NBCUniversal Pitches Comscore, Innovid for Local Ad Deals

Frank Comerford
NBCUniversal’s Frank Comerford (Image credit: NBCUniversal Local)

NBCUniversal said it will transact advertising sales deals across the 31 local markets where it owns NBC and Telemundo stations using Comscore as currency.

NBCU will also be using InnovidXP to provide ad clients with new impact and attribution metrics.

The shift to Comscore from Nielsen will enable stations and local advertisers to shift from using age and gender-based demographics to advanced audience targeting, NBCU said. 

“Comscore’s near-census-level data, fast 48-hour delivery speed, sophisticated advanced audience tools, consistency, and more granular scaled data, will help our advertisers to better optimize and reach their most valuable audiences,” said Frank Comerford, chief revenue officer and president, commercial operations for the NBC owned stations, said in a blog post.

“Recently, Comscore has received the support of several agency partners including Magna and Dentsu, who are already doing deals through this incredible technology. Getting counting right is table stakes as we continue to move beyond historical models focused exclusively on exposure and reach, and increasingly embrace models that help our advertisers understand outcomes,” Comerford said.

Also Read: Comscore Making Local Gains But Still Has Long Way to Go

NBCU has been among the media companies that has been most aggressive in finding alternatives to Nielsen for national measurement. NBCU has said it plans to transact using iSpot.TV in some upfront deals this year.

Last year, NBCU certified Comscore as a currency partner for local media.  

NBCU will continue to use Nielsen as currency if buyers prefer Nielsen.

"This announcement further expands and enhances Comscore as a leader in local television measurement,“ Comscore CEO Jon Carpenter said “Our near census-level data and fast 48-hour delivery, coupled with our advanced audience tools are helping clients like NBCU and their advertising partners maximize the opportunity to engage with audiences across local markets.”

With Comscore and InnovidXP, NBCU said it can support local marketers and provide real-time data-driven privacy-minded insights.

It can also gauge in-flight campaign efficiency, effectiveness and frequency, as well as media and creative performance and return on investment.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.