Glossary

Annual Average Daily Traffic. A 24-hour two-way traffic volume count on an average day of the year.

A term used to indicate a standard of comparison for individual ads.

Evaluation of the reach or effectiveness of an advertisement or commercial in which a person is asked if they remember advertising messages they have seen or heard. If there is no prompting, it is called unaided recall, with prompting (suggestions or clues), the aided recall.

Written proof-of-performance from a digital advertising network of the number of occasions a spot or commercial ran.

A person's knowledge or remembrance of a brand or advertising message once prompted with visual or oral cues.

The relative dimensions of a video screen of width to height.

An illuminated sign containing advertising graphics printed on translucent polyvinyl material.

An advertisement that is mounted on the back of benches located at bus stops throughout residential and urban areas.

An advertisement that is applied in vinyl, to a large portion of the entire exterior surface of a transit vehicle.

Census Agglomeration. A geographical area defined by Statistics Canada as an area consisting of one or more adjacent municipalities situated around a major urban core where the urban core must have a population of a least 10,000.

The process of scheduling individual panel locations to deliver an advertiser's Out-of-Home campaign objectives.

The average daily count of persons 5+ exposed to a medium, usually expressed as an average daily or weekly figure per advertising panel or screen.

Census Metropolitan Area. A geographical area defined by Statistics Canada as an area consisting of one or more adjacent municipalities situated around a major urban core where the urban core must have a population of a least 100,000.

Hard copy rendering that visually matches the colours to be produced in the advertisement.

Canadian Out-of-Home Measurement Bureau. A national non-profit organization independently operated by representatives from advertisers, advertising agencies and the Canadian Outdoor Advertising industry. COMMB is charged with providing traffic circulation for the Outdoor industry and its users and provides a semiannual Market Data Report.

COMMB audits circulations for all products of Out-of-Home member markets to ensure accurate and unbiased traffic counts are provided to the industry.

A Pattison media located at parking venues or other street level sites.

Cost per thousand. The cost to deliver a message to one thousand individuals in a target market.

Media Formula :

Total Campaign Cost / Total Gross Impressions x 1000 = CPM

 Example :

$3,000 / 623,000 x 1000 = $4.82

Cost per point. The cost to deliver a message to 1% of a predetermined target group, market or population.

Media Formula :

Total Campaign Cost / Total Campaign GRPs = CPP

 Example :

$126,000 / 700 = $180.00

The estimated number of persons 5+ passing an Out-of-Home location on an average day. Also known as Average Daily Circulation.

Media Formula :

Gross Impressions / Total # of Days = Average Daily Impressions

 Example :

10,500,000 / 28 = 375,000

Audience breakdowns based on various characteristics such as age, sex, income and education.

A form of electronic display airing full-motion video, with or without audio. Displaying advertisements and may contain entertainment and informational content, a digital signage can be updated more easily, even interactively.

Used to show an advertising design and how it relates to the rest of the advertising space, or the environment, at various distances leading up to the advertising unit. An important tool used to help determine or refine the size or colour of text or elements, font type and/or overall design of the creative concept or advertisement to be produced.

The average amount of time a consumer is exposed to a video screen. Often expressed as a percentage of the loop length.

The capacity of a given media to communicate the relative advertised message to the consumer.

Cost-effectiveness of a media buy based on Cost per Thousand (CPM) and Cost per Point (CPP).

The portion of an advertisement that extends beyond the physical boundaries of an advertising unit. The materials used for an extension varies by the objectives or restrictions for each advertising unit.

The surface area on an Out-of-Home unit where advertising copy is displayed. The display unit may have more than one face.

The direction that an Out-of-Home panel faces. e.g., a north-facing poster would be viewed by vehicles travelling south.

The average number of times an advertising message has reached the target audience in a given time period.

Media Formula :

Total Campaign GRPs / Total Campaign Reach = Frequency

 Example :

700 / 70 = 10.0

A method of providing audience specifics as they relate to Outdoor locations, both geographically and demographically. It enables plant operators to specify those locations which most efficiently reach target audiences by age, sex, income, brand preference and purchase behaviour profiles. The system is capable of plot proximity to store locations (such as banks, car dealerships, restaurants, hospitals and more).

Global Positioning System. Highly accurate location system that precisely pinpoints outdoor structure locations, people or buildings in terms of exact latitude and longitude.

The total number of advertising messages delivered by a campaign to the target audience. This number is calculated based on raw population numbers in thousands, not a percentage of the population, with no regard to duplication. A media plan's impressions are usually referred to a “gross impressions”.

Media Formula :

Target Population x % Reach of Target Population x Target Campaign Frequency = Gross

 Example :

1,500,000 x 70% x 10.0 = 10,500,000

Gross Rating Point. The sum of all ratings delivered by a given schedule, against a predetermined target group. A campaign delivering 100 GRPs translates to a audience number equivalent to the target population.

Media Formula :

Reach X Frequency = GRP

Example :

70% X 10.0 = 700

An advertisement that runs the length of the portion above the windows of a transit vehicle.

An Out-of-Home unit equipped with lighting that provides night-time illumination of an advertising message. Third-party proof of illumination is required for advertising faces to qualify for 24-hour circulations.

The portion of a circulation coverage figure generated by people living within the specified market boundary (usually a CA or CMA) as a percentage of the market's population.

Unique eye-catching enhancements applied to creative via techniques ranging from luminescent inks and/or lighting, to extensions that are motorized, 3-D or free flowing. Additional effects include objects such as pencils, clothing, furniture, trees or mannequins. (Subject to approval for outdoor advertising structures).

Poster located on the exterior sides of a transit vehicle.

The period of time required between initiating the process of producing an advertisement, through client approval and printing or rendering the final advertisement to be posted or aired as per the contracted date(s).

A numerical factor reflecting the average number of passengers in a car which is then applied to vehicle counts at advertising structure locations. Load factors vary by market. These vehicle counts translate into potential audience counts.

Scheduling of a pool of commercials and information content through a set schedule, on a rotating basis.

Ads typically mounted at the doors entering or exiting a commuter train.

Ads mounted throughout the concourse and platform areas of LRT Stations.

The most common media formulae are used to calculate Reach, Frequency or Gross Impressions. Any two components can be used to determine the third.

An analysis of a target audience's media consumption (i.e. # of hours spent watching TV, listening to radio, reading the daily newspaper or kilometres travelled), sourced from BBM/RTS.

Commonly used as part of the creative concept development process for an advertisement. Typically to see how the design or elements relate to the rest of the space or environment.

An advertisement that is either painted on, or applied in vinyl, to the majority or the entire exterior surface of a building or vehicle.

Out-Of-Home company (also known as Plant Operator).

All outdoor advertising media that are specifically intended to reach consumers outside the home.

Portable Document Format (PDF) A digital file format copy used to verify content of an advertisement. Generally used to verify placement and sizing of objects or text within a design only, not for colour matching.

Media that is strategically placed in, and defined by, the location in which it resides such as airports, malls, offices, elevators, arenas, etc. Often used by advertisers to target specific audiences demographically or psychographically.

All the outdoor advertising units in a market operated by a single company.

A tour of a particular market to view locations prior to choosing an Out-of-Home company or after a campaign has posted

Pantone Matching System (PMS), a proprietary standardized colour reproduction system used as a guideline to match specific ink colours used to produce artwork for final client approval.

Proof of Performance. A certification issued by an outdoor advertising company that the contracted advertising has been rendered.

An advertising display at the place where consumers purchase goods or services (e.g. counter card at a retail outlet).

(also known as panel or face) An Out-of-Home advertising structure exhibiting an advertiser in the most common outdoor structures being a horizontal (10' H x 20' W) or vertical (16' H x 12' W) format.

The date when an advertising campaign is scheduled to commence. A five-day "window" is customary to allow for complete installation or posting of a showing for an advertiser.

Detailed instructions provided to an outdoor advertising company by an advertiser or agency with regard to the execution of the ad campaign. The information is used to chart a showing with the greatest efficiency to reach a desired target audience. Can include location and copy rotation instructions.

To create a print or broadcast advertisement, from a creative concept.

Information about consumers' buying habits and attitudes, brand preferences, and usage of a particular product or service.

Analysis of consumer demographics, geographic and lifestyle characteristics to create a detailed customer profile of the primary consumer (or target audience) of a particular product or service.

Information provided by media companies that contain advertising costs, sizes available, markets and circulation data.

A measurement of cumulative unduplicated target audience exposure to an advertiser's message, in a given time frame.

 Media Formula :

Total Campaign GRPs / Frequency = % Reach

 Example :

700 / 10.0 = 70%

The airing of a commercial equally throughout the time blocks, days or programs.

Poster typically mounted on the backs of a transit vehicle.

The full, contracted advertising campaign for a specific advertiser, in a specific geographic area for a specific time period.

Proprietary software allowing advertisers to serve the right message, in the right place, at the right time. It allows to change advertising content on the fly with external data sources like, weather, date, time, social networks, and screen location.

Refers to a small piece of advertising copy added to an already posted display to modify or append the original message.

A form of advertising that uses decals or vinyl materials that are applied to walls, floors, windows, doors or vehicles to communicate an advertising message.

An Out-of-Home advertising structure usually larger than 14' H x 48' W, positioned at prime locations in a market, for the exclusive use of one advertiser for a long term.

A single advertiser dominates all the traditional and specialty media options available within a station or vehicle.

A set of graphic renderings of the significant frame progression, accompanied by appropriate copy, depicting what a finished commercial will look like.

Displays with copy area 67” H x 46” W, located at parking venues (Street Ads or CoreMedia) or bus stops (Transit Shelters).

A large format billboard, usually 10' H x 40' W or 14' H x 4' W in size, that has a portion added onto it that extends further than the traditional size.

A form of advertising that uses decals or vinyl materials that are applied to both sides, the back and roof of a bus or train to communicate an advertising message.

The profile of the most desired consumer prospects for a product or service, listed by characteristics such as demography, lifestyle, brand or media consumption or purchase behaviour.

Ads mounted above the windows inside transit vehicles.

Displays with copy area 67” H x 46” W, located at bus stops in residential or urban areas.

A mechanized outdoor advertising unit with a slatted face with a series of three-sided prisms enabling three different advertising messages to turn at predetermined time intervals.

An advertisement that is applied in vinyl to the entire exterior back surface of a transit vehicle.

Percentage of target group aware of brand/advertising without prompting.

A common Out-of-Home advertising structure exhibiting an advertiser in a portrait format (16' H x12' W)

Video or digital screens  offering TV-quality displays that are positioned in locations outside of the home.

A discount given to advertisers based on a number of factors including number of weeks, units and total dollar volume.

An advertisement that is either painted on, or applied in vinyl, to the majority or the entire exterior surface of a building.

An advertisement that is applied in vinyl to the exterior surface of a building or transit vehicle. Can also be applied to windows, doors, walls, escalators, elevators or floors.