Google intros DVR playback data to TV advertising system

US-- Google has started to offer its TV Ads customers access to data on the time-shifted viewing of their television commercials.

Through its tie-up with satellite TV network Dish, the web search giant gains access to anonymised viewing data culled from “millions” of set-top boxes which it uses to work out the number of impressions an ad receives and how much the advertiser needs to pay.

Google previously only reported on how many households saw the ad at the time it aired, however from this week it can deliver data on ads that were watched through DVR playback one, three or seven days after the original broadcast.

Writing on the company's blog, software engineer Yaroslav Volovich told advertising clients: “Insight into the time-shifted viewership of your ads will help you better understand the full value of the networks and programmes you've targeted in your campaign.”

The TV Ads platform lets advertisers bid to run their ads on certain inventory on the 125-channel Dish network, as well as on select NBC Universal cable channels, Bloomberg Television, the Hallmark Channel and the Hallmark Movie Channel.

It users a blind-auction system where advertisers set the maximum price they are willing to pay per-thousand impressions and the highest bidder then gets to see their ad air.

At this time, Google said it is not charging advertisers for any impressions delivered through DVR playback.

Author: Brian Tarran