POSTAR

Ipsos MORI to use GPS to deliver more detailed audience data for roadside, transport and indoor media.

POSTAR, the audience research body for the out of home advertising industry, has just awarded Ipsos MORI, one of the leading global providers of audience measurement data, a six year contract to develop a new audience measurement system for the outdoor advertising industry in Great Britain

This marks a major investment for the outdoor industry. Through an ambitious programme of research Ipsos MORI will deliver audience data for roadside, transport and indoor media. The centrepiece of the research is a travel survey using GPS technology. In order to deliver this component of the service Ipsos MORI has partnered with Czech-based MGE Data, a leading company in GPS monitoring technologies.

Traditional methods of outdoor research rely on respondent recall or paper diaries where it is only possible to collect topline details of journeys made for a limited number of days. The passive nature of GPS measurement enables data to be collected over longer periods with an unprecedented level of detail. This information can be analysed in order to model the size and demographic profile of the audience for individual campaigns or groups of panels. The study is being designed so that it can be integrated with other industry databases.

Separate models will be developed for transport, such as buses and taxis, and indoor media, such as London Underground, shopping malls and airports, based on third party data integrated with the travel survey. The final output will be a fully integrated model that calculates reach and frequency for campaigns run across individual or combinations of outdoor media.

The sample will comprise 10,000 interviews in the first year building to 20,000 after three years. Data from third parties such as the Department for Transport and Transport for London will be incorporated into the modelling process to enhance the accuracy of the results.

As part of the new process POSTAR will develop an updated visibility adjustment system designed to ensure that realistic opportunities to see can be calculated.

Richard Silman, Global Chief Executive of Ipsos Media commented "This is an ambitious programme of research and extends the work we have been doing in the field of electronic data collection for media measurement. We look forward to establishing a positive long term working relationship with POSTAR as we have with other industry measurement bodies."

James Whitmore, Managing Director of POSTAR, added "Ipsos were awarded this contract after a rigorous tendering process. We were impressed by the solution they were offering and look forward to the delivery of a new measurement system that will demonstrate the benefits of outdoor as a medium."