Media Viewer Segmentation

Media

The Challenge

The Client is an American global mass media and entertainment company.  They asked Management Science Associates, Inc. (MSA) to conduct a custom segmentation analysis of their TV viewing audiences.  They wanted unique and specific descriptors of key segments, as well as robust insights on those segments, to support advertising sales initiatives.

The goal was to create a segmentation framework based uniquely on just TV viewing behavior derived from respondent-level TV program viewing data.  The segments needed to show rich behavioral and attitudinal insights, beyond just simple demographics.

What Did MSA Do

MSA created our Media Viewers Segmentation solution initially for this client since this was a new and novel approach of utilizing TV program viewing data as the sole data input source for a segmentation analysis.
The raw data was comprised of detailed TV viewing data spanning multiple years.  The data covered all non-streaming, 24-hour TV viewing for over 100,000 panelists.  In this case, MSA’s solution consisted of a four-step process:
  1. Narrow the thousands of panelists into just 250 “nodes” based on program viewing behavior using a set of custom developed, multi-stage, machine-learning algorithms.
  2. Take the nodes and classify them into 67 unique clusters, again based on program viewing, but using a separate set of custom developed metrics.
  3. Test the clusters using both the art and science of segmentation and ultimately classify all of the panelists into just 20 distinct viewer segments.
  4. Observe how the final viewer segments fall into four sub-groups that are predominately oriented to either Females, Males, All Kids or All Adults.

The Results

  • The study revealed meaningful insights into consumer identities based solely on the TV programs they watch.
  • Viewing choices were shown to reflect viewers’ interests, life stage, household composition, and socio-economic status.
  • Viewer segments and descriptive profiles were updated on a regular basis.
  • Segment names became part of the client’s internal language when discussing TV audiences.
  • The client used segment-level insights in upfront and other advertising sales meetings.
  • Insights were also applied to internal and external channel and program promotion, marketing, and communications.

For more information on this MSA solution, please contact Kevin Mason (kmason@msa.com), Vice President.

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