The rise of video-on-demand (VOD) programming choices is not only a great benefit to viewers—it also opens more opportunities for advertisers and content creators to reach them.

VOD services are undoubtedly transforming the way audiences consume video, so it’s important to tune in to what’s driving engagement around the world. Our recent online global survey found that while several strong motivating factors will support continued growth, there are a few barriers to be mindful of, too.

Not long ago, “watching TV” meant sitting in front of the screen in your living room, waiting for a favorite program to come on at a set time. Today, VOD programming options put the viewer in control of what they watch, when they watch and how they watch.

VOD programming allows consumers to watch what they watch, when they watch and how they watch. And today, nearly two-thirds of global respondents (65%) in a Nielsen online survey in 61 countries say they watch some form of VOD programming, which includes long- and short-form content.

With the growth of smartphones and other connected devices like tablets, multi-tasking behavior is becoming the “new normal” among Taiwanese TV audiences.

Like media-hungry consumers elsewhere, Taiwanese TV audiences like to engage with second screens while watching their favorite programming.

Reaching your audience is an important component of any ad campaign, but what good is ad reach if it doesn’t resonate with the audience? Effective campaigns require more than identifying the right channel for reaching consumers. It’s also about delivering the right message.

Whether watching TV, checking emails, or flipping through a magazine, it seems like everywhere we look there’s an opportunity for advertisers to connect with us, earn our trust and deliver their message. So has all this media proliferation watered down the resonance of their messages?

Across any type of format, trust is an important component of advertising message resonance. But no matter the format, the desired end result is the same—action.

Three factors form the foundation of a successful ad campaign: Reach, resonance and reaction. Reach the right audience, and ensure your advertising resonates positively so you can generate the desired reaction. Simple–right? Wrong.

In China, more than 46% of consumers are actively making purchases via the web, well above the global average of 25%. But China isn’t just the largest market for e-commerce. It’s also one of the most evolved, and so are its consumers.

At Nielsen’s annual Consumer 360 Conference, Nielsen CEO Mitch Barns and Daniel Zhang, CEO of China-based Alibaba, sat down to discuss how global companies are leveraging digital and big data for commercial gains amid growing fragmentation, technological developments and evolving consumer demand.

While the appetite for buying groceries online is at high levels around the world—more than half of global respondents are willing to give it a try—digital natives are leading the charge. These consumers have an unprecedented enthusiasm for—and comfort with—technology, and online shopping is a deeply ingrained behavior.

What’s your go-to device of choice for watching your favorite show? Device proliferation has afforded more choice than ever before, but TV remains the preferred device—and by a wide margin according to global online respondents in Nielsen’s Digital Landscape Survey.

We’re living in a world of 24/7 connectivity. We access content on our own terms, and we like it that way. But while this flexibility can be a benefit to us, it represents a huge challenge for brands and content providers vying for our attention.

Weather wasn't the only record-breaker this February. Records fell left and right in both the spoken word and music arenas on radio according to Nielsen’s February portable people meter (PPM) data.

Seventy percent of consumers are already aware of “wearables,” and about one in six (15%) of them currently use wearable tech—such as smart watches and fitness bands—in their daily lives. With experts predicting wearable tech to be the next big thing in consumer electronics, what kinds of gadgets are consumers willing to wear?

The Hispanic radio audience is growing across the U.S., increasing by more than half a million listeners over the past year based on Nielsen’s March 2014 RADAR report. So where is this listening growth coming from?

Radio listeners come in all varieties, and so do their listening preferences. We know that listeners tune in at different times during the day, but we also know they tune in for different reasons. So a big part of radio programming involves determining how to cater to the broader audience while still focusing on core listeners.

There’s no denying the influence that e-commerce is having on the retail landscape, and that influence is starting to go mobile. And as that trend grows, marketers have an opportunity to leverage the influence of consumer preferences.

When it comes to measuring success in any industry, there’s no better indicator than sales. The music biz is no exception, as companies continue to worry about the sales cycles associated with specific music singles. When companies focus solely on sales, however, they may miss other opportunities—including the ability to build sales.

During the bitter cold-spell sweeping much of the U.S. this winter, more Americans than usual turned to the Internet for entertainment. Four out of-5 U.S. web users access entertainment websites each month, and this January, 167 million Americans visited sites in the entertainment category.

In today’s digital and social media-driven world, consumers have the world at their fingertips, but are men and women’s fingers doing the same thing? A closer look highlights the differences between what engages men and women—as well as how they react (or don’t) along the way.

Innovation in how we measure mirrors a continuously evolving media landscape. And for the first time in a Cross-Platform Report, Nielsen has migrated the reporting of mobile use and mobile video use from survey-based insights to metered data through electronic mobile measurement.

This year will be another big year in audience measurement as we enable measurement of broadcast and digital video on mobile devices across both the linear and dynamic ad models.

Hispanic consumers are not only the fastest-growing demographic in the U.S., they’re also trendsetters in digital, leading the growth in device ownership and online usage.

From TVs to tablets and digital to smartphones, technology is reshaping the way consumers engage with video and, in turn, how media and advertising companies do business. While the online and TV video ad markets will remain separate for the time being, the movement toward integration is real and accelerating.

The video landscape is in a time of major flux, with digital viewing on the rise, advertisers seeking integrated campaigns and yet TV networks still holding most of the cards. But with the emergence of new technologies—and new measurement capabilities—video advertising is poised for change.

A new Nielsen analysis looked at news consumption among African-American consumers and found that this is group is one of the most highly engaged with news content, across multiple screens.

Based on 70 years of watching what consumers experience, and how they buy, how they act and what they do based on their consumption of content, we see a seismic shift coming in the next five years. Nowhere is this more acute than when it comes to television and video consumption.

To everything there is a season, and the music industry is no different. From holiday hits to summer jams, music trends vary with the weather. And understanding such trends can be crucial to success for artists, retailers and labels. So is there a “perfect” time to release a new album?

The start of a new year inevitably brings new resolutions and, for many, attempts to counter the effects from the holidays. It’s the same for many audio formats, which feel the impact of holiday programming on ratings from Thanksgiving until New Year’s. Radio programmers are now seeing those trends reverse in the results from the first post-holiday ratings book in Nielsen’s portable people meter (PPM) markets.

The 15-second ad is already “the new black,” but it has yet to achieve the same level of audience engagement as its longer predecessors. That said, advertisers must now explore this new frontier further to make short-form ads more effective, regardless of the platform.

It’s no secret that Americans love sports. But much like real relationships, this amour is a sometimes complicated dance between fans, teams and players that can bring immense joy or deep heartbreak. No matter what, however, the love and desire for viewing sports content endures all—even the agony of defeat.

Millennials are some of the most connected consumers in America today. They’re also steady radio listeners. And despite rapidly evolving technology, radio continues to engage an extraordinarily high percentage of Millennials across the country each week.

242 million people listen to the radio each week. But what you may not be conscious of is where and when you’re most likely to tune in to hear your favorite music, news, talk or sports programming… because it depends on your employment status.

Ninety-two percent of the people in the U.S. over the age of 12 (242 million people) listen to the radio each week. But what you may not be conscious of is where and when you’re most likely to tune in to hear your favorite music, news, talk or sports programming…because it depends on your employment status.

While the entertainment quotient of Super Bowl XLVIII might be in question by some, the fact that the big game is a pillar of American entertainment can’t be disputed. A large contributing factor in that entertainment experience—some might even consider the driving factor—is the ads.

There’s nothing quite like watching the Super Bowl—or jumping into the conversation about it on Twitter. And this year’s big game had plenty of action—both on the field and across social media channels.

According to preliminary results from Nielsen, the telecast of Super Bowl XLVIII on FOX drew an average audience of 111.5 million viewers, who tuned in to watch the first “cold weather” NFL Championship game.

Football fans are invaluable to their favorite teams, lending their support all season and into the Super Bowl. But which of the super bowl teams' fans give them an edge in the online playing fields? We took a close look at how Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks fans connect with their favorite teams using the Web, mobile, and social media ahead of the big game.

As the debate rages on about the high cost of advertising during the Super Bowl, one thing is certain: big bucks are being spent in attempt to reach the growing audiences and big spenders tuning in on game day. So let’s take a stroll down memory lane and look at some of the ads that have made history over the past five years.

Industry and Services and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) advertising continued their reigns as the macro sectors with the highest percentage growth during the first three quarters of 2013, according to Nielsen’s quarterly Global AdView Pulse report.

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014 President Barack Obama delivered his second State of the Union address for his second term in office. The sum of the average audience for the networks that carried it live and tape-delayed was 33,299,172 viewers with a combined household rating of 20.7.

By kickoff time this Sunday, football fans and casual observers everywhere will be settling in to watch or listen to Super Bowl XLVIII, an unrivaled broadcasting spectacle in American sporting culture. Yet despite the size of the event has become, there’s still nothing quite like the connection between fans and the local markets.

Watching content on a local level has a unique effect—it connects us to our communities, while it informs us and empowers us as participants in the close-knit fabric of our daily lives. As marketers and media companies explore ways to reach consumers in new and exciting ways, we offer a look into unique characteristics and trends in local markets.

Sure, dogs have been well-established as man’s best friend for some time now, but according to the January 2014 Local Watch Report, Americans have a blossoming love affair with another trusty sidekick—the mobile device.

As we prepare for this year’s big game and even bigger ads, let’s take a quick look back and commemorate those titans of the ad industry that have consistently proven that they’ve got the creative mojo to score big. And as kick-off approaches, we’re kicking off the Super Bowl Advertiser Hall of Fame because for many, the game is as much about the ads as the game itself.

According to Nielsen’s quarterly Global AdView Pulse report, ad spend by media type continued on trend through the first three quarters of 2013, with television and display Internet advertising leading the charge globally.

The holidays may seem like a distant memory now. However, before you start breaking your new resolutions, let’s recap the impact of Nielsen’s holiday ratings book, which spanned the four weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas when holiday programming fills the audio spectrum all across the country.

Global advertising spend has continued to climb, gaining 3.2 percent in the third quarter year-over-year. This quarter's growth likely reflects Asia Pacific's expanding powerhouse ad market. As this market continues to gain momentum, Nielsen will be watching to see if the global advertising market will continue to pick up speed through the close of 2013.

There’s no shortage of people tweeting about live TV these days—it’s a digital phenomenon and picking up speed. In 2013 alone, 36 million people sent 990 Million Tweets about TV. But until now, we haven’t known how many people tweet about TV and brands— critical information for advertisers who want to benefit from Twitter TV activity to amplify brand messages.

When it comes to radio ratings, programmers are consistently focused on determining which listener group is the most influential. After all, appealing to the audience with the biggest influence is the best way to ensure a high-performing station.

Every day counts for radio broadcasters who are trying to maximize their audiences. Peak listening across the country happens at the end of the week, and stations can always find ways to tweak their programming to boost listenership.

There’s no mistaking the impact the holidays have on consumer behavior: they inspire goodwill toward one another, trigger a fervent rash of consumerism and prompt us to swill egg-based cocktails. And with Christmas just one day away, holiday music has overtaken the radio airwaves to put millions of Americans in the spirit of the season before the dawn of a New Year.

While the holidays are a boon for radio, programmers shouldn’t forget their every-day strategies for keeping listeners coming back for more. One solution we discussed from many different angles this year was how important the number of days of listening is to ratings in Nielsen’s PPM measured markets.

Consumers love choices—and Video-On-Demand (VOD) gives them the option to choose what and when to watch. As VOD continues to take an increasing slice of the TV pie, a new Nielsen study found that marketers can take advantage of viewers’ growing taste for this menu-driven content.

In today’s complex media environment, TV advertisers are tasked with finding creative ways to break through and engage viewers. So how do some ads captivate viewer while thousands of others are readily disregarded? To gain insight, we identified the top 10 commercials and branded integrations of 2013.

Over the last few years, premiere sports and special events have dominated Nielsen’s top telecasts list, and the list in 2013 was no different. Different from previous years, however, was the first inclusion of social ranks.

As Americans search through an array of electronic and connected devices for holiday gifts, Nielsen took a look at how ownership of devices has changed over the last few years and what consumer have in their homes today.

As the year draws to a close it’s time to reflect on the format preferences of radio listeners in the U.S., where more than 90 percent of Americans use the medium on a weekly basis.

As the blanket of Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotions increases, the relative newsworthiness of individual promotion-touting ads decreases. This ups the challenge for marketers with respect to creating strong ad memorability and brand identity. Even in the face of these challenges, however, some 2013 Black Friday/Cyber Monday ads performed at above-average rates.

Even if you’ve got your earmuffs on, you can probably still hear the holiday marketing blitz ramping up for the season. It’s Christmas time and the sights and sounds of the holidays are ringing across our screens and through our speakers.

On the radio, good things come in small packages. The few listeners who tune in the most can drive the greatest share of ratings.

Today’s consumers face a growing array of devices and ways to encounter content–giving them the choice to connect anytime, anywhere. Given that more than 90 percent of Americans tune in to the radio each week, understanding how this fits into consumers’ total engagement will help marketers best reach their audience.

More than 90 percent of Americans turn on the radio each week. Capturing these listeners in total audience measurement will allow marketers to get closer to understanding their shoppers’ daily lives and how to best engage them.

With Thanksgiving officially in the rearview mirror, the airwaves over the next five weeks will undoubtedly have a different ring to them than they did the rest of the year. It’s the holidays, which means that all of the traditions, habits and lifestyle changes that we’re accustomed to this time of year will quickly take center stage—including what we listen to on the radio.

September was a busy month for sports fans. Sports websites attracted more than 87 million Americans and 36 million smartphone owners tapped into the action using a sports app. And that audience is a big opportunity for advertisers.

Marketers who can connect with sports fans have a captive audience. That’s because sports fans are connected and passionate when they’re engaged. And for sports like football, which compete with the holiday shopping season for attention, it’s crucial to deliver the right message in the right environment at the right time.

U.S. music fans actually favor brands that engage them through their favorite tunes, according to Nielsen’s Music 360 report. And brands are using music as a way to connect with their consumers now more than ever.

Disturbing a sports fanatic while they’re watching a game isn’t normally a good idea. That’s because sports fans are connected and passionate when they’re engaged. But a major consumer electronics manufacturer found that disruptive advertising was the perfect way to increase purchase intent among avid football fans.

Second-screen usage is the latest way consumers engage with television content. This is good news for brands and advertisers because the additional exposure across screens is having a big impact on ad effectiveness.

Integrated multi-screen campaigns are important today in effectively delivering a marketing message. However, client-side marketers, agencies and media sellers expect that importance to grow dramatically more important three years from now.

Advertisers agree that integrated multi-screen campaigns are going to become vastly more important in the next three years. They also plan to increase their spending on these types of campaigns. In order to achieve maximum effectiveness in these efforts, however, advertisers need to measure audience delivery, brand lift and sales impact with common metrics across screens.

Even though technology is rapidly changing the way consumers listen to radio, traditional tune-in remains strong and vibrant. Tech advances like satellite stations and online streaming services have certainly gained the spotlight in recent years, but terrestrial radio continues to attract the biggest audience.

New business brings new opportunity, and Nielsen Audio, acquired at the end of September 2013, is doing just that. Today, Nielsen is sharing with clients and the industry the first in a series of investments we’ll be making in our newly acquired audio business in the second half of 2014.

There’s nothing like seeing the big picture or having everything you need right in front of you. And when it comes to insights into what consumers are watching and buying, everything you need is now right at your fingertips.

There’s no mistaking the impact that a change in seasons has on consumer behavior. And in looking at Nielsen’s portable people meter ratings each month, it’s clear that seasonality affects what audiences are listening to on the radio as well.

Football season and wings go hand-in-hand, and for Buffalo Wild Wings, it’s one of the busiest times of the year. And for the 2012 season, Buffalo Wild Wings saw football season as the perfect opportunity to implement a cross-device advertising campaign to capture more consumer time and drive in-store traffic.

When you exclude the candy and belly aches, Halloween has quite a bit in common with radio. It touches all age groups, all demographics and it doesn’t distinguish between the living and the undead.

According to Nielsen’s quarterly Global AdView Pulse report, advertisers spent less on automotive advertising in the first half of the year than they did in 2012.

Modern technology affords massive flexibility in a new age of how consumers watch video. It also led to audience fragmentation and challenges regarding how to value content. Many of those challenges however, go away this November.

What’s the most influential group of listeners when it comes to radio ratings? For radio programmers, the questions don’t get much bigger. Intuitively, it would seem like the power listeners would fit the bill. Surprisingly, however, there’s more influence in the middle of the road than at the extremes.

Radio is a powerful medium that reaches millions of Americans each week—243 million in fact. Every generation listens to the radio, and all generations boast listener bases of more than 85 percent.

Nowadays, an Internet browser and a smartphone allow an on-air talent to be an information curator, with vast quantities of data instantly at the ready. But is it too much information? Or, at least so much that it’s more difficult than ever to determine what’s most relevant to deliver to your listeners?

TV kept its position as the front-running media format for advertising in the first half of 2013, according to Nielsen’s quarterly Global AdView Pulse report.

Better ads lead to better ad recall. That’s a relatively intuitive statement, but it’s somewhat of a bold assertion without the data to back it up.

Marketers continue to gradually increase their global ad spending, as expenditures grew 3.5 percent in the second quarter of 2013 and 3.5 percent on a year-over-year basis for the January-June periods of 2013 and 2012.

Marketers continue to gradually increase their global ad spending, as expenditures grew 3.5 percent in the second quarter of 2013 and 2.8 percent on a year-over-year basis for the January-June periods of 2013 and 2012, according to Nielsen’s quarterly Global AdView Pulse report.

Earlier this year, Nielsen started its own scientific inquiry with the Digital Program Ratings pilot, and we had two main hypotheses to test: program audience should be predictive of campaign audience and program audiences are likely to skew younger online than on TV. Here’s what we learned.

With the rise in influence of the Hispanic consumer, the Hispanic sports fan in the U.S. is quickly becoming a driving force in terms of viewership. Consequently, it’s also become a coveted demo for advertisers to reach.

As advertisers aim to stand out in today’s fragmented media landscape, advertising is only part of the formula for reaching consumers. Creating a memorable brand identity by resonating with consumers is just as important, and some messages resonate better than others.

As technology continues to shape the way consumers access entertainment, it’s important to keep up with how Hispanics interact with TV programming, music, and games. Here, we take a look at some current trends and highlight why the entertainment industry should be taking notes.

Hispanics are avid moviegoers. They’re also very adaptive in using new technologies and platforms, which puts them ahead of the curve when it comes to trying things like movies in the cloud and downloading movies.

Consumer willingness to take action as a result of exposure to a specific message is good proxy for how effective an ad is, and, according to Nielsen’s Trust In Advertising report, trust and action often go hand in hand.

We know viewers tweet during live TV, but there’s still much to learn about the relationship between TV viewing and social media usage. For example, are people tweeting while a show unfolds—during the actual minutes of a program—or are they reserving their tweets for the commercial breaks?

Whether it’s advertising via old standbys like TV, newspapers and radio or newer media like mobile and online, earning consumer trust is the holy grail of a successful campaign, according to Nielsen’s latest Trust In Advertising report.

Whether it’s advertising via old standbys like TV, newspapers and radio or newer media like mobile and online, earning consumer trust is the holy grail of a successful campaign. The good news for advertisers is that consumers around the globe are more trusting now than they were several years ago.

It’s been long understood that better ads yield better results, but two new studies by Nielsen prove that better programs have a significant impact on ad performance—and sales.

On Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, President Obama addressed the nation, detailing his positions and strategies for how the U.S. might best handle the ongoing turmoil in Syria. The sum of the average audience across various TV networks was 32,301,139 viewers, with a combined household rating of 21.0.