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Beyond AVE: The Pitfalls of Using Advertising Equivalency in PR Measurement

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PR Measurement Moments

By Philip Odiakose

In public relations (PR) measurement and evaluation, one metric has long been a topic of debate and scrutiny: Advertising Value Equivalency (AVE). For over a decade, AVE has been used by PR professionals and organizations as a means to assign a monetary value to earned media coverage by equating it with the cost of equivalent advertising space. However, as a Chief Media Analyst with more than a decade of experience in PR measurement and evaluation, I have come to understand the inherent flaws and limitations of AVE, and it is crucial to shed light on why relying on this metric can be detrimental to accurately assessing the impact of public relations efforts.

The Flaws of AVE

Misalignment of Objectives: PR and advertising serve fundamentally different purposes within the marketing mix. While advertising is a paid form of communication aimed at promoting products or services, PR is centred around building relationships, managing reputations, and influencing perceptions through earned media coverage. Attempting to equate the two overlooks the unique value proposition of PR and can lead to misguided interpretations of its effectiveness.

Inaccurate Valuation: AVE relies on simplistic calculations that assign a monetary value to PR coverage based on equivalent advertising rates. However, this approach fails to consider crucial factors such as negotiated rates, audience engagement, message credibility, and the qualitative aspects of media coverage. As a result, AVE often provides inflated or misleading estimations of PR impact, undermining the credibility of measurement efforts.

Lack of Contextual Understanding: AVE disregards the contextual nuances of media coverage, including tone, sentiment, and relevance. Without considering these factors, it is impossible to gain a comprehensive understanding of the impact of PR efforts on audience perceptions and behaviour. By reducing PR outcomes to mere monetary values, AVE fails to capture the qualitative dimensions of PR effectiveness and provides limited insights for strategic decision-making.

Practical Challenges of AVE Implementation

Difficulty in Calculation: Calculating AVE requires access to advertising rates for equivalent media placements, which may not always be readily available or accurately reflective of the value of PR coverage. This can lead to inconsistencies and inaccuracies in measurement practices.

Inconsistent Methodologies: Different organizations and practitioners may use varying methodologies for calculating AVE, leading to discrepancies and a lack of standardization in measurement approaches. This inconsistency undermines the reliability and comparability of AVE data across different contexts.

Focus on Quantity over Quality: AVE tends to prioritize the quantity of coverage over its quality, incentivizing PR practitioners to prioritize securing high-volume media placements rather than focusing on strategic messaging and engagement with target audiences. This emphasis on quantity over quality can distort measurement efforts and detract from the strategic objectives of PR campaigns.

Embracing Alternative Approaches to PR Measurement

To overcome the limitations of AVE and accurately assess the impact of PR efforts, organizations must embrace alternative approaches to measurement and evaluation. Some alternative metrics and methodologies to consider include:

Outcome-Based Measurement: Shift the focus from outputs such as media mentions to outcomes such as changes in brand perception, customer behaviour, and business results. By measuring the tangible outcomes of PR activities, organizations can gain a clearer understanding of their impact on achieving strategic objectives.

Quality Metrics: Utilize metrics such as sentiment analysis, message resonance, and share of voice to assess the quality and effectiveness of PR coverage. These qualitative metrics provide valuable insights into audience perceptions and engagement, enabling organizations to gauge the resonance of their messaging and positioning strategies.

Integrated Measurement Approaches: Integrate qualitative and quantitative methods, such as media monitoring, media analysis, and surveys, to gain a comprehensive understanding of PR impact and audience engagement. By combining multiple data sources and measurement techniques, organizations can triangulate insights and validate findings, leading to more robust and reliable measurement outcomes.

Moving Beyond AVE for More Effective PR Measurement

In conclusion, AVE represents a relic of outdated measurement practices that fail to capture the true value and impact of PR efforts. By relying on simplistic calculations and overlooking contextual nuances, AVE undermines the credibility and effectiveness of PR measurement and evaluation. To advance the field of PR measurement and ensure more accurate and meaningful assessments of PR impact, organizations must move beyond AVE and embrace alternative approaches that prioritize outcomes, quality metrics, and integrated measurement methodologies. By doing so, organizations can gain deeper insights into the effectiveness of their PR initiatives and make more informed strategic decisions, ultimately driving greater success and impact in their PR endeavours.

Philip Odiakose is the Chief Media Analyst and Consultant at P+ Measurement Services and TMKG Consulting, members of the Media Monitoring and Audit Group (MMAG). Both agencies are members of AMEC and PAMRO

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Nigeria Must Accelerate Adoption of Renewable Energy Solutions—JMG

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JMG Renewable Energy Solutions

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A leading provider of integrated electromechanical solutions in Nigeria, JMG Limited, recently showcased real-world impact of its solar and hybrid energy solutions across key sectors of the economy to members of the media.

At the media tour held at JMG’s head office in Lagos, the Chief Commercial Officer of JMG, Mr Rabih Jammal, stressed the urgent need for Nigeria to accelerate its adoption of renewable energy solutions.

“Clean energy is no longer a future concept – it is happening now – and it is working. At JMG, we are not just advocating for renewables; we are delivering them.

“From our 150-kilowatt solar installation at our Victoria Island head office to multiple large-scale deployments nationwide, we have proven that clean energy works technically, commercially and financially,” he said at the event hosted to commemorate the International Day of Clean Energy.

According to him, JMG’s solar and hybrid projects have helped clients save millions of naira in diesel costs, improve energy reliability and significantly reduce carbon emissions.

“As more countries move toward sustainable solutions, clean energy has become an economic imperative for Nigeria. It enhances competitiveness, lowers operating costs and enables communities. This is only the beginning as we will continue to invest in solar solutions, technology, partnerships and people to scale clean energy across the country,” he added.

Also speaking, the Head of Marketing at JMG, Ms Oluwatomi Faniran, described clean energy as a core responsibility embedded in the company’s business strategy.

“At JMG, clean energy is more than technology; it is a responsibility. Our track record speaks for itself,” Ms Faniran said, highlighting the successful deployment of solar hybrid systems at NIPCO fuel stations, the powering of a government state house, and energy-efficient solutions delivered at facilities such as Nourdm Global and Rack Centre.

With decades of experience delivering solutions that enhance comfort, safety and efficiency across residential, commercial and industrial spaces, JMG operates across critical business units including conventional and renewable power, electrical infrastructure, HVAC systems, elevators and escalators, air compressors and energy-efficient technologies. Its operations are backed by internationally recognised ISO certifications in quality management, health and safety, and environmental sustainability.

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Paystack Launches Holding Company The Stack Group

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The Stack Group

By Adedapo Adesanya

Top payment solutions company, Paystack, has launched a holding company, known as The Stack Group (TSG), in its bid to aggregate the tech-focused family of brands connected with the Paystack brand.

TSG founding shareholders include Stripe, Shola Akinlade (Founder and CEO of Paystack), and existing Paystack employees. The agreements establishing TSG as the parent holding company were signed in October 2025, and are subject to the requisite regulatory approvals.

The announcement comes as Paystack celebrates its 10-year anniversary in January 2026.

Since its acquisition by Stripe in 2020, Paystack has grown its payment volume by 12x and is licensed and operational in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, with regulatory approvals for Egypt and Rwanda, representing 46 per cent of Africa’s GDP, the company said in a press statement.

The statement added that this product-first approach to pan-African growth has led to Paystack becoming profitable at the group level.

The development follows the recent launch of Paystack MFB in Nigeria after it acquired Ladder Microfinance Bank in its push into consumer products.

The company noted that as a standalone bank, Paystack MFB allows the group to internalise core financial rails and provide the banking and credit infrastructure required by over 300,000 Nigerian merchants.

“These capabilities enable the development of elegant, compliant, and much-needed end-to-end money-movement solutions and will continue to power the company’s mission of building technology solutions for Africa, to power African ambition,” parts of the statement added.

TSG will provide a corporate umbrella for a family of complementary brands that are solving Africa-specific challenges, while remaining operationally independent. At the outset, TSG will include merchant payments solution, Paystack, its controversial consumer payments product, Zap, the recently launched Paystack Microfinance Bank and TSG Labs, which will serve as hub for  emerging technologies and building new products both within and beyond financial technology.

According to Mr Akinlade, “The launch of TSG signals a larger scope of ambition for us and sets the tone for the next decade of our company. Having worked with thousands of companies across the continent since 2016, it is clear that there are significant opportunities to support businesses beyond payments, and TSG enables us to address the challenges African companies face.”

“Thank you to the Stripe team for their continued belief in Africa’s potential, and our ability to create transformative technology companies for the continent, and beyond,” he added.

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Global Money Exchange Unveils Global Pay App

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Comviva and Global Money Exchange Leadership

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A new mobile application powered by Comviva’s mobiquity Pay platform known as Global Pay has been launched by Oman’s leading money exchange company, Global Money Exchange Co. LLC (GMEC).

The unveiling aligns with Oman’s national digital transformation vision and reinforces GMEC’s commitment to delivering innovative, secure, and inclusive digital financial solutions for daily life.

“The Global Pay App enables secure and efficient local and international payment transactions,” the Chairman of Global Money Exchange said, Mr Sheikh Sulaiman Abdulmalik Abdullah Al Khalili, stated.

He added that the platform is PCI-DSS certified, underscoring GMEC’s commitment to the highest standards of payment security and data protection, expressing confidence that “the mobile application will be widely used by the Omani Nationals and expatriates.”

The Managing Director of Global Money Exchange, Mr Subromoniyan K S, disclosed that “customers can conveniently pay utility bills and educational fees without the need for a bank account, thereby supporting broader financial inclusion.”

He further noted that the platform enables merchants to accept QR-based payments from customers of any bank or service provider in Oman, ensuring full interoperability across the payment’s ecosystem.

“The Global Pay app is supported by a comprehensive customer support framework. Customers can visit any of our branches across Oman for assistance or contact a dedicated customer support helpline for prompt resolution of queries,” the General Manager of Global Money Exchange, Mr Sonam Dorje, said.

On his part, the chief executive of Comviva, Mr Rajesh Chandiramani, said, “We are delighted to accelerate Global Money Exchange’s digital transformation journey with mobiquity® Pay- our scalable, cloud-ready digital payments platform built to support rapid growth and seamless expansion. Global Pay exemplifies our commitment to empowering financial institutions across the Middle East to deliver world-class digital experiences that drive financial inclusion.”

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