Audience segmentations within DMPs are not afforded the same level of verification or validation as exists across brand safety, quality of inventory, or demographic targeting. However, accountability for the veracity and performance characteristics of DMP audiences should be as important to marketers; and something they should be requesting to get the ball rolling for such validation to become an industry standard. Today (30 March) Xaxis announces the results of a comScore global validation study, which verified the predictive accuracy of the company’s data management platform (DMP), Turbine. comScore found Turbine outperforms the industry benchmark in accurately predicting consumer purchase intent and interests across its proprietary, real-time audience segments. In an exclusive with ExchangeWire, Jon Whitticom (pictured below), VP of data and audiences, Xaxis, explains what this means and why this is a poignant milestone for Xaxis and for the industry.

ExchangeWire: Xaxis are announcing today that in a global validation study, carried out by comScore, Turbine outperforms the industry benchmark in accurately predicting consumer purchase intent and interests across its proprietary, real-time audience segments. What does this mean? 

Jon Whitticom: That’s a good question. The short answer is that comScore have validated the ability of Xaxis’ Turbine DMP to accurately predict consumer behaviour. Which means that comScore found, with a high degree of confidence, that the real-time audience segmentations created by Turbine are accurate in predicting the behaviours that consumers will demonstrate in the future. This ability to successfully predict what consumers will do, before they actually do it, means we are able to deliver advertising that is more relevant, welcome, and effective for our clients.

With this audit, Xaxis demonstrates to clients that we are committed to quality; and that we hold ourselves accountable for the audiences that we bring to market.

How does comScore validate this performance? 

To start, Xaxis delivered files of predicted audience behaviours to comScore. After receiving the predictions, comScore, which monitors 1.9 trillion events per month across its global census, simply observed whether or not Turbine’s predictions came to fruition at a high rate of accuracy. The size of the comScore footprint makes them unrivalled in their ability to objectively assess a consumer’s true propensity.

What does comScore's verification mean for clients utilising Turbine to reach their target audiences?

Successfully architecting and activating on a comprehensive audience strategy requires a deeper understanding of ever-changing consumer interest and intent. It’s not enough to know what a consumer did yesterday; we need to predict what they will do in the future. Xaxis clients are now better equipped to identify high-propensity consumers earlier in their consideration phase and steer them toward their products and services.

Essentially, Turbine provides Xaxis clients with a true understanding of a consumer’s position within their consumer lifecycle; and enables brands to engage with audiences at precisely the right moment across devices.

What does this independent verification mean for the rest of the industry? Should this become a standard requirement? 

Digital marketers have come to expect verification for demographic targeting, brand safety, and inventory quality. Why shouldn’t they have the same measures for consumer behaviours? Xaxis advocates for bringing accountability to addressable audiences, which means auditing at scale, with a trusted, unbiased third party.

How will comScore's validation study help with the ongoing development of Turbine, in particular with segmentation accuracy?

This initial audit is just the beginning. We are continually pushing the limits of our data science and the comScore partnership allows us to introduce an extra level of rigor into our overall testing and R&D efforts. The findings of this study validate our approach; and we will continue to develop our technology to adapt to ever-changing consumer behaviours and the evolving challenges faced by our clients.