The PRC launches DAMS, a digital currency based on Google Analytics

The Publisher Research Council (PRC) is introducing a new digital currency, DAMS (Digital Audience Measurement System) for websites to sell their audiences in South Africa and PRC members. Many other publishers are already supplying real-time audiences to the dashboard, which went live on November 1^st.

The PRC is the oldest and one of the most trusted research bodies in Africa, having its roots as the NPU in 1882. Additionally, a founder member of SAARF in the early 1970’s, funding the majority of the AMPS survey for many years. As from November the 1^st 2022, the PRC will not only manage the South African Print currency but will also be launching a new digital currency entitled DAMS for publishers based on Google Analytics data.

According to Peter Langschmidt, Managing Director of Strategic Consulting Services (SCS) and consultant to the PRC, “SCS were tasked with producing a new digital currency dashboard for the IAB. However, after many months of work, a week or so before we were due to launch the new IAB dashboard, the IAB backtracked.

We were left stranded with a finished product, and we believed that the industry needed a sales tool urgently. After approaching PRC members, Arena, Caxton and Daily Maverick, who are also members of the IAB, they unanimously agreed to supply SCS with their GA (Google Analytics) figures to get the new digital dashboard up in two weeks so that the industry could benefit.

The dashboard is live and will be provided to the industry free of charge until next year. Many publishers are joining the PRC backed currency, while new publishers are supplying us with their GA stats on a daily basis. SCS expects that many publishers who participated in the Narratiive measurement will be participating in the PRC dashboard by the end of next week.”

The PRC has considerable media research and currency expertise. They focus not only on the publishers but on the all-important agency/client buy side. Most media planning in SA takes place within Telmar, and we have already supplied them and our partner Harkle with the latest Online Universe estimates and weighting cells from FUSION22.

Harkle will then supply Telmar with respondent level site demographic data, as well as Narratiive site history demographics within a short timeframe.

In 2023, DAMS will take its place alongside TAMS, RAMS and READ by being fused into the FUSION22 survey.

FUSION22 is the most used media planning tool in the industry and brings together TV, Print and Radio Currency data as well as over 1800 brands. The PRC are a co-owner of FUSION and DAMS will take its place amongst the other media currency surveys in the study in 2023.

There is no need to join or pay any PRC membership fees at this stage; The Dashboard, the Telmar Feed and the FUSION22 fusion costs are all currently provided as a free service to all web publishers in SA.

Contact Peter Langschmidt on 082 600 6089  peter@prc.za.com or Greg Mason on 079 877 0470 greg@harkle.com to sign up and see site rankings and audiences today.

Prepared and distributed by Owlhurst.