Nielsen has notified subscribers that it will begin to rollout the new wearable PPM receiver later this month.
The new monitoring devices will be installed in 47 of the 48 PPM markets on or around April 25. Houston, which uses a different methodology, will be delayed another 1-2 months for Nielsen to account for additional logistics.
Nielsen expects 50-75% of the listening panel in PPM markets to be converted to the wearable devices by the end of the year, with it rising to 100% next year. For 2022, they will use a mix of the current device and PPM Wearables with new homes “to optimize the panel recovery”. Approximately 2/3 of homes recruited via telephone will be randomly selected to receive the PPM Wearables and one-third will get the current device.
The full memo reads:
We are pleased to tell you that we will begin the rollout of the new PPM Wearable starting with the May 2022 monthly reporting period. This measurement milestone is the culmination of years of research and development and rigorous testing.
The PPM Wearable is designed to improve the panelist experience, drive broader adoption among existing and new panelists, increase engagement in demographics with lower compliance and enable more precise passive measurement.
Last month we shared the results of PPM Wearables in a subset of approximately 3,000 panelists which showed higher in-tab rates and longer carry times in new panel homes and comparable detection of listening compared with today’s device. In addition, since the PPM Wearable is sourced from multiple manufacturers in different locations, it can also help drive a faster in-tab person/DDI recovery. Based on the successful results of the subset of panel and earlier tests, we are ready to start the rollout of PPM Wearables.
We plan to add PPM Wearables in 47 PPM Audio metros (43 TV DMAs) in a subset of new panel homes starting with the first installs scheduled on or about April 25. Since the Houston-Galveston PPM market follows a methodology that is different from the other 47 markets, PPM Wearables will be introduced 1-2 months after the initial rollout in May to account for the additional logistics.
Approximately 50-75% of the panel is expected to convert to PPM Wearables by year-end 2022 with the balance coming in 2023. During 2022, we will use a mix of the current device and PPM Wearables with new homes to optimize the panel recovery. Approximately two-thirds of homes recruited via telephone will be randomly selected to receive the PPM Wearables and one-third will get the current device. All new in-person recruited homes are scheduled to receive the PPM Wearable starting when the rollout begins later this month. Demographics and markets further from the intab target will have a greater probability of having more PPM Wearable households.
Nielsen is excited to usher in a new frontier of audience measurement with the PPM Wearable which can open new possibilities and make our technology more future ready. The smaller and updated design is aligned with wearable technology trends making it easier to wear and more appealing especially among demographics with lower compliance. In addition, the PPM Wearable can mitigate supply chain risks and help speed up panel size recovery. We look forward to sharing our progress with you as we move forward with this important upgrade in audience measurement technology.
