GRPs Not Always the Best Measure
Posted on Thu, Jun 23, 2011 @ 11:39 AM
It’s refreshing to see that someone else is skeptical of the practice of using GRPs as the sole way of measuring a media buy. This article from TS Kelly in Media Post's Online Metrics Insider talks about the limitations of using GRPs for digital media. But the same is true for local television stations' on-air promotion. For years I've cautioned stations whenever they start touting “grips” for their on on-air schedules. Especially for topical promotion. Since the product changes every day for each individual newscast, you can only add points for that singular newscast for that one day. When it comes to topical news promotion, we should borrow a page from realtors – it’s all about location…location…location – where that topical promo airs in relation to the newscast we want them to watch. Any discussion about GRPs is worthless because you are trying to flow the audience you have, however many that may be.
The article also shines a light on other pitfalls of using GRPs and provides a good lesson for television promotion departments to rely more on richer metrics/data available like audience flow studies, promotion maximizers, only-only-both breakouts, grabix reports, etc. Mining data from these resources, followed by expert analysis, will allow television stations to design an on-air promotion schedule that will not only reach target audience, but will move them from one program to another.
As viewing options increase and audiences become more sophisticated in their viewing habits, so must our approach to promotion. No longer will the old shotgun/GRP method be an effective way to schedule promos. We need to pick up a sniper’s rifle and do a little target shooting.
- Dave Tressel