TAB to Measure Electronic Billboard Ads

In its second major announcement of the last month, the Traffic Audit Bureau (TAB) has approved funding for research for digital-billboard measurement, which is scheduled to begin in June 2013. The move brings the OOH industry closer to being able to report commercial ratings for ads on digital structures, something TAB currently does for other forms of advertising with its Out of Home Ratings system. TAB recently announced plans to measure transit advertising.
 

“While digital billboards may represent a small portion of out of home inventory, they represent a cutting edge platform our clients want more of, and they want accountability to go along with it,” said Jack Sullivan, SVP, OOH Activation Director for Starcom. “Consumers are also looking for quick, up-to-date messaging that will help them make more informed purchasing decisions. It is important that out of home takes the lead on this, and now will have the metrics to back it up.”

 

“TAB’s accomplishments in the science of out-of-home audience measurement have significantly enhanced our ability to quantifiably meet advertisers’ needs and more effectively engage with them in their audience-based planning and buying processes. It’s essential that these efforts extend to digital billboards as the industry continues to invest and expand its digital footprint,” said Rocky Sisson, executive VP and chief revenue officer of Clear Channel Outdoor – North America. “Clear Channel Outdoor was an early believer in the potential of digital billboards; it’s exciting to see industry-wide acknowledgement of the importance of digital to our future, as evidenced by the TAB’s launch of this new research.”

 

“As a leader in out-of-home with thousands of billboards throughout the country in all types of markets, we see digital as a part of our growth going forward,” said Kevin Reilly, president and chairman of the board, Lamar Advertising. “That is why it is so important to us and our clients that we have proper measurement for digital advertising. It is no exaggeration to say that this initiative will lead our industry into a new generation of audience measurement.”

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TAB will work closely with two suppliers as part of its digital initiative. Perception Research Services (PRS), the primary supplier for TAB’s original eye-tracking study as part of its Out of Home Ratings rollout, will conduct field tests with respondents as they pass billboards, and factor in a range of driving experiences, such as congestion. Since 2008, PRS has collaborated with TAB to record actual audience behavior and measure noticing of outdoor advertising in a wide variety of OOH formats.

 

INRIX, a provider of traffic information and driver services to automakers, governments and media worldwide, will be providing traffic data to help TAB better understand the amount of time drivers are exposed to billboards on different days and times on 250,000 miles of heavily traveled roads nationwide.

 

 

 

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