Though Arbitron seems serious about rolling out PPM on an aggressive schedule, the paper diary is not going away any time soon; the company is still trying to increase the response rate for the diary, especially among young males.
To this end, Arbitron is rolling out a “Response Rate and Proportionality Action Plan” that includes substantial increases in cash incentives and other items. This spring, the company will send a $5 cash incentive for each person in homes with one or two males age 18-24 and a “$5 thank you” for agreeing to participate, expanding from 58 markets to all markets by the end of this year.
Arbitron will mail pre-placement letters with a $1 cash incentive to all mailable sample by the end of 2006. Arbitron now uses this treatment with 48% of households. The company will double the minimum diary incentive from $1 to $2 in all markets by end of 2007.
In 2008, Arbitron plans to begin including homes that can be reached only by cell phone in its diary sample.
Arbitron Polishes Diarykeeper Incentives
Arbitron Polishes Diarykeeper Incentives