TV viewers seem more immune to pitches for allergy medications this spring when compared to the year before, according to a new study from Nielsen IAG. Overall, recall among allergy sufferers aged 25-54 for all the ads on air from January through May this year was 10 points lower than during the same period a year ago.
That’s not to say every ad in the category was unmemorable. An ad for Claritin featuring Nascar’s Carl Edwards was judged slightly more memorable than last year’s top ad for the category featuring the …

Since the June 12 switch to digital television, more than 800,000 homes have readied themselves to receive digital broadcasts. As 400,000 new homes upgraded in the last week, this now leaves only 1.7 million, or 1.5%, of U.S. homes classified as “completely unready” for digital TV.
% Of Homes Completely Unready For DTV

Date
Total
White
African American
Hispanic
Asian
Under 35
Over 55

June 28, 2009
1.5
1.1
3.5
2.3
2.5
3.5
0.6

June 21, 2009
1.8
1.3
4.0
2.8
2.9
4.0
0.8

June 14, 2009
2.2
1.6
4.6
3.6
3.2
4.4
1.1

June 7, 2009
2.5
1.9
5.1
4.3
3.1
4.6
1.3

May 24, 2009
2.7
2.1
5.4
4.7
3.2
5.0
1.5

May 10, 2009
2.9
2.3
5.7
4.9
3.4
5.4
1.6

April 26, 2009
3.1
2.4
5.9
5.0
4.1
5.7
1.7

April 12, 2009
3.2
2.5
5.9
5.4
4.3
5.9
1.7

March 29, 2009
3.4
2.7
6.2
5.6
4.4
6.3
1.8

March 15, 2009
3.6
2.9
6.6
6.1
4.4
6.5
2.0

March 1, 2009
3.9
3.2
6.7
6.5
4.5
7.2
2.2

February 15, 2009
4.4
3.6
7.5
7.4
5.1
8.1
2.6

February 1, 2009
5.1
4.1
8.7
8.5
6.3
8.6
3.2

January 18, 2009
5.7
4.6
9.9
9.7
6.9
8.8
4.0

December 21, 2008
6.8
5.6
10.8
11.5
8.1
9.9
5.2

Source: …

With a focus on information and irreverence, Mediaweek has launched MediaFreakBlog.com, joining sister sites Adfreak and Brandfreak. Jim Cooper, Executive Editor, AdweekMedia and editor of Mediafreak explains the strategy behind Nielsen’s most recent blog offering.
What’s the goal of Mediafreak?
Jim Cooper: Mediaweek’s mantra has always been cover the content and follow the dollars, and Mediafreak will operate under the same mission-just in blog form. Our staff writers and freelance contributors will bring their deep institutional knowledge to bear to deliver an insightful, informative and entertaining counterpart to Mediaweek and Mediaweek.com.
Who is …

Summer blockbuster season is in full swing, bringing with it video games tied to the latest cinematic franchises. Additionally, this spring and summer features game releases that are offshoots of the classic Batman, Ghostbusters and The Godfather franchises. Though dismissed in the past, movie games are garnering more attention in the entertainment industry as studios look to leverage the value of their franchises.
According to recent data from Nielsen’s Video Game Tracking survey, movie-themed games are driving substantial purchase interest among gamers. X-Men Origins: Wolverine tops the list in terms …

Nic Covey, director of insights for The Nielsen Company posed the question at the annual What Teens Want Conference. Experts from Brandweek, Marvel Comics, The Hollywood Reporter, and Microsoft’s Massive discussed texting, gaming, comic books, movies and more. Learn more about Nielsen’s research on teen media habits in the just-released How Teens Use Media report.

The breaking news of Michael Jackson’s sudden death dominated the web yesterday (and today), causing spikes in traffic and overwhelming social networks such as Twitter and Facebook with bursts of information and updates from millions of users. In comparison, discussions of Jackson far exceeded those of the swine flu scare as well as the inauguration of President Obama.

Nielsen Buzzmetrics analysis shows that more than 16% of tweets over the past 24 hours reference Michael Jackson, and less than 2 percent of Tweets mention Farrah Fawcett and Iran.

A Topper of Charts …

It’s 2009: Do you know where your kids are?
They might be on the Internet, or gaming or texting… but they could also be be watching live TV, listening to the radio or reading a newspaper. At the annual What Teens Want conference in New York, The Nielsen Company presented How Teens Use Media, which argues once you look past the hype – American teens are not as alien in their media usage as you might expect. Sure, it might sound hip and trendy to suggest they’re too busy texting, Twittering …

Nielsen’s second update since the country’s June 12th conversion to digital television has reported that 2.1 million American households, or 1.8 percent of the television market, were unable to receive digital television signals through the week ending June 21.  This is an improvement of 400,000 homes since the week of the June 12 DTV transition.
% of Homes Completely Unready

Date
Total
White
African American
Hispanic
Asian
Under 35
Over 55

June 21, 2009
1.8
1.3
4.0
2.8
2.9
4.0
0.8

June 14, 2009
2.2
1.6
4.6
3.6
3.2
4.4
1.1

June 7, 2009
2.5
1.9
5.1
4.3
3.1
4.6
1.3

May 24, 2009
2.7
2.1
5.4
4.7
3.2
5.0
1.5

May 10, 2009
2.9
2.3
5.7
4.9
3.4
5.4
1.6

April 26, 2009
3.1
2.4
5.9
5.0
4.1
5.7
1.7

April 12, 2009
3.2
2.5
5.9
5.4
4.3
5.9
1.7

March 29, 2009
3.4
2.7
6.2
5.6
4.4
6.3
1.8

March 15, 2009
3.6
2.9
6.6
6.1
4.4
6.5
2.0

March 1, 2009
3.9
3.2
6.7
6.5
4.5
7.2
2.2

February 15, 2009
4.4
3.6
7.5
7.4
5.1
8.1
2.6

February 1, 2009
5.1
4.1
8.7
8.5
6.3
8.6
3.2

January …

Findings released today from The Nielsen Company show that out-of-home-television in 2008 was consumed more often by young adults age 18-24. Marquee sporting events such as the MLB World Series, the NBA Final games, as well as NFL regular season games showed the biggest draw for out-of-home television viewers, while TV programming during M-F daytime and on the weekends were watched more out-of-the-home than TV programs in other dayparts. The findings are based on data from the Nielsen and Integrated Media Measurement Inc (IMMI) out-of-home service, …

When it comes to golf’s U.S. Open, it’s no secret the role Tiger Woods plays in television ratings, but one advertiser in particular may be cheering hardest for the defending champion. EASports, the maker of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10, has been prevalent so far in this year’s tournament, sponsoring hole flyovers during the broadcast, and placing banner ads on the online stream of the tournament. According to Nielsen’s Video Game Tracking survey, the franchise has grown steadily in both awareness and purchase intent, as evidenced by comparing these …