Independent Validation

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Challenge

The rapid pace of change in media options is mirrored by rapid change in consumption patterns. New platforms bring the opportunity of using first-party data for measurement, but this is at the device level and needs to be personified (adding demographics or other identity characteristics) to be useful for targeting and reporting. The data is also likely to need to be weighted to represent all or part of the universe and the approach used to do this is also important.

The challenge for the data vendor or platform operator is demonstrating the methodology and resulting data is credible and the best way to do that is independent validation.

How RSMB can help

We have built a reputation over nearly 40 years of developing audience measurement methodologies, both for media such as TV and radio as well as cross-media. As well as developing our own solutions we independently evaluate those developed by other organisations and are viewed as "honest brokers"; people trust that our evaluations will be objective and fair.

We work with different clients in different ways, for example we can undertake an initial "critical friend" methodology review to highlight where issues may lie before conducting a full evaluation with a report that can be used externally.

In the US where MRC accreditation is an important milestone, we can help before accreditation, evaluating methodologies and making recommendations before beginning an MRC process to help speed things up down the line.

Preserving our reputation is important to us. We ensure that our work is conducted professionally and in a timely manner, and of course confidentiality is paramount; our work is protected by confidentiality agreements, and we ensure clients are aware of any potential conflicts.

Whatever the nature of the approach we agree, the outcome of this work is a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of your measurement methodology to inform how and when you take it to market as well as an independent analysis that you can publish when you are ready to do so.