Ads More Effective In G-Rated TV Shows

by Wayne Friedman , April 5, 2016

Is advertising more effective in more family-friendly programming?

TV commercials seen in TV-G rated programming scored 27% higher attention and purchase intent than commercials in programming with TV-14 and TV-MA ratings, per a study conducted by Nielsen, commissioned by Scripps Network Interactive and cable channel UP TV.

The study says this attention/purchase rise was 51% higher for viewers who said they regularly seek TV-G content -- family-friendly programming.

Gains came in all advertising categories, including consumer packaged goods, retail, quick-service restaurants, automotive, clothing and alcoholic beverages.

G-rated TV programming was also looked at through biometric filters -- Nielsen Consumer Neuroscience Biometric Engagement. Emotional engagement of G-rated programming was 30% more than ads in TV-14 programming -- and 173% better than TV-MA shows.

The study says intent to purchase and attention were even higher among high-income African-American and Hispanic TV homes making $75,000 and more.

One-half of cable programming today is rated TV-14 or TV-MA, according to the research.

Scripps and UP TV’s next joint research effort will be the release data fused with Nielsen’s NPX panel and GfK’s MRI marketing database, available this spring for inclusion in “programmatic” advertising solutions.

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2 comments about "Ads More Effective In G-Rated TV Shows ".

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Ed Papazian from Media Dynamics Inc, April 6, 2016 at 9:37 a.m.
When evaluating this type of research one must always ask whether the results obtained via a laboratory-style methodology are supported by real world viewing indications. For example, Nielsen can also track dial switching avoidance from its peoplemeter panel for TVG content vs other types---holding the actual brand commercials and degree of in-break ad clutter constant. In such cases, do ads in TVG shows consistently out perform the same ads in other shows re lesser ad avoidance? A second indicator is comercial recall, message registration and sales motivation---all routinely measured by Nielsen's Brand Effect. Again, controllong for brand and ad clutter, do commercials in TVG shows perform much better than the same ads appearing in non-TVG programs?

While my comments, above, may suggest that I'm panning this study, that's not the case. Actually, I suspect that Scripps may have a perfectably valid point---for certain types of ad campaigns---say those that are "family" oriented in content and manner of presentation---and, maybe, for other campaigns as well. However, I'd like to see some corroborative evidence to really "nail" this one down.
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John Grono from GAP Research, April 7, 2016 at 8:01 p.m.

You beat me to it Ed.

The results pass the "it makes sense test".

But I would posit that G-rated programmes probably are viewed in larger home and would have more viewers per set. This is likely to increase WOM ... "hey Mum, look at that - can I get it for my birthday" sort of chatter, and just MAYBE less multi-tasking on phones and tablets.

My point is, I doubt that the rating generates the higher attention but more the environment that it is viewed in.