Shift towards fragmented measurement demands frequent reporting: Comscore's Geet Lulla

Measurement is now moving from a monolithic approach to a fragmented approach, which needs to be reported frequently because data by itself is meaningless and it needs context, said Geet Lulla - VP of Sales and Head Asia Pacific - Comscore at Goafest 2023, during a panel discussion on ‘Future of Connected Devices and Cross Channel Measurement’.

The session was moderated by Rajdeep Sardesai - Consulting Editor of India Today Television, along with Lulla; Pankaj Krishna - Founder and CEO - Chrome DM, and Salil Kumar - CEO - Digital Business, India Today Group as panellists. 

This session drove conversations around the future of connected devices which enables communication and data sharing. While cross-channel measurement has become increasingly sophisticated, providing comprehensive insights into user behaviour across multiple platforms and touchpoints is needed for more effective marketing strategies. 

Lulla commented, “Measurement is now moving from a monolithic approach to a fragmented approach, which needs to be reported frequently because data by itself is meaningless, it needs context.”

Krishna also presented his findings on incremental reach, which consists of three components, including browsers (223 million), mobile devices (619 million) and connected TVs (22.1 million). Salil, too, made an important addition to his conversation about the monetisation of data. The panellists also accentuated the importance of clarity, wherein the measurement is concerned, as well as collaboration with regard to the real-time consumption ecosystem.

On being asked if we can confidently say that we are truly now in a world where we are device-agnostic, Krishna said, “We moved from cable and satellite which was the conventional means of broadcast to digital. The beauty of digital is that to measure it you don’t need a hardware device. So, as we move along, consumption definitely gets device-agnostic but depending on the kind of content.”

For example, if one is watching a match and has the option to access between a 15-inch screen TV and a mobile phone, they’ll prefer TV, but as far as news and entertainment is concerned, everything is available on all devices. So, the people are being completely device-agnostic, he added.

Talking about the biggest takeaway in the shift that is taking place from traditional media to using traditional media but through new devices and new formats, Kumar said, "We were really early to catch the trend and we realised that consumers were wanting to consume content across various platforms. We were able to create a mobile-first video-first library. We were the first ones to launch on connected TV device feeds."

“Today we are the world's most subscribed news channels on YouTube along with 56.9 million subscribers. So, the moment you find new devices to stream your content, your reach is rising exponentially,” Kumar added. 

Sardesai stated that Comscore has come up with a new offering - ‘Shareablee’ which enables the measurement of social media and how it in a way amplifies what one sees on TV or devices.

“Right now, what we are missing is the social measurement piece. Data by itself is meaningless and it needs context,” Lulla said.

Speaking about the challenges that can occur while monetising data, Kumar said, "We are all trying to monetise and we are constantly seeing that CPMs are on the decline. The conversation today in the house is more towards what series are you watching and somewhere down the line the loyalty towards the program is there. We did one million concurrent (views) on the UP election counting day and we were the first ones to monetise it.” 

Krishna said the best way to sell digital if you are transitioning from cable and satellite is to equate the two. 

Most people in the business may not admit it but are frustrated with the way the ratings were. So, if we see five years from now will we see a greener and healthier process?

Reacting to this Lulla said, "Yes, but it is not going to be that simple." She said that in the next five years, it is extremely important to achieve collaboration. “The historical approach has been dominance...There is no single party that can do everything. We have to collaborate.”

Kumar also said that collaboration is the key to getting census-level data. Till there is no census it is always going to be sample-type data and anytime when there is a sample it is liable to get rigged or cheated. 

Krishna also stated that when multiple parties come together it becomes better from a data-collection point of view, also, when you have the technology to simply take the input data and come out with a non-human intervention output data you have something which is free of rigging.

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