Comscore has expanded its “Pulse” 48-hour TV measurement tool nationally to now include all 210 U.S. media markets, allowing brands to make more strategic use of local TV.
According to Comscore it marks an industry first, with the vendor noting the industry previously only had access to the fast-paced reporting from the top 60 markets. The expansion now adds 150 more local DMAs.
Pulse is designed from the zip code level up, with passively collected return path data and widespread coverage levels that account for an average of 1 in 3 households. TV measurement is reported at speed to agencies, brands and sell-side media partners, Comscore said, enabling brands to get access to granular data at the local level quickly and optimize linear campaigns for effectiveness.
Comscore Chief Revenue Officer Carol Hinnant in a statement said the advancement “allows the industry to make faster programming and advertising decisions with confidence.”
“Our data with Pulse is an industry first and highlights Comscore’s investment and innovation in television consumption measurement,” Hinnant continued. “Our measurement is now the only solution to report viewing in 48 hours for every local TV market, and nationally with the same single source methodology regardless of the market.”
Comscore said Pulse gives improved speed, transparency and confidence for planners, buyers and those evaluating media both at the national and local levels, across any or all 210 DMAs. The expanded Pulse tool is available through Comscore’s product offering with API and third-party processors helping to optimize campaigns with data that the vendor claims provides 93% predictability.
The announcement also came with kudos from clients and partners. That includes Jackie Lynch, general manager of WXTX Fox 54, American Spirit Media for Columbus, GA/Auburn, and Alabama DMA, who said the Pulse data will enable it to better serve clients and their agencies with tools “to be more agile and responsive" to their television campaigns.
“Having more timely data allows us to utilize inventory in new programming like never before, proving its value, and optimizing viewership goals for our advertisers,” Lynch commented.
Vicki Mattocks, senior media buyer at Runyon Saltzman also weighed in, saying the company is very pleased to have access to the viewing metrics from Comscore’s Pulse data.
“This will be extremely helpful in fine-tuning, optimizing, and improving the precision of our media buys in real time,” said Mattocks in a statement.
Comscore’s Pulse expansion comes as the measurement vendor marked a number of wins in the lead up to this year’s TV Upfront. That includes its recent selection by Warner Bros. Discovery as a preferred currency provider for this year’s Upfront, using Comscore’s linear and cross-platform measurement capabilities as alternative currencies for national advertisers transacting across linear inventory and advanced advertising. Fox’s free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service Tubi, meanwhile, tapped Comscore as one of its preferred cross-platform measurement vendors, specifically the Comscore Campaign Ratings product.
According to a recent survey from Advertiser Perceptions, an estimated average of 29% of upfront buys are expected to be transacted using alternate currencies. However, the proportion buyers are allocating to Upfronts is less than last year, with survey finding less than half (49%) of advertisers’ 2023 video budgets will go to Upfronts, down from 56% allocation in 2022. And while 51% increased their Upfront spending in 2022, only 27% are planning increases for the 2023 Upfront.
After return on investment and ad spend, the most important topic cited for Upfronts and Newfronts was data-driven targeting capabilities (47%). And Comscore is tightening its grip on targeting through programmatic channels, this month launching a dedicated programmatic targeting unit Proximic by Comscore. For details on that effort check out what Proximic Managing Director Rachel Gantz had to say here.