IAB Australia Extends Nielsen Contract

IAB Australia has extended its national online audience measurement contract with Nielsen, without going out to tender.

Nielsen won the association's original contract for a two-year term, following an eight-month tender and review process. This has now been extended for a further eighteen months, which IAB says coincides with Nielsen Online Ratings hybrid data being in market for three years. This system identifies people-based - as opposed to browser-based - metrics, and allows online audiences to be measured comparably with those of other media.

Data on mobile traffic volume is included, but the contract for collection and analysis of mobile audience data is under review.

Gai Le Roy (pictured), the association's Director of Research, comments: 'IAB Australia's Measurement Council has conducted a thorough review and come to the conclusion that Nielsen is still best placed to provide online audience measurement services in Australia. With the explosion of mobile usage, one of the IAB's key priorities is to identify a mobile audience measurement offering or offerings that are affordable, nimble and can be integrated into other media measurement systems to provide true, unduplicated cross platform and cross media audience data.'

Separately, Tony Prentice has stepped down from his interim CEO role, and is being replaced by Samantha Yorke, IAB Australia's Director of Regulatory Affairs, who keeps the latter role alongside that of Acting CEO.

IAB Australia (Interactive Advertising Bureau) exists to develop, co-ordinate and promote industry standards and guidelines that make interactive advertising more attractive for agencies, advertisers and marketers. The body is online at www.iabaustralia.com.au .