The Media Rating Council (MRC) has awarded initial accreditation to the Advertising Research Foundation’s (ARF) DASH TV Universe Study, which examines consumer behavior in TV and digital media on a nationally projectable scale. This accreditation confirms that the study meets MRC’s minimum standards for media rating research.
The ARF report offers detailed estimates of consumer television usage across various connections, services, and devices. George Ivie, MRC’s CEO and Executive Director, stated, “Universe estimates are industry infrastructure, essential for calibrating viewership data and projecting audiences. DASH provides the industry with an unbiased enumeration standard.” He emphasized the significance of this foundational data set for the industry, acknowledging the cooperation of ARF DASH in achieving MRC accreditation.
Ivie highlighted that the data generated by DASH is crucial for understanding consumer behaviors and consumption patterns across media, as well as for gaining insights into viewership trends and device usage. He expressed optimism that having an independent universe estimates provider like DASH will benefit television, digital, out-of-home, and other media sectors.
Scott McDonald, President and CEO of ARF, remarked, “The media industry has long needed an independent, rigorous, and cost-efficient standard for universe estimation. The ARF has stepped in to fill that gap, thanks to our research partners at NORC and our licensees for their support. We also appreciate the MRC and its auditors for their guidance during the accreditation process.”
DASH monitors how U.S. households connect to and consume TV content, utilize video-capable digital devices, and engage with streaming media and e-commerce accounts. Conducted in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, DASH is a syndicated study that provides insights into the U.S. consumer television landscape.
Since its launch in 2021, DASH has utilized a national probability sample to yield dependable projections, enabling the profiling of TV consumers based on various demographic and usage characteristics. The study is conducted annually in two waves, delivering timely data that supports thorough tracking of key metrics and consumer behavior analysis.
The ARF releases two rolling 12-month data sets of DASH annually, and through a collaboration with Experian, audience segments defined by DASH are available on a CPM basis across multiple ad platforms, facilitating easier alignment of advertising campaigns with consumers’ media usage habits.