Measurement sector steps out of recession with double digit growth

LONDON, 16th May, 2011 – The International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication (AMEC) has published new research which shows that the sector has emerged from recession with double digit growth over the past 12 months.

AMEC members reported industry growth of 14% in year 2009/10 compared with 2% in the previous 12 months period.

The results are shown in the International Business Monitor study from AMEC, which is the most comprehensive overview of firms engaged in the media intelligence sector on a worldwide basis. A record member response rate of 89% was achieved in this year’s study.

Peter Granat, Chairman of AMEC’s Business Development Committee and President and Chief Operating Officer of Cision North America, said: “The rebound in media evaluation investment since the recession reflects more than a healthier global economy. It’s driven by the need to be much more precise in determining the impact of earned media on tangible outcomes like consumer behaviour, buying decisions, corporate reputation shifts, regulatory changes, and company valuations.”

Granat said despite the sector’s growth, a major surprise in this year’s study was the small proportion of clients asking for social media measurement (11%). He added: “There is a clear disconnect between clients and PR consultancies saying they take social media seriously but not feeling it is yet important enough to measure.”

Granat said social media measurement would be a major issue at the European Summit on Measurement that AMEC is presenting together with the IPR in Lisbon in June (8-10).

Other key results of the study are:

• 77% of AMEC members expect business conditions to improve in the coming year.
• Larger AMEC members with more than £1 million annual evaluation business showed the strongest growth, up from 2% (2009-2009) to 15% (2009-2010
• 76% said clients were becoming more interested in linking media analysis metrics to business goals and business outcomes.
• The majority of AMEC members (77%) expect an improvement in general industry conditions in 2011.
• Key business strategies for the current year are:
• Growing existing business (91%) and developing new business with partners to provide an international service (65%).
• 50% of people taking part in the survey agreed that content licensing is having a real impact on their business.
• More than four in ten (44%) believe that clients and PR consultancies have become more interested in developing programme measurement without AVEs since the Barcelona Principles were adopted in Spain in 2010. However 59% said they expected AVEs to remain a significant element in measurement programmes for the foreseeable future.
• A surprise result was that 94% said clients talked about return on investment, but did not know how to measure it effectively

AMEC is presenting the 3rd European Summit on Measurement with the Institute for Public Relations, in Lisbon from June 8-10. More than 150 representatives from measurement companies and PR agencies in nearly 30 countries are expected to agree on industry-wide metrics and measurement techniques. To register go to www.ameceuropeansummit.org           

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Note to Editors:

AMEC is the International Association for Measurement and Evaluation of Communication, the global trade body and professional institute for agencies and practitioners who provide media evaluation and communication research.

AMEC currently has more than 100 members in 38 countries worldwide.

For further information contact:

Barry Leggetter
Executive Director, AMEC
Email: barryleggetter@amecorg.com
Tel: 44 1268 412414
www.amecorg.com

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