CIM ONE: Belgium is once again becoming a global player in media measurement

In 2023, CIM began developing CIM ONE, the cross-media measurement system for Belgium, which is due to be operational by the end of 2027. According to Luc Suykens, CEO of the UBA, the project shows that Belgium is aligning with the global advertisers’ association WFA’s North Star ambition for cross-media measurement. When campaigns utilise an average of nine touchpoints, cross-media measurement of impact becomes a sine qua non for advertisers.

“CIM ONE is among the first in the world to put this ambition into practice,” says Luc Suykens. “Both reach and frequency are measured for all media using the same definitions (for example, a contact is counted when 50% of the ad has been viewed), using quality indicators such as visibility. It is important to agree on what constitutes a contact. Is that someone who has watched your video for 2 seconds, or someone who has watched it to the end?”

Advertisers are willing to invest

From media-centric to consumer-centric: that is the evolution CIM ONE will bring about. It will be a significant shift, accompanied by the introduction of a whole host of new tools. Just think of the virtual population that will be built to provide a statistically accurate picture of cross-media reach.

These innovations also carry a cost. Luc Suykens is extremely pleased that advertisers are willing to absorb this additional cost by waiving agency volume discounts (AVBs). “Don’t underestimate how important this signal is,” the CEO adds. “To media and media agencies, it confirms advertisers’ commitment. But it also signals to advertisers themselves that a proper interpretation of media metrics is crucial to their work.”

Increased awareness

It seems this mindset has now taken hold among many advertisers. Last year, the CMOs of the 15 largest advertisers in our country received training on CIM ONE and media measurement. In mid-May, 33 members also attended a UBA Exchange Community event on the topic. 

The bottom line is this: the entire local ecosystem – media, media agencies and advertisers – stands to benefit. After all, better data leads to better resource allocation and investment decisions, which should, in turn, boost investment.

Data as a tool, not an end in itself

For advertisers, independent media data is, of course, just one of many data sources. For several years, they have also had access to tools such as media mix modelling and media attribution. However, Luc Suykens warns: “All data – whether it comes from the CIM or elsewhere – is valuable, but it is not a holy grail. You must continue to think critically and build a media strategy. Data helps you do that, but it does not replace the thinking.”

He gives the example of marketing mix modeling, which traditionally optimises over a six-month period, whilst the long-term effect of video is 2.5 to 3 times greater. “Anyone who fails to take this into account is structurally disadvantaging video.”

Governance is the key to success

Finally, the evolution of CIM ONE also reflects the evolution that the tripartite as a whole is undergoing. For a number of years now – under the leadership of Chairman Stefan Lameire and CEO Koenraad Deridder – CIM has been rapidly reinventing itself.

“I have rarely seen an organisational transformation that was so rapid and far-reaching. And this is an industry federation, after all,” says Luc Suykens enthusiastically. In his view, the success lies in the three parties’ stake in the game and their taking responsibility.

“Everyone realises that we don’t want to become a Tier 2 market, where decisions on media spending in Belgium would be made internationally, and the average of the Netherlands, France and Germany would be applied,” concludes the UBA CEO.