afaqs! has grown over time to become the largest website in its space
worldwide, receiving a certification from ABC Digital, UK.
The ABC ELECTRONIC certificate was issued for afaqs! after its traffic figures
during May 2009 were independently verified to industry-agreed standards as
set by JICWEBS*.
Richard Foan, Managing Director for ABC Electronic: “agencyfaqs! Is demonstrating
a clear commitment to best practice by becoming the first ever site in India
to achieve independent certification of its traffic to global industry agreed
standards. By committing to ABC ELECTRONIC verification, agencyfaqs! Is setting
a positive example to other sites in the market that third party audited data
is key in building a robust currency for the buying a robust currency for
the buying and selling of online media space. agencyfaqs! Should be commended
for being the first site in India to evoke this trust with its advertisers
and stakeholders.”
*JICWEBS (The
Joint Industry Committee for Web Standards in the UK and Ireland) is a body
created by the UK and Ireland media industry. Its purpose is to ensure independent
development and ownership of standards for measuring on a site centric, census
basis audience reach, frequency and activity levels including the use and
effectiveness of advertising on electronic media. www.jicwebs.org. ABC ELECTRONIC
supports the work of JICWEBS by delivering audit and certification services
for electronic media usage to these industry agreed standards.
afaqs! was launched as agencyfaqs! on September 28, 1999 with a simple objective:
to make easier the lives of professionals in advertising, media and marketing.
Hence it was named agencyfaqs! - 'faqs' being Internetese for Frequently Asked
Questions. Most of the brand-related questions that executives ask are answered
on the site.
In May 2008 it was renamed as afaqs! The name was shortened to reflect the
changing nature of marketing communications.
The site was set up in typical entrepreneurial fashion, from a garage with
a full time staff of just three people. The prime movers behind the site are
Sreekant Khandekar and Sandeep Vij. Sreekant was a journalist and the founding
editor of A&M magazine before he quit to develop agencyfaqs! together with Sandeep.
Sandeep has made his career in advertising and is now President, Mudra Communications.
ABC ELECTRONIC (www.abce.org.uk) was established in 1996 as the industry owned,
tri-partite, not for profit organisation, which works on behalf of advertisers,
media buyers and media owners to provide third party independent verification
and certification for data related to electronic media (Internet, Email, SMS,
Interactive TV, WAP, PDA and Streaming audio and video) in the UK and Ireland.
ABC ELECTRONIC's role is to manage standards for the industry through its work
with JICWEBS*, and to provide credibility, comparability and transparency for
electronic media. This gives advertisers the opportunity to maximise returns
on marketing budgets by using ABC ELECTRONIC certified media and ensures that
stakeholders (marketers, investors, media owners, media buyers, advertisers)
can invest in electronic media with confidence and trust.
