Disney to create Austin lab to test ads for ABC, ESPN

[ATXboom]

Disney to create Austin lab to test ads for ABC, ESPN
Lab will test biometric reactions
By Ryan Nakashima

ASSOCIATED PRESS


Thursday, May 15, 2008

LOS ANGELES — Will people remember three-second video ads on their mobile phones? Do high-definition commercials on big screens get people's hearts racing more than ads not in high-resolution? Is the sports ticker crawl distracting, or does it add value to the 30-second TV spot?

A laboratory in Austin, to be founded by the Walt Disney Co. by the end of the year, aims to answer these questions and others.

Researchers will measure people's biometric reactions to advertising that takes advantage of the latest technology. In a controlled living-room setting, scientists will measure heart rate and skin conductivity and track the gaze of up to 4,000 participants who will be exposed to new ad models over the Internet, mobile devices and TV screens.

The first results are expected to be released by early 2009.

The media giant, which owns ABC and ESPN, wants to learn how consumers are engaged by new and interactive ads — and ultimately whether the company can charge more for them.

Disney announced plans for the lab to advertisers attending its upfront sales pitch for the coming TV season in New York on Tuesday.

"One of the reasons for engaging in an initiative like this is to determine, once and for all, if there is additional value," said Artie Bulgrin, senior vice president of research and sales development for ESPN.

The sports media juggernaut said subscribers to its premium high-definition channels were economically better off and the company considers them more attractive to advertisers.

Now, researchers will clinically test whether HD ads have more impact, Bulgrin said.

The lab will be headed by Duane Varan, executive director of the Interactive Television Research Institute at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia.

Varan said biometric testing gets right to audience reactions to visual ads, which can sometimes be missed by focus group findings.

"TV is not a rational medium, it's an emotional medium," Varan said. "We can get to a deeper layer of what's motivating people by seeing how they behave, observing them in experimental settings and seeing how their body reacts."

The initiative comes as media companies are struggling to recover from the 100-day Hollywood writers strike that depleted scripted shows and hurt network ratings.

It also affirmed the rapid growth of Internet advertising.

Disney chief executive Robert Iger said in March that the company expected to reap $1 billion in annual online revenue by September, including content downloads, online game subscriptions and other e-commerce.

Video advertisements on the ABC.com full episode player already have clickable portions and some come with games attached.

"We want to drive developments in technology, advertising and serving the consumer, not react to them," said George Bodenheimer, president of ESPN and ABC Sports.

[KevinFromTexas]

I don't see anything there about a theme park in Austin.

[ATXboom]

Disney to set up advertising research center in Austin
By WIRE SERVICES | Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 10:55 AM
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/conte....html#comments

The Walt Disney Co., which owns ABC and ESPN, plans to set up a research center in Austin to figure out why people choose certain television shows, and to test their reaction to practices such as the integration of products into programs and how they watch programs on cell phones.

Disney made the announcement Tuesday at the annual upfront presentation of its spring shows to advertisers in New York, the Los Angeles Times reported today.

Disney plans to have the research lab in operation by November. It’s part of a broader effort to bring Disney’s ad sales strategy into the digital age.

CBS has a research center in Las Vegas that uses technology such as eye-tracking to test viewer responses to television shows, commercials and Web sites.

Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment

Comments
By kingkirbythegreatoftexas

May 15, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this

Every major city in Texas (Austin, Houston, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Dallas) since the early 70’s has had a ‘rumor’ about Disney park to be built near them. It’s not ever going to happen. No matter how many people know a guy who knows about secret land deals, or a friend of a friend who just got a check for their recently sold property. Blah blah blah! Just google Disney park Texas.

By Unknown

May 14, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this

Rumor has been Walt was going to buy the Texas Renaissance Fair (Plantersville) for years. Just have to give King George enough money.

By Unknown

May 14, 2008 7:56 PM | Link to this

Rumor has been Walt was going to buy the Texas Renaissance Fair (Plantersville) for years. Just have to give King George enough money.

By little minnie

May 14, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!! YEA!

By little minnie

May 14, 2008 4:14 PM | Link to this

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!! YEA!

By bcaves

May 14, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this

Great, more Mickey’s, Minnie’s, Pluto’s and Goofy’s (advertising types) hanging around Congress St. - .

By keith

May 14, 2008 1:42 PM | Link to this

There have been rumors for decades that Walt Disney Co is going to build a park/resort here..so I wouldn’t take any of it seriously…they were supposedly going to take over the land that the Leander Rehab Center used to occupy and build an amusement park, but I seriously doubt they would even consider it here….then again Walt himself kept Disneyworld quiet for quite sometime before it came to light….never know

By robert mendiola

May 14, 2008 12:29 PM | Link to this

rumor has walt disney is building a park/resort in bastrop texas is this true and when will it open






Or try this site: http://www.yesterland.com/urbanlegends.html

[Saddle Man]

That was just some random dumbass thinking a Disney R&D lab was something it's not. Thanks a lot Robert Mendiola!

[Jdawgboy]

Its still interesting news that Disney picked Austin for this lab in the first place. I wouldn't call it out of the realm of possibility that Disney may be looking at Austin alot closer than we all think...

[austin242]

I would be glad to hear its not a disney theme park they are the exactly what we don't need. I hate disney and everything they stand for like putting sex jokes in kids movies they are a horrible company.

[Raining Inside]

Originally Posted by austin242

I would be glad to hear its not a disney theme park they are the exactly what we don't need. I hate disney and everything they stand for like putting sex jokes in kids movies they are a horrible company.

Which movies would that be?

[NormalgeNyus]

um the preist getting a boner in little mermaid, the bee in aladin whispering some sex stuff, the lion king when the lion lays down it creates a dust cloud that spells something. the list goes on and on. but why else would adults watch cartooons?

[Saddle Man]

Those examples are hilarious.

[Jdawgboy]

honestly Ive seen those movies tones of times especially when I was a kid and Ive never seen anything like that? Someone will have to actually pause the movie and point LOL... Other than that I think its just in peoples heads

[KevinFromTexas]

If you go to youtube, you can find clips of the Little Mermaid thing they're talking about.

[JAM]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

honestly Ive seen those movies tones of times especially when I was a kid and Ive never seen anything like that? Someone will have to actually pause the movie and point LOL... Other than that I think its just in peoples heads

Had to check it out for myself and ran across this:

http://www.snopes.com/disney/films/minister.asp

[austin242]

watch the disney channel for ten minutes if you look closely they are left and right they're everywhere.

[southsideatx04]

Dis-ney is already here, its called the domain.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by JAM

Had to check it out for myself and ran across this:

http://www.snopes.com/disney/films/minister.asp

I am sorry to perpetuate this line of discussion... but I can't let it go.

IT is amazing to me when conspiracy theorists don't get enough sleep. Yeah, I can see the folks at Disney sitting around and going..... oooooh, how can we corrupt people today! Really? That poop would never fly.

Disney is guilty of many sins.... I have worked for them... this is not one of them. Yeah, it's fun to look and laugh at the possibilities, but to believe it is unfortunate. It is interesting, however, when you look at "art as therapy"... to see what minds actually find these things. Why is it the allegedly pure of mind always fine the worse. Like Jdawg, I have never noticed these things... and I am not exactly a virgin! Go Telletubby's!!!!!!!!

And back to our highrises!!!!!!

[austin242]

your right the sex jokes are not there biggest sins the tickets to get in to disney themeparks are.

[shanny]

maybe there should be a disney thread

[KevinFromTexas]

Moved. I'd rather there not be 17+ Disney posts in the Austin update thread.

[Trae]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

Its still interesting news that Disney picked Austin for this lab in the first place. I wouldn't call it out of the realm of possibility that Disney may be looking at Austin alot closer than we all think...

I doubt Disney is looking to build a new theme park anywhere.

[bgrn198]

Disney does have some good movies though my favorite has always been Swiss Family Robinson.