Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
The Board of Directors of the Traffic Audit Bureau for Media Measurement Inc. (TAB), New York-based Out-of-Home media measurement organization, has named Kym Frank, a well-respected veteran of the media research industry, as its new president, effective immediately.
Frank will be responsible for overseeing TAB Out-of-Home Ratings and carrying out the organization’s mission: to provide standardized, quantitative and valid audience measurement for out-of-home media, and to deliver planning and buying value to advertisers in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Frank succeeds Nancy Fletcher, who assumed the role of interim CEO while a search was conducted after longtime leader Joe Philport announced his retirement last year.
Fletcher, of, course, remains president of the Outdoor Advertising Associations of America (OAAA).
“After a thorough search, the Board of Directors is delighted to welcome Kym into the TAB family,” says Mary Sheehan, senior director of media strategy and planning at ESPN and chairman of TAB. “We look forward to her leading the organization as the OOH industry continues to evolve. Kym is an innovative researcher who has demonstrated success in packaging research into compelling products for use in the buy-sell process. Given her understanding of, and passion for, media measurement across platforms, we feel she is the right person to help TAB showcase the value of OOH measurement.”
Frank, a New Jersey native, has two decades of media research experience. Her agency and consulting background provide her with a firm understanding of how advertising can drive business results. Prior to joining TAB, she was senior vice-president, client solutions, for Symphony Advanced Media, a cross-platform measurement company. There, she developed several signature products and helped more than triple the firm’s revenue.
Frank was previously senior vice-president of strategic insights for ZenithOptimedia, working with buyers and planners to optimize clients’ spend across various platforms, including OOH. She has also held consumer insights positions at FTI Consulting (previously Financial Dynamics) and CBS Television Distribution.
“It is a great honor to have the opportunity to lead TAB during such an exciting period of change in OOH measurement,” says Frank. “From my own experience, I recognize the importance of comprehensive advertising measurement across all media types for my clients. OOH plays a vital role in the advertising landscape, and I will work to make sure that it has a seat at the table in today’s cross-platform conversations. TAB will continue to lead the way for the industry, and I am excited to work with the rest of our team to make sure that happens.”
We had the opportunity to interview Frank who told us that Fletcher and the Board have laid out a vision and roadmap for TAB, and that, having done that, they found when interviewing her that she and her ideas embodied what they had in mind.
“They could have gone with a leader who would create a vision, or they could create a vision and look for someone who had ideas and experience and could put their vision into action,” Frank said. “They went with the latter idea and I fit what they were looking for.
“My experience involves a lot of cross-platform work,” said Frank. ”I come from the advertising side dealing with mobile and social and geofencing, but I’m not an out-of-home expert yet. I’m jumping in from outside the industry. But I’m bringing a new set of eyes. This is a new career platform for me, but I’m impressed with the plans and passion of Nancy and the Board and the staff. I’m honoured to have been chosen for the position. I can’t answer a lot of questions about OOH and DOOH yet, but give me three months!”
Frank will be managing a staff of approximately 15. She said that there are a couple of open positions, but she wants to spend a bit of time getting to know what’s what before making any decisions on investing in filling them,
“My first priority is meeting the people in the industry, learning their needs and their frustrations, and then bringing together the vision that’s been laid out to life,” she said. “There are so many things to take into consideration: GPS tracking, mobile, integration, the speed and fragmentation of data delivery, behavioral targeting, ROI, communicating what TAB has done, the role of new technology, and helping TAB play its role in the market.”
Frank will be on hand to present the OBIE Best of Show Awards on Tuesday, May 12 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, CA. The awards ceremony will be held as part of the 2015 OAAA\TAB National Convention + Expo.
Established in 1933, TAB is an advertising trade organization whose mission is to lead the development and delivery of out of home media measurement systems in America. Run by a tripartite board of advertisers, agencies and media companies, TAB initially released its TAB Out-of-Home Ratings in January, 2010, the first system to measure audiences who actually see advertising.
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