ATMS' delay restarts single survey debate

HONG KONG: ACNielsen's decision to cancel this year's Asian Target Markets Survey (ATMS) because of a lack of sponsorship support from media owners has rekindled the debate for a single source study into regional media consumption habits.

by | 04/19/2002

Media agencies believe the decision to postpone ATMS until next year reflects a desire for change among media owners. The agencies have for a long time been pushing for one, all-encompassing study to replace the numerous reports currently on the market such as Asia Market Intelligence's PAX and Ipsos' ABRS.

"One of the biggest problems we have to date is that two or more competitive surveys dilute the currency. One single survey which research houses bid for and which are paid for by all the media owners will give us richer data,

said Adrian King, MediaCom director of media research and strategic planning.

King said the regional survey should be driven by media owners and agencies in order "to better understand the needs of the advertiser and to add greater transparency and impartiality to the process".

OMD Asia-Pacific director of communication insight, Peter Allen, added that ACNielsen had done an effective job on ATMS but believed a change was due.

Underlining his point, Allen said: "Media owners seem to be warming to our ideas, especially on the point about media specialists and pan-regional advertisers being under-represented in the survey's planning stages".

He also stressed that major research houses like ACNielsen would always be a central part of the survey process.

MindShare Asia-Pacific research director, Annette Nazaroff, agreed and added that the survey's effectiveness would be enhanced if media agencies had their say.

"It would enormously benefit international media owners as it would provide them with more flexible sales opportunities and much more interesting and valuable competitive data,

Nazaroff added.

Allen added: "There seems to be a general disillusionment and we think that now is the time to have a debate on the issue but it has to be an open debate."

However, ACNielsen denied there was discontent over ATMS. Asia-Pacific managing director, Forrest Didier said: "Last June, we started the consultation process with media owners on this year's ATMS. What is appearing is the way they wanted it, which includes even higher overall quality."

He also stressed that the global economic slowdown was the key reason behind ATMS' postponement.

"Many subscribers cannot afford it this year because of the economy. Everyone is tightening their belt but we're hopeful we'll be back on track next year,

Didier added.

Media owners, meanwhile, have welcomed the idea of a single source survey.

"If research houses have to pitch for the survey, it would make a good product even better,

said Alice Chai, Time Inc International vice-president, director of research.

"But this is something which won't occur overnight because you need a consensus among all regional media owners, which will take time."