Nielsen, Adobe To Measure Multiple Devices

Adobe and Nielsen have announced a strategic alliance that is expected to deliver the industry’s first comprehensive, cross-platform system for measuring online TV, video and other digital content across the web and apps.

The move for Nielsen, which dominates traditional TV ratings and Adobe, which has troves of data on how people watch videos through the Internet, underscores how quickly the landscape is shifting.

Just last week, Time Warner's pay TV channel HBO and broadcaster CBS made the startling announcements they plan to launch standalone products allowing consumers to watch their programming without a cable or satellite subscription.

The collaboration will integrate Nielsen’s digital audience measurement products with Adobe Analytics and Adobe Primetime. As a result, both companies will jointly market Nielsen's Digital Content Ratings, Powered by Adobe, which will deliver analytics and currency-grade content metrics. Customers will have comparable metrics to measure audiences accurately and consistently across every major IP device, including desktops, smartphones, tablets, game consoles and over-the-top boxes.

Nielsen’s new Digital Content Ratings will be supported by certified Adobe Analytics census data. The aggregated and anonymous data will measure content of all types, including online TV, videos, games, audio and text. The technology integration is expected to accelerate the adoption of a digital ratings currency, allowing advertisers to better allocate marketing dollars across platforms, and enabling media companies to benefit from insights into the performance of TV and other digital content across screens.

In addition, Nielsen’s measurement data will be embedded in Adobe Primetime to give broadcasters and pay-TV service providers the ability to quickly measure audiences and viewing behaviors across a broad set of devices. The integration also seeks to drive deeper engagement through the delivery of personalized content and ads.