ComScore - a clarification

7 October 2009

Some recent press coverage in Marketing and on Brand Republic states that:

"comScore, which lost the UKOM tender to Nielsen, plans to team up with ABCe to create its own measurement service, combining websites' server data with panel information."

This misleading coverage does not make it clear that ABCe, via its role as an independent, industry-owned organisation, works in partnership with a wide range of suppliers to facilitate the development of digital industry standards via JICWEBS. ABCe is not tied to any one supplier.

JICWEBS is the industry-owned standards body for digital census data measurement standards. (UKOM by contrast is focused on panel based research data). JICWEBS remit is to consider recommendations from the ABCe Internet Technical Group and then decide whether the Industry Agreed Measurement Metrics should be updated. JICWEBS is comprised of representatives from advertisers, media owners and agencies via the following trade associations; IPA, IPA digital, ISBA, AOP, IAB, NPA and NS.

ABCe’s role, as the industry-owned auditor, is to facilitate debate and independently verify compliance with the industry-agreed standards.

comScore is one of some 40 technology providers who, as ABCe Associate Subscribers, can be involved in developing these industry standards via the Internet Technical Group (ITG). Others include Nielsen Online, Nedstat, Gemius, Omniture, Webtrends and almost 200 digital media owners such as Government (COI), BBC, all the national newspapers, around 70 regional newspapers, RTE and BSkyB.

Web analytics, including the use of cookies, continually evolve and we look forward to ensuring that comScore’s contribution in that debate is explored at the ITG and JICWEBS, alongside contributions from other ABCe Subscribers.

For reference at the next meeting JICWEBS will clarify that:
1. Daily UU/B data eliminates the relevance of cookie deletion, to all intents and purposes.
2. The JICWEBS UU/B metric is expressly aimed at counting devices (not people)
In addition, Nielsen Online will be invited to update JICWEBS about their fused solution and Effective Measure will be invited to update JICWEBS about their Flash cookie-based solution.

- Ends -

For information on ABCe and JICWEBS please contact:
Mark Barber / Louisa Papachristou
Eulogy!
Tel: 020 7927 9999

About ABCe

ABCe was established in 1996 as the industry owned, non profit distributing organisation, which works on behalf of advertisers, media buyers and media owners to provide third party independent verification and certification for data related to electronic media (Internet, Email, SMS, Interactive TV, WAP, PDA and Streaming audio and video) in the UK and Ireland.

ABCe’s role is to manage standards for the industry through its work with JICWEBS*, and to provide credibility, comparability and transparency for electronic media. This gives advertisers the opportunity to maximise returns on marketing budgets by using ABCe certified media and ensures that stakeholders (marketers, investors, media owners, media buyers, advertisers) can invest in electronic media with confidence and trust.

ABCe serves the online media communities in the UK and Ireland, and is leading an international network setting global standards for electronic media. ABCe delivers global measurement standards for local markets through its work as Chair of the IFABC web standards group.

JICWEBS (The Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards in the UK and Ireland) is a body created by the UK and Ireland media industry. Its purpose is to ensure independent development and ownership of standards for measuring on a site centric, census basis audience reach, frequency and activity levels including the use and effectiveness of advertising on electronic media. ABCe supports the work of JICWEBS by delivering audit and certification services for electronic media usage to these industry agreed standards.

For more information contact info@jicwebs.org .

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