Notes On The New OOH Measurement
A Letter from Geopath President, Kym Frank, to the OOH Industry
Recently, Geopath, the non-profit association responsible for providing the universal currency for the out-of-home advertising industry, updated its methodology, utilizing the advanced location data inputs that are available today. Geopath is governed by a tripartite Board of Directors, representing agencies, advertisers, and media owners who collectively approved this advancement in audience measurement.
The new system is more granular than the legacy methodology which was launched in 2010. Due to the resources available at the time that it was built, the legacy methodology often relied upon averages and in some cases, default location assignments. The new methodology utilizes precise locations for all inventory in the database. It also incorporates information harnessed from connected cars and mobile location data. The use of these data streams produces a distinctively contemporary industry currency and provides advertisers with the ability to better target their audiences utilizing out-of-home advertising.
As a result of the methodological improvements and more granular data sources, there will be changes in the underlying impressions each unit delivers.These are a result of the more granular inputs to the methodology and do not reflect changes to the actual inventory.
In some cases the impressions delivered will be higher and in some cases they will be lower, but the inherent value of the advertising has not changed. The metrics are more precise. The audiences delivered have not changed. We have simply evolved how we measure them to be more accurate, incorporating the best data resources that are available today.
Geopath and its members are dedicated to providing universal, accurate, independent, and responsible audience measurement to the advertising industry. We appreciate your continued support of the out-of-home industry and our work to power a smarter out-of-home marketplace.
Sincerely,
Kym Frank
Geopath President