Baltimore Addressable Ad Trial Shows Efficiency, Improved Relevance

Second Starcom, Comcast Spotlight test with INVIDI's Advatar technology shows 32% less tune-away

By David Tanklefsky -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/17/2010 5:07:00 PM

Analysis of the second Starcom MediaVest and Comcast Spotlight addressable advertising trial in Baltimore shows that addressability by household improves ad relevance and tune-in, according to the companies.

Information from anonymous set-top box data from the 60,000 households found that, overall, homes receiving addressable advertising tuned away 32% less of the time than homes receiving non-addressable advertising. Based on per-spot costs of both addressable and non-addressable ads, the trial showed a 65% greater efficiency from sending ads only to relevant groupings the advertiser wanted to reach. The trial delivered ads through INVIDI's Advatar addressable technology.

"Our partnership with Comcast Spotlight over the past three years has proven to be invaluable as we seek to shape and advance the future of TV advertising to be more accountable and measurable," said Tracey Scheppach, senior VP and innovations director at SMGX, a unit of Starcom MediaVest. "The more experience we gain with addressable advertising, the more excited we are regarding its potential to transform TV."

In addition to the Baltimore trial, completed in 2009, Comcast Spotlight and Starcom held a technical trial of 8,000 households in Huntsville, Ala., from 2006-2008. The two trials delivered thousands of ads across participating cable networks. Comcast worked with Experian Marketing Service and Kantar Media (formerly TNS Media Research) in connection with the trial. Major marketers participating included Walgreen's and Walmart.