Streaming giants launch independent cross-media measurement push

Some of the world’s biggest streaming platforms are taking another swing at Australia’s fragmented video measurement system, backing a new independent cross-media solution designed to give advertisers a consistent view of reach and frequency across competing services.

The Video Futures Collective (VFC) has partnered with global measurement company AudienceProject to introduce what the group says will be Australia’s first independent cross-media audience measurement solution, with the system expected to go live from early 2027.

The move brings together the VFC’s formidable membership of Amazon Prime, Disney Advertising, Foxtel Media, Netflix, Samsung Ads, SBS, Vevo and YouTube.

Each participating platform is expected to provide census-level campaign impression data, while AudienceProject will establish an opt-in Australian audience panel to determine demographics and deduplicate audiences across services.

Rather than advertisers having to reconcile reporting from individual platforms using different methodologies, the model is intended to apply a single independent framework across participating media owners.

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Six of the VFC’s eight members already use AudienceProject in international markets, which the organisation believes will speed up the Australian rollout.

The announcement marks a significant escalation in the streaming sector’s campaign to overhaul the way video advertising is measured locally.

Earlier this year, the VFC transitioned from an informal think tank into an independent industry association, with measurement one of its central priorities. It has also launched work examining appropriate advertising frequency across streaming environments.

In May, VFC interim chief executive Toby Dewar told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE the existing system did not adequately reflect the way audiences now consume television and video, describing measurement reform as one of the collective’s major priorities.

Dewar said the AudienceProject deal responded to demand from advertisers and agencies for comparable cross-platform measurement.

“Advertisers, agencies and the broader media industry have shown a strong appetite for a solution like this, with many already familiar with AudienceProject through international markets,” Dewar said.

“This is what the VFC was created to do: bring the industry together to solve shared challenges.”

Importantly, individual VFC members will still need to finalise their own commercial agreements before participating in the system.

AudienceProject chief executive Thomas Gregers Honoré said fragmentation across video platforms had increased the need for consistent independent measurement.

“As audiences consume content across an increasing number of video platforms, measurement of the total video ecosystem needs to evolve with this,” Honoré said.

AudienceProject already operates across Europe, North America and Latin America. Its Australian expansion will include the establishment of a local audience panel and commercial team.

Its model combines platform impression data with panel-based demographic information and audience deduplication to calculate cross-platform reach and frequency in a privacy-safe environment.