Origin to test TV measurement using Samba TV viewership data

Origin announces Proof of Concept test to expand TV measurement capabilities with Samba TV’s viewership data

LONDON — Origin, the UK cross-media measurement initiative, has announced a Proof of Concept (POC) test to harness deterministic TV data from Samba TV’s proprietary automated content recognition (ACR) technology.

This first stage will integrate Samba TV’s first-party viewership data in capturing and representing TV viewing behaviour across linear TV, Broadcaster Video On Demand (BVOD), Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) and Connected TV services (CTV). These tests, conducted in partnership with Comscore and Kantar, will identify data accuracy under lab test environments.

Following the first stage of the POC, Origin will work with both Comscore and Kantar on stage 2 and 3 across the first half of 2024. This will see Samba TV sets identified within the Kantar-operated Origin panel, to understand key audiences and behaviours particular to the Samba TV population, with the purpose of Kantar creating personification models that can be applied to ACR data from up to 1m TV sets in the UK.

This latter production flow of ACR data will be managed by Comscore which will allow Origin to measure BVOD services and will provide a foundation for enhanced TV ad audience measurement across linear TV services and CTV too.

The approach, should it be successful, will be adaptable and scalable to also apply to other large-scale TV data sources in the UK.

Joe Lewis, Research Lead, Origin said: “Origin continues to look for ways to improve and adapt measurement approaches to give marketers what they need. TV measurement has, for the most part, been a panel first approach, which has largely served us well. But, if we are ever to offer marketers the ability to really understand the true power of TV delivery, then harnessing real granular deterministic and second-level data that we can tie to outcomes, has to be on our roadmap. I am delighted with the progress so far, and to be partnering with Comscore, Kantar and Samba TV on this exciting development, that can to scale across other data providers when they onboard into the Origin programme.”

Phil Smith, Director General, ISBA said: “The Samba TV tests and developments are a first step in answering our needs for measurement, especially with regard to television which should be ubiquitous across all types of content on the screen. CTV is an ever growing and important channel within the media plan, and having such powerful data sources at the heart of the Origin service will truly help us understand the contribution of that channel over others. We hope other TV data services will join in time also.

Ashwin Navin, CEO & Co-founder, Samba TV said: “Origin is pioneering a shift in the industry towards an improved framework for cross-media measurement. This comes at a crucial juncture when advertisers need a more holistic approach to deliver different advertising outcomes. Samba TV is proud to collaborate with ISBA, Kantar and Comscore on Origin. Our extensive data and large panel will empower advertisers with greater confidence, precision and rigour to understand and reach valuable audiences across screens, platforms and channels.”

Adam Holt, SVP EMEA, Comscore said: “Comscore, with its historical track record of processing large TV data assets to enhance reporting, welcomes both Origin’s appetite to brings CTV data sources under the discipline of a media measurement framework in the UK and Samba’s willingness to go first. Cross media ad measurement especially demands an expansion in the granularity of the data inputs, but only in a manner that meets the industry’s needs for a transparent and validated methodology, such as this pilot aims to deliver.”