BRUSSELS: Cross-media measurement and comparable metrics with traditional media will be crucial to increasing investment in digital brand advertising, according to a new study.

IAB Europe’s latest Digital Brand Advertising and Measurement Report drew on a survey of around 650 publishers, advertisers and agencies from across Europe and found that 91% of agencies and 83% of advertisers saw cross-media and cross-device measurement as key to growing digital brand advertising investment.

And broadly similar proportions (87% of agencies, 80% of advertisers) said a better understanding of how online channels can work in combination with other media for brand advertising campaigns would attract more spending.

Achieving these goals, however, requires standardised evaluation metrics in order to make meaningful comparisons, across media and over time, and the great majority of advertisers (74%), agencies (84%) and publishers (77%) wanted to see online audience measurement universe definitions compatible with other media.

There was a also a widespread desire to replicate established metrics – net reach, frequency, GRP etc – to provide a trading currency (advertisers 79%, agencies 69%, publishers 82%).

“The IAB Europe report confirms the fact that cross-media measurement and the application of traditional media metrics to digital brand advertising are of utmost importance to our clients and our business,” said Christer Ljones, Head of Product Strategy, Schibsted Norway Advertising and Vice-Chair, IAB Europe Brand Advertising Committee.

“Cross-industry cooperation is critical to develop these areas to ensure advertisers continue to consider digital as a key channel for brand campaigns.”

But the study also highlighted gaps between what KPIs the industry should be using and those actually being used.

For example, while metrics related to ad impact, such as purchase intent (88%), sales (79%), and uplift in direct site visits (77%), were ranked highly as important measures by survey respondents , they were actually being measured by less than half of stakeholders.

And despite all stakeholders being agreed that increased trading on viewable rather than served impressions is important, less than half were measuring it.

Sourced from IAB Europe; additional content by WARC staff