For advertisers, print has been a reliable medium that is largely determined by its circulation numbers. In 2019, the Indian Readership Survey was conducted. The industry has undergone many upheavals since then. It is therefore difficult to use data from four years ago.
What did advertisers do when faced with this dilemma? For media planning and purchasing, they leaned on figures and trends based upon Audit Bureau Circulation data. Many publishers also rely on the data provided by Target Group Index (TGI), Global Web Index, and Global Web Index for making informed decision.
These data providers, who primarily audit newspapers and magazines in India, provide a context for the information. These data providers also analyze consumer habits, attitudes, motivations and behaviors, as well as delivering audience-related information to media agencies, publishers and marketers.
The lack of this crucial information will be a barrier for advertisers. The Media Research Users Council India has decided to stop IRS by 2020 due to pandemic restrictions. Our industry experts were asked how marketers have managed these difficult waters.
Shashank Shrivastava is Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales at Maruti Suzuki. He says that ABC (Audit Bureau of Circulation), a supply-side tool, can be used to verify circulation numbers. The ABC offers edition-by-edition distribution of 562 dailies, and 50 or so magazines. This is useful in comparing publications on a general level.
He added that TGI and GWI are alternative data sets which provide a more generalized indication of media consumption and habits, but lack a large sampling size and do not cover Bharat in its entirety as IRS does.
“Neither advertisers nor publishers have pre- and post-Covid comparison of readership numbers. Without IRS, there is a lot of vacuum in media planning for print and radio planning,” Shrivastava noted.
A senior media planner, on the condition of anonymity, said: “In the absence of readership numbers, we are going by circulation numbers.” He further added, “Many of us don’t consider pre-COVID data as since then there have been a lot of changes. Circulation numbers are available for some of the editions that publishers decided to report and some are not but that’s the only data available basis which many of us are taking decision.”
‘Trust on Print Remains’
Print advertising continues despite the lack of IRS data. It is still seen as one of the most reliable sources of information and news, and it remains a key part of most marketers’ media mix.
Rajiv Dubey is the Head of Media at Dabur India. He believes that print advertising has been a part of Dabur’s marketing strategy for many years. He believes, however, that as an advertiser, he would like to know what the current situation is in terms of readership and circulation. “Newspapers are most trusted, as far as the news and information is concerned. There is still a huge amount of trust there and that’s the reason why advertisers choose to advertise on the medium.”
“We have looked at various data points, like for example, our own feedback and understanding of the market. We’ve also taken into account the older data, but the sad truth is that newspapers have no way to attract new readers as they don’t get any new users. The publishers fear that once the advertisers come to know that there is a drop in circulation or readership, they will ask for a lower rate,” he further added.
IRS is India’s only reading statistics provider based on consumer responses. It provides media and product consumption data across India. It covers 600 publications in 70+ categories and has a sample of over 3.3 Lakh households, the second largest after the census. It provides users with important information about changes in NCCS and cross-media comparability.
Shashi Sinha is the CEO of IPG Mediabrands India, and also the Chairman for the MRUC. When asked about whether the IRS would be brought back, he said the survey hadn’t started. “Nothing has been discussed right now.”
Shrivastava stated that in the absence IRS, it is difficult to determine print readership (daily and magazine) and radio listenership statistics. “Further, information on segment-level like key markets, demographic segments, population strata and language which is highly crucial for media planning is not available. Hence, it is difficult to do granular media planning and rate negotiations with publishers.”
Dabur India, on the other hand, will continue to advertise at whatever cost it costs. “One has to correct the pricing and then start advertising in the medium. Industry should come forward with data without fear. To improve business, all players can take the appropriate actions. Everything now is so data-dark.”
While the IRS survey hasn’t been carried out in over two years now, advertisers and planners still have ABC data. ABC is not very reliable either because many publishers removed their editions during the 2022 audit. Since the IRS survey is no longer being conducted, advertisers and planners must rely on ABC information, which can also be unreliable because many publishers have chosen to exclude their editions in the 2022 audit.
ABC also decided in March of this year to remove the option previously offered to publishers for six-monthly audits in 2023, as it was not in the best interest of the entire industry when some publications chose six-monthly audits while others chose annual audits. “Accordingly, for the year 2023 and onwards only annual audits would be undertaken for all member publications for the period January to December which would be mandatory for all member publications as earlier decided and communicated to all members,” read the official statement by ABC.
The senior media planner stated that advertisers continue to use print advertising despite the fact there are no data. Print is a credible medium and the consumers react immediately. “While the lack of data affects the industry, advertisers won’t stop advertising on print completely.”