New Contracts for UK Media Research

A spate of new media research projects include a US firm providing behavioural targeting technology for the Guardian web site; the use of a research panel to examine the effects of newspaper advertising; qualitative analysis to shape ITV's new kids' channel; and brand-tracking for the BBC.

Guardian Unlimited, the UK newspaper's web site, has picked US-based Revenue Science to apply its behavioural targeting techniques to the 10 million monthly users of the site. Revenue Science's technology will enable the Guardian to analyse user behaviours and create targeted audiences based on the objectives of a specific advertiser.

Nick Johnson, Senior VP of Business Development for Revenue Science, says his company will enable the Guardian to 'convert its huge volume of data on user behaviour into a very valuable asset that's becoming more critical as consumers exert ever-greater control over media'. Adam Freeman, Deputy Ad Director at the Guardian, says 'the ability to place relevant ads based on who a person is and what they have done, not just the page they are on, delivers tremendous value to our advertisers'.

In the world of print publishing, the UK's Newspaper Marketing Agency (NMA) has appointed marketing consultancy dunnhumby to provide ad measurement services to analyse the power of advertising FMCG brands in national newspapers. dunnhumby will use its research panel of 12 million UK households to measure the purchasing patterns of newspaper buyers, and determine the effect of advertising on products and brands.

Maureen Duffy, CEO of the NMA, says newspaper advertising can have a significant impact on grocery brands, and that the analysis from dunnhumby will give advertisers 'powerful insight into the real effects that their advertising delivers in terms of sales, customers and brand share'.

ITV has commissioned Leeds-based Quæstor Research and Marketing Strategists to conduct research ahead of the launch of its new digital channel for kids. Quaestor will use a variety of qualitative methods, including child and parent interviews, parent focus groups, ethnographic TV viewing sessions, and diaries. The findings will feed into programming, scheduling and branding for the new CiTV channel. Abi Greenwood from ITV says the research 'will ensure we meet both children's and parents' needs and expectations in this increasingly competitive market'.

Over on the other side, the BBC has put out a tender for a brand evaluation study to track perception of its services. The three-year contract, previously held by TNS, involves two quantitative tracking surveys. The brand tracker is a continuous survey with 700 face-to-face interviews a month, while the marketing communications tracker consists of a separate sample of 700 interviews a month, designed to measure the effectiveness of BBC programme trailers and promotions.

Web sites are at www.guardianunlimited.com , www.revenuescience.com , www.nmauk.co.uk , www.dunnhumby.com , www.quaestor.co.uk , www.itv.com and www.bbc.co.uk.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.