Arbitron is partnering with market researchers GfK MRI and Media Monitors to boost radio’s presence in so-called “marketing mix models” and help advertisers see accountability from radio advertising and make radio a more defensible ad buy.
Arbitron says its Portable People Meter radio ratings data will be available in GfK MRI’s Granularity portal, currently used by modelers. Additionally, Arbitron has reached an agreement with Media Monitors to link PPM radio ratings with Media Monitors commercial air-play data so that advertisers can receive Arbitron’s radio audience estimates for the specific times their spots run.
Modelers and agencies use GfK MRI’s Granularity portal now to get print data for models. Making Arbitron PPM radio ratings available in the same location will make it easier, more efficient, less labor-intensive and less error-prone for modelers to access the radio data they need to gauge radio’s contribution to sales, according to the companies.
According to the company, the model-ready Arbitron PPM Radio Ratings in GfK MRI’s Granularity portal are designed to improve the statistical reliability of marketing mix models and provide advertisers with a better understanding of radio’s ability to drive marketing ROI. The data is based on PPM radio ratings which is linked to commercial occurrence data from Media Monitors for the specific date, quarter-hour, and station on which each commercial ran.
Arbitron EVP/Chief Sales and Marketing Officer Carol Hanley says with the change, the audience research firm “hopes to demonstrate that radio’s significant contribution to the overall return on investment of a marketing campaign is much higher than previously thought, thus generating more mindshare for the medium among advertisers.”
