On the heels of a deal with NBC Universal, TiVo has signed up media-buying agency Carat for a comprehensive audience-research agreement, officials said Wednesday.
Carat will use TiVo’s research services to help its clients better understand the impact of DVRs on viewing behavior, and especially fast-forwarding of commercials.
In addition to access to DVR viewing behavior, TiVo and Carat will also work together to educate Carat clients on ways to reach the fast forwarding viewer, using TiVo ad solutions.
On Tuesday, TiVo and NBCU announced that they had done a multi-year deal in which the media giant is subscribing to TiVo’s DVR ratings research, and will also be able to sell interactive ads for the company’s DVRs.
As part of its research package, Carat can use the TiVo StopWatch ratings service to access an anonymous sample of 20,000 TiVo households to research and analyze viewer behavior on an unmatched second-by-second basis.
The data is offered via an easily sortable database designed to track the specific viewership for nationally run programs and advertisements in both a Live and Timeshifted viewing context.
As a StopWatch subscriber, Carat also will have access to TiVo's newest research offering, the PowerWatch Consumer Panel. PowerWatch service will provide Carat with access to demographic and viewing behavior data for 20,000 TiVo households who voluntarily opted to take part in a consumer panel.
PowerWatch service provides program and commercial ratings reports sorted by standard aggregate demographic dimensions, and also affords the opportunity for clients to survey the Panelists to create custom segments for their brand.
As part of the comprehensive agreement, TiVo will also work with Carat to act on the results of its viewership findings and deliver the best advertising solutions designed to maximize the effectiveness of ad campaigns and reach viewers who are fast-forwarding through commercials.
