Rating space race
By MICHAEL LEARMONTH
Nielsen puts placement data on table
Nielsen Media Research has partnered with CBS, UPN and Discovery as well as ad agencies OMD, PHD, Magna Global and Zenith Optimedia, to conduct research into the effectiveness -- and the value -- of Product Placement.
"There are so many marketers getting into this arena, but there is no research out there that says this is how much (a placement) is worth relative to a 30-second commercial," said Steve Sternberg, exec VP of audience analysis at Magna Global.
Nielsen already counts mentions of products on TV. But the new research will add a layer to help marketers know how much bang they're getting for their buck.
"Right now (prices) are all over the place," said Nielsen director of tech and business strategy Jerome Samson. "A fair marketplace with a fair value for every Product Placement opportunity is the goal." Nielsen hopes the research will help answer questions such as whether a placement in a foreground shot is worth more than a background placement; and whther frequency of placement or duration in a shot plays a role.
In addition to type of placement, Nielsen will look at the type of audiences viewing a placement. One of Nielsen's assumptions is that placements will have a greater impact on devoted viewers of a series, as opposed to those who dip in for an episode or two.
"We feel there is a difference, but we don't know what kind of difference that's going to make," Samsung said.
Nielsen will begin gathering data from TV placements in the coming season. A study of placements in film will begin in 2006.