Outdoor on the scale with Nielsen

Harnessing the power of the Global Positioning System (GPS) through the Npod device (Nielsen Personal Outdoor Device), Nielsen Outdoor will provide demographic audience information plus reach, frequency and outdoor ratings data, to all SAARF stakeholders -advertisers, agencies and outdoor media companies.

Outdoor media buyers and sellers in South Africa will be able to use audience measurements that are similar to traditional ratings data used to plan radio, television and print.

Dr Paul Haupt, chief executive officer of SAARF says: "This is a major breakthrough in outdoor media research worldwide and will place the South African outdoor medium in a position to compare audiences on an equal footing with other media in this country."

The South African service will roll out nationwide over three years (2006 to 2008), covering key metropolitan markets as well as smaller urban and rural areas.

"I am sure I express the views of the outdoor advertising industry in South Africa when I say that the commitment by SAARF, to underwrite the GPS Outdoor Measurement System will be a huge leap forward in our understanding of the magnitude of Outdoor advertising audiences in South Africa and their demographic profiles," says Barry Sayer, chief executive officer, Clear Channel Independent.

"The credibility that Nielsen Outdoor brings to the project and their connectivity with similar developments in the international world affords us the opportunity to finally participate in a truly credible international outdoor measurement currency."

Les Holley, executive director, Out Of Home Media SA, says: "The GPS-based audience measurements from Nielsen Outdoor provide an easy-to-use, familiar dataset that will increase outdoor's attraction for sophisticated, large advertisers.

"The introduction of this measurement tool through SAARF will place outdoor research on a par with other media and we firmly believe it will grow outdoor's share of advertising spending."

Lorraine Hadfield, managing director for Nielsen Outdoor, says: "Outdoor promises to bring new accountability to this great media by accurately measuring the size and composition of its audiences.

"Nielsen Outdoor will provide the outdoor industry the chance to compete for its fair share of advertising spending."

Chicago is the first market that data has been collected using the Npod in collaboration with input from the GOAC and Traffic Audit Bureau (TAB). The ratings data from that market have been pre-released to the GOAC with general release planned on November 21.

Beyond South Africa and Chicago, Nielsen Outdoor is working closely with the advertising industry to finalize plans to expand the service in top U.S., European and Asia Pacific markets.