Joint Ownership for NZ's Calibre OOH Tool

In New Zealand, global out-of-home media company JCDecaux has agreed to sell half its Calibre audience measurement solution to ANZ-based rival oOh!media. The firms say the move will 'cement Calibre's position as the industry-wide [OOH] audience measurement solution'.

JCDecaux is the world's largest outdoor ad panel operator with over a million sites in more than 80 countries. The firm has 13,000+ employees and reported 2019 revenue of c. EUR 3.89 bn. In Australia and New Zealand it boasts 40,000 'assets', compared with 37,000 for its new technology-oriented partner.

Calibre was launched three years ago, promising a robust and transparent planning and measurement tool. The new 50/50 ownership model is similar to what exists in Australia and a number of other countries, and was announced by Decaux's NZ Country Head Mike Watkins and oOh!media NZ General Manager Nick Vile. The platform is now endorsed by New Zealand's OOH Media Association Aotearoa (OOHMAA), and the firms say a number of potential new members are in talks.

The two companies will work with developers at Reach Media to draw up a 'comprehensive two-year road map' for the solution, and are engaging with OOHMAA members on the plans. The most recent addition to the solution allows users to calculate net reach of ads at 'the geographic level appropriate to the campaign', for example within a local, metropolitan or regional area where the campaign is running.

According to Watkins (pictured left), the platform is 'both future proofed and has capacity for further development'. He comments: 'We are delighted that oOh!media has chosen to invest in Calibre and that there has been a great amount of collaboration both within the industry and among Out of Home suppliers to make Calibre the success it is'. Says Vile (right): 'The consistent feedback we have received from the market is that standardisation of audience metrics for the sector is critical to our continued success. Calibre emerged as the key candidate for a sector unifying tool because of the robustness of the data inputs and supporting methodologies. Drawing on multiple data sources, it is truly holistic in its view of how people move around our countrys metropolitan areas.

Web sites: www.oohmedianz.com and www.jcdecaux.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.