The survey has been shared with a range of thought leaders in the digital supply chain and will remain open for completion until Wednesday, 16 December.

Its aim is to generate input on a few key areas of measurement, namely:
  • the value and usage of the current IAB SA measurement solution
  • usage of common tools and technologies for measurement in digital marketing
  • key measurement challenges within and across digital media and marketing channels
  • suggestions around what the future IAB SA measurement solution should deliver
“As part of our remit to shape the future scope of the IAB Measurement Programme, it’s important that we have a representation of a variety of thoughts and opinions from industry leaders across the spectrum. This is done in order to ensure that the measurement partner selected through this process is able to support the changing needs of the industry,” says Imraan Rajab, IAB Future of Measurement Committee lead and COO of MediaCom South Africa.

According to IAB South Africa, the success of South Africa’s digital media ecosystem relies on clear, consistent measurement standards that are adopted industry-wide. These standards strive to perform several functions. These functions include the following:
  • They provide quantitative and qualitative evidence of the impact of advertising on consumers, as well as on marketer KPIs.
  • They are the basis for knowing whether a target goal was achieved; and when standardised and of the appropriate quality.
  • They are used for the buying and selling of advertising.
"The measurement needs of the industry have changed considerably since the previous tender process due to new priorities in previously unexplored areas of digital measurement," says the team at IAB South Africa. "These include viewability and brand safety; advancements in measurement technology; continued fragmentation of digital consumption into new areas such as podcasts, gaming, and digital OOH; and finally an evolving regulatory environment in which measurement activities take place."

Following the analysis of the survey responses, the committee will aim to reconvene to draft and publish a ‘measurement industry statement of needs’. This will be used to guide the development of the RFP for the 2021 IAB Digital Media Currency tender, which will be published in the new year.

The Future of Measurement Committee, which comprises voices from various parts of the digital media industry, was established in order to define the overall objectives of the IAB South Africa measurement programme.

According to the team at IAB, it performs a role within the agency by supporting the bureau in the fulfilment of one of its key objectives; namely, to provide the South African digital media and marketing industry with a single, credible measurement and tracking product. This then acts as a planning tool for advertising and media agencies, and as an information source for the broader marketing community.

"Importantly, this 'single currency' then becomes a benchmark and highly-trusted metric that all industry stakeholders are able to reference," concludes the team.

For more information, visit www.iabsa.net. You can follow IAB South Africa on Facebook or on Twitter.