Blog

By Joanne Van der Burgt, Ipsos MediaCT

You’ve likely heard the classic words uttered over a century ago by John Wanamaker, a department store mogul and pioneer of marketing: “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don’t know which half.” How far we’ve come!

Whether television, radio, out-of-home, social media, web or print, we know that consumers have more media options than ever before. And as the world of media continues to be reshaped by technology, so too do the methods we use to measure consumption need to evolve.

So, how do you measure media with all these changes?

Simply put, the shifting landscape calls for a true ‘single-source’ multi-media solution.

As marketers and advertisers, you’re bound to ask questions like, who’s using what media? When and where is it being consumed? And how do they feel when they consume? The answers to such are critical in measuring success, performance, and ultimately, in boosting engagement.

My team at Ipsos is in advanced discussions with agencies and media companies, as well as a licensing agreement with the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), looking to launch a solution in Canada that answers exactly that – TouchPoints. Available through the IPA in the U.K. since 2008, TouchPoints is a unique consumer centric multi-media database designed to provide insights into how people use all media.

For example, we can use it to measure elements such as:

• The everyday life of a consumer;
• How media fits into consumers’ lives;
• Across a day or week;
• The contribution each channel makes to a campaign;
• The synergy between different media brands and channels; and
• Factors that contribute to a competitive advantage.

And how does it work?

It starts with a HUB survey. Phase 1 of the study launch would incorporate:

An e-diary — utilizing smartphones — that captures consumers’ behaviour through the day. Respondents are asked to account for every half hour of their day over a seven-day period.

An online questionnaire that delves into expanded media questions and consumer purchase behaviour.

Phase 2 will expand to incorporate a passive measurement component that looks at actual mobile behaviour.

The HUB survey enables you to choose channels that would reach the right audience at exactly the right time. It also demonstrates how audience consumption of news content differs by platform.

Ipsos, along with their stakeholders, will work with the industry to organize fusions with media currencies to create a ‘single-source database’.

Whether you’re a media agency, a creative agency or a media owner, this will no doubt become a staple in your media planning, selling and marketing toolkit.

What are your thoughts on this new solution? Feel free to contact me to discuss more about TouchPoints and how you can become involved in the initiative.

Joanne Van der Burgt
An accomplished executive, Joanne Van der Burgt leads Ipsos Canada’s media measurement practice. For nearly three decades, she has been involved in some of the most insightful media practices across North America, giving her an unparalleled wealth of knowledge concerning the Canadian media landscape. Prior to joining Ipsos, she spent twelve years with the Nielsen Company in a variety of executive level roles. And before that, Joanne held leadership roles with the Print Measurement Bureau with over fifteen years of work at the Bureau. You can reach Joanne at .