Global audience measurement leader Nielsen is rolling out several exciting projects set to capture attention and offer practical marketing and management data pertinent to various consumer and media stakeholders. 

Says Chris Eyre, managing director, AGB Nielsen Media Research: "Nielsen has put together projects that will encompass research into a number of areas, including some that has never been conducted in South Africa before. The sheer scope of measurement through the soccer spectacle in South Africa is extremely exciting." 

Kickoff for these projects is 11 June 2010 and will run for the duration of the event.
In a local "first", Buzzmetrics will monitor conversations across the social media sphere, allowing a look into an area that is currently much talked about but not well measured. 

"Then there's Life360," says Eyre, "in which we have provided a sample of 420 people representative of the major metropolitan areas - Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Pretoria - with Blackberry Smartphones in a project that will see respondents keeping a ‘digital diary'." 

The Life360 sample will receive five brief questionnaires every day that cover questions about where each respondent is, what they are doing and whether they have just watched a soccer match and the medium they used to do this. "This four-week project will give us an exact picture of how our sample group is consuming media, whether they are in or out of home. They will also take a picture to send with their response, giving us an even deeper insight into their activities," Eyre says. 

The Life360 pilot study showed an excellent level of compliance among the 40 panellists chosen for the trial and similar compliance is expected during its four-week run. 

Another first for Nielsen in South Africa is Time Shifted Viewing (TSV), with a PVR panel also representing the major metropolitan areas. "The data is weighted and integrated into the TAMS panel, thanks to the assistance of the South African Advertising Research Foundation (SAARF). PVR data is overlaid onto the TAMS data and within a seven day period we are able to asses 90% of PVR viewing," Eyre says. 

All playbacks viewed on a same day as live will be reported in overnight ratings. The consolidated audience delivered after eight days will include all Time Shifted Viewing done using PVRs. "We have this technology installed in 120 homes, which ultimately gives us information on the activities of some 400 individuals." 

Currently rolling out is the Nielsen Internet Panel, which is converged with the PVR panel. "This enables us to see how a single home dedicates time across the two mediums," Eyre says. "Data will be released weekly and will include the internet sites that are visited." Where much online measurement is site-centric, this offers a user-centric view of internet activities. 

"Also, Nielsen's Global TV and Online study has been looking at an international audience across 31 countries and providing a mix of data regarding the viewing of the football," says Eyre. The data excludes PVR, but combines both site-centric and user-centric information. 

"In all, the rollout of these projects is extremely exciting and valuable for media stakeholders. The data coming through during and after this massive event will give an idea of the growth and convergence of the 3 Screens and how consumers are using television, computers and handheld devices to make their viewing choices."