Interview with Aseem Sood, CEO at Impact Research & Measurement, a media monitoring company in India & chairman of industry organization AMEC
We’re honored to have you here, Aseem. Can you tell us a bit more about your background and what is included in your current role?
I started my career with a public relations firm in India. Following that, I gained experience within the knowledge management network of the management consulting giant McKinsey & Company. Eventually, I made the decision to leave them and take the reins at Impact Research & Measurement, a media intelligence firm based in India, where I currently hold the position of Chief Executive Officer. I am responsible for steering the overall direction and leading the business operations of the company. In 2022, I was also elected as the Chair of AMEC, the Association for Measurement & Evaluation of Communication. At that time, I had already been a part of the AMEC international board of directors for 10 years.
You are the chairman of industry organization AMEC. What do you consider their most important impact?
In AMEC we have over 160 members in 86 countries. Each of us is both different and alike in various ways. Members aren't only measurement companies, but also include public relations firms, management consulting firms, government communication departments, and various not-for-profits. Once a year, we come together at the global AMEC Summit with over 300 people from around the world to exchange knowledge and enhance the field of communication measurement. In multiple countries, tenders require "AMEC membership" as a qualification for participating. Tools like the IEF and Measurement Maturity Mapper are now widely used globally. While these are examples of the impact AMEC has achieved, our greatest satisfaction comes from hearing our members say how our educational efforts have helped their businesses flourish.
Can you tell us about AMEC’s upcoming plans and why they are relevant for the industry’s future?
AMEC's plans include continuing to invest in education. Based on feedback from our members and other stakeholders, we've identified education as a key focus. We're committed to providing education to everyone involved in our initiatives about the latest and most effective methods in communication measurement. We're developing resources like training modules, some of which will be available for free while others will require payment. Additionally, we're expanding the content and reach of AMEC College, which offers a certificate program in measurement.
Another key focus is to expand industry connections. Communication measurement practices vary in maturity across different countries. We've observed that countries where we have strong connections with industry associations and academic institutions tend to be more advanced in their practices. This also applies to the growth and size of our members in these countries. Therefore, we're concentrating on extending our reach and establishing partnerships with relevant industry associations all around the world.
Back to Impact Research & Measurement: what are the greatest challenges ahead for you and your team?
Most of our clients work in communication-related fields. Our main struggle is that we often can't get our clients to clearly explain the actual goals they've established for their communication efforts. Sometimes, clients have trouble expressing their objectives clearly, and other times, they choose not to openly share them. In both situations, it becomes challenging for us, as having well-defined goals is crucial for the success of our measurement campaigns.
What are the greatest challenges to make customers understand the importance of monitoring their media presence?
This isn't much of a challenge anymore. The real challenge is to assist them in understanding that the information gathered from media measurement can be valuable for improving planning and achieving future success, rather than just serving as a review of past efforts.
Can you give an example of an excellent client case of yours that create real impact?
A large multinational company had a big crisis in India. The bosses came together and began a big media relations campaign to fix it. They asked us to check out the media coverage and give them advice. We looked into it and found that they needed a public affairs campaign, to talk to select influencers and policy makers more than just the media. When we told the bosses what we found, they said they were already thinking about doing something like that based on advice from another team. Our information helped them decide better and feel surer about their new plan.
Looking at the communications industry in 5 years, what do you think are the greatest challenges and opportunities ahead?
Our industry will look very different in 5 years, even though the fundamentals will stay the same. The things we use, like tools and ways to measure, will change a lot, mainly because of developments in technology, especially AI and GPT. These technologies will present both opportunities and threats. Text analysis and generation technologies have gotten much better lately. I am not sure exactly how it will change our work, but I am sure it will have a big impact.
By Anna Roos van Wijngaarden
Twingly offers News APIs with over 3 million daily news articles from 170,000 active global sources. It gives you access to noise-free news data for timely updates and comparisons. As a complement, please also have a look at our Blogs API, where we monitor 3 million active blogs worldwide.
