Research New Research Contract

London, 12^th February 2008

Today Postar announces a significant increase in its investment in audience research for the out-of-home medium.  For the first time ever, Postar will measure all out of home media and use cutting-edge GPS technology to accurately record consumers’ travel patterns and exposure to out-of-home.

In a ground-breaking development for out-of-home, the new Postar research will provide a unified currency for audience measurement across all the major out-of-home platforms. Buses, rail, taxis, retail and leisure will make their debut on Postar, alongside all roadside formats and the London Underground. Importantly, the new investment anticipates the growth of digital out-of-home and the new methodology is designed to incorporate emerging out-of-home formats as they enter the market.

Central to the new Postar system is the innovative use of GPS technology.  Consumers will be given handheld GPS devices that will track their exact movements, including brief trips to local shops, the gym or even the school run. This precise and comprehensive record of participants’ journeys is expected to significantly increase the accuracy of estimated exposure to out of home advertising.

Postar has appointed the leading media research company Ipsos MORI as its preferred partner. Under the contract, the audience research sample size will be trebled from its current base to 20,000 people, reflecting the commitment of the out-of-home industry to providing a step change in the detail in which out-of-home exposure is reported.  The GPS technology will be provided by leading Czech company MGE Data, who have similar contracts in other parts of Europe. 

James Whitmore, Managing Director of Postar said, “Postar already has an enviable reputation for being the ‘best in class’ in terms of audience measurement systems used around the globe. After extensive evaluation we believe this new GPS tracking system will provide highly accurate measures of all out of home formats, including new digital formats. It will also ‘future proof’ Postar's research going forward.”

Jeremy Male, Chairman of the OAA said, “The significant investment in Postar reflects the increasing breadth of the medium, the growth of the out of home audience and the confidence of the industry in out-of-home’s continued importance to advertisers’ communication plans.”  

Steve Bond, Chairman of IPA Out-of-home said, “We have worked hand in hand with Postar to ensure that we will be able to provide our clients with the very best in out-of-home accountability. The increased investment in Postar will enable advertisers and planners to determine the contribution of each format to the communications mix, a key consideration for out-of-home’s growing client base.” 

Richard Silman, Chairman of Ipsos MORI said “We are absolutely delighted to have won this opportunity to work with the out-of-home industry in the UK. The medium has great potential and this will be enhanced by the provision of a state-of-the-art measurement system. Out-of-home will form a new division that will sit alongside the measurement contracts we have with the radio, print and TV industries.”