I have no interest in watching the debate I'd rather watch paint dry than watch the debate I'll just get the hilights from local news, on News Nation, Fox News, maybe BBC News etc.

With due respect to dentsu's efforts, that video didn't strike me as compelling... not
much "sizzle" there.

Dave, if there were two separate upfronts as I have proposed---one for corporate, CPM-driven, eyeball tonnage buyers and the other for individual brands with higher CPMs and attempts at better targeting, better environments, etc. then what you are describing as the new wrinkles makes sense---at least for the brand by brand upfront. Unfortunately, it's not going down that way. As before, a very high percentage of the buys are going to be "must buys"---it's already decided that those dollars will go into sports, news, specials and prime time entertainment shows on the broadcast TV networks As for the rest, they will still be mostly 18-49/25/54  GRP buys with prearrainged dispositions by network type, platform type, daypart and in some cases by program genre. Most of the upfront hoopla is, as in past upfronts,  fluff --- light entertainment for the time buyers and client media execs-- and it's the "fun" part of the upfront. Soon the hard part begins and most of it will be done the same old way---- I'm sorry to say.

Interesting--but perplexing, Tony.

If appears that the ARF is melding together atentiveness to an ad---whether a member of tthe assumed "audience" looked at the ad message for a certain amount of time,with impact---what was the outcome. By doing that they are precluding such metrics from becoming standard in TV audience surveys not only because the sellers, who control the surveys, won't allow it but also because it goes beyond what can be resaonably expected of a media seller. While it's fair for a media buyer to consider factors like engaging program content. the degree of ad clutter in a break, whether a viewer is potentially interested in the product being promoted, etc. it's unreasonable for the seller to guarantee that the viewer will buy into whatever claims the advertiser is making and purchase his product ---or switch from their current brand to the one advertised. While the two--attentiveness and outcomes--- are, obviously reslated in that one comes before the other, if any of this is meant to have future application to national TV audience surveys, attentiveness should be dealt with first---and separately. 

All good, Joe. Thanks for the conversation and debate! 

Putting tariffs on China isn't racist and xenophobic after all?

@Bill Duggan: Apologies if my observation was not clear, but by representativeness, I was citing industry estimates that there are more than 12 million brands in the world, most of which are small and medium size businesses. So even if I take the ANA's total membership base -- 900 -- that would equal 0.000075 percent of the total universe, numerically speaking. Not denegrating the importance of ANA members, just pointing out that the vast majority of brands in the world ARE using principal media, because they are the principals buying it directly themselves.

Also appreciate that the ANA defines principal media buying only as agencies serving as the principal with media suppliers.

If those figures represent the percent of the "audience" that looks at an average commercial, without regard to its length, I'm not surprised to see "TV" faring much better than social video. But typical TVision findings for TV are considerably higher ---based on watching for at least two seconds. so I, too, wonder about the source for this chart. Perhaps they had to watch for a number of seconds to qualify. Or, maybe, some other dimension is included---like getting the message as well as attentiveness.

Joe, regarding the comment on the report, “… it is incomplete and not representative of the greater world of media-buying, because it is only shows what the biggest U.S. advertisers know and think about the practice.” ANA membership is comprised of approximately 900 client-side companies.  Yes, that includes many of “the biggest U.S. advertisers.”  But it includes many, many small and mid-sized companies as well.  As an example, going to the list of ANA Client-Side Marketer member companies under “A” you’ll find big companies including AB InBev, Allstate, and American Express. Yet there are many small and mid-sized companies including Alabama Power Company, American Red Cross, and ASPCA. Further, the respondents to the ANA survey that was featured in the report reflected this diversity. One-quarter of respondents had 2023 annual U.S. media budgets less than $50 million.

Regarding the comment, “The reality is that in the digital media-buying world, the vast majority of all buys are based on a principal buying the media: long-tail small and medium size advertisers who buy it directly from the platforms themselves.” The ANA member survey asked, “Over the past year, roughly what percentage of your company’s total media budget do you estimate to be comprised of principal media or other forms of non-transparent media activity?” The finding – principal media represents a fairly low percentage of a company’s total media budget for most respondents — under 10 percent of the total media budget for 55 percent of respondents. Only 8 percent allocate 50 percent or more of their total media budget to principal media. For most ANA member companies who use an external agency, those agencies are primarily buying as agents. Yet principal-based buying is on the rise … hence the need for our report.

Steve, Joe, and George:

Interestingly, Nielsen just released the audio version of "The Gauge," called "The Record," powered by Edison Research. The visual depicts the share of time spent to...AD SUPPORTED AUDIO. 

https://www.nielsen.com/insights/2024/nielsen-the-record-audio-listening-trends/

"The Record" permits media agencies and brands to better understand the audience shares of audio platforms where they can actually purchase audio ads. The Persons 18+ Shares of Ad-Supported Audio for Q1 2024 are: AM/FM Radio 67%, podcasts 20%, ad-supported music streaming (Pandora, Spotify, etc.) 10%, and 3% Satellite Radio. 

In the case of audio, the Nielsen/Edison "Share of Ear" data reveals three-quarters of Spotify's music streaming audience listens to the subscription service, which does not accept ads. An "Ad-Supported Video Gauge" would be a highly valuable resource for marketers, sales teams, and agencies.

Pierre

Which will be a flop Christmas games should be on CBS, Fox, & NBC those networks should demand those games. TNF is a flop on Amazon which should also air live on NFL Network and not replayed at late at night. NFL needs to be on over the air for the national games as I have said NFL games on streaming only have clealy been flops since the NFL & streaming service spin the numbers the viewers aren't there I don't count views for those that just scroll from those sports and have no interest in them.

The source says this is from 2018 - is that correct??  6 years ago?

The broadcast and cable networks have been pitching this idea for decades. No one is actually interested, but it's proof that you can fool some of the people all of the time.

I already hear the cries of, "But it's different this time!" 

This is a good request of Nielsen, which I agree with.  MRC doesn't audit the Gauge report or the new Media Distributor Gauge (perhaps we should), but it appears this break-out makes sense to better inform both the buy and sell sides.

@Steve Lanzano: Makes sense that an ad trade bureau would question that, but the reality is those numbers are relevant to marketers, because they're trying to reach people who may or may not be watching ad-supported television. Nielsen has other ways of tabulating data, too.

1. I hope it works.
2. It's a pretty stupid campaign. Instead of using celebrities, which many will see as "them", the campaign should have used real people. I have countless friends who have brothers, sisters and even parents who are either gay or have come out of the closet. Show that LGBTQ+ people are nothing to be "afraid" of, but, rather, you, me, family members, people like us, just normal people trying to have a normal and happy life.

Really question the efficacy of the Gauge report for marketers since it includes all viewing and not just ad viewing. These numbers would be quite different. We've been asking Nielsen for an addendum to the Gauge report to just include ad viewing for over two years now.

Hi-Surf & Murder In A Small Town looks good I'll be checking both out in the fall. Fox can do better on Sun and putting cartoons on at another day in my opinion what does Fox got to lose Sundays are wasted on cartoons and that NFL lead in. I wanted Fox to put TMS and sitcom or a drama on that night.

Jon, much of the promotional sports advertisement has moved online. I would consider Twitter as the leader.  Many sport clubs will give away higher valued prizes signed jerseys, baseballs, footballs and more. By doing so, the club's marketing receive data and do so at a lower cost.

I like local news and also a firm believer in local news I prefer GR over Kazoo as more happens in GR in my opinion watch Wood TV & Fox17 from time to time and weather as for print AP, read Det Freepress & News largely if I like a sports story, I don't trust NY Times, Wash Post both are dishonest in their reporting like bias MSNBC as well. Forcing editorials isn't against FCC rules as that would be government censorship which would be wrong on all levels plus free speech and freedom of the press as well. Boris is no longer working at Sinclair and I didn't like Boris giving his opinion.

Wrong Fox isn't a danger to the republic or democracy which has always been eye of the beholder. I also watch NewsNation like that Dan Abrams calls out both sides on their lies and spin as well once in a bluemoon do watch BBC News. For the record I'm not voting for Trump or Biden as I didn't vote for either in 2020 I voted 3RD party and will do so again this year I voted Nikki Haley in the MI primary back in Feb. 

Great post Steve.

It appears that all sorts of AI are about as accuarate as me swinging a 1-wood on Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Glad to see this---but the next step must be breakdowns of ad-supported versus ad-free viewing per media company. This is not as easy as it sounds due to the various bundles each programmer offers---but it has greater significance for advertisers as some of the  media entities listed in the table--Netflix, for example--derive most of their viewing from ad-free content.

Thank you.