ZenithOptimedia and PHD Group, which plan and buy media for clients including BT, COI, Carlsberg and Sainsbury's, claim that the Gfk electronic watch measurement system favoured by MacKenzie is cheaper and slightly more accurate than Rajar's diary-based system.
Research conducted by NOP on behalf of one of PHD's clients, Transport for London, found that a campaign booked using Gfk came in at around half the price.
The agency booked two sets of identical ads for a £500,000 road safety campaign, which ran in February and March of this year. Some ads were planned using Rajar figures and some with Gfk figures.
According to reports PHD's managing director Morag Blazey said that both systems added almost identical uplift in awareness but that Gfk was almost half the price.
PHD concluded that the Gfk system allowed it to spend less money on the advertising to reach the same number of listeners. Frank Harrison, director of strategy at ZenithOptimedia, has echoed PHD's comments.
In response Rajar's chairman Lord Gordon said: "We are unable to comment on the findings of the research until we have access to the full details and we hope and expect that Gfk will be prepared to supply them as soon as possible. It is easy to cherry-pick certain findings to support certain claims."
Earlier this month MacKenzie carried out his threat to take legal action against the audience measurement system Rajar. The TalkSPORT owner is claiming £66m in damages for lost revenue that he puts down to Rajar's refusal to introduce an electronic measurement system.
The news has been welcomed by MacKenzie who has called it positive news for advertisers.
"This is great news for advertisers such as TfL, for media agencies such as PHD and for radio stations such as TalkSPORT," he said. "As Morag Blazey acknowledges, this is going to set the agenda for their radio planning. I look forward to receiving by return a banker's draft from Rajar for £66m, the amount of money I am due in lost revenues."
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .
_1.jpg)
.jpg)
