Sinclair Broadcast Group and USIM successfully completed an initiative to compete for network television ad dollars in favor of more effective spending in local television. The initiative comprised a three market buy comparing measurement services and methodologies to help evaluate campaign impact relative to data stability and volatility. The project evolved from programmatic “Secret Society” led by USIM’s Director of Advanced TV, Mitch Oscar that BIA/Kelsey co-founded.
Sinclair partnered with Tribune stations to create a big enough household footprint (reaching 80% of the country) to be attractive to national buyers. Working with USIM, the team used programmatic platforms to go beyond gender and age demos to include behavioral signals, according to MediaVillage’s Charlene Weisler. As USIM’s president, Eastern Region Russell Zingale said, “We were able to put two stations groups together with Sinclair’s help and take national money and move it more efficiently into local impact.”
USIM’s As part of the initiative, audience delivery was compared using both Nielsen’s three data collection methods compared to comScore/Rentrak’s set top box data to gain insights into the campaign’s effectiveness. The two measurement services provided different audience delivery estimates but the client was satisfied campaign objectives were achieved although ultimately Zingale concluded, “We decided to measure our buy on comScore/Rentrak, which for us had more stability, to see how it drove the business.”
BIA/Kesley’s executive in residence, Maribeth Papuga has been focusing on the “localism movement” and data issues related to the paradigm shift in local television in the move from program and demo targeting to data-driven audience planning with deeper data signals and custom audience segments. BIA/Kelsey’s sees the growing impact of programmatic trading local television as a means to both bridge traditional and digital audience targeting and delivery and to make the buying and selling process cross-platform more efficient and effective. However, many issues remain and this will be a continuing focus of our research and analyst coverage.
