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Tech Week: Entertainment's
Creative Online Testing
With Andy Wing
President, ACNielsen Entertainment
Friday, May 18, 2001; 1 p.m. EDT

Find out how technology is changing online creative testing in the entertainment industry such as consumer polling and movie trailers with Andy Wing, president of AC Nielsen Entertainment.

Wing has been responsible for establishing and executing an aggressive growth strategy to expand AC Nielsen's entertainment and Internet businesses around the globe. In the new digital age, he has balanced a strategy that includes new technologies. The new products launched enable the entertainment industry to strengthen and streamline the product development process, capitalizing on the power and reach of the Internet and new technologies. Services include online creative testing (movie trailers, advertising, package design, concept statements, etc.) and consumer polling.

Wing joined AC Nielsen in 1997 with over twenty years of diversified general management, financial, marketing and strategic business development experience working for organizations such as American Express, Avon Products, Inc. and Deloitte Haskins & Sells,CPA's.

Tech Week Series Special: The Washington Post and washingtonpost.com series explores how technology touches nearly every aspect of life. In a matter of just a few years, the growth of the Internet, wireless devices and much more have dramatically changed how Americans interact with each other, in their workplaces and in their family life.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

washingtonpost.com: Welcome Andy to our special Tech Week discussion on "online creative testing" for the entertainment industry. Just to clarify what your company works on: How does ACNielsen use digital technology and technological gadgets in creating better consumer polling and advertising?

Andy Wing: In the motion picture industry, every single studio is our client. As we provide tracking each movie's box office performance not only in the U.S. but over 55,000 screens around the world including 14 countries.

In doing so, we have developed a product that utilizes the Internet to be able to poll consumers of creative material while it's in it's development phase. We have created propriety technology that allows us to stream video and erases while being viewed in a secured environment. We provide questions before and after the material is viewed allowing our clients to receive real time survey responses. The results are captured instantaneously and warehoused for our clients' reference. Each client has an extranet site that is password protected that allows them to review both the current and prior survey responses and findings. In addition, our clients are able to access these results via a PDA.

Washington, D.C.: What does your company do? What new technology products do you work on?

Andy Wing: In addition to the creative testing with the motion picture industry we also are able to help advetisers in their creative development in ads to ensure that the right message is being conveyed to the targeted audience. We work with many of the Fortune 500 advertizers such as Kmart, Miller, P&G, etc.

New York, N.Y.: Is there a site I can log on to to become a participant in your testing? How does one become selected to be a part of your research?

Andy Wing: We have a general online community that is recruited. To keep the diversity and integrity of the U.S. population, we normally recruit the participants. Our online panel consists of approximately 7 million participants who have agreed to participate in our online research. We use various sources including entertainment sites, movie going programs and other entertainment sources in recruiting the participants.

Las Vegas, NV: I know you guys just announced some sort of research center to be opened here - - what exactly is it, and what will it be used for?

Andy Wing: One of our newest recruiting techniques is in partnership with CBS/Viacom, they have created Television City at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. There are approximately 60,000 people that walk through the hotel on a daily basis that provides a diverse representative sample of not only the U.S. population but of international travelers. Television City consists a merchandising and marketing area that promotes the various CBS/Viacom properties such as "Survivor," VH1, Nickolodeon, etc. The other portion consists of a state of the art research facility that allows both focus groups and individual surveys to be conducted. ACNielsen RealResearch has provided the research infrastructure that is being used for their online surveying in Las Vegas. This allows executives to remotely access and view survey respondence and results. In addition, individuals are recruited to join the online entertainment panel for future research studies.

New York, N.Y.: What types of consumer products have you been testing for?

Andy Wing: We have evaluated packaged goods, entertainment products including motion picture and music, television promo spots, and retail promotions.

Alexandria, Virginia: The latest buzz in the industry is that it's not total site traffic (page views) that matters, it's who your audience is. Do you think sites are moving away from the volume measurement and more toward defining their audiences?

Andy Wing: I think it's important to create loyalty around your brands. As a result, repeat site visits indicate a level of intent and interest by the consumer.

washingtonpost.com: How did ACNielsen come up with e-rating? What's behind it?

Andy Wing: Similar to the media measurement required or utilized among television and cable advertisers, there is a need for a similar independent audience measurement for web traffic. As a result, the launch of e-ratings/Nielsen net ratings that is a global ratings solution in the online world.

Louisville, Ky.: Do you think the personalization trend among sites is going too far? I mean, I don't want to have to personalize myCNN, myESPN etc etc.

Andy Wing: I think as an individual in order for a message to be relevant, there will need to be some level of personalization that will attract and retain your loyalty.

Washington, D.C.: Where is your company based (location)? What can I do to get a job there? Do I have to be a techie? Also, how has the media and entertainment industries responded to the new products that you offer/provide them?

Andy Wing: We are based in Hollywood, Calif. and have been in business for 25 years servicing the motion picture industry. The background requirements vary from a general knowledge of the motion picture industry to specific skill sets either in the area of business development, web development, database management skills and software development.

The industry has responded favorably as we provide a quantum leap in online research techniques. The ability to stream video in a secured environment has been well received by the industry. We have the most advanced front end test authoring and back end reporting as well as database management tools for our clients. These capabilities help accelerate both the analytical and decision making process.

Somewhere, USA: How do you track 55,000 screen across the US? What do you track for them, boxoffice numbers?

Andy Wing: The 55,000 screens are tracked across the world in 14 markets. In many of the markets, we provide both admissions, information and the actual box office receipts.

New York, NY: What does the future look like for AC NIELSEN ENTERTAINMENT? Where do you see your company expanding?

Andy Wing: We see many opportunities to expand our product distribution globally. To date, the RealResearch product has been sold only in the U.S. We plan on rolling this product out globally. We also will continue to expand our box office tracking services into other key major markets as requested and supported by our studio clients.

Washington, DC: In your research, are there areas that people are less likely to be honest? For example, have you dealt with so-called adult content? How can you be sure that people are telling the truth about what they like or don't like?

Andy Wing: We don't test adult content. However because of the size of our sample, we are able to obtain a statistically valid number of responses to ensure the accuracy and reasonableness of the results. We never look at individual responses but rather the aggregate. Therefore the responses that may be inappropriate are outweighed by the majority.

Miami, FL: Television City sounds great. When will it be open to the public, and how can I find out more information on it?

Andy Wing: Television City is currently up and running at the MGM Grand Hotel. The formal market launch will be on June 1, 2001. The promotional literature can be currently picked up at the MGM Grand. Call the hotel to ask about Television City. Television City is open to the public free of charge and located near the MGM Grand City and food courts. Come and visit!

DC: I'm interested in why you chose Las Vegas for that new project -- is it because the casino patrons represent a certain slice of America? Or is it because Las Vegas vacationers are more likely to be in the mood to say yes to an entertainment researcher? Or other reasons?

Andy Wing: Las Vegas was selected because of the diverse population and the volume of people that visit annually.

Washington, DC: How much of your research is publicly available?

Andy Wing: We publish periodic entertainment surveys about consumer trends. However the majority of our research are confidential for our clients' use.

Dupont Circle: Americans say they're very concerned about privacy -- they don't want people to know what they're doing online. Have you encountered more resistance to your surveys and research since the privacy issue has come to the fore?

Andy Wing: Because our participants have opted in and agreed to participate in online research, we have not had any issues regarding privacy. Our participants participate in various incentive programs including possibly cash sweepstakes, free movie tickets or other entertainment related incentives. Typically, we find that most people are more interested in providing feedback about an entertainment product and are not really motivated by incentives.

Washington, DC: What do you think of Napster? Have you measured music downloading as an entertainment activity?

Andy Wing: We have not measured Napster nor downloading. We do believe however that the Internet provides a terrific opportunity for consumers to get a sampling of an artist's music that may stimulate a retail purchase.

Reston, Va.: For movie trailers and other visuals, do you use the latest graphic softwares in enhancing websites like Flash, Real Media, FinalcutPro and such? Does your team focus on the interface from a design end or strictly from straight programming such as Java, ASP, etc.

Andy Wing: We have developed our own propriety software technology and do not use any of these software packages. We do however continue to monitor and track new solutions in video streaming to improve the quality in consumer experience.

Vienna, Va.: How has technological changes in the last 5 years affected your online testing products? What new products are you working on?

Andy Wing: Without the innovations of the Internet, we would not have an online testing business. Further, the broader Internet penetration will help ensure that we are able to reach a broad and diverse audience. To date, there are select audiences such as hard to find minorities and lower income individuals that are not accessible via the Internet.

Washington, DC: Since people opt-in to give feedback, do you think there is a possibility of skewed results? What about those curmudgeons who refuse to tell you if they like or don't like Jennifer Lopez? Aren't we missing out on their opinions?

Andy Wing: We're certainly missing out on their opinions but we're looking at a statistically valid sample size and response rate.

Andy Wing: We traditionally test products to individuals 15 years and older. In some instances, products targeted to younger segments, we will ensure that an adult/parent is accompanying the child's response.

Washington, DC: Who spends the most money on entertainment? Teens? Twentysomethings? Urban or suburban?

Andy Wing: General entertainment consumption is highest in the teen-20 category covering both movies and music --cutting across both urban and surbaban populations.

Andy Wing: Thank you for your questions and participation. I certainly appreciate you taking the time and interest in our business.

washingtonpost.com:

That was our last question today. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

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