Nielsen announced today the nominees for its third annual Nielsen IAG Automotive Awards. The awards recognize auto advertisers whose ads were found to be the most effective by Nielsen IAG’s 2.5+ million viewer panel. This year, awards will be distributed in three categories: Green Ad of the Year, Sales Event Campaign of the Year, and Automotive Ad of the Year.
Winners will be announced by Lois Miller, President of  Nielsen IAG Automotive, at the New York Auto Show on Wednesday, April 8.
“The automotive industry faced a very challenging year in 2008,” …

Jennifer Volz, Nielsen Online
Consumer reactions to recent government moves toward U.S. automakers GM and Chrysler range from skeptical to supportive, based on Nielsen Online’s analysis of Internet consumer buzz.
The Obama Administration’s weekend request for GM CEO Rick Wagoner’s resignation is merely “symbolic” for some consumers, contributing to their belief that Wagoner is being made a “scapegoat.”
Despite the President’s assurances that the federal government has no intention of running an automotive company, consumers remain concerned about the future of American capitalism and what some perceive as a shift toward socialism. Yet, …

A pioneering Video Consumer Mapping Study conducted on behalf of the Nielsen-funded Council for Research Excellence by the Ball State University Center for Media Design and Sequent Partners examined the current state of video media use by age group. Can you tell which of the following statements are true—or merely the media equivalent of “urban myths?”
TAKE OUR QUIZ

1 – TV Viewers are increasingly likely to switch channels when a commercial comes on. TrueFalse2 – Internet has overtaken TV as the most popular of the three screens (TV, Internet, Mobile).TrueFalse3 – …

People in the U.S. move for a wide range of reasons, but typically they seek out places that provide them with opportunities—economic opportunities most often. But, mobility is on the decline, and not just because of the ongoing economic downturn. Moving rates have been dropping for the past several decades, driven by long-term demographic trends.

No matter where one lives, going out to eat can be one of life’s great pleasures.  But what factors determine how global consumers choose restaurants? According to results from the Nielsen Global Online Survey of respondents in 52 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, Americas and the Middle East, the prime driver is the type of cuisine, with 27 percent preferring their local cuisine over international fare.  The second most important factor is reasonably priced food (24%), although diners in several countries, notably Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Netherlands and Belgium, …

Julie A. Enzweiler, Automotive – Research Director, Nielsen Online
The automotive industry was hit by a Mack truck the second half of 2008 with all-time high gas prices, a shrinking economy and growing consumer fear of making a large purchase.  Advertising spend reflects how the automotive industry reacted to the crisis, highlighting channels that are the most vital to intercepting new vehicle prospects.
The first half of 2008 showed growth in advertising spend over 2007 for TV (+2%) and Internet (+55%) while outdoor, magazine, radio and paper decreased (20%, 18%, 14%, and …