CSquared Networks Ltd, a publishing and events business @CSquaredcc for the international media and marketing industry, has today announced that it has acquired the International Media Image Survey (I-MIS). I-MIS is the international media industry’s only benchmarking survey of its kind, providing analysis on the reputations and perceptions of international network media agencies and media brands.
It was launched last year by Will Nicholson, Founding Director at The Vision Network, and Belinda Barker, Managing Director of BSB Media.
CSquared Networks Ltd are already partners for I-MIS 2014 through its partnership with its international brand – M&M Global – alongside Warc, the International Advertising Association (IAA) and AudienceScience. This year’s survey is now in fieldwork having launched at this year’s Festival of Media Global in Rome in April. Nicholson and Barker will continue to manage the survey for the duration of the 2014, after which they will remain involved, having agreed to sit on an ‘advisory board’ to help continue to develop I-MIS as the industry’s benchmarking survey.
Belinda Barker comments, “Developing the survey has been hard work but enormous fun and we have had terrific support from Warc and the IAA since the beginning. This year the survey has grown organically and at the beginning of the year we were proud to have Audience Science and M&M Global join as survey partners. During discussions in preparation for this year’s fieldwork it became clear that CSquared Networks Ltd not only shared our vision for I-MIS but they would be able to develop I-MIS on a much faster trajectory than we could.’
Nicholson adds,”the inaugural I-MIS survey last year showed us how much interest there was for a piece of evidence in the marketplace to help evaluate relationships and reputations within an ever-changing international media ecosystem. Integrating it within CSquared’s far-reaching global trade portfolio will make it even more relevant and objective moving forward.”
The results for I-MIS 2014 will be released in September this year and will be part of the activity CSquared Networks Ltd is planning for the 25th birthday of M&M Global Awards. As part of this activity there will be an I-MIS results launch event, run in conjunction with the IAA. There will be awards for those agencies and media owners that come top in key categories. A panel of clients will also talk at the event about how the changing media environment is impacting on the way they do business. The top line results will be announced in the press and a full report will be available to purchase.
Charlie Crowe, Chairman and Editor in Chief at CSquared Networks Ltd, adds, “Quite simply I-MIS makes an intelligent fit into our business. We are growing rapidly and I-MIS dovetails neatly with our already established brands the Festival of Media, Cream, M&M Global Awards and our training programme, IMM (International Media and Marketing Training course). Our plan is to expand and grow the survey into an essential tool for advertisers in selecting the right media partners.”
The I-MIS 2014 survey will be open for response until 27th June. It can be completed by anyone in the media industry, working at any level, from amongst advertisers, media agencies and media owners. Anyone wanting their views included in this year’s results can do so here.