Nielsen adds mobile and OTT to ad ratings

Total Ad Ratings will now cover advertising viewed by mobile audiences, including YouTube, and over-the-top (OTT) viewing.

The extension means the tool now measures viewers on TV, smartphones, tablets, desktop, or a combination of platforms, drawing from Nielsen’s National Panel and Digital Ad Ratings.

Advertisers and agencies using the tool will be able to compare the performance of ads delivered through TV and digital using comparable metrics based on ‘real people and real data', according to the company.

Amanda Tarpey, senior vice-president of product leadership, digital at Nielsen, said: "Whether consumers are streaming from their TV or their smartphones, Nielsen will be able to reflect their ad viewership and incrementality as part of its audience reporting."