PPM’s Convoluted Incentives
PPM’s Convoluted Incentives
If a Nielsen PPM panelist wants the cash to keep coming, she or he has to do one thing: Keep the meter moving. The device that panelists carry has an accelerometer just like a Fitbit and other fitness tracking devices. In the same way a Fitbit can count your steps a PPM meter (and Nielsen in turn) knows how active a panelist is.
The accelerometer is Nielsen’s spy tattling on the panelist if he or she isn’t moving enough. If a PPM meter sits around for too much of the day the panelist is going to be contacted by a member of the Nielsen Panel Relations Team and “reminded” that the panelist MUST carry the meter “during all waking hours.” If a team member has to remind a panelist too many times the panelist can be removed from the panel.
Mind you, the meter need not detect a single moment of encoded audio for the duration of a panelist’s participation (up to 26 months) to stay on the panel. In fact, Nielsen goes out of its way to tell panelists that they need not consume media to earn incentives and premiums. He or she just must keep the meter moving to keep making money.
This creates a twisted incentive for panelists to game the system. Ex-panelists tell stories of giving the meter to their children or even their pets to keep the Nielsen Panel Relations Team at bay. One social media post shared a panelist’s solution:
(The panelist) tied the scanner to the dog collar. The dog followed the owner around the house so the person figured it was accurate >95% of the time.
Maybe it’s a true story. Maybe it’s not but carrying the meter all “waking hours” is a challenge for even the most conscientious panelist so it shouldn’t be surprising if a child or pet ends up with the chore.