Canada gets fused database

comScore, Inc and PMB Print Measurement Bureau* recently announced the release date for a joint product offering that links Canadians' online media habits with print readership and other media consumption data, along with product and brand usage, all in a single database. The fused database will was made available yesterday, 21 September 2010 exclusively to PMB members and comScore Canada clients, with access through software suppliers licensed jointly by PMB and comScore.

"The combination of online and offline audience data breaks entirely new ground in the Canadian media industry," said Bryan Segal, vice president of comScore Media Metrix Canada. "This service will offer valuable consumer insights to publishers, agencies and advertisers that can be used in optimising media buying and planning throughout the industry."

"The partnership with comScore which we announced earlier this year is a very important element of the PMB Board strategy," says Fred Auchterlonie, executive vice president client service at PHD Canada and PMB Board Chair. "I'm confident that the fused database which we're now able to provide to all our members will prove to be a critical marketing resource. The marriage of PMB print readership and our extensive product data with comScore's online information will be simply invaluable to the Canadian media industry at large. This collaboration is a major undertaking, and I would be remiss in not drawing attention to the considerable effort put forth by the staff of both PMB and comScore in making it happen."

Insights on the potential of incremental reach

The fused database provides new information on the potential incremental reach that print publications gain through the online channel, with several PMB measured magazines gaining between 10% and 25% unique readers through their web brand.

The database also provides new information on product and service usage by website visitors. For example, the online visitors to certain PMB-measured women's magazines are one-third more likely to be mascara users than the general population. The data can also provide valuable insights into other consumer behaviours; for example, that one in every five visitors to a major travel site report vacationing in British Columbia in the past year.

The comScore and PMB databases were combined using a state-of the-art, sophisticated data linkage technique known as "split weight congruent fusion" to ensure that the audience data from the two original databases are retained as well as the extensive PMB product and brand usage data - a critical element for both buyers and sellers. The statistical process used to fuse the comScore and PMB databases does not involve the exchange or matching of any personally identifiable consumer information.

Media industry leaders voice support for launch of service

"As the magazine industry moves to offer their brands to audiences across a variety of media platforms, information that links print readership and online media habits is particularly important," said Kathryn Brownlie, senior vice president sales, Rogers Consumer Publishing. "This will allow publishers to show the strength of combined audiences, while the demographic information will enable both advertisers and publishers to further focus their media strategies."

"The industry has been frustrated to date by the fragmented nature of the online data available from the major syndicated studies," said Anne Myers, president MediaVest and SMG PM and president of the Canadian Media Directors' Council. "This database will add a whole new dimension to targeting decisions for online media, giving us access to a wealth of demographic, attitudinal and behavioural variables fused to timely currency metrics. We applaud PMB and comScore's willingness to cooperate and elevate the basis of online planning and evaluation in the Canadian marketplace."

*About PMB Print Measurement Bureau

PMB Print Measurement Bureau is Canada's leading syndicated study for single-source data on national print readership, non-print media exposure, product consumption, brand usage, demographic and lifestyle data. Its reputation is based on almost 40 years of accurate, in-depth measurement of Canadian consumer behaviour. PMB has over 500 corporate members including print publications, other media companies, advertising agencies, advertisers and educational establishments.