Glossary
A
Ad Play
A single instance of an advertisement being displayed on a media unit.
Ad Standards
Administers Australia’s national system of advertising self-regulation in relation to both public and competitor complaints.
Advertising Council Australia
The peak body for Australia's leading agencies in the advertising industry.
Advertising Display Period
The period of time in which the advertising play will occur, this can be a portion of a day, week or entire week and can occur for multiple weeks within the campaign period.
Advertising structure
Physical structures built by an outdoor advertising organisation to display advertising. The message may be applied to the structure in several different ways. Structures are built to carry standard size advertising material.
Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code Scheme (ABAC)
Administers the quasi-regulatory Code for alcohol advertising and packaging. All complaints about alcohol advertising are received and considered by Ad Standards and also forwarded to ABAC for consideration by the ABAC Complaints Panel.
Approach
The distance measured along the line of travel from the point where an advertising unit first becomes fully visible to the point where the copy is no longer readable.
Asset
An individual site of any particular OOH format.
Audience Composition
Attributes of the audience of a given campaign or set of campaigns. Very often based on demographic attributes, e.g. 44% female / 56% male, or geographic attributes.
Audience Contacts
Count of how many people have travelled past or waited near the sign. These can be represented as total people, i.e. ROTS, or visibility adjustment may also apply to create VAC. A person is counted once for each single journey past the sign. Audience contacts can be reported over time across multiple days as reach and frequency.
Audience Impressions
Count of how many views of the advertiser’s campaign has occurred as people have travelled past or waited near the sign. A person may be counted as having viewed the advertiser’s campaign more than once in a single journey if they dwelled long enough to see the same advertiser again. Audience impressions typically include visibility of the sign (to the audience) in the methodology. Audience impressions can be reported over time across multiple days as reach and frequency.
Audience Reach Measurement
The total number of people who were likely to be exposed to the message. In DOOH scenarios, the expected application of audience reach measurement is to count people. On occasions where individual devices are used as a proxy for people, e.g. mobile unique IDs, this should be explained in the methodology.
Audience Reach Percentage
Percentage of an addressable target audience reached by a given campaign.
Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA)
The peak national body championing the interests of Australia's advertisers.
Average Frequency
Average number of times the target audience is exposed to content or ads in a defined time period. Calculated as total impression / unique reach.
Awareness
The extent consumers are familiar with a brand or product.
b
Behavioural Profiles
Profile based on past-observed behaviour, typically within 30–90 days of recency. Includes profiles based on movement / visits to particular destinations, e.g. shopping centres, recreational areas, and sporting venues. Behavioural and transactional data profiles may or may not refer to a profile about unique users.
Behavioural Segments
Segmenting audiences that are defined by previous behaviours, frequently their recent online behaviour, or offline purchases and places they frequented, e.g., an auto advertiser may seek to reach anyone who’s visited an auto review site in the last 30 days, or transactional data that deliver behavioural attributes of luxury car buyers, who pass specific locations.
Billboard
Large-format advertising displays intended for viewing from extended distances, segmented into under 25m and over 25m.
Bleed
Display area which extends beyond the live copy area, often to the edge of the finished size.
Brand Uplift
Measurement of an ad campaign's effectiveness in driving a positive shift in customer awareness and perception of a brand.
Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE)
Official source of transport data in Australia, including airport passenger counts.
Buyergraphic
A profile based on past purchase behaviour.
Buyer-graphic
Profile based on past purchase behaviour, e.g. What items? When? How much was spent?
Buying Demographic
Audience segment that is built from past transactional behaviour. Target audience is defined by a certain attribute or set of attributes, e.g. women aged 18–24, sports car lovers, shoppers in-market for a new sedan.
C
Campaign
A promotional effort over a specified interval, based on the same strategy and creative idea.
Campaign Period
Contracted period of time during which advertising will appear.
Candela (cd)
A measurement of directional light/intensity from a point source.
Census Demographics
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) population statistics.
Channel Letters
Custom-made metal or plastic letters commonly used in exterior signage on public or commercial buildings, often backlit using neon tubing.
Charting
The process of selecting and scheduling individual unit locations to maximize OOH advertising objectives.
Commercial Share of Time
Amount of advertising display time received out of the total display time of all advertisers. Usually calculated over the media unit purchase period.
Cone of Visibility
Viewability zone, covering where someone can see the ad as they pass by.
Content
Material displayed on the advertising unit that is not a traditional brand advertisement such as platform channel (weather, news, etc.) or advertiser funded (Red Bull content, Mercedez Benz Fashion Week content, etc.)
Cost Efficiency
A financial performance measure of a schedule of faces. Calculated as price paid by the audience delivery / target audiences of the ad campaign. The main measure of cost efficiency is Cost Per Thousand (CPM).
Cost Per Minute
Price to deliver one minute of total ad play, independent of audience. Analysis should consider the effective audience period (e.g., 6am–11pm for Roadside).
Cost Per Play
Price to deliver one ad play. Play length can vary by location due to factors like local laws.
Cost per Ratings Point (CPRP)
The cost of advertising exposure opportunities that equals one rating point in any geographically defined market.
Cost Per Thousand (CPM)
Price to deliver 1,000 impressions or contacts.
Count Station
A section of road with a specific traffic pattern, containing traffic estimates and the demographic composition of that traffic.
Coverage
Audience impressions within the reported geographical area, sometimes called reach percentage or reach in thousands.
Cross-Read
An advertising display which is visible across traffic lanes on the opposite side of the roadway.
Custom Market
Any market used by an advertiser other than a Designated Market Area (DMA) or Core-based Statistical Area (CBSA). Custom markets are used to highlight OOH delivery within relevant geographic areas and are generally counties or groups of counties.
Cycle
The 14-day period in which an ad is typically displayed. There are 26 cycles annually.
d
Demo Targeting
Targeting audiences that are defined by demographic attributes, i.e. age, gender, household income, presence of children.
Digital Movement
The technology applied to an outdoor media structure or advertising face to add creative impact through movement, illumination, etc.
Digital Out of Home (DOOH)
Any OOH display that can change its advertising content using addressable screen technology.
Distribution
The location of the individual advertising OOH unit sites within a market relative to exposure potential.
Duplication
The repeated counting of the same person exposed multiple times in reach or impressions.
Dwell Time
The length of time an individual is in a screen exposure zone which is a location from which the screen is visible and, if appropriate, audible.
e
Eccentricity
The angle of viewing between the audience and the face at a specific distance.
Effective Audience Period
Timeframe when the audience is present and likely to view ads; used to analyse cost and impact accurately.
Effective Circulation
An estimate of the audience that has a Realistic Opportunity To See (ROTS) an OOH unit.
Effective Frequency
Number of exposures needed to make an impact and achieve communication goals.
Effective Reach
The unique number or percentage of a target audience that is exposed to a schedule of faces at a set level of frequency. This will typically specify a lower threshold value indicating the minimum level of exposure deemed as sufficient for ‘effective’ advertising purposes (e.g. 4+ cover) and an upper threshold (e.g. 12+ cover) above which additional exposures are considered as waste.
Environment
The place and location of the advertising network and screens.
f
Flagging
A tear that causes production to hang loose from an OOH face, typically due to natural elements (i.e. excessive wind or rain).
Flight / Flighting
The length of an advertising campaign, sometimes divided into distinct segments over the course of weeks.
Frequency Distribution
Distribution showing the percentage of the target audience population who have viewed a schedule of faces at each level of frequency. Results can be requested for individual frequency levels or for a range of frequency levels.
Frequency Distribution Analysis
How often people saw the ad. Reported as both cumilative (at least a certain number of times e.g. 3+) and discrete (exactly a certain number of times e.g. 3 only).
g
General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS)
Data format that lets public transport agencies share schedule and route information for use in apps.
Geographic Targeting
Targeting audiences defined by their location in the real-world. Location attributes can vary from granular attributes such as mobile/GPS-enabled latitude/ longitude data to broader attributes as post code or state/province. In technical specifications, targets may simply be referred to as 'geo', 'user', 'audience' without spelling out the full term.
Government Household Travel Survey (GHTS)
Government travel surveys that records the movements of all individuals over a period of time (usually one day).
Gross Rating Points (GRP)
The total number of in-market impressions delivered by an OOH schedule expressed as a percentage of a market population. One rating point represents impressions equal to 1 percent of the market population.
i
Impressions
The total number of times people are likely to notice an ad on an OOH display.
Impressions - Gross
Impressions delivered against a demographic audience for an ad schedule.
Impressions - In-Market
The average number of times people that live in a defined market are likely to notice an ad on an OOH display. These impressions are the audience from which Gross Rating Points (GRP) are calculated. Excludes those derived from people who travel into or through the market, but live outside of it.
Indoor
Large indoor locations such as airports, shopping centres, and train stations, each with its own audience movement models.
l
Longitudinal Survey
A list of OOH spaces supplied to buyers describing the location of all units sold.
Look-alike Targeting
Targeting audiences that have some number of attributes in common with an audience of interest, e.g. an advertiser may target ‘look-alikes’ of past purchasers, including share demographic or behavioural characteristics of past purchasers.
Luminance
The amount of visible light leaving a point on a surface in a given direction. This ‘surface’ can be a physical surface or an imaginary plane, and the light leaving the surface can be due to reflection, transmission and/or emission. The standard unit of luminance is the candela per square meter. As used in video applications, luminance is the degree of brightness (black and white portion of the video signal) at any given point in the video image. A video signal is comprised of luminance, chrominance (colour information) and synchronisation. If luminance is high, the picture is bright, and if low, the picture is dark.
m
M14+
A standard demographic in MOVE meaning all males aged older than 14 years.
Main Grocery Buyer (MGB)
A standard demographic in MOVE meaning all people who classify themselves as the Main Grocery Buyer. Note: there can only be one per household.
Master Brand
The overarching branding of an advertiser which may or may not primarily manufacture discretionary food and drink products but does not include individual product lines. E.g. McDonald’s not Big Mac or Kellogg’s not Coco Pops.
Measurement of Outdoor Visibility and Exposure (MOVE)
Australia's premier quantitative audience measurement currency for OOH media, covering major OOH environments including roadside, airports, rail/bus stations, public transport vehicles and shopping centres.
Media Federation of Australia (MFA)
The peak body representing media communication agencies to government, industry, media owners and the general public.
Media Mix
The combination of media types and associated audience weight levels used together to meet the objectives of a media plan or advertising campaign.
Media Plan
An advertising campaign plan that specifies details of the selected media, advertising content, dates, and delivery goals such as reach and frequency.
Media Unit
A physical device where a Digital Out of Home (DOOH) ad plays, either a single screen or a group of screens acting as one.
Mega Rear
An advertisement site which covers the whole area of the back of a double-deck bus.
MFA's Outdoor Futures Council (OFC)
Committee within the MFA with the purpose of enhancing trust and transparency in OOH advertising by improving metics, proof of performance and trading efficiency.
n
Neuro Impact Factor (NIF)
Measures the subconscious impact of an ad using brain science, tracking how well it creates memory and emotional response, which influences how people remember ads.
Notice
The percentage of respondents who claimed to have noticed a media unit.
o
Off-Premise Sign
A sign that advertises products or services that are not sold, produced, manufactured or furnished on the property where the sign is located. An OOH display is an off-premise sign.
OMA Placement Policy
The OMA Placement Policy, as approved by the OMA Board and updated from time to time. The Policy restricts the advertising of certain products within a 150 metre sightline of an Australian primary or secondary school. The Policy does not apply in the primary CBD of an Australian state or territory’s capital city.
On-Premise Sign
A sign that advertises products or services that are sold, produced, manufactured or furnished on the property where the sign is located.
Orientation
The orientation of the media unit, either landscape or portrait.
Outdoor Advertising Standardised Integration System (OASIS)
An OMA tool that automates the Insertion Order (IO) and streamlines the distribution of campaign booking information between Media Owners, Agencies and Third-Party Verification Companies. Click here for more info
p
P14+
A standard demographic in MOVE meaning all people aged older than 14 years.
P25-54
A standard demographic in MOVE meaning all people aged between 25 and 54 years inclusive.
Penetration
The percentage of people within a defined universe who are physically able to be exposed to a medium.
Performance
Evaluation of a campaign's achievements after the event, often in terms of coverage and frequency.
Permanent Bulletin
A bulletin that remains permanently located at a specified site throughout the term of a contract, usually for long periods. Useful for building strong brand recognition in specific market areas.
Place-Based
Small indoor environments such as cafes, cinemas, gyms, medical centres, and venues, each with its own ROTS model.
Plan by Format (PBF)
A function allowing the user to plan a campaign based on particular formats.
Play Composition
An advertisement that was reported to have been played to the Digital Out of Home (DOOH) screen. Note that in the vast majority of DOOH experiences, all advertisements (when served) are fully viewable for the entirety of the play. This type of event is not considered an impression, for an ‘impression’ to occur, there needs to be an audience and a Realistic Opportunity to See (ROTS).
Play Event
An ad that was reported to have been played to the screen. Note that in the vast majority of DOOH experiences, all ads are fully viewable for the entirety of the play. This type of event is not considered an impression as there needs to be an audience and a Realistic Opportunity to See (ROTS).
Play Length
The interval of time when a DOOH message is viewable. Also referred to as message duration in other markets.
Primary Coverage Area (PCA)
The base or total area covered by MOVE in each market. This is equivalent in size to OzTam television PCAs that determine television ratings.
Programmatic
Automated buying and selling of ad space using data & algorithms.
Proof of Performance (POP)
Certification that the advertising service has been delivered.
Psychographic Targeting
Targeting audiences defined by personality, interests, attitudes or mindsets, e.g. financial optimists or environmentally-conscious consumers. Often driven from offline surveys and stated preferences.
Public Service Copy
Copy of civic or philanthropic nature displayed in the interests of community welfare.
r
Reach (or Unique Reach)
The net, unduplicated count or percent of the defined universe of the target audience exposed to content, ad, or a specific advertisement, in a screen during a reporting period.
Realistic Opportunity to See (ROTS)
The number of people in the defined screen exposure zone while content is deemed to be viewable, though this does not require that the content be viewed or listened to. Also known as exposure or viewable impression. Formerly known as Opportunity to See (OTS).
Recency Theory
The idea that advertising messages sell to those consumers who are ready to buy.
Reposting Charge
An additional charge incurred for posting a change of design before the expiration of a display period.
Retargeting
Targeting audiences that are defined by having recently been exposed to or shown interest in an advertiser including through visiting a store, website or through exposure to a previous ad.
Roadside
High-impact billboards, bus shelters, and pedestrian signage including malls.
Rotations
The number of advertising and content plays in a loop. Most DOOH displays will have multiple advertisers in a rotation. Also known as faces.
Run-Ons / Extras
Spare posters sent to media owners in case of damage during the display period. Typically 10-20% of the total order.
s
Scoreboard
An Excel spreadsheet produced with details of processed site data on a market per market basis; ROTS, VAC, reach/frequency, etc.
Screen
A device or medium designed to deliver digital place-based, DOOH, and / or advertising content whether it be video, audio, or both.
Screen Operating Hours
The period of time each day the sign location is displaying advertising and content. This should take into account effective audience period. E.g. lift operating hours in office buildings are much longer than the operational hours of the building.
Segmentation
Dividing a broad group of consumers or businesses into subgroups (known as segments) based on shared demographic/psychographic/behavioural attributes. Segmentation is often used to create target audiences (comprised of one or more segments) or to customize an offer or message for specific segments.
Share of Time (SoT)
Percentage of display time received out of the total display time, including content, other commercial arrangements, and programmatic, over a defined and agreed buying period.
Sightline
The line of sight between the boundary of the school and the ad. There will be no sightline where a structure interrupts the view of the ad from the school boundary, making it physically impossible for the advertisement to be seen. A structure must be permanent and opaque enough that no part of the advertisement can be seen through it; for example, a building. A tree or other semi-opaque object will not be deemed to sufficiently interrupt the line of sight.
Site Classification
Categorising of each ad face according to location, format, size, and other specific characteristics.
Snipe
An adhesive strip that is used to cover a portion of copy displayed on an OOH unit.
Spotted Map
A map indicating all locations included in a specific OOH program. Also referred to as a location map.
Standardised Face
OOH faces constructed in accordance with the specifications established by the OOH Advertising Association of America.
StorePoints
Trademarked Exterion Media advertising posters on security gates located inside the entrances to supermarkets.
t
Target Audience
Any audience reflecting the most desired consumer prospects for a product or service, defined by age, gender, race, ethnicity or income, or their combinations for any geographic definition. Expanded targets include purchasing, behavioural, and audience segmentations.
Target Rating Points (TRPs)
The total number of in-market impressions from a target audience delivered by an OOH campaign expressed as a percentage of a market population.
Total Contacts
The combined number of contacts achieved across the campaign.
Traffic Count
A recording of vehicles and occupants passing one way at a given point, in order to establish the Daily Effective Circulation (DEC).
Transit
Internal and external advertising signs on public and private transport vehicles such as buses, ferries, trains, light rail, trams, taxis, rideshare, and delivery bags.
Transit Model
Determines how the travelling public interacts with mobile advertising faces from the same road, at intersections and bus/tram stops, whilst the bus is either in service or dead running (not in service but out of the depot).
Trim Size
The final dimensions of an ad after printing and cutting down to its intended size.
Tri-Vision
A display embellishment, that through the use of a triangular louvre construction permits the display of three different copy messages rotating through a predetermined sequence.
u
Universe
A geographic universe or coverage definition stated on the basis of population amounts is required for digital place-based / OOH networks subject to measurement. These may be customized or limited based on the specific attributes of the network and the associated venue traffic.
UV Coating
Applied over inks printed onto advertising substrates and dried by exposure to UV radiation. Used to prevent colour fading on ads from sun exposure or other ambient lighting sources.
v
Veiling Luminance
The effect of intense light sources within a person's field of vision that reduces visibility of other objects.
Visibility Adjusted Contact digital (VACd)
Visibility adjusted contacts applied for digital sites.
Visibility Adjusted Contacts (VAC)
Uses eye-tracking data to show how many people actually looked at the sign. Replaces the term Likelihood to See (LTS).
Visibility Adjustment (VA)
The process of applying eye-tracking data to factors such as ad size, proximity, illumination to estimate who can see the ad.
w
W14+
A standard demographic in MOVE meaning all women aged older than 14 years.
Wastage
The portion of an advertising budget that fails to achieve its intended purpose.
Wear Out
The decline in effectiveness of an ad or campaign as it is repeatedly exposed to the target audience.
z
Zenith Travel Modelling System
A comprehensive transport and traffic model, which tracks why, where, and by what mode people travel, as well as their demographic profile. The model is built and maintained by Veitch Lister Consulting (VLC) who specialise in traffic and transport modelling.
Zone of Visibility
The area from which a media unit is visible.