Those of us who have been using direct measure on television research have known that the use of direct measure can greatly impact business results.
This is particularly important when one goes beyond the fact that the antiquated Nielsen system can only get in the range of close in just one daypart for only five networks while being wildly wrong for the thousands of other viewing options.
AsPJ Leary of Ebiquity has been proving, clients suffer financial harm if they only use the C3 Nielsen reputed estimates due to the fact that the other side of the fence games the system.
In an ideal world, a promotionally driven Brand would want to know its own rating delivery over the length of the promotion. For instance, Red Lobster might want to know "All You Can Eat Shrimp" for its exact commercials for its exact promotion.
And, to be simplistic, a toothpaste company would want to know its exact media delivery over the entire year.
The problem comes because the current system is based on averages for even a single episode. And we learned in third grade that some numbers are above the average and some are below.
Remember that the industry got into this mess because Nielsen also is antiquated in infrastructure and could not get the multiple possibilities of numbers through their pipe.
And the media companies did not want to change a system that works to their advantage and can be further gamed to heighten that advantage.
Advertisers are responsible for their Brands' business not the business of all Brands (including their competitors) who are included in the average represented by C3.
Through the use of direct measured media data, advertisers can take back control of their own Brand destiny.
As I have previously blogged, "using TiVo second by second commercial ratings, it becomes obvious that an AT&T Wireless commercial delivered 48% more audience than the average commercial in one episode of Glee while a Mars Kit Katcommercial in the same episode delivered 19% less than the average. Likewise, a Buick Regal spot in Modern Familyoutperformed the average of all commercials by 20% while the Ford Edge ad underperformed by 16%."
So it is refreshing to know that advertisers are increasingly using direct measure data to drive their businesses forward…even if it is the auditors, who were my old nemesis when I ran an agency, who are helping them quantify the avoidable damage they have been enduring.
Jon Mandel spent over 30 years of his career at Grey Advertising and MediaCom including roles as Chairman and Co-Ceo. Long committed to improving the industry, Jon served as a member of the board of directors of the 4A's, head of the 4A's national broadcast committee, chairman of NATPE, along with other industry serving positions. Due to his efforts to improve the capabilities of marketers he is one of only two people named an Ad Age Media Maven three times and a multiple time Adweek Media All-Star. He also spent two years as CEO of NielsenConnect. Jon was a member of the Board of Directors of Citadel Broadcasting until its recent successful sale and currently serves as Chair of Proximic and as a member of various boards at several companies across the media and marketing space. Jon can be reached at jon.mandel@dogsledenterprises.com.