• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, January 21, 2008

Euro RSCG New York has become the latest agency to subscribe to TiVo's second-by-second ratings service.

Launched almost a year ago, the service provides the most granular data possible for commercials viewed by TiVo users. Known as TiVo Stop||Watch, the service offers comprehensive data on skipping and fast-forwarding for time-shifted viewing. It offers the same for "live" viewing.

For a creative agency, it offers the possibility to evaluate whether some portion of a spot it has created may prompt people to fast-forward. For media agencies, it offers a potentially attractive currency to use for upfront and other deals.

A possible downside is that the ratings are only derived from TiVo users, who are considered to be more upscale than the overall population of DVR users. Still, agencies and networks can use the data to gain insight into trends in that larger pool.

The ratings are culled from a daily anonymous sample of what happens with 20,000 TiVo units.

"DVR penetration is only going to increase in the years ahead," said Richard Notarianni, executive creative director of media for Euro RSCG New York. "It is our job to not only develop the most creative and impactful advertising campaigns for our clients, but to understand the way the messages are viewed and received by the target audience."

Notarianni says TiVo's data may offer the best real-world insight into the effectiveness of our campaigns. "DVR viewers have total control of their viewing experience. Understanding what commercials, and which parts of commercials, they choose to watch, as well as under what circumstances, gives us a competitive edge in creating and deploying campaigns that really resonate for our clients."

TiVo Stop||Watch data, available by subscription, is accessible in online reports.