GroupM, Nielsen to Track TV Spots in real time

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The Nielsen Company announced GroupM has signed on for the KeepingTrac service to provide comprehensive near real-time commercial tracking for its clients.  KeepingTrac will enable the agency to evaluate television ad campaigns in-flight rather than waiting weeks for a traditional post-buy analysis. The service is changing the way media companies manage their television advertising buying, especially for those time sensitive advertisers. GroupM is the first agency to adopt Nielsen’s KeepingTrac commercial tracking system for use across all its accounts. 


KeepingTrac provides clients with overnight verification on television commercial airings and GRP delivery as compared to the media buy schedule. GroupM will be able to use the service to track clients’ television audiences against the media buy’s goals to ensure that commercials are running correctly on national and local TV, and achieving campaign targets.  With expedited data delivery the media agency will be able to adjust mid-campaign for over or under delivery of target audiences. In addition for those advertisers in sensitive consumer categories such as alcohol, food, and entertainment, the system will alert them when ads appear in television programming where the audience composition exceeds their individual thresholds to children and teens.  The software also monitors other key buying guidelines such as commercial separation, incorrect daypart, prohibited programs, wrong creative and more.   

"GroupM is committed to providing our clients with the most effective and efficient stewardship of their advertising investments. We feel KeepingTrac will not only allow us to verify in real time our ad placement but we can quickly marry that with Nielsen audience data to estimate schedule performance,” said Rino Scanzoni, Chief Investment Officer, GroupM North America. “This gives us the ability to respond pro-actively and deliver the highest level of accountability and service to our clients".

RBR/TVBR observation: There are other commercial ad verification services out there–especially for the radio medium. However, the Nielsen software seems to take it a step further by working in key buying parameters and notifications. We reported this week about Absolut airing in the Grammys. KeepingTrac will help open up more and more programming to alcohol ads–without the worry of violating DISCUS guidelines. If the audience skews too far in the wrong direction, the campaign can quickly be redirected. Obviously, the business of make-goods and discreps will be made easier as well.