- Steve McClellan

Google has signed a license agreement with DVR company TiVo that enables the Internet search provider to integrate TiVo set-top box viewing data into its measurement of audiences for inventory sold through the Google TV Ads platform.
 
The deal adds approximately 1.6 million subscribers to the universe of set-top boxes that Google TV Ads has to draw on to analyze the second-by-second TV viewing behavior of audiences. Google also has a deal with Dish Network and access to more than 13 million set-top boxes via the satellite carrier.
 
"Google TV Ads is focused on enabling advertisers to target and measure television advertising more effectively," said Mike Steib, director of emerging platforms at Google. "This deal with TiVo will give advertisers access to even more anonymized viewership data, making Google's data set one of the best in the industry. Advertisers can use this data to understand which audiences and ads are most effective, which we think will ultimately lead to more relevant ads for viewers."
 
In addition to ad inventory on close to 100 networks seen via Dish TV, Google also sells ads on 14 national cable networks including CNBC, Oxygen, SyFy, CBS College Sports and Game Show Network. The company is sketchy when it comes to its advertiser base, but says many existing national advertisers have bought ads through its auction-like marketplace and that 30 percent of its clients are advertising on TV for the first time.
 
Google says its TV Ads platform has served more than 100 billion TV ad impressions in 2009.
 
At TiVo, Todd Juenger, vp, gm, audience research and measurement, said, "Working with Google is an important milestone and represents a shared approach to developing innovative products and services to help the media industry better understand the effectiveness of ad campaigns in an evolving TV landscape."
 
TiVo has also licensed its set-top box database to TRA, the New York research firm that analyzes TV viewing patterns and syncs it up with consumer purchase data culled from shopper loyalty cards.

See also:

"Spot Runner Rolls Out TV Platform"

"TiVo Sues AT&T and Verizon"

"Nielsen Pumps $2.5 Mil. Into CRE"