In the advertising industry, TiVo has had negative connotations like a lot of other four-letter words–until recently, that is. The company that is synonymous with ad-skipping has been busy creating new ways for advertisers to get their message across, and on Wednesday signed an agreement to sell research on the advertising-viewing habits of its customers to advertising agency Omnicom Media Group.TiVo signed an agreement with Interpublic Media in May to provide interactive advertising opportunities to its clients.
“As the only truly DVR-based advertising solution available today, TiVo is at the forefront in helping advertisers engage the consumer while allowing subscribers to maintain control of their television entertainment experience,” said TiVo’s CEO Tom Rogers. “The partnership is all about working with the key advertisers within the OMD and PHD business units {of Omnicom} to embrace the biggest change in television viewing, consumers fast-forwarding through commercials.”
OMD and PHD, as part of the agreement, have committed to purchase TiVo’s second-by-second advertising and audience measurement research. Omnicom and its clients will also buy advertising time on digital video recorders used by TiVo subscribers. Moving forward, Omnicom Media Group and TiVo will also partner to develop an exclusive engagement study that incorporates TiVo’s DVR behavioral data.
One of the ways in which advertisers can relay their messages to DVR users is through lengthy commercials provided on an opt-in basis–a more customer centered approach. In other words, subscribers can search for commercials that match their interests.
“We’re very pleased to enter into this new partnership with TiVo. Our clients will receive economies of scale on pricing and we will also have the opportunity to participate in TiVo’s second-by-second research while also participating in new TiVo service and platform initiatives,” said Daryl Simm, chairman and CEO of Omnicom Media Group.
Last month, TiVo announced the creation of TiVo Audience Research and Measurement (ARM), offering advertisers, marketers, networks and advertising agencies second-by-second data and analysis on DVR viewing. The data provides advertisers with insights into the viewership and effectiveness of their TV advertising by network, genre, day-part, time-slot, day of week and pod position.
While most consumers purchase TiVos for their ad-skipping capabilities, there are some commercials they find too compelling to skip over. Now Omnicom will have the inside scoop on exactly which commercials are too good to TiVo.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More