Channel war for viewership has reached its peak, particularly in Television News genre. Ad Break TRP or Spot TRP is the new yard stick used by broadcasters in the recent times to claim supremacy. A senior executive of a news channel quoted that channel ratings have their inherent limitations. They do not guarantee uniform levels of viewership for every ad aired on the channel.
“Viewers may tune in for a specific show or content and then tune out during commercials, resulting in variation in ad viewership” he added. This raises an important question, How important are ad break ratings? Havas’ Ramsai Panchapakesan, Carat’s Vaibhav Choudhari, GroupM’s Siddharth Jadhav, Madison’s Parag Mhatre, Lodestar UM’s Shrikant Shenoy, OMG’s Yatin Balyan and TAM India’s LV Krishnan weigh in.
‘Content rating is the mother of break rating’
Are ad break ratings used in tandem with slot ratings for making media plans?
Media plans are evaluated basis certain primary objectives like reach and share of voice (cumulative eyeballs). This by default works backward to pick the audiences as per the input to maximise the reach of TVCs. Slot rating indicates the eyeballs garnered by the content and not the breaks.
What is the process?
It is the same for 90 pc of TV adex – unified process being followed to analyse the viewership trends to craft media plans in India.
How consistent are ad break ratings?
The trend varies by genre, in case of sports (especially cricket) break and content (live) ratings are almost similar or see a negligible drop in break. If we look at GECs, Movies, News the trend may vary depending upon the content and break durations. Generally shorter break durations witness less drop in viewership compared to content (program) ratings. Having said that in any genre the consistency is maintained and fluctuations in break vs content is the range of 5 to 12 pc range unless unforeseen circumstances (power cut, natural calamities, tech glitch etc.) affect the measurement mechanism.
Which is more important for advertisers and why?
In my opinion, content rating is the mother of break rating. If there is no programme rating, channel/platform won’t fall under advertisers’ considerations bucket. Which means If viewers don’t hook on to content it’s obvious that commercial breaks will have lesser probability of attracting eyeballs. In a nutshell content got the pull and enable appointment viewing and the breaks rest within the content. Hence program TVR is important to gain break TVR. As I mentioned breaks are optimised in the media plans basis audience availability at any given point in viewing time. We at Havas “Buy the plans, not plan the buys”. We are brand focused.
- Ramsai Panchapakesan, Managing Partner – Investments, Havas Media India
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‘Ad break ratings offer a data-driven approach to media planning’
Are ad break ratings used in tandem with slot ratings for making media plans?
Ad break ratings hold a vital role in shaping TV advertising strategies. These ratings estimate the viewership for a specific ad slot, aiding budget allocation and campaign effectiveness assessment. Media planners aim to connect effectively with their target audience and boost ROI. Ad break ratings provide a quantitative measure of potential ad reach. Knowing the potential viewer count helps in deciding optimal ad placement.
In addition to reach, ad break ratings in tandem with slot ratings also offer insights into viewer loyalty and engagement with the content aired on different channels. Understanding how viewers engage with content during ad breaks is essential for optimising the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. If a particular channel has a high viewer stickiness or loyalty during ad breaks, it indicates that the audience is more likely to stay tuned during commercials, increasing the chances of the advertisement being noticed and remembered.
In essence, ad break ratings offer a data-driven approach to media planning, aiding ad placement decisions and ensuring messages reach the right audience effectively. By assessing viewer engagement during ad breaks, advertisers can refine campaigns for maximum impact, aiming for higher reach, engagement, and GRPs. This leads to more successful TV ad campaigns.
What is the process?
TV plans can be categorised into two main types: one focusing on reaching a wider audience, and the other aiming to enhance visibility share. When we consider the TV planning process taking into consideration the performance of ad breaks, the strategy involves distributing advertising spots across breaks to maximize reach. On the other hand, for plans that prioritize Share of Voice (SOV), the emphasis lies in strategically placing spots within the most cost-effective ad breaks. This approach aims to achieve higher Gross Rating Points (GRPs) at a lower cost, often without giving substantial attention to achieving significant reach delivery or prominence.
How consistent are ad break ratings?
When looking at the bigger picture of planning, the variance is typically within 10% compared to assessments relying on ad break ratings. Nevertheless, these ratings are influenced by the content broadcasted on channels, seasonal factors such as events like IPL, cricket tournaments, popular shows like Bigg Boss, elections, as well as viral or trending topics like Chandrayaan, Uri attack, and shifts in the parliament. A planner should stay attentive to such occurrences, be aware of content trends, and make informed decisions when crafting television plans.
What is more important for the advertisers and why?
The realm of television advertising is greatly influenced by ad break TVRs (Television Rating Points), holding considerable importance. There are instances where advertisers might emphasize attaining elevated break TVRs, aiming to achieve maximum influence in a specific moment and over an extended duration.
In a well-thought-out advertising strategy, it’s crucial to take a holistic view of ad breaks, incorporating them into a comprehensive approach for regular television advertising efforts. By carefully evaluating break TVRs, advertisers are empowered to make informed decisions that resonate with their unique marketing goals and tactics for effectively captivating the audience.
- Vaibhav Choudhari, Vice President – West, Carat
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‘For making a media plan, you would need the ad break rating’
Are ad break ratings used in tandem with slot ratings for making media plans?
Differently slicing the data is typically done to understand the granularity of the data. Saying so, it’s not easy to get the three slices with existing information from YUMI (Analytics), hence the broadcasters demand for RLD (raw level data).
For making a media plan, you would need the ad break rating. Slot rating/performance can be used when a brand/advertiser would want to activity beyond spots, i.e. product placement etc.
What is the process?
Process would differ basis objective of the campaign, but basic rule is to consume break slots which deliver i) ratings and ii) cost.
How consistent are ad break ratings?
I would put it saying, there are channels who are more consistent and channels/slots who are less. A channel which has appointment viewing, would be more consistent compared to channels/genre where the audience would want to flirt!
Which is more important for advertisers and why?
As a thumb rule, advertisers want to reach out to more audiences. Now this typically gets broken down by the concern at hand. For eg. if an advertiser operates in a highly cluttered space, they would want to have more ‘point of connect’ then it can be via raising SOV or presence on premium content or can be via being part of content.
- Siddharth Jadhav, Principle Leader, GroupM India
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‘TVR in a break is a robust measure’
From a buying lens, average commercial TVR in a break is a robust measure. This eliminates the disturbance caused in the data due to the promos and at the same time gives a realistic estimate for pre plan / deal evaluation. This data is fairly consistent, unless and until there is an important event on any competition channel affecting the same.
- Parag Mhatre, VP – Buying, Madison Communication
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‘Ad break ratings are utilised alongside slot ratings’
Are ad break ratings used in tandem with slot ratings for making media plans? What is the process?
Ad break ratings are utilised alongside slot ratings in crafting media plans. The process involves prioritising program ratings to gauge viewership performance of preferred content, followed by ad break ratings. Ad break ratings further analyse the performance of ad breaks within selected programs. These ratings are inputted into viewership software to create TV plans and forecast future performance. Planners optimise plans iteratively, considering factors like ad placement within breaks.
How consistent are ad break ratings?
Ad break ratings exhibit a level of consistency similar to program ratings. Popular, long-running shows in genres like GECs maintain steady break ratings in line with stable program viewership. However, event-driven genres like news and sports might experience fluctuations in ratings due to varying viewership patterns.
Which is more important for advertisers and why?
Advertisers and senior media strategists primarily focus on program ratings to determine content choices, genres, channels, and programs. Ad break ratings are entrusted to the plan-building team, aiding in refining the program mix and achieving optimal reach levels.
- Shrikant Shenoy, Associate VP – Strategy, Lodestar UM.
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‘Analysis of ad break ratings helps optimise ad placement’
Are ad break ratings used in tandem with slot ratings for making media plans?
Both slot ratings and ad break ratings are salient from a media planning perspective. When crafting media plans, slot ratings and ad break ratings are commonly used in conjunction as they serve different purposes in the planning process. Slot ratings are used to identify slots with the highest total audience potential. Information about when the target audience is most likely to be tuned in is vital for selecting the right advertising time slots. On the other hand, ad break ratings are used to plan for effective campaign deliveries. Advertisers use these ratings to ensure ads are strategically played during commercial breaks to reach their desired audience at the right moment.
What is the process?
As mentioned earlier, ad break ratings are often used in tandem with slot ratings when crafting media plans. It is important to identify time slots that align with viewership from the target audience. Slot ratings provide this information along with insights into the overall viewership during different time slots. Using this data, advertisers select the most impactful slots for ad placement. To maximise campaign exposure, it is essential to fine-tune the placement of ads within the selected time slots. An analysis of ad break ratings helps optimise ad placement, ensuring effective delivery of the campaign.
How consistent are ad break ratings?
Ad break ratings are influenced by the genre of the channel and can thus exhibit some variability. Viewership tends to change depending on the type of content, and this genre-specific variation is factored in when planning campaigns. To mitigate these fluctuations and ensure stable planning deliveries, ratings are considered over a longer time frame, typically spanning 4 to 8 weeks. Due to the dynamic nature of these ratings, some variation can be expected between the planned versus actual deliveries.
Which is more important for advertisers and why?
Ad break ratings tend to be prioritised over slot ratings due to their direct relevance to campaign planning and delivery. Since these ratings offer specific insights into the performance of ads within commercial break slots, advertisers can strategically place their ads during high-rated ad breaks and maximise campaign exposure to the target audience. While ad breaks ensure delivery optimisation, slot ratings are vital to identifying the right time slots from an audience potential standpoint. Advertisers often use both ratings in tandem to create media plans that balance audience potential with effective ad delivery.
- Yatin Balyan – Managing Partner and National Head of Investments, Omnicom Media Group India
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‘Both ad break ratings and slot ratings play significant roles’
Are ad break ratings used in tandem with slot ratings for making media plans?
Yes, ad break ratings and slot ratings are often used in tandem when making media plans for television advertising.
What is the process?
When making media plans, these two types of ratings are often used together for:
- Optimising Reach and Frequency: By analysing slot ratings, media planners can identify time slots with high viewership, which can lead to better reach for both the program content and the advertisements. Advertisers often want to place their ads in high-rated time slots to maximise exposure. Ad break ratings also help in managing ad frequency. Placing ads in multiple ad breaks across different time slots can help increase the frequency of exposure to the target audience.
- Audience Targeting: Advertisers and media planners also consider ad break ratings to ensure that their ads are being seen by the right audience. If an ad break within a high-rated time slot aligns well with the target audience, it’s more likely to generate effective results.
- Budget Allocation: Media planners use a combination of slot ratings and ad break ratings to allocate budgets effectively. They might prioritise higher-rated time slots for important campaigns or allocate resources based on which ad breaks reach the desired audience segment.
- Post planning Measurement: Ad break ratings help measure the performance of specific ad placements. By comparing the ratings of different ad breaks, media planners can assess which slots were more successful in reaching the target audience.
In essence, both slot ratings and ad break ratings provide valuable insights that inform media planning decisions. Combining these metrics allows advertisers to strategically place their ads in the most effective time slots and ad breaks to achieve their campaign objectives.
How consistent are ad break ratings?
Ad break ratings can vary depending on several factors like viewer behaviour where viewers may or may not stay tuned during the break. They may switch channels or mute the TV or engage in parallel activities which is why attention metrics increasingly becomes more important rather than only break ratings. There is a lot of commercial clutter too that can impact the ratings. Placement of the ad is another influencing factor as ads placed in the beginning of the break may have a higher viewership compared to later in the program.
Which is more important for advertisers and why?
Ad break ratings are important when the focus is on the performance of individual advertisements and the effectiveness of their placement. Slot ratings are crucial for understanding the potential viewership of a broader time slot, which can impact campaign reach and overall strategy.
Hence, both ad break ratings and slot ratings play significant roles in media planning. The relative importance of each depends on the campaign’s objectives, target audience, budget constraints, and overall strategy. Media planners often consider a combination of both types of ratings to create a well-rounded media plan that effectively reaches the intended audience and achieves campaign goals.
- LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM India
Ad spot ratings are the heartbeat of every campaign as it measures a channel’s ability to retain viewers during ad airtime. According to BARC data Aaj Tak’s commanded 203.0 AMA ‘000 (HSM, 15+ All) opposed to News18 India clocked 177.8 AMA ‘000s in Wk 26-31’23, Alldays, 06:00-24:00 Hrs.
Market sources also reveal that lately, certain channels started stacking their commercial inventories of RODP deals in low viewership slots while keeping high viewership slots ad-free that puts advertisers in disadvantage position as they will not be able to reap the right value for the money spent. This practice also poses a challenge for advertisers who may rely on channel ratings to assess a platform’s viability.
The situation mandates agency professionals to stay alert to protect the client’s interest and be vigilant to unlock best ROI.
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