Abstract:

This paper provides some of the guiding principles towards defining a genuinely agreed currency that will allow the Internet to be recognised and used as a medium among other media, primarily by those mainstream advertisers who do not sell or distribute their products online. The online advertising industry is in dire need to see them embrace the Internet now as opposed to later (or never). For this reason, the authors' recommendations are pragmatic as opposed to idealistic; solutions will focus on a combined use of the panel and server based techniques presently in place. But at the same time, they haven't omitted to reflect on the concept of an Internet currency, according to the needs of the industry. All media have needed this first step of establishing a set of measurement conventions. This currency must be: consistent with those from the other mass media; harmonised throughout different countries; and efficient for media planning and buying purposes.