i3 - July/August 2019 - 42

Business

By Gary Arlen

through visual patterns). Its clients
include Universal, Paramount, NBC,
Hulu and Fortune 500 advertisers.
C S PAC E
These biometric and neuro-measurements "provide the most accurate measure," explains Spark Neuro CEO and
Founder Spencer Gerrol. "We also mix in
measures of subconscious decision-making" to identify the emotions triggered by
what viewers see but also "the 'why' behind
them." He said Spark Neuro is "scanning
over 100 brains per day and growing."
Among the findings, as part of a case
study
for NBC and its Telemundo unit,
elevision's quest for ratings has gone far beyond the
was
the
differences in the ways bilingual
numbers. Throughout the ad research sectors, there's
Hispanic audiences respond when
intense focus on new dimensions of viewer analytics
watching TV in English versus in
that involve mood and behavioral factors as well as the influSpanish. During a World Cup telecast,
ences of multiple media consumption.
Hispanics who watched the soccer match
with a Spanish language announcer had
a far greater engagement in the game.
"In Spanish they spent 15% of game
At the Advertising Research Foundation's data science for audience targeting and
time with emotional intensity above six
(ARF) Audience x Science conference,
measuring outcomes to plan, activate,
out of 10 (a significant
the focus was on cross-platform evaluaoptimize and post both
threshold for high emotions and measurement techniques that
traditional and digital
tion)," Gerrol said. "In
fit into the evolving media landscape
media marketing chanWe believe
English, they only spent
with its shifting media consumption
nels," explains Richard
neuroanalytics
3% of the time above six.
patterns and preferences.
Ducey, managing direcARF President and CEO Scott
tor of BIA Advisory
will help propel This had a lot to do with
the excitement of the
McDonald cited developments intended to Services, a consultancy
marketing into
announcers yelling in
improve marketers' and producers' underfocused on media operthe future.
Spanish, which transstanding of "behavioral data streams" and
ations. "We still have
- Spencer Gerrol, Spark Neuro
ferred into audience
content recognition. He said, "We still
challenges in crossreactions."
need to build better consensus on the core
platform audience curHe pointed out the
metrics," but the media research industry
rency and campaign
engagement "bled over into how the
is "making progress" in integrating data
optimization, but the path ahead
audience responded to the ads during
from multiple streams.
clearly will be informed by data-driven
the games." About 75% of ads had
models by both media and buyers."
greater emotional engagement in
A Deeper Dive
Spanish than in English. Gerrol conAlmost simultaneous with the focus on
Gauging Emotions
tends this was "not because the ads
new data science research, the Interactive Several companies are developing emowere any better, but rather because the
Advertising Bureau issued its annual
tion measurement to monitor how a curl
excitement of the game transferred to
report about online and multiple media
of a lip, laugh lines around eyes or other
heightened involvement during the
marketing. Among its findings: "contexfacial characteristics demonstrate a viewtual relevance" is by far audiences' favorer's feelings about what he or she is seeing. viewing experience."
"We believe neuroanalytics will help
ite relationship. That means viewers
Among this new breed of researchers
propel marketing into the future," Gerrol
want ads to match the content they're
is Spark Neuro, a company that uses a
contends. "This data is crucial for
watching (such as a supermarket comcombination of electroencephalography
brands and agencies."
mercial during a cooking show).
(to read brain activity), galvanic skin
And its why researchers are looking
Analysts agree that new media requires
response (to read emotional activation
new approaches to measurement. "The
through skin conductance), facial coding for ways to evaluate audience responses
beyond the raw, traditional numbers of
advertising and media businesses have
(for microfacial expressions) and eye
legacy ratings systems.
been adopting advanced applications of
tracking (to understand engagement

Measuring
Up with
Biometrics

JULY/AUGUST 2019

I T I S I N N O VAT I O N

John Lund/Blend Images/Getty Images

i3 - July/August 2019

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