IMRB International is planning to launch an Audience Measurement service for the Internet industry in India, MediaNama has learned from multiple sources. A part of the plan was to distribute USB drives with software that will track users Internet habits. IMRB already collaborates for Industry research with the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). While sources told us that this is an IAMAI-IMRB project, on being contacted IAMAI President Subho Ray told us that it’s an independent initiative of the IMRB. The project is being led by Balendu Srivastava, and was expected to be launched in December. We’ve contacted Srivastava, and are awaiting a response.

On why this is needed, and the opportunity for IMRB

Frankly, this is a much needed initiative, since there is no reliable third party data available on the Internet market in India. Media Planners use multiple sources of data, primarily to compare websites - including information supplied by publishers, data from Comscore and charts from Alexa in order to assist in media buying/advertising decisions. Google has also recently opened its AdPlanner to all Google subscribers, but - the data isn’t very accurate. At the same time, we’d like to fisk through their methodology before taking a call on the accuracy of the data.

IMRB will compete with Comscore, which charges companies between $15,000 and $31,250 in India for an annual subscription to data, depending on the metrics that they have access to. Several publishers use Comscore data to pitch to Media Planners, but at the same time, many have themselves told us that the data is not accurate. When I had contacted Comscore earlier this year for details of their methodology, the company had claimed a panel base of 16,000 users from whom they collect data, but did not give clarifications on their methodology. Even those buying Comscore data could not outline the methodology. Industry sources claim that Comscore was willing to set up office in India with a dedicated team for the country, and increase their sample size, as long as they were guaranteed an annual revenue of $1 million from the country.

That’s exactly the opportunity that IMRB appears to be addressing.

Advertising, Internet
Tags: Advertising, Audience Measurement, Comscore, IAMAI, IMRB, India, Internet

1. Hi,

   People from afaqs were talking about how they are no. 1 worldwide in their category now,(ahead of adage.com and Brandrepublic) based on ABC UK audit. The interesting thing is that both these other sites have got ABC or Nielsen certifications too, which makes sense.While I don’t know about the claim, ABC UK audit does seem to offer the most accurate numbers, as it is an absolute number based on a sample data for a full month, rather than alexa/comscore/statbrain sort of data that depends on user downloads et al.

   Posted by Yash | November 20, 2008, 4:50 pm

2. oh very good…a much needed initiative, like you said, though it does depend on methodology again

   Posted by manuscrypts | November 20, 2008, 5:18 pm

3. I spot an opportunity to partner ABC on this:) It’s a more credible name in India, and the method as described on their site is absolutely actual.. Wonder why more sites here haven;t used them? Cost?

   Posted by Yash | November 21, 2008, 11:04 am

4. “distribute USB drives with software that will track users Internet habits.”

   If the methodology includes the above practice, this may again not qualify for realistic data. Frankly, how many USB drives would be needed to track say 20% of Indian users, considering around 4 million people (4% of 1 billion pop. of India) use the medium.

   Or consider the power users alone - which may again not help as a major percentage of them may not really click on the ads. (this is an assumption - considered to be hugely valid)

   We might need a much more robust methodology to execute this idea. Google might have some idea of net usage with their Chrome browser, which can send details of surfing behavior to Google. Most of the other methods (usually based on surveys and such) cannot be believed completely.

   Posted by Kiran | November 23, 2008, 6:10 pm

5. Sorry. 4% of 1 billion would come to 40 million. Mea Culpa

   Posted by Kiran | November 23, 2008, 6:13 pm

6. The situation we’re in, Kiran, I think any and all data will be used. The figure that worries me most is the number of broadband connections, and their slow growth

   Posted by Nikhil Pahwa | November 24, 2008, 7:50 am

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