Nielsen to Study to Track All-Day Media Usage

[Force Commander]

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/media_ ... 1003714901

[Arp2]

...while, at the same time, Nielsen and Arbitron cancel Apollo....

Nielsen, Arbitron Pull Plug on Project Apollo

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/25/2008 11:09:00 AM
Houston, we have a problem -- not enough clients.

Nielsen and Arbitron pulled the plug on Project Apollo, the proposed new ratings service the two companies have been testing since 2005 (Houston was the test market).

Nielsen spokesman Jack Loftus called it a mutual decision, adding: "There were not enough clients to make Apollo a viable business."

Nielsen executive vice president Susan Whiting saw a silver lining: “We have learned a great deal from Project Apollo," she said in a statement Monday, "and I am confident that this work will enable us to provide even higher levels of quality service to our clients."

It was only one year ago that the companies began moving the project from the test track to the starting line, although Nielsen decided a year earlier not to go into partnership on the service, but it remained committed to helping and said it saw market-research applications for the portable, pager-sized meters, which measure "ambient" media via codes embedded in the broadcast signal.

Huh....that doesn't explain what Apollo was, does it? Well, if you didn't know, it was an effort to directly tie electronic media consumption and exposure to commercials to subsequent retail purchases. In other words, people walking around with PPMs would get them "swiped" or read when making purchases at client retailers. Within a single day, clients could theoretically get a stunningly good idea on its advertising's ROI....and then, if you think about it, argue with your salespeople about it.