Ipsos and Innerscope Link for TV Biometrics

In New York, Ipsos MediaCT and biometric measurement specialist Innerscope Research have designed a new methodology, emoTV, which measures both the conscious and unconscious responses of audiences to TV shows.

Last year, Innerscope and Ipsos partnered to integrate the former's measures of unconscious emotional engagement into Ipsos' products.

Their new joint product combines three methodologies - biometric research, nationwide survey data, and biometrically-informed focus groups - to provide a 'complete evaluation' of how a target audience responds to a new TV pilot or recurring show.

Innerscope's Biometric Monitoring System passively collects four biometric indicators of emotion from participants as they watch television content - skin conductance, heart rate, respiration and motion. Once quantified, this data shows the peaks and troughs in engagement for each show segment, as well as engagement with different elements within the show, such as a particular storyline or character.

Ipsos MediaCT is responsible for the online survey and focus group elements of emoTV. Its nationwide survey uses open-ended questioning to identify and then probe scenes that a participant likes or dislikes. Responses provide the consumers' narrative scene-by-scene, to help interpret the biometric data. In addition, the survey has closed-ended questions to get at reactions to the show and specific elements of it.

Bruce Friend (pictured), President, Ipsos MediaCT, comments: 'As someone who has worked in the TV industry for over 30 years, I know the problem of relying on just one set of data to make a decision on new content - emoTV gets around this problem and will help us to help our clients make smarter decisions about their content.'

Web sites: www.ipsos-na.com and www.innerscope.com .