The Measuring Matrix - What’s Real and Are We Ready to Take the Red Pill?
Much has been said during the past couple of months regarding measurements and digital signage. As more and more advertisers — and the agencies that represent them — explore the possibilities of delving into this medium, the most common question asked after CPM is, “How do you measure ROI?”
Most answers I hear in response are answers I’d expect to hear at a lame pyramid marketing scheme meeting — heavy doses of smoke and mirrors mixed with traditional means of measurement that quite frankly, don’t necessarily transcend into the world of digital and captive audience networks.
However, as measurement tools become more and more refined, and networks utilize more than just a screen (social and interactive media, for example) to relay advertiser information, it’s only a matter of time ROI statistics will become a stark reality.
OVAB and other organizations are, indeed, encouraging the industry to take the proverbial red pill, offering standardized measurement guidelines (with more acronyms to learn). And with digital signage aggregate giants like SeeSaw saying “screw you” to the proverbial blue pill combined with rapid developments in technology, it seems as if the industry is fast on its way to providing measurement statistics more accurate than ever before.
The question is: Are we really ready to take the red pill that unveils the measuring matrix?
If we want agencies and advertisers to take us seriously as a viable media source, then of course we do. If we want to charge the outrageous CPMs some of us want to charge (and then wonder why they aren’t getting any advertising revenue), then once again, the answer is a resounding yes.
I, for one, am all for it — I’ll admit, I’m selfish — I believe many networks will crumble under advanced measurement technologies and strict ROI measurement guidelines.
Since the very beginnings of developing and running our captive audience network, we all were aware standards would inevitably evolve and technologies advance. Because of this, we immediately enforced strict ROI guidelines (albeit, it was a simple strategy, but it worked) allowing us to report accurate measurements to advertisers.
More often than not, we were able to show advertisers a stellar ROI.
But, sometimes the numbers downright sucked — like sucked so horribly I hated to share the information with our advertisers. But you know what? I did anyway. And you know what? Those advertisers appreciated our honesty.
So what will it be — the red or the blue pill? I’m banking on the red one.
2 years ago • 0 notes