ISA plans to work with BARC India on a multimedia measurement, says Sunil Kataria

More than a year after BARC India’s ambitious digital measurement project titled Ekam was apparently shelved owing to various objections from top platforms, including the likes of Google, Facebook and Hotstar, the Indian Society of Advertisers is planning to work with BARC India to create a multimedia measurement system.

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“With digital advertising having ascended as second only to TV and growing even further, our endeavour this year would be take forward our efforts in the area of digital measurement. The ISA has plans ahead to work with BARC to create a Multimedia Measurement that can be implemented very soon,” said Sunil Kataria, Chief Executive Officer, India and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited, in a press statement after being re-elected the Chairman of ISA for the fifth consecutive term.

Also read: Commentary: ISA not getting all advertisers on board on Ekam to have a wide-ranging impact

BestMediaInfo.com could confirm that BARC India CEO Sunil Lulla has been talking to the industry stakeholders for some digital measurement which, sources say, is not Ekam.

Kataria, for now, did not reveal much about the multimedia measurement but a unified third-party digital measurement system has become more important than ever, especially after the pandemic when most of the brands are going to rely on digital medium.

Also read: Ekam much needed if full potential of digital has to be unlocked, feel top brass of HUL and Mindshare

“The consensus among different stakeholders has always been a challenge for a unified third-party digital measurement system. Platforms that have created a walled garden around them are likely to continue to sabotage any such effort in self-interest. Will both Sunils be able to pull this off together is the big question?” said an industry observer.

Also read: Commentary: How blocking Ekam will be a self-goal for Google

ISA is the only national body as a strong voice to advertisers over the last 68 years. It has advertiser members from across industries who approximately contribute to over two-thirds of the annual national non-governmental ad spends.

Also read: Commentary: Why is Google shying away from giving access for content measurement to Ekam?

Other members of the Executive Council for the year 2020-2021 are:

Atul Agrawal, Senior Vice-President, Corporate Brand and Marketing, Tata Services Limited

Abraham Mathew Alapatt, President & Group Head-Marketing, Service Quality Financial Services & Innovation, Thomas Cook (India) Limited

Narendra Ambwani, Director, Agro Tech Foods Limited

Ravi A. Desai, Director, Mass & Brand Mktg International, Amazon Seller Services Pvt. Ltd.

Paulomi Dhawan, Independent Director, Whistling Woods International Ltd.

Girish Kalyanaraman, Senior Director Brand Operations, Procter & Gamble Hygiene and  

Health Care Limited

Chandru Kalro, Managing Director, TTK Prestige Limited

Sandeep Kaul, Divisional Chief Executive, India Tobacco Division, ITC Limited

Bharat V. Patel, Independent Director, Aditya Birla Sun Life AMC Ltd.

Ramakrishnan Ramamurthi, Adviser J. K. Enterprises

Amit Tiwari, Vice-President, Marketing, Havells India Ltd.

Subhadip Dutta Choudhury, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer

Hawkins Cookers Limited

Anuj Poddar, Executive Director, Bajaj Electricals Limited

Ram Raghavan, Managing Director, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Limited 

Gauravjeet Singh, General Manager, Media Services (South Asia) Media, Hindustan Unilever Limited

Sanjeev Handa, Sr. V. P.  Corporate Communications, Maruti Suzuki India Limited

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