Nielsen Runs Super Bowl Co-viewing Pilot

Nielsen picked Sunday's Super Bowl for the launch of an enhanced methodology promising more accurate measurement of co-viewing, especially for live events. The pilot service will run for a number of other major live sports and entertainment events in the first half of the year.

The ratings giant says it is 'uniquely positioned' to account for instances of multiple viewers in front of the TV screen (co-viewing), and has developed proprietary measurement devices worn on the wrists of its panelists and resembling a smart watch. These wearables capture audio from TV events, shows and movies passively, via an acoustic 'watermark' inaudible to humans, inserted in the program by the TV company - panelists do not therefore need to formally log in.

Pilot co-viewing estimates will not be immediately included in Big Data + Panel ratings and will not provide a transactable currency: for the moment, the data will be made available to Nielsen clients after the Big Data + Panel ratings are delivered, and can be shared publicly. The firm says it will provide additional impact data to clients later this year, before the co-viewing methodology is fully implemented into its suite of marketing intelligence products, and intends to launch the new methodology as 'currency' measurement for the 2026/2027 season. Additional co-viewing enhancements are planned beyond 2026, with timing to be announced later.

Global CEO Karthik Rao (pictured) comments: 'Nielsen's mission is to constantly push measurement forward and deliver the most accurate data ever. This co-viewing pilot builds on that mission, alongside our recent enhancements with Big Data + Panel, out of home expansion, live streaming measurement and our wearable devices. Our clients produce live TV events that get the world watching. It's our job to make sure we are accurately counting the audiences they meticulously build.'

Home page: www.nielsen.com .