Two key players in the cross platform measurement solutions market are at war, and the battle between Nielsen and Comscore is now getting really intense.
Nielsen has now released updates to a new tool designed to compete with Comscore’s platform released last September. These updates have been released just ahead of CES as a strategic move to gain a competitive advantage.
Through this platform and with the new updates, Nielsen now provides its clients with “comprehensive, independent measurement” tools across both its linear and digital platforms. They are designed to “help enable the market to monetize campaigns across TV and digital,” the timing of this “enhanced” campaign measurement is telling.
“This is good news and a good step. Nielsen doesn’t move fast enough without competition. It’s the only way you’re going to get continued technological improvements,” Jane Clarke, CEO and Managing Director of the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement told Axios.
On Tuesday, Nielsen also announced that it will expand its tool to include OTT and mobile viewing features, and YouTube for the mobile audiences. It also says the new measurement tool de-duplicates audiences so that it doesn’t count the same person more than once on different devices. Sources say they are a bit skeptical about the de-duplication methodology used by Nielsen but acknowledge that there really isn’t another perfect solution.
As a counter-attack of sorts, Comscore today announced the extension of its multi-year deal with Nexstar Media Group. It now serves as a currency and measurement provider to all the Nexstar markets, which includes a new cross-platform currency covering local linear TV, mobile, desktop and over-the-top.
“Over our eight-year relationship, Comscore has proven to be a valuable partner in providing trusted currency and measurement data and our expanded relationship will provide Nexstar with access to Comscore’s combined linear and digital platform data and its advanced audience targeting capabilities,” said Timothy C. Busch, President of Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc.
He went on to say, “Our expanded relationship with Comscore will enable Nexstar to deliver unparalleled data with scale in measurement and combined audience data across all platforms in all Nexstar markets. As consumer content consumption evolves, Comscore’s ability to deliver enhanced data — and ultimately universal media measurement — will support Nexstar and our go to market approach as we advance our strategies to best serve local and national advertising clients, particularly at the agency level, with qualified linear and digital viewing data.”
Only time will tell us which company triumphs, but it can be said with utmost certainty that it is a cut-throat competition.
