LONDON – Brands are increasingly dissatisfied with the current media measurement landscape, both in terms of joint industry currencies and proprietary solutions provided by agencies, and are seeking accountable and audited cross-media data.
That is the view from the umbrella body representing the biggest brands in the UK.
Phil Smith, Director General, ISBA, in this video interview with Beet.TV, said the dissatisfaction stems from concerns about the fragmented nature of the TV ecosystem and the proliferation of proprietary measurement solutions.
Origin Backed by Over 50 Industry Stakeholders
“The brands are certainly telling me that they’re not happy with the current state of media measurement,” said Smith. “So what they’re really after, they tell me, is an accountable and audited set of data that matches cross-media from linear TV through into online platforms and beyond that across the media ecosystem.”
ISBA’s own project Origin is based on principles issued by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) in 2019, designed to be cross-industry standards. The project enjoys support from over 50 industry stakeholders, including 35 major brands, many global, who are driving this advertiser-led solution.
“And those principles are meant to be cross-industry principles,” Smith said. “What we’re doing with the Project Origin is setting that up as a joint industry federation on the same principles as the joint industry currencies that we have here in the UK.”
Origin Beta Trials Show Promising Results
In 2024, Origin achieved a major milestone by entering beta trials. The 35 supporting advertisers are now receiving live data from linear TV, YouTube, and Meta through a privacy-safe solution backed by a Kantar calibration panel.
“(There were) massive achievements in 2024,” Smith said. “You know, the really big milestone is that we are now well into our beta trials.”
These brands are seeing live campaign results, marking significant progress towards a more unified and accountable measurement system. The trials demonstrate the feasibility of Origin’s approach and its potential to provide valuable insights.
Smith to Chair Origin in 2025
Smith will transition from his role as ISBA’s Director General to become the chair of Origin itself in mid-2025. He plans to dedicate his efforts to establishing Origin in the UK.
“Yes, so, in the middle of 2025, I’ll be stepping away from my role as director general of ISBA and focusing my attention on Origin,” Smith told Andrews.
You’re watching Beet.TV’s coverage of CIMM London 2024, presented by Index Exchange. For more videos from CIMM London, please visit this page.
