Thinkbox Preps First Research Into Engagement

TV marketing body Thinkbox has appointed research specialists Actual Consumer Behaviour (ACB) and Holden Pearmain to develop its first research study into the depth of brand engagement via television.

The study aims to provide the TV market with a deeper understanding of relationships between the viewer and TV output, investigating the medium across a variety of content types, from traditional spot ads, to programming and branded content.

Fieldwork for the study will begin this month, involving around 4,000 participants over nine months. Andy Barnes, Thinkbox chairman, explained the need for the study, stating: “For a long time the issue of how engaging television is as a medium has been avoided, primarily because it has been difficult to assess.

“Thinkbox’s ground breaking research will be first attempt to both articulate and quantify the degree and depth of engagement that viewers have with television – using a methodology based on reality as opposed to what viewers say or think”

As part of the study ACB will undertake an ethnographic investigation, observing television viewing in 22 homes for several weeks, second-by second, to establish and analyse all the complex factors in engagement.

This in-depth study will assess the effects of the viewing environment, behaviour, context, cues and triggers resulting in a clearer understanding of the types of engagement, its drivers and the associated outcomes.

Homes involved in the study will include PVR and non-PVR homes, homes with terrestrial-only television and homes with televisions in multiple rooms.

Participants will also be interviewed, with further psychological study on brand memory and recall performed in conjunction with the University of Sussex,

Sarah Pearson, managing director of ACB said: “This research initiative allows ACB to employ our pioneering approach to measuring audience behaviour and building a deeper understanding of attentiveness and engagement with TV advertising.”

The initial findings of the study will be revealed in autumn 2006, with a comprehensive Thinkbox engagement report due to follow.

Thinkbox: www.thinkbox.tv