The research conglomerate Taylor Nelson Sofres is announcing this week yet another PR measurement service. Details on the announcement were sparse but surprise surprise its "real time" "comprehensive" and will solve all the problems of the world. But more surprising and disappointing is that its main features is that it delivers Advertising Value Equivalents. This is the PR research equivalent of an announcement for home delivery of crack to a half-way house. For a company that describes itself as a "research" outfit, the notion that they are bragging about delivering a metric that is based on absolutely no scientific evidence or research whatsoever is mind-boggling. I was a partner with several TNS companies a number of years ago and was impressed at the time with the quality of its work. Clearly its standards have gone seriously down hill in the mean time. Do NOT encourage these people! Let's ignore this announcement and get on with the business of putting real value on the business of public relations.


Measuring PR 'value' on the basis of advertising value equivalents was in vogue a few years back. It was something product and brand managers in particular could relate to; and more often than not it showed a favourable comparison between fee charged and coverage obtained.
AVEs measure the space generated by PR editorial in a publication, and calculate how much that space would cost in advertising rates.
Posted by: DPK | May 26, 2005 at 01:30 AM