After the new radio survey introduced early this year, the television survey is also getting a makeover. From August 28, the new NMO (National Media Research) survey will start. But what exactly is going to change, and why is this new method being adopted now? AV director Roan van Parreren tells us what to expect.
What does the new television survey entail and why are we getting a new viewing survey?
Market research firm Kantar is taking over the audience research business from GFK. All viewing meter boxes connected to the panel members will be replaced by updated, more accurate viewing meter boxes. This will allow the total viewing behavior to be measured better and more accurately.
The reason for this introduction, is that we are on the eve of cross-media research. The goal is to offer a fully integrated media reach survey for television, radio, print and online to the market by the end of 2024.
What are the differences from the previous survey?
Because we use the television screen in many more different ways than just watching linear broadcasts, the measurement technology also needs an upgrade. Thus, actual and total video consumption will be mapped in detail.
In the revamped NMO survey, the panel is being expanded from 1,250 households to 1,600 households. This makes the data even more accurate and reliable. The viewing meter also offers the possibility of measuring addressable TV (form of advertising that allows you to personalize your spot tailored to your target audience). Since last year more than half of Dutch households reported having a smart TV in their home, insight into this form of video consumption is important to obtain a clear overall picture.
In addition, the updated meter is ready for today's viewing. As soon as streaming services want to join the survey, they can be added by the click of a button. This is something streaming services can choose to do once they start implementing advertising models, because insight into viewing time and reach is important to the advertiser.
In the future, the updated research will also tell us which device was used to watch a particular broadcast. This in turn will be important for both the creative component of the media campaign, as well as for strategic media consulting.
What do advertisers notice about the new survey?
Because current TV research is already done in great detail, the impact will generally be minimal. It's all in the details. Think of slight shifts in the viewing time peak in the evening. Also, in the start-up phase of the new research, not all the old familiar target groups will be available yet. Insights on different target groups will therefore have to wait.
However, TV stations do expect a slight decrease in GRP stock. This is due to the panel being enriched by 350 households, which in turn impacts overall viewing behavior within certain age groups.
What do we expect from this new research?
The new survey will soon provide us with a wealth of new information about video consumption.
In addition to mass reach, television will begin to offer us personal reach through new forms of advertising such as addressable TV. As of when we can start applying these updated insights in media plans remains to be seen. After introducing new research, the market still needs some time to adapt to this. Commercial opportunities still need to be drawn up and introduced by channel sales houses. Media specialists also need time to gather sufficient data before substantiated opinions and recommendations can be given.
All in all, another huge step forward has been made toward cross-media reach research.