Outdoor planners finally get Postar accredited Tube figures

by Daniel Farey-Jones, Brand Republic 28-Jul-05, 11:00

LONDON - Postar, the outdoor industry's audience measurement system, now includes data for Underground and Docklands Light Railway sites, allowing comparison with roadside sites.

The inclusion of Tube, DLR and railway trackside data in Postar was initially timetabled for the end of 2004, but was delayed amid speculation that the IPA was unhappy with its robustness.

Known as Tube Research Audience Classification (Trac) data, Viacom Outdoor's Underground data has now been accredited by Postar, marking a step towards coverage of all outdoor sites.

The industry had to resolve issues around how Viacom's figures, which measure traffic past ad sites, should be modified to fit in with Postar's variables, which measure likely contact with ad sites.

Rail trackside site data, supplied by Maiden, has not yet been accredited. Postar managing director Helen Tridgell was unwilling to put a date to its likely inclusion, but said that things were progressing and the industry was showing a will to get there.

"It has been a very complex process but we now have comparable and compatible data, which fulfils the brief we were given when we started the process.

"This could not have happened without real cooperation from all members of Postar. It is evidence of a mature industry working together," Tridgell said.

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