about 3MS

The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) and 4A’s (American Association of Advertising Agencies) have launched Making Measurement Make Sense (3MS) a major initiative to lead the industry in developing digital metrics and cross platform measurement solutions, with the goal of enhancing marketing and media management decision-making. The three organizations, which represent the entire value chain in marketing and advertising, engaged the management consulting firm Bain & Company to support the initiative. The Newspaper Association of America (NAA) and the Online Publishers Association (OPA) are supporting members of the “Making Measurement Make Sense” initiative.

The absence of a consistent approach to measuring and assessing the effects of digital media has resulted in a cacophony of competing and contradictory measurement systems, contributing to a complex and costly supply chain for the industry. “Making Measurement Make Sense” has three primary objectives:

  • Define standard metrics and measurement systems that are transparent and consistent to simplify the planning, buying and evaluating of digital media:
  • Drive industry consensus around the solutions:
  • Establish a measurement governance model which encompasses:

about MRC

The MRC is critically important to the advertising industry—fostering valid, reliable, and effective measurement since its establishment in 1964 at the recommendation of the U.S. Congress. Now faced with increasingly complex media and evolving consumer behavior, MRC is expanding to assume a more proactive orientation toward standards setting, promoting cross platform analytics and growing its international activities in response to the globalization of media.

  • Setting Standards and Addressing Measurement Priorities

    Through its Standards Setting Committee, MRC prioritizes new standards setting efforts, with particular emphasis on cross-media comparability. MRC will continue to actively seek areas where measurement metrics can be defined, including best measurement practices and more detailed customer disclosures.

  • New and Diverse Accreditation Demands

    MRC accreditation now includes approximately eighty research products under audit. In addition to guarding existing media currencies, more than half of these audits are in emerging media areas and this growth is expected to continue.

  • Managing Change, Complexity and Fostering Quality

    To manage change and improve the quality of research in the marketplace, MRC actively prioritizes and pursues industry-wide research issues that it considers mission critical. A recent example of this is encouraging “hybrid” measurement methods (combined census and panel approaches) to provide more granular measurements in television, Internet, etc.

  • Establishing an International Communication Structure

    MRC will look to promote measurement consistency and best practices outside the U.S., especially in developing countries, giving MRC members increased visibility into service quality in other countries through formalized communication.

  • Educating Members on Best Practices

    The MRC provides educational materials to members regarding quality measurement practices. This role will be aligned with understanding new measurement challenges.

The 140 member-organizations of MRC include leading media brands, advertisers, advertising agencies, and trade associations whose goal is to ensure measurement services are valid, reliable, and effective. MRC’s equal access provisions in membership structure allow organizations of all sizes to participate and have a voice in standards and accreditation processes.

Additional information about MRC can be found at www.mediaratingcouncil.org.