TiVo Enhances Research Capabilities; Creates Division

TiVo has created a new division to focus on audience research and measurement that, for the first time, will provide second-by-second data and analysis on DVR viewing of ad content, TiVo said.

The division, TiVo Audience Research and Measurement, addresses what has long been a sticking point in ad tracking—exactly how many people are watching TV commercials.

The service is an enhanced version of TiVo’s Commercial Viewership Reports, which provide advertisers with exact viewing behavior for commercials. The new reports are expected to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the types of ads that are most successful with TiVo subscribers. The report will provide viewership data based on network, genre, time slot, day of the week and commercial position, the company said.

The new research will include analysis of the impact of fast-forwarding through commercials, rewinding, replaying, pausing and other viewer behaviors. The research will allow advertisers to more successful craft ads, the company said.

TiVo, which has 4.4 million subscribers, is working with Nissan and OMD NEXT, a consortium of 14 Omnicom Media Group clients who have provided resources to test and learn about the impact new and emerging media platforms have on traditional advertising. NEXT participants include Bank of America, GE, Visa, Discovery Channel, McDonald’s and Anheuser-Busch.

“Through our unique technology, in households serving 4.4 million subscribers, and our close cooperation with advertisers and advertising agencies, we have developed a research solution that can dramatically transform the way advertising is created, bought and delivered to consumers,” said TiVo President and CEO, Tom Rogers.

TiVo’s announcement comes on the heels of plans by Nielsen Media Research, the company that calculates national TV ratings, that it will measure exactly how many eyeballs view ad spots for the first time.

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