ANA Aims to Begin Cross-Platform Measurement Testing in Late Spring 2022

Even Procter & Gamble, one of the world’s largest advertisers, knows sometimes less is more. Sending the same Tide ad to the same person over and over again, for instance, is a waste of money. Even worse, too much exposure within a short period of time can be annoying and damage how people feel about the brand. The problem of high ad frequency can occur on a single platform, as well as when moving between different forms of media, such as from Instagram to ESPN. Finding a solution to the latter is something Marc Pritchard, P&G’s chief brand officer, has wanted to see the industry tackle for years. The approach of blasting ads across multiple channels is “no longer a model we should be accepting," Pritchard told Adweek. He might not have to for much longer. 3 Questions CMOs Should Ask When Deciding on New Ad-Tech Solutions The Association of National Advertisers has set a new target date for debuting its cross-platform measurement pilot program: late spring 2022. If successful, the system will allow marketers to know when a particular consumer received an ad, whether she’s shopping online or watching the news. The ability to gauge reach and frequency across several channels helps brands manage their campaigns, make more informed decisions and deploy their budgets with more efficiency. Like building a car across many companies Bill Tucker, group executive vice president of the ANA and head of the marketer-led initiative, described the process of establishing a cross-platform measurement tool as akin to building an automobile. While someone is designing the engine, someone else is working on the brakes. Others are focused on the headlights. “All those components need to be validated independent of each other, then it's assembled and then, of course, tested as a whole car on a track,” Tucker told Adweek. In addition to the ANA, the project involves collaboration between multiple—sometimes competing—parties, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Nielsen, Comscore, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, P&G and the Video Advertising Bureau. Another hurdle to getting the project running has been TV broadcasters, who, according to Pritchard, have been wary about comparing their ads to those of digital platforms, which charge less. All those involved have agreed to find a fair way to assess the value of a TV impression versus a digital impression. "This makes sense, because seeing a three-second cinemagraph on Instagram may not have the same impact as a 30-second ad on NBC’s This Is Us," noted Pritchard, who also serves as the ANA's chairman, during an ANA media conference in June. TV broadcasters have also asked that the testing include the OpenAP advanced advertising platform, which pulls together inventory from most major broadcast and cable networks, and the ANA has compiled. Tucker noted that the ability to measure with transparency is long overdue, adding that the ANA considers it one of the organization's "most essential top priorities." 4A’s Advertiser Protection Bureau Tackles Misinformation