NBC Universal, TiVo Team Up on Ratings Data, Promotion

NBC Universal will be the first network to use TiVo’s second-by-second commercial ratings service, as part of a multiyear deal struck between the two companies.

As part of the agreement, NBC Universal’s 14 television networks and 10 NBC owned-and-operated TV stations will be able to sell TiVo Interactive Tags in combination with other NBC products and will be the first network to subscribe to TiVo’s StopWatch second-by-second commercial ratings service.

The announcement was driven by the industry’s conversion to the C3 currency, which captures time-shifted viewing as part of the currency of the sale, the companies said.

“This is a watershed moment for advertisers, broadcast and cable television and TiVo, said Tom Rogers, TiVo president and CEO. “We have been working tirelessly to help the media industry better understand and solve the significant strategic challenges they face in the age of the DVR. Partnering with a TV powerhouse like NBC Universal to bring TiVo’s intuitive advertising solutions to a broad base of advertisers is a major step forward in the media industry’s efforts to make sure advertisers are able to adapt to the new world of DVR based viewing.”

Mike Pilot, president of NBC Universal Sales and Marketing, called the new partnership part of NBCU’s continuing effort to improve the effectiveness of TV advertising.

“We’ve made a commitment to our advertisers to offer them better proof of performance and to help ensure their marketing messages resonate in today’s media environment,” he said. “This partnership allows us to provide clients with products and solutions to help them analyze, understand and adapt to the new ways consumers are watching television.”

As part of the agreement, NBC Universal will offer advertisers the ability to purchase TiVo’s Interactive Tags in conjunction with other NBC advertising products as a way to enhance their campaigns on NBC broadcast and cable networks and owned TV stations. The tags allow viewers to click on an icon when watching a commercial to obtain more information about that advertiser and then return to the exact place they exited viewing.

NBC will also be able to offer its advertisers detailed reports on the results of campaigns that include TiVo Interactive Tags. TiVo and NBCU will also work together to develop additional advertising products and will share revenue where appropriate.

NBC Universal will also begin using TiVo Record Tags in its on-air promotions, which enable one-click recordings of NBC programming on any of its broadcast or cable networks when a promotional spot appears for the relevant show.