iMonitor™ Signs Up Universal McCann as Service Expands

NEW YORK, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal McCann and McPheters & Company announced that Universal McCann has signed up for McPheters & Company's iMonitor™ service.  iMonitor provides detailed tracking and evaluation of tablet apps for domestic and international publications, including both magazines and newspapers.  

"Since the launch of the service in June, we have expanded our evaluations to include ad ratings for each app and increased our attention to the advertisers who are making outstanding use of this new medium.  Universal McCann's clients have been consistently represented in this group," said Rebecca McPheters, McPheters & Company President.  According to Michael Haggerty, Senior Vice-President/US Research Director at Universal McCann, "Consumers are changing the way they interact with media content, due to the increasing penetration of tablet devices.  Understanding the depth and breadth of app marketing opportunities is therefore critical.  iMonitor is an important tool to help us decide where to advertise; it also keeps us on top of new opportunities and emerging trends."  Added Karen Ring, Vice-President/Research Director: "Our advertisers have been on the cutting edge in terms of their use of in-app advertising.  We wanted to make sure we have the tools in place to allow them to remain at the forefront of innovation."

When iMonitor launched, only 60 apps met its criteria for inclusion in the database.  This number has since grown to more than 500.  In addition to evaluating the quality of each app in terms of design and functionality, iMonitor also keeps track of more than 70 features and other variables.  These include pricing, use of other platforms, ad models and enhancements, transactional capabilities, and use of social media.  The service also includes bi-weekly reports which review notable changes that have occurred in terms of introductions and updates, as well as identifying outstanding ads that run.  McPheters & Company recently announced that it has launched a companion service to iMonitor called iValuate™ which undertakes thorough testing of apps prior to their release.

About Universal McCann:

UM (www.umww.com) is a global marketing communications agency that represents the world's leading marketers and strategic thinkers for many highly regarded clients including Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Sony, MasterCard, Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal and Chrysler. As part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, UM has 151 offices in 130 countries and employs 3,600 creative thinkers and doers. With the mantra, "Yes &," UM offers a full spectrum of media services and is able to tap into a number of exclusive partner agencies so they deliver the most surprising results to clients. They recently were awarded "Media Agency of the Year" by Adweek/Mediaweek and named to the 2009 "A-list" by Advertising Age.

About McPheters & Company:

McPheters & Company is a consulting and research company specializing in strategic planning, research, and accountability metrics.  Its clients include major magazine and newspaper publishers, as well as leading advertising agencies.

SOURCE McPheters & Company