Sky Media, the sales arm of Sky has achieved a significant first in as the UK as the only publisher to be able to report ‘off-platform’ distributed video, following development by Ipsos iris and endorsement by UKOM.
This is a significant enhancement to the industry standard for online measurement, which previously only reported video content served on a media owner’s owned and operated platforms.
As media owners continue to adapt their online distribution strategy to serve content across social media and third-party platforms, it is crucial for the measurement world to offer solutions that provide robust and trusted holistic reporting.
Sky is a leading example of an organisation using third-party platforms to increase reach. This development measures the incremental audience gained through video content served across third-party websites as part of the ‘Sky Publisher Player’ (SPP) network.
Data from the first month of measurement showed that SPP increased Sky Sports’ audience by 16% to 9 million UK adults, further accelerating the brand as the largest online commercial sports publisher in the UK, with the ability to reach audiences beyond owned and operated sites.
This step enhances transparency and accountability benefiting both publishers and planners in understanding that reach goes far beyond owned and operated sites and apps.
Ian Dowds, CEO of UKOM, said: “We think the whole industry will welcome this important and exciting development from Sky and UKOM-governed Ipsos iris. It shows that Ipsos iris data brings additional answers in the search for accountability of investment, allowing media owners and advertisers to learn how the online viewing landscape is evolving.”
Graeme Hutcheson, Director of Digital Advertising at Sky Media, said. “As our digital platforms evolves at pace, it’s important to be able to capture the full reach and impact of advertising in a single, simplified view. Collaborating and innovating with UKOM and IPSOS for trusted industry measurement, means advertisers can now see the full impact of our market leading proposition helping them make better, more informed decisions.”
James Oates, Head of Ipsos iris, added: “I am delighted that Ipsos iris is expanding our industry-endorsed measurement with additional video coverage, which reflects where and how the UK online population consumes video content. This is a huge development for Sky and the industry and will drive improved strategic planning for media owners and agencies alike.”
Sky’s pioneering approach to reporting off-platform distributed video is expected to set a new standard for online content measurement, offering a more comprehensive and accurate view of the digital landscape for all players in the industry.