Telemundo beefs up research capabilities.

Telemundo Communications Group announced that it is unveiling The Pulse Research Center, a state-of-the-art research facility at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles. In addition, Telemundo has subscribed to IAG Research, making it the first Spanish-language network client of IAG, offering advertisers and clients new comprehensive nation-wide research solutions in time for the 2008-2009 Upfront season.

As part of Telemundo’s evolving Upfront model, the network is unleashing a host of innovative research in Spanish-language Television. As the first Spanish-language network client of IAG Research, Telemundo is introducing nationwide engagement and ad performance metrics to provide its clients with a more targeted level of quantifying their ad message effectiveness 365 days a year across all national advertising categories against the largest sample of Hispanics (18,000 with two-thirds of the sample being Spanish Dominant).

“As the media landscape rapidly evolves, understanding the exceptional value we bring to our clients is essential to building partnerships and to the future of our business,” said Don Browne, President, Telemundo.
“Telemundo has embraced research as a way to know our audience and to bring insights that produce solutions in an increasingly complex environment.”

IAG For Program Engagement and Ad Effectiveness Measure

A key element of IAG is ad performance measurement as it helps clients understand the actual performance of their commercials on a real-time, show-by-show basis 365 days a year against Hispanics across the country. Message, brand and likeability scores reveal to advertisers how effective their media campaign is to their target viewers in Spanish vis-à-vis similar ads on competitive English media outlets. The syndicated measurement does not limit itself to one category but embraces all national advertising categories. A potent component of IAG is in-program placement measurement (branded entertainment) slated to launch for Spanish TV in December 2008. This measure will provide viewer response to product placement and disclose valuable insight into brand recall and brand perception/opinion from key sponsorships and in-program ad exposures.

“The marketplace continues to make advancements in various aspects including better tools for ROI measurement and engagement,” added Jacqueline Hernandez, Chief Operating Officer, Telemundo. “Research has always been a top priority for the network and I share in that commitment. Through Telemundo’s IAG and Pulse initiatives, we will be able to provide our advertisers and clients with the most robust and unique research tools they need to better serve and connect with their consumers.”

IAG Research started measuring viewer response to all primetime Spanish-language ads and programs on the key Spanish TV networks in August 2007. Since 2001, IAG has been reporting advertising impact data and is widely accepted by major advertisers (over 40 major national advertisers) and General market broadcast and cable networks (over 20 TV network clients). It currently contains the largest Hispanic sample of any research company.

The Pulse Research Center

To further its pioneering research offerings for the 2008-2009 Upfront, Telemundo’s Pulse Research Center at Universal City Walk in Los Angeles is equipped with Nielsen’s latest digital, on-line dial equipment for focus group testing and touch-screen survey data collection, including webcam/video clips, interview capabilities and linkage with Nielsen ViewerCast in 15 research sites across the country including Nielsen’s key research centers in Las Vegas. This unprecedented agreement between Nielsen and Telemundo offers a higher level of qualitative research for the network and its clients for cutting edge analysis and collaboration. The digital lab can leverage technology to test programs, promotional spots, websites and mobile content in the largest Hispanic market in the U.S.

To augment its research-based platform, Telemundo is entering the emerging eye-tracking and brain measurement research technology. Through what is known as “bee swarm” technology, the tool can track eye-motion from multiple users watching commercials. The NeuroScience research provides the latest, innovative insights into how the human brain processes stimuli like ads, messages and products. Brain responses to messaging are tracked by using EEG technology to gauge viewer interest, attention and retention. Overall, with NeuroFocus, Nielsen can detect and deliver subconscious response feedback to clients with easy and insightful results.

“With this new digital laboratory partnership with Nielsen, Telemundo continues to evolve with the industry landscape by implementing the latest digital technologies for more targeted, precise and solution-based research analysis in both quantitative and qualitative levels,” said Millie Carrasquillo, Senior Vice President, Research, Telemundo. “While we have undertaken a major investment to secure the IAG measure and launch Pulse, we believe our efforts will produce a more collaborative relationship with our clients for a win-win result for this upfront. We continue in our commitment to bringing proven as well as new ways of analyzing the TV marketplace to better serve our clients, boost our revenue and grow Spanish-Language TV.”