MEDIA MARKET RESEARCH TERMS – Industry
Research
INDUSTRY RESEARCH
ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulations) http://www.abc.org.uk/About-us/Who-we-are/ Provides audited
information on circulation of newspapers and magazines and since 1996 the measurement of online.
Covering title circulation for press & online
AdDynamix - http://www.addynamix.co.uk/allmedia/ combines creatives and adspend in one tool at
brand and spot level
BARB (Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board) http://www.barb.co.uk/ BARB is the joint industry
company responsible for the provision of television audience measurement information in the UK. It is
underwritten by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, five, BSkyB and the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising).
Establishment survey: BARB conduct an annual establishment survey, which is then used in panel design,
to ensure the panel is reflective of the total UK viewing population.
BBS (British Business Survey) http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchspecialisms/ipsosmediact/SyndicatedResearch/BBS-Survey.aspx BBS is a survey for buying and selling advertising aimed at the GB business
market. The survey covers average issue readership, recency, frequency, source of copy, business
activities, company details, decision making responsibility, business travel, usage and ownership of
business technology, car ownership etc. It includes readership details for around 65 newspapers and
business publications, 20 websites and a host of data that can be used to tightly target specific groups of
business people.
FAME (Film Audience Measurement & Evaluation)
http://business.pearlanddean.com/audience_research_fame is the cinema industry's key marketing tool
for analysing film viewing and cinema going behaviour. The FAME survey was launched in 2007 and
replaced the industry's old currency CAVIAR. Going into its sixth year, FAME covers all aspects of film
consumption - the experience of cinema, DVD, on-demand, trailers, advertising, reviews, 3D, digital,
information sourcing, piracy and more.
JICREG (Joint Industry Committee for Regional newspapers) http://www.jicreg.co.uk/ JICREG provides
an accredited research-based standard currency for regional and local press advertising
IMS/Telmar/KMR – software products that enable analysis and manipulation of NRS, RAJAR, TGI etc
Mediatel http://www.mediatel.co.uk MediaTel is the UK's largest single source of media intelligence,
providing invaluable support for planning and decision making
NRS (National Readership Survey) http://www.nrs.co.uk/ NRS is the joint industry
company responsible for the provision of readership estimates for UK
newspapers and consumer magazines. Currently it publishes data for around 250
titles. The annual sample size for the NRS is 36,000 individuals, selected using
random probability methods.
NRS PADD (National Readership Survey Print and Digital Data) http://www.nrs.co.uk/padd.html A fusion
of NRS print data and UKOM (Nielsen) digital data creating a single database for planning across print and
digital platforms of NRS publisher brands
POSTAR (Poster Audience Research) http://www.postar.co.uk/home is the industry body for the Out of
Home advertising industry. The data published tells subscribers how many people see an advertising
campaign and how often they do so. The information is the currency for planning, buying, selling and
evaluating advertising investment in this area. The standard approach for media audience research is to
measure the “opportunity to see” an advertising message. Postar does this and then adds a further level
of scrutiny by adjusting the data to account for the real likelihood of seeing, or having “eyeson”,the
panel. The research measures roadside billboards, underground, rail, buses, malls, supermarkets, airports
and stadiums. With this research, a new generation of measurement using GPS meters is being developed
to introduce accurate data collection along with state of the art data modelling techniques.
RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research Ltd) http://www.rajar.co.uk/ RAJAR is the industry company
responsible for the provision of radio audience research information in the UK and is jointly owned by the
BBC and the Radio Centre (Commercial Radio. The information is collected using personalised diaries
which are personally placed and collected. Over 130,000 adult diaries are processed annually (there is an
additional sample for children aged 4 –15) making RAJAR the largest radio audience research system
outside the USA.
TGI (Target Group Index) http://www.tgisurveys.com/ A continuous survey of consumer demographics,
attitudes, motivations, and behaviour (purchasing, consumption & media habits) and manipulation of that
data to create powerful market segmentations. Sample size 24,000 from a self-completion questionnaire.
Touchpoints - http://www.ipa.co.uk/page/about-touchpoints is a unique, consumer-focused, multi-media
database which has been produced in response to the needs of the communications industry, specifically
to provide insights into how people use all media. TouchPoints provides two distinct databases: the first,
the Hub Survey, provides a detailed view of ‘a week in the life’ of consumer behaviour. Respondents
record their activities for every waking half hour over a seven day period, giving a unique view of people's
daily lives and how their media usage fits into these patterns. The second database, the TouchPoints
Channel Planner is the only industry available, multimedia channel planner. It has been created by
integrating the industry media currencies onto the Hub Survey. In addition, users can integrate their own
databases or proprietary tools to build a more complete picture of their company, clients and brands.
WARC (World Advertising Research Centre) http://www.warc.com The world's most comprehensive
marketing information service relied on by the marketing, advertising, media, research and academic
communities
INDUSTRY BODIES
The following list includes the most well-known Media, Advertising & Research
industry bodies. Most have research and useful articles on their websites.
AA (Advertising Association) http://www.adassoc.org.uk/About-us-1 At the heart of the AA is its role as a
forum through which companies and their trade associations can collectively monitor and review
developments relevant to the advertising industry; shape the sector’s self-regulatory systems; and advise
policy makers.
ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) http://www.asa.org.uk/ If consumers want to make a complaint
about an ad, they do it here. The Advertising Standards Authority is the UK’s independent regulator of
advertising across all media. We apply the Advertising Codes, which are written by the Committees of
Advertising Practice. Our work includes acting on complaints and proactively checking the media to take
action against misleading, harmful or offensive advertisements.
CAP (Committees of Advertising Practice) http://www.cap.org.uk/Advertising-Codes.aspx Write and
maintain the UK Advertising Codes, which are administered by the Advertising Standards Authority. We
also offer the industry authoritative advice and guidance on how to create campaigns that comply with
the rules. The UK Advertising Codes lay down rules for advertisers, agencies and media owners to follow.
They include general rules that state advertising must be responsible, must not mislead, or offend and
specific rules that cover advertising to children and ads for specific sectors like alcohol, gambling,
motoring, health and financial products
Clearcast - http://www.clearcast.co.uk/ All finished advertisements appearing on member stations must
be cleared by Clearcast prior to transmission. It is an NGO (Non-Government Organisation) which preapproves most British television advertising. It came into being in 2008 & is now owned by six UK
commercial broadcasters: ITV, ITV Breakfast Ltd., Channel 4, Channel Five (UK), British Sky Broadcasting
and Turner.
DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) http://www.culture.gov.uk/ – the Government
department with responsibility for overseeing broadcasting
IAA (International Advertising Association) http://www.iaaglobal.org/ or http://www.iaauk.com/ . It’s
aims are to advocate freedom of commercial speech and defend a responsible communications
industry against unwarranted advertising bans and restrictions. Also to use its global network as
a leading platform for sharing knowledge on industry issues, best practices and insights in a
rapidly changing business environment. Finally to provide and develop education and
professional initiatives that serve the industry, and contribute to recruiting and training talent.
IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising) http://www.ipa.co.uk/ A non-profit trade body and
professional institute for agencies in the UK's media and marketing communications industry
ISBA (Incorporated Society of British Advertisers) http://www.isba.org.uk/about The voice of British
Advertisers. ISBA is the only body focused single-mindedly on the interests of British advertisers. We do
this by protecting their freedom to advertise responsibly, and enhancing their effectiveness in deploying
their marcoms (marketing communications) spend.
JICPOPS (Joint Industry Committee for Population Standards)
http://www.jicpops.co.uk/ JICPOPS was set up in 1998 to ensure there are
compatible population and household universes for British media research
currencies - the NRS, BARB, JICREG, POSTAR, RAJAR and so on
JICREG (Joint Industry Committee for Regional newspapers) http://www.jicreg.co.uk/ JICREG provides
an accredited research-based standard currency for regional and local press advertising
JICWEB (Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards Measurement) http://www.jicwebs.org/ Develops
industry standard for measuring digital media measurement
MRG (Media Research Group) http://www.mrg.org.uk/ The MRG is the friendly face of media research,
open to those at all levels in the industry. A forum for all things related to media research, including
evening meetings on the latest issues, excellent education courses, an annual conference and a variety of
fun filled social events
MRS (Market Research Society) http://www.mrs.org.uk MRS promotes research as a force for
democracy, commerce and society.
OFCOM (Office For Communications) http://www.ofcom.org.uk/ the UK’s independent regulator and
competition authority for the communications industries.
RAB (Radio Advertising Bureau) http://www.rab.co.uk/ Provides news, research, training and other
information and resources from UK trade association for radio advertising.
RACC (Radio Advertising Clearance Centre) The RACC is commercial radio's advertising clearance body. It
is funded by commercial radio stations who pay copy clearance fees and is part of RadioCentre, the
industry's trade association and marketing body.
ThinkBox - http://www.thinkbox.tv/ Thinkbox is the marketing body for commercial TV in the UK, in all its
forms – broadcast, on-demand and interactive. Its shareholders are Channel 4, ITV, Sky Media, Turner
Media Innovations and UKTV, who together represent over 90% of commercial TV advertising revenue
through their owned and partner TV channels. RTL Group and Virgin Media are Associate Members and
Discovery Channel UK & STV also give direct financial support. Thinkbox works with the marketing
community with a single ambition: to help advertisers get the best out of today’s TV.
World Federation of Advertisers
CONSUMERS
Audience – A group of households or individuals who are attending, listening or watching something. It is
often used to indicate viewers of a television program or another advertising medium. Audience
measurements are expressed as percentages, or as estimated numbers of households or individuals
watching or listening to a program.
Demographics - Basic classification data on those researched by a survey such as age, sex, marital status,
occupation or social grade, where they live, number of children, etc.
Geodemographics - Classification of those researched by a survey by the
characteristics of where they live/type of area/neighbourhood. ACORN &
MOSAIC are the most common profiles used in the UK
Housewife - The person within the household responsible for the household shopping and duties - can be
male or female.
Lifestage - Household classification system based on family time-of-life characteristics, e.g. ‘couple with
grown-up children who have left home’ etc.
Respondent / participant - Individual that takes part in research
Sample – One or more elements (individuals or households) selected from a universe to represent that
universe.
Sample Size – The number of households or individuals selected for a research sample.
SEG: Socio-Economic Group / Social Grade: groupings based on the occupation of the head of the
household. Commonly these are combined into ABC1’s or AB’s for example
A- Higher managerial, administrative, professional e.g. Chief executive, senior civil servant, surgeon
B - Intermediate managerial, administrative, professional e.g. bank manager, teacher
C1- Supervisory, clerical, junior managerial e.g. shop floor supervisor, bank clerk, sales person
C2 - Skilled manual workers e.g. electrician, carpenter
D- Semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers e.g. assembly line worker, refuse collector, messenger
E - Casual labourers, pensioners, unemployed e.g. pensioners without private pensions and anyone living
on basic benefits
Target Audience This is defined in the creative or media brief and is a group of people that the advertiser
wants to connect with. This can be defined by demographics, geodemographics or lifestyle
segmentations. There are many variations of the complexity of target markets and this depends on the
advertisers aims & objectives. The media plan may cover different media for targeting different audiences
to be able to put different messages out there talking to different groups about the same brand.
With thanks to:
ABC
BARB
BBS
FAME
JICREG
IMS/Telmar/KMR
IPSOS
NRS
POSTAR
RAJAR
TGI
Touchpoints
WARC
AA
ASA
CAP
Clearcast
DCMS
IAA
IPA
ISBA
JICPOPS
JICREG
JICWEB
MRG
MRS
Wikipedia
OFCOM
RAB
RACC
ThinkBox
WFA
For more information please contact camilla@sweetshopresearch.com