• by Wayne Friedman , April 2, 2008

Starcom USA says it has made upfront deals with many of the leading high-definition TV networks. The major Chicago-based media agency didn't go into specifics--saying only that "deals have been completed with a number of media partners," per a release, which included HD networks on DirecTV.

Starcom said this was done after conducting the first-ever HD-dedicated upfront market, with negotiations that include Discovery HD Networks, Mark Cuban's HDNet and HDNet Movies and NBC Universal's Universal HD.

The HD deals will be based on new set-top box data from DirecTV and from Charter Communications cable system in Los Angeles. The agency made previous audience data deals with these TV distributors and TNS Media Intelligence.

Starcom says the deals will be made on new second-by-second audience measurement data--a trend that Starcom and some other agencies have pushed in recent months.

"This is another phase in Starcom's efforts to be more engaging and accountable via plans that enhance the users' end experience with video," said Chris Boothe, president/chief activation officer of Starcom USA, in the release.

For the last upfront advertising selling season, many agencies moved from live program ratings metrics to commercial ratings plus three days of DVR playback. Starcom has looked to use more granular data--such as exact-minute ratings for commercials and second-by-second ratings.

DirecTV, the big satellite TV distributor with already 100 HD channels, plans to grow to 150 by the end of 2008, and to 200 in 2009.

A 2007 study between Starcom and Discovery Networks said while advertising recall increased 39% after a campaign in standard TV definition (SD), it nearly tripled that rate--107%--when watching advertising on an HD channel.

Viewers said ads were 41% more "enjoyable" on HD than SD, and that intent to purchase was 55% improved.