, 20% of searches are planned versus 80% that are spontaneous. On a PC or laptop that percentage changes to 48% and 52%, respectively.

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/181829/multiscreen-ad-targeting-connects-with-consumer-ex.html?print#ixzz27VDGnYsO

Display Ads Stable On Major Web Portals

 

Display Ads Stable On Major Web Portals

by Mark Walsh, Friday, August 24, 2012 1:55 PM

The Summer Olympics bolstered display advertising across the home pages of the major Web portals in June and July. Advertising related to the Games -- spanning July 27 to August 12 -- accounted for 10% of total observed ad units on the home screens of Yahoo, AOL, MSN and YouTube in the first half of the third quarter, according to the latest display ad-tracking report from Macquarie Equities Research.

Still, the study found that display trends were essentially flat from a year ago, based on ad formats used. Overall, 38% of home page ads were oversized/custom units, up from 36% for the same period a year ago, but down from 44% in the first half of the second quarter.

Macquarie uses these premium, brand-focused units as a barometer of broader display advertising health.

Looking at ad categories, financial services and media were the biggest verticals in the first half of the current quarter -- accounting for 20%, and 17%, of home page ads, respectively. Automotive was another strong contributor, representing 14% of ads. The Olympic-related ads were spread across a number of categories.

Display advertising was mostly stable for each of the Web portals analyzed, with YouTube remaining the strongest of the group. More than half (56%) the ads sold on the Google-owned video hub were of oversized/custom variety, up from 50% a year ago, thanks to its signature masthead unit.

Media and entertainment campaigns again dominated, accounting for more than half the ads on YouTube. But CPG got on board, making up 12% ads, compared to none a year ago or in the first half of the second quarter.

For Yahoo, sales of custom branding units sold increased slightly to 35% from 32% a year ago. The study also noted sell-through of Yahoo's log-in page ad slot rebounded in the first half of Q3 to 74%, on par with all-time highs. However, Macquarie analyst and report author Ben Schachter said it is difficult to say how much lift is a result of discounting.

Another positive sign for Yahoo was that the proportion of purely brand-focused advertising was 53% -- up from 33% a year ago, and from 29% in the first half of Q2.

The picture was more mixed for AOL. Custom ad units were up slightly from a year ago to 19%, but still well down from 32% in the April to mid-May period. AOL had more purely brand-focused units (32%), but also an increase in direct-response advertising, up nine percentage points to 35%.

Amazon also had mixed results, with its share of brand-focused advertising up to 35% from 24% in the second quarter. But the proportion of standard rich media advertising dropped from 74% to 58% in the first half of the third quarter. Only 3% of ads on the Amazon home page were custom/oversized units.

MSN saw marked improvement, with custom units accounting for 32% of ads sold compared to 13% a year earlier, and brand advertising rising to 38% from 21%. The site also had a corresponding drop in lower-quality, direct-response advertising to 12% from 29% a year ago and 24% in the first half of Q2.

Microsoft this week announced it is rolling out a series of multichannel ad units, including a digital circular-style format exclusively for MSN.

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/181542/display-ads-stable-on-major-web-portals.html?print#ixzz27VCtjKP4

AT&T AdWorks Aggregates Mobile, TV Data To Target Online Ads

 

by Laurie Sullivan, Aug 27, 2012, 7:20 AM

• TAGS

ad targeting, advertising, data management, media measurement, mobile, tv

AT&T AdWorks is expected to launch an ad platform in September allowing brands to target ads online based on TV and mobile data, according to Danielle Lee, AdWorks VP of product marketing and innovation. Two undisclosed brands have signed up to participate in the initial rollout.

The AdWorks division worked with AT&T Labs to develop an algorithm that allows brands to target audiences based on aggregate demographic data from TV programs watched or downloaded on apps, games and videos on mobile.

The move will lead the company to support cross-screen ad targeting as technology becomes smarter at understanding consumer behavior and devices.

"This is not panel data, but rather actual first-party user data in aggregate," Lee said.

Common attributes in the data create audience segments. The "aggregate and anonymous" data comes from 10 million U-Verse set-top boxes, as well as 69 million mobile subscribers. The targeting data from TV will initially rely on demographic and geographic attributes rated to the top 100 TV shows.

AT&T AdWorks also supports online ad targeting using data from mobile subscriber to serve ads across the Internet to Verizon FIOS customers. The audience network reaches 80% of Internet users, including third-party sites. AT&T does not place ads using another Internet provider's ad platform, such as Verizon's.

The audience segments rely on TV and mobile data to target ads online, but Lee said AT&T plans to build out the service to focus on cross-channel targeting. Advertisers will then have an option to push the same ad across cross-platform. Once that occurs, AT&T will compete with companies like Microsoft Advertising, which recently rolled out a cross-channel ad-targeting tool.

The tool, aimed at national advertisers purchasing millions in ads, supports A/B testing the creative ads online first before bringing it to TV -- a trend that recently caught the attention of political marketers.

Lee also said AT&T could integrate the TV with the mobile data to build a bigger picture of consumers and audience segments. "We're just getting out of the gate with this," she said. "There are several ways we can take this product as it evolves."

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/181540/att-adworks-aggregates-mobile-tv-data-to-target.html#ixzz27VBCvz00