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Measurement companies are looking to measure up ahead of the upfront season, with Nielsen making “big data” announcements and the Joint Industry Committee (JIC) certifying Comscore and VideoAmp.
To explain exactly what’s going on in measurement, ADWEEK went to great measures of our own, breaking down what the latest measurement updates mean as the NewFronts and TV upfronts approach.
What’s happening?
On Wednesday, following its monthslong data evaluation period, the JIC granted Comscore and VideoAmp certification for transactability as national currencies. Meanwhile, iSpot will maintain its conditional certification, with a final decision expected in the next certification window in June 2024.
Additionally, Nielsen is also making announcements. It held a press conference on Tuesday to reveal that its combination of panel data and big data measurement will be available to use as its official currency in September.
The JIC? Nielsen? Why are there so many measurement announcements?
It’s the upfronts. With advertisers looking to make their annual upfront commitments, measurement companies are looking to advance the push toward alternative currencies or, in Nielsen’s case, maintain market share.
OK, so what’s the deal with the JIC certifying Comscore and VideoAmp?
The JIC—formed by OpenAP, along with a working committee of media agencies, premium video programmers, streaming platforms and trade bodies—wants to create a baseline standard for buyers and sellers to transact. After granting conditional certification to iSpot, Comscore and VideoAmp late last year, the organization has now completed its evaluation against a set of minimum requirements needed for cross-platform currencies to be transactional.
Comscore and VideoAmp were determined to be transactable across traditional metrics and cross-platform exact spot metrics for advanced audiences and households, with certification status granted on a two-year term. The news could help buyers look to Comscore and VideoAmp as currencies in upfront negotiations.
But wait, isn’t the Media Rating Council already a regulatory body for measurement? Why do we need JIC certification?
The JIC and the Media Rating Council recently clarified their differences in a joint statement.
“While the JIC is focused on evaluating the transactional readiness of national, cross-platform, measurement solutions, the MRC goes much further in conducting intensive audits of measurement methodology. The JIC’s goal is for measurement companies to hold both JIC certification as well as MRC accreditation,” the statement explained.
