IAB Canada Recaps Advances In Online Audience Measurement In Canada With
Detailed 2009 Year In Review Report

TORONTO, March 31 /CNW/ - IAB Canada today released a detailed Report (http://www.iabcanada.com/guidelines/OnlineAudienceMeasurementInCanada_2009YearInReviewReport.pdf) on the results of initiatives undertaken by its Tripartite Committee For Online Audience Measurement throughout 2009. In December 2008, IAB Canada was asked by the Canadian marketing community to work with comScore Media Metrix throughout 2009 in order to provide increased transparency, oversight and advancement in Online Audience Measurement in Canada.

Highlights of the Online Audience Measurement In Canada: 2009 Year In Review Report include:

- Completion of a Gap Analysis (http://www.iabcanada.com/guidelines/GapAnalysis_comScoreOffering_vs_IABCanAudMeasForumWishList040709.xls) comparing the industry's ultimate "wish list" of Audience Measurement capabilities, to the current offering of comScore Media Metrix in Canada;

- Facilitation of the worldwide launch of comScore's new MMX 360: Panel-Centric Hybrid Measurement Methodology in Canada (http://www.iabcanada.com/guidelines/IndustryUpdate_MMX360.shtml); and

- Approval of IAB US's Online Audience Reach Measurement Guidelines + Summary Of Important Audience Measurement Issues For Canadian Publishers And Agencies. (http://www.iabcanada.com/guidelines/OnlineReach_BackgroundToApproval_ImportantIssues.pdf)

The Report includes a link to a Video (http://www.iabcanada.com/guidelines/IndustryUpdate_MMX360.shtml) which details the ins and outs of comScore's new MMX 360: Panel-Centric Hybrid Measurement Methodology, and Agency as well as Publisher response to the first data produced by the new methodology.

For 2010, IAB Canada's Tripartite Audience Measurement Committee will evaluate and approve IAB US's Digital Video Ad Measurement Guidelines; while the Committee, along with comScore's Research Advisory Council, will focus on the following initiatives:

- Continued evaluation and oversight of comScore's ongoing efforts to recruit, integrate and balance panelists within their MMX 360 methodology, so that it best reflects the totality of the Canadian Online population;

- Continued evaluation and oversight of comScore's ongoing efforts to refine and expand the use of Session Attribution Technology to identify individuals by session (with particular attention to hard-to-capture target groups);

- Review of comScore's current reporting breaks and ability to identify and classify child sessions;

- Evaluation and oversight of methodology and results as comScore expands its hybrid measurement to Video, for the reporting of commercial pods versus content;

- Continued education of the Canadian marketplace with respect to the proper use of comScore's MMX 360 tools through comScore's "Coffee Break" series of Webinars; and,

- Ensuring the relevance for any additional new products, services or enhancements that comScore is proposing to bring to Canada, including Mobile measurement and efforts designed to measure unduplicated and cumulative reach across Offline, Online and Mobile environments.

"All of the IAB Canada Members who helped move various Audience Measurement initiatives forward in 2009 should be extremely proud of such incredible work," says Paula Gignac, President, IAB Canada, "It's absolutely astounding, that less than a year after the group received its mandate from the industry, collectively, they were able to complete the Gap Analysis; approve the U.S. Online Audience Reach Measurement Guidelines; and, facilitate the launch of a totally new Online Audience Measurement system in Canada. We look forward to seeing even more results in 2010!"

Individuals interested in joining IAB Canada's Tripartite Industry Committee For Online Audience Measurement In Canada, should contact Steve Rosenblum, IAB Canada's Research Director at 416-598-3400 (ext. 23).

The Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada (www.iabcanada.com), is the national voice and de facto thought leader of the Canadian Interactive marketing and advertising industry, and is a not-for-profit association representing Canada's most well-known and respected Advertisers, Agencies, Media Companies, Service Associates, Educational Institutions and Government Associations.

For further information: about IAB Canada contact: Paula Gignac, President, IAB Canada, at: http://www.iabcanada.com/iab_can/contact_form.shtml or by telephone at [phone] (ext. 26)