TiVo unveiled the Top Commercial Rankings for April, as viewed by TiVo subscribers. Top programs in total viewership were dominated by American Idol (five of Top 10) and Desperate Housewives (three of Top 10). Five of the Top 10 commercials ran during American Idol, and one during Desperate Housewives. The highest rated spot, both in Total and Timeshifted viewing, was for the film "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", which aired during an episode of NBC’s The Office, a show which didn’t even make the Top 10 Program list (this ad campaign was the least fast-forwarded campaign on broadcast primetime). Interestingly, ads for new movies comprised five of the Top 10 Commercials that aired during the month for total viewing, and seven of the Top 10 spots based on timeshifted viewing, where viewers have the ability to fast-forward and thus complete control over which ads they choose to watch, and two of the top ten least fast-forwarded campaigns (including the number one position).
"Once again, the lack of correlation between ads viewers choose to watch, compared to the top rated programs, is astonishing," said Todd Juenger, TiVo Audience Research & Measurement VP/GM. "The commercial with the highest viewership appeared in a program that didn’t even crack the Top 10. The highest rated program, Grey’s Anatomy airing 4/24, had 33 paid commercial spots in it, but only two of them (both for motion pictures) made the Top 10 commercials. Where are the other 31? Viewers are exercising control over which ads they choose to watch. As DVRs continue to proliferate, understanding which advertisements hold audiences in which programming environments — especially during timeshifted viewing — is crucial."
