ARF to Develop Online Research Standards
August 8 2007
In the US, the Advertising Research Federation (ARF) has announced the formation of The Online Research Quality Council, a body tasked with developing a set of standards for buyers of online research and led by a steering committee of senior figures from the industry.
The first Council meeting will be held on September 10, and a draft set of global panel research standards should be delivered to the industry at the ARF Annual Convention in April, 2008 in New York City. An advisory board of advertisers will work closely with the steering committee.
The steering committee's initial members are:
- Robert Tomei, EVP & Global Director of Access Panels, TNS - Chairman for the first 6 months
- Efrain Ribeiro,COO, Ipsos Interactive Services
- Steve Coffey, Chief Research Officer, The NPD Group
- Josh Chasin, Chief Research Officer, comScore
- Jonathan Jephcott, Executive V.P., ViewsNet, Synovate
- Renee Smith, Vice President, Panel Quality, Harris Interactive.
A statement from the ARF says the rapid rise of the online panel 'has created a new research services segment whose quality has yet to be broadly scrutinized in an objective manner to determine whether advertisers can rely on the insights generated from this methodology'. It notes the increase in reports of 'the failure of online studies to replicate when repeated' and the 'worrisome' influence on the results of the 'heavy online survey responder'.
Tomei says the Council is 'a unique and distinctive opportunity to work with my colleagues ... and to have key clients actively participate in the process to establish key quality metrics and practices.'
The Council will consider factors including acceptable panelist response rates, contact rates, survey duration, sampling criteria and sample balancing methodologies, panel management techniques, incentives and data collection methods.
ARF President and CEO Bob Barocci comments: 'The 'good, fast, cheap…pick any two' syndrome has jeopardized the client credibility of online access panels. This trend, combined with the rise of online communities and blogs, has increased the rate of individuals conducting research online without applying statistical methodologies or research techniques essential to quality.' The project has the backing of Stan Sthananathan, Vice President, Knowledge & Insights for the Coca-Cola Company, who adds: 'The rigor and discipline that characterized sampling plans of the 70s and 80s is missing in the online era.'
The ARF is on the web at
www.thearf.org.
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.
