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Nielsen Launches Cross-Device Provider Verification Powered by Digital Ad Ratings

2 minute read | January 2017

Nielsen to verify providers’ ability to solve for consumer identity across devices

New York, NY – Jan. 30, 2017 – Nielsen today announced the launch of cross-device verification which will be powered by its Digital Ad Ratings (DAR). Under the new methodology, Nielsen will conduct measurement of the accuracy of cross-device graph providers, offering an independent third-party measure of their efficacy in verifying consumer identity.Cross-device tracking has risen to prominence in recent years as publishers and platforms have sought to capture consumer engagement across smartphones, tablets and desktop computers. While the number of providers addressing this need has grown, there has been a lack of objective benchmarks in the marketplace to evaluate providers’ accuracy and efficiency.Nielsen’s methodology will provide greater rigor in methodological approach and scale to the verification of cross-device providers’ models – also known as device graphs – by leveraging a representative, census-based third-party data set validated by Nielsen measurement panels. The methodology will evaluate providers across five metrics including match rate, precision, recall, cross-device scale and a composite score, which will be available for external use by participating clients.“The growth of cross-device providers underscores market demand to understand consumer behavior across the various devices we use and engage with everyday,” said Thomas Eaton Nielsen’s Senior Vice President of Digital. “Nielsen’s cross device verification will bring greater rigor and transparency to the measurement of cross device graphs and provide the market with valuable insights to assist in more informed buying and selling decisions.”

ABOUT NIELSEN

Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers watch and buy. Nielsen’s Watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Nielsen Total Audience measurement services for all devices on which content—video, audio and text—is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry’s only global view of retail performance measurement. By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen also provides its clients with analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.

Contacts:

Leslie Pitterson, leslie.pitterson@nielsen.com, 917-562-0715