Whether it’s to keep up with plot developments, to avoid Twitter spoilers or to be prepared for water cooler conversation, there are certain shows we go out of our way to see.

Using Program Pulse we looked at both broadcast and cable programs to see which scored the highest in “Special effort to watch.”

Source: Program Pulse Cable, Broadcast, Weekday, Late Night

As the television “upfront” season approaches, it seems that every year certain categories of programming have emerged that are more popular with advertisers and sponsors.  Some examples are: Family-Friendly, Engaging,Edgy and On-The-Rise.

In just a few clicks Program Pulse can help build a strong case for your Upfront Presentations. MediaSYNC’s easy and fast interface can identify program strengths and unique features in a simple and efficient way.

This year Super Bowl advertisers en masse featured  celebrities in their ads.  With more than one-third of the big game spots featuring celebrities of both the real and animated variety, even a commercial featuring an A-list celeb could have difficulty standing out.

Using E-Score Celebrity and Characterwe looked at how the Super Bowl ad stars compare to one another.

Amid JC Penney’s new logo, pricing and promotions, they have also introduced a new celebrity endorser in Ellen DeGeneres.   This will be Ellen’s second stint of sorts with the department store as she worked at a JC Penney in Louisiana in the 70’s.

We decided to look at E-Score attributes for both for Ellen and JC Penney to see how Ellen’s popularity and personality can help influence JC Penney as it undertakes its new strategy.

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Source: E-Score Celebrity, E-Score Brand, Attributes based on highest scores

The recent flood of storage, pawn, antique and auction cable shows has demonstrated that one man’s trash is another network’s hit show.  But can the viewing audience sustain all these shows? With similar titles and subject matter, what sets one show apart from another?

Looking to appraise each of these trash-to-treasure shows, we used Program Pulse Cable to measure their strengths along several important program attribute and element ratings.

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Source: Program Pulse Cable, *Attribute/Program Element Top Two Box Ratings; most recent fielding,
secondary rank by awareness

Drew Brees Tops the Power 100 in 2012

CES kicks off next week in Las Vegas, as the world’s technology companies introduce new products and vie for the attention of consumers and retailers alike.

Intense competition and new technology have driven rapid change in the market for new TVs, with MSNBC calling 2012 the “most significant year in TV display technology in 15 years.”  Using E-Score Brand we decided to see which TV brands are considered the most Innovative.

Source: E-Score Brand, Consumer Electronics category  

Of course, lurking in the wings is Apple, with no entry in the product category yet, but with rumors aplenty.  Apple’s Innovative score trumps the consumer electronics category at 44.

As we come to the end of the year, our thoughts turn to friends, family and celebration.  At E-Poll, we are celebrating a year of growth.

2011 saw the launch of the Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score sports survey, and the continued expansion of our MediaSYNC family of research products which now includes E-Score Celebrity, Brand, Character, and Music, Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score, and the Program Pulse suite of TV research products.  We’d like to thank all of our clients and colleagues for helping make this possible.

From our family to yours, Happy Holidays!

Kids’ Favorite Holiday Characters

In the spirit of the season we decided to use E-Score Character Kids and E-Score Character Tots to see which are kids’ favorite holiday characters.

Using both E-Score Character Kids and E-Score Character, we looked at which characters are considered most appropriate for age groups 2-5 and 6-12.

Mariah Carey has recently been announced as the new spokesperson for the Jenny Craig brand. Carey is touting the weight-loss system after shedding a significant amount of weight gained during her pregnancy.

Carey follows a legacy of Jenny Craig celebrity endorsers including Sarah Rue, Valerie Bertinelli, Carrie Fisher and Kirstie Alley.

We used E-Score to look at how women view Mariah Carey as well as how she compares to the Jenny Craig brand.

As the market begins to crowd we decided to use E-Score Brand to see which video retailer has the most loyal brand users.

In the spirit of Halloween we decided to take a look at the creepiest characters in the E-Score Character database.

From the 2011 list, Spencer Pratt, Octomom and Eliot Spitzer continue on the list from last year, Marilyn Manson and O.J. return after a year’s absence (from the 2009 list); Casey Anthony, Charlie Sheen, Woody Allen, Tim Burton and Jesse James are first-timers on the creepy list.

The winning pumpkin for this year went to the In-N-Out Double Double pumpkin. Check out the winner and the rest of the contestants. Which one do you think should have won?

That's What a Pumpkin's All About

Job's Legacy Lives on Through......Pumpkins

Monster Pumpkin Exists Solely to Feast on Plastic Flesh

The Ghost of Technology Past

Happy Halloween from everyone at E-Poll!

A subscription to E-Score Character provides access to a database of real and rendered characters associated with a variety of media properties, consumer products, and brands. It offers an in-depth look at the key drivers of appeal across media such as television, video games, packaging, apparel and toys.

With 36 attribute ratings and multiple demographic breaks for each character, E-Score Character delivers everything you need to make strategic decisions on licensing, product extension, and entertainment opportunities.

Using one of E-Score Music’s behavior metrics we listed which musical acts our panelists said are “Very Interested in Artists Performing in a Concert.”

A subscription to E-Score Music is the only solution offering the COMPLETE picture on musicians and bands from all music genres. With 25 attribute ratings and multiple demographic breaks for each artist, you get an in-depth portrait that helps align the right act with your brand and campaign objectives.

Use E-Score Music to:

• Identify Emerging Talent
• Track Purchase Intent
• Benchmark by Music Genre
• Align Bands with Media & Marketing Applications

Using E-Score Brand’s attribute measurements, we decided to find out which are the most “Entertaining” videogames among both men and women.

A subscription to E-Score Character provides access to a database of real and rendered characters associated with a variety of media properties, consumer products, and brands. It offers an in-depth look at the key drivers of appeal across media such as television, video games, packaging, apparel and toys.

With 36 attribute ratings and multiple demographic breaks for each character, E-Score Character delivers everything you need to make strategic decisions on licensing, product extension, and entertainment opportunities.

Using E-Score Brand we decided to find out each of the networks’ brand strengths.

E-Score Brand provides access to a database of 1,000+ national and multi-national brands across a variety of media properties, services, and packaged goods. It offers an in-depth look at the key drivers of appeal, and captures consumers’ behavioral and attitudinal relationship with your brand.

With 38 attribute ratings and multiple demographic breaks for each brand, E-Score Brand delivers everything you need to make strategic decisions on positioning, brand extensions, campaign evaluations, advertising opportunities, and brand partnerships.

With E-Score Character Kids you can measure a character’s extension opportunities in:

• Movie
• TV
• Video Games
• Comic Book
• Clothing
• Books
• Toys
• Online

The start of every fall season brings with it football, pumpkin lattes, raking leaves and the return of our favorite TV shows.

Using Program Pulse Broadcast we looked at which returning broadcast shows viewers are most Looking Forward to Watch.

  Source: Program Pulse Broadcast

A subscription to Program Pulse provides access to a database of more than 1,600 television programs tracked over five years and offers networks, advertisers and producers an in-depth view of a program’s strengths, weaknesses, and probability of future success.

With tonight’s Packers and Saints game kicking off a much-awaited season, we used the Nielsen/E-Poll N-Score to compile a list of the NFL’s most Exciting players.

A subscription to the Nielsen / E-Poll N-Score makes available detailed information including awareness, appeal and 46 attributes on more than 1,000 athletes, coaches, broadcasters and other sports personalities, on both a national basis and in 30 local markets.

E-Score Celebrity is conducted weekly among a representative sample of 1,100 respondents ages 13+. These E-Scores were fielded after 8/1/10 among all respondents. Minimum Awareness of 10%. Ranked first by Total Dislike, then by Awareness

Our E-Score Celebrity research for the first week of August showed that 53 percent of those questioned were aware of Casey Anthony and her story, and 94 percent of those people disliked her. Anthony was also considered “creepy” by 57 percent of those questioned and “cold” by 60 percent of respondents.

The E-Score Celebrity poll is carried out weekly among a representative sample of 1,100 respondents aged 13 and over. It ranks more than 6,000 celebrities in terms of public awareness, appeal and 46 other attributes.

*Data citations should be attributed to “E-Poll Market Research, whose E-Score ©
Celebrity service ranks more than 6,000 celebrities on awareness, appeal and 46
different personality attributes”

The Emmy nominations were announced two weeks ago including the six shows up for the best comedy series trophy.  The nominees include 30 Rock, Glee, Modern Family, Parks and Recreation, The Office and The Big Bang Theory.  A best series winner need not have the highest ratings, as recently demonstrated with 30 Rock’s three-peat best comedy series run.  Critical acclaim can be an indicator but seldom promises a trophy.

What, then, are the factors that make a show nomination-worthy?  Using Program Pulse we were able to identify the common strengths this year’s best comedy series nominees hold.

Emmys Choose Brains Over Beauty

Program Pulse Broadcast provides a measurement of program attributes and key elements.  Calculating an average for all broadcast comedies we looked at where this year’s nominees pull ahead.

The six nominees possess significantly higher than average scores in Clever, Intelligent and Unique.  The nominees score an average Clever score 13 points higher than average.  The broadcast comedy genre average for Unique is 39%, well below the nominee average of 52% led by everyone’s favorite sing-a-long Glee with a Unique score of 67%.

The Emmy nominees also scored 16 points higher than the broadcast comedy average in Intelligent with the theorem-dropping The Big Bang Theory getting top marks with 57%.

This year’s nominees show a growing maturity in audiences that appreciate programs that at least appear to stand out from the collective TV programming. Program Pulse is fielded monthly covering both cable and broadcast programs.  Each show is rated among 24 different attributes and 7 program elements.

Online TV Viewing Complements and Expands Live Viewing
Three segments of viewers were measured; mostly linear TV viewers (live plus DVR), both online and linear viewers and mostly online viewers.  When asked, “I prefer to watch my favorite programs live on TV or through a DVR rather than watching them online,” 58% of mostly online viewers and 61% of both online and linear viewers agreed either somewhat or strongly.

61% agreed with the statement, “If I discover a new show I like online, I would prefer to watch it on Live TV or through a DVR rather than online.”  The research confirms that most viewers prefer live TV or DVR over online viewing, regardless of where they first discover the programming.

Other topics addressed in the report ask if online viewing helps retain fanbases and if online viewing behavior can be a tool in acquiring new viewers.  View the rest of the report here.

Gaming consoles have taken center stage in most households as the entertainment hub delivering content beyond gaming.

Microsoft recently announced that 40% of all Xbox use is non-gaming.  PS3 and Wii are following similar models, offering browsing capabilities as well as access to Netflix, hulu and streaming music.  This growth presents new opportunities for console owners to be presented with targeted content.

This raises the question, what sort of content does the typical game console user want to see?

Most Interested in a Video Game

Using the unique extendability assessment from  E-Score Character Kids we looked at which characters gamers age 6-12 (play console games 2-4 times per week or more) want to see in their TV shows and in their games.

Excluding characters that originated from video games, Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon came out at top with 73% of respondents saying they are very or somewhat interested in seeing Toothless in a game.  Logan (Wolverine), Dumbledore, Megatron, Avatar and Phineas (Phineas and Ferb) also appeared on the list.

Most Interested in a TV Show

Toothless topped our list again with 77% of kids being somewhat or very interested in seeing him in a TV show; excluding characters originating from TV.   How to Train Your Dragon trainer Hiccup also appeared on our interest in TV show list as well as, Scrat (Ice Age), Donkey (Shrek), Po (Kung Fu Panda) and Dug (Up).

E-Score Character Kids can look at character appeal, potential extensions and attribute scores along different types of behavior.  Along with console video game use you can also filter by TV viewership, music consumption, internet video consumption and game console ownership.

The water-cooler effect has expanded from office kitchenettes to social networks like Facebook and Twitter.  Programs that engage viewers in discussion create stronger viewer advocacy.  In other words, friends don’t let friends watch bad TV.

Most Talked About Cable Shows

Using Program Pulse Cable we looked at which are the top cable programs where viewers Talked About Show.  At the top of our list are shows featuring zombies, friendly serial-killers and Sarah Palin.  AMC’s The Walking Dead is tops on our list with a score of 60.

With no shortage of guns and grizzly bears, Sarah Palin’s Alaska is number two with 58.  Dexter, utilizing season long story arcs primed for speculation and suspense comes in at third with a score of 57.

Along with Talked About Show, Program Pulse Cable can look into other engagement features including attentiveness and future viewing intent providing a picture of audience participation.

Delving into the E-Score Brand database, we looked at the universe of nearly 1,200 brands tracked to determine which factors drive appeal for brands among the Baby Boomer generation as compared those appealing to the Millennials.

Key Drivers of Brand Appeal

For our study, Millennials are defined as those born between 1977 and 1994. Baby Boomers are born between 1949 and 1964. For each generational group we looked at the top 10% most appealing brands by top-two box appeal (“like a lot” or “like”).

Each brand is evaluated for 39 different attributes. Among these elite brands, we ranked the average scores for each attribute to demonstrate their relative importance in driving high brand appeal.  The resulting lists looked quite different for each generational cohort.

While both groups gave high marks to attributes such as A Leader, High-Quality and Classic, there were clear differences in the respective lists.  Millennials see Cool as the 10th most important attribute contrasting with Baby Boomers who place it 25th.  The apparently cynical Millennials place Trustworthy at 16th where Baby Boomers place it 8th.  The Millennials, products of the mass marketing era and crave differentiation, place Unique at 12th; while Boomers place Unique just 24th.  Millennials see Approachable as less important in the 21st spot but Boomers place it much higher at 14th.

E-Score Brand has the ability to dissect opinions of brands based on age and generation.  A brand looking to extend or re-position its product to other ages can see which attributes deserve more attention in their promotions and which attributes may deserve less.

The Lipstick Effect is a theory claiming when faced with economic crisis consumers may spend less on costly luxury goods; women load up on affordable luxuries as a substitute for more expensive ones.  The current economic climate is proving that theory accurate.  According to the Professional Beauty Association, the beauty retail industry is to hit $59 billion in 2012, up from $43 billion in 2006.

The current state of the economy and recent trends in the beauty industry has created an opportunity for celebrities to bank on their famous faces and dewy complexions while beauty/fashion brands expand product lines and increase sales.

Top Beauty/Fashion Spokespersons

In our E-Score Celebrity Year End Special Report we looked at the top potential beauty/fashion spokespersons among females age 13 to 24 and 25 to 54.  As beauty products have focused on specific ages and groups, so in turn should their endorsers.  A celebrity appearing on the 13 to 24 list, such as Ashley Greene, is best suited promoting light and natural skin products, where Sandra Bullock, on the 25 to 54 list, might promote luxury cosmetic lines.

The beauty industry has segmented its product lines producing items that specifically serve certain ages, skin types and ailments.  Cosmetic brands have turned to celebrities to endorse their products.  Where models are seen as the paragon of beauty and perfection, celebrities can be perceived as the characters they portray with traits and flaws consumers can relate to, and empathize with.

Along with age, specific races and cultures deal with a variety of different beauty concerns.  E-Score Celebrity can look at opinions for potential beauty endorsers by race, age and life stage.  Read the rest of the E-Score Celebrity Year End Report to see which other celebrities appeared in our list.

Ronald’s return to the forefront of McDonald’s kid-focused promotions signals a continued belief in the strength of the character.   But is Ronald still relevant to an increasingly cynical youth?  Is the antagonism toward Ronald symptomatic of broader parental dislike?

The Happy? Meal

Using our 3 varieties of E-Score Character, Kids and Tots we looked at how people ages 2-5, 6-12 and Parents of kids under 18, view Ronald McDonald.  Appeal peaks for kids 2-5 with a top two box score of 61%, declining to 42% for kids 6-12 and sinking to 24% for Parents of kids <18 – the only group for whom appeal is noticeably below average.  Parents do, however, consider Ronald to be above average on the attributes Approachable, Believable and Influential.

Source:  E-Score Brand Filtered by Parents of Kids <18

While parents are less than enamored of the Ronald character, these attitudes do not appear to carry over to their perception of the McDonald’s brand as a whole. Using E-Score Brand, we see that top-two box appeal for the McDonald’s brand among parents of kids under 18 is at 63%, ten points above the category average, and shows a generally stable long-term trend.  Use of the Ronald McDonald character does not appear to be harming the brand, and carries sizeable equity with younger clientele.

Pepsi and Coke have been locked in a fierce battle for cola supremacy for decades.  Coming off a period of declining sales, with industry data showing both Coke and Diet Coke now surpassing Pepsi, Pepsi recently opened a new front in the cola wars with its sponsorship of The X Factor.  Starring Simon Cowell, The X-Factor will challenge Cowell’s former program, American Idol, and its long-time promotional partner Coke.

In these overlapping rivalries Pepsi seems to have found an ideal situation. The contest between American Idol and The X Factor mimics the competition between the two soft drink companies.  Coke and American Idol are the stalwart brands with years of market leadership, while Pepsi and the upstart newcomer The X Factor look to take down the establishment.   What can Simon Cowell and The X Factor offer to Pepsi in their battle with Coke?

Cowell’s Attribute Scores

Pepsi has touted itself as “the choice of a new generation” with the intention of focusing on younger audiences and implying that Coke is tired and old.  Pepsi also gained attention with its aggressive “Pepsi Challenge” calling out Coke as having inferior taste.

According to E-Score Celebrity data, Cowell is considered Aggressive (31%), Confident (35%) and Influential (28%).   A risk for Pepsi is that Cowell is also perceived as Rude (42%) and Mean (39%).    However, Cowell’s strong personality and attitude compliment Pepsi’s interest in reigniting the cola wars and taking an aggressive position.

Cowell’s contribution to the Pepsi brand may serve as a model for other X Factor sponsors demonstrating how his uniqueness can supplement a brand’s directive.  E-Score Celebrity can demonstrate how a personality can aid in a new brand strategy.

Procter & Gamble’s Head & Shoulders brand struck marketing gold when it signed NFL star Troy Polamalu to an endorsement deal in 2009.  At the time, Polamalu was a proven performer on the field with All-Pro honors and appearances in the Super Bowl.  However, it was “the hair” that stood out among most NFL fans and casual viewers which made him a natural fit for the brand that wanted to expand its market.

With N-Score endorsement attributes such as Dynamic, Exciting and Unique, Polamalu has helped energize the brand, with P&G reporting sales in 2010 up by “mid-single digits.”

Head & Shoulders now enjoys 67% awareness in E-Score Brand with top Power Factors™ such as Practical, Classic and A Leader.

The relationship has also benefited Polamalu himself.  Prior to the deal, Nielsen/E-Poll measured Polamalu with an N-Score of 80, putting him in the middle tier of all sports figures surveyed.  Benefiting from the favorable exposure, Polamalu currently holds an N-Score of 165, putting him in the “Superstar” tier, which represents the top seven percent of all sports figures for endorsement potential.

Joe Mauer Lathers Up

Now Head & Shoulders is trying to replicate its success with Joe Mauer, of baseball’s Minnesota Twins.  Like the pre-endorsement Polamalu, Mauer has been successful on the field, winning three AL batting titles and earning MVP honors in 2009.  However, he plays for a middle-market team which has not made it past the first round of the playoffs during his tenure.  Mauer currently has an N-Score of 36 and Awareness of only 11 percent.  However, P&G must be seeing something else in Mauer that might be a good complement to Polamalu.

First, like Polamalu, Mauer has a very high local N-Score of 620 in his hometown market which puts him in the endorsement “Hall of Fame” category.  If he can translate that appeal on the national stage, they may have made the correct choice.  Secondly, Joe Mauer’s attributes of Down to Earth, Confident and Influential, along with a clean-cut look, may be the bookend they need to appeal to all types of consumers.  Lastly, using players from both the NFL and Major League Baseball expands the fan base and potential market upside for the brand.

In 2009 Gatorade changed its logo in an attempt to refresh and reposition its brand. In March of 2010 we used E-Score Brand to compare the old logo against their new G logo.

The research revealed a substantial difference in logo awareness with the new logo scoring 48 points lower than the previous version.  A year later we decided to revisit Gatorade to see if a year of marketing and promotions has improved the awareness of the G logo.

Gatorade’s Brand Name vs. Image Awareness

From January 2010 to February 2011, the G logo saw an increased logo awareness of just 9 points (34% vs. 43%), falling well short of the 82% awareness the original logo garnered.  Name awareness of Gatorade remained relatively static over that same period with a score of 80% to 79%.  Arguably Gatorade’s closest competitor Powerade, which holds a much smaller market share, earns a logo awareness score stronger than Gatorade’s (46% vs. 43%).

Consumer Comments on Gatorade

According to company officials, Gatorade is now focusing on younger athletes and active adults with a message of functional benefits for serious athletes.  Two data points suggest that they may be making headway with this strategy.

In February 2011, 59% of respondents ages 13-24 showed awareness of the G logo compared to just 43% for all respondents.  When asked “What is the first thought that comes to mind when you see the name of the brand,” the same age group also showed an 11 point increase in mentions of “sport” when compared to 2010.

Source: E-Score Brand, Respondents asked “What is the first thought that comes to mind when you see the name of the brand?”, Combined responses greater than 100%, responses filtered by ages 13-24

The research suggests that Gatorade may have a long road to return to its previous awareness’ score but is on the right track to reposition the product with younger consumers as a performance enhancer and not simply a sugary beverage.

E-Score Brand’s monthly fielding can track changes in a brand’s logo, name and how receptive the public is to a new strategy.

A television viewer’s attention has never been more fragmented.  Competition from multiple screens and niche networks imposes enormous pressure on programmers and advertisers vying for eyeballs.  Finding an alignment between program and advertiser can enhance not only the ads’ effectiveness but maintain a show’s ethos despite the commercial interruptions.

Along with audience size and demographics, advertisers may consider the relationship a viewer has with a show on a qualitative level as an opportunity to tap into audience emotions and attitudes.

Program Pulse captures audience perceptions based on a number of different characteristics.  We took the defining characteristics of a few popular shows and matched them with brands of similar traits.

Brands and TV Shows Share Similar Values

Fox’s show Fringe scores high for attributes Unique and Intelligent.  Using E-Score Brand, Apple matched well, scoring strongly among all brands in Smart and Unique.

ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition earns high scores in Family Friendly and Optimistic.  The greeting card maker Hallmark followed a similar set of values, being seen as Family Friendly and Inspirational.  The CW’s The Vampire Diaries is strongly seen as being Sexy and Unique.  The clothing line True Religion is a good match scoring near the top among all brands for both Unique and Sexy.

Brands can also use this information to integrate elements of a show into promotions to increase retention and interaction.  So don’t be too surprised the next time you see a vampire slip on a pair of True Religion jeans.

Click on the chart below to open the interactive tool. Chart athletes based on their on and off-field scores, earnings, awareness and their power score.

Flashback to the mid 90’s; college funds went to beanie babies, kids squandered their allowances on pogs, AOL was how we got online and Friends was one of the biggest shows on TV.

After the show’s finale in 2004, the six actors went their separate ways in hopes of taking that success into other arenas.  Now,with both Matthew Perry and Matt Leblanc returning to TV with new shows, and Cox’s Cougar Town gaining in popularity, it’s almost as if these friends are back in their old neighborhood.  We wondered how the intervening time has affected their public perception.

Friends’ Cast Still Strong with Audiences

According to data from E-Score Celebrity, each of the Friends cast members still possesses noticeable star power as they all have E-Scores above 90.   In addition, all six stars from Friends hold awareness scores well above the TV Comedy Personality average, with Aniston topping off at 77 followed by Cox at 58 and Leblanc at 57.   The Friends cast also earns higher appeal and funny attribute scores than the TV Comedy Actor category.  Leblanc and Perry score 60 and 55 for funny respectively, while the average sits well below at 39.

If their new shows can live up to public perception, these programs are in a favorable position and can capitalize on their huge awareness, appeal, attribute scores and expectations with audiences.  If so, can it be long before we are all wearing Doc Martins and dancing the Macarena once again?

In an effort to reach out to women “of a certain age,” Olay has hired Kim Cattrall to endorse their anti-aging body wash and lotion.

The anti-aging beauty category is a large fraction of the industry, and Olay is banking on Cattrall’s image as the powerful, uninhibited Samantha Jones from Sex and the City to appeal to mature women.  We wondered how women 35 and older view Cattrall and how she compares to other female celebrities of her peer group.

Kim Cattrall Strong With Older Women

Cattrall’s successful film and television career has made her a marketable star, with an E-Score of 81.  While this may not quite match her fellow Olay endorser Carrie Underwood’s E-Score of 97, digging deeper we find that Cattrall is particularly strong among the target market for this product.  Using E-Score Celebrity we see that Cattrall’s strongest traits among women 35+ are Glamorous, Confident, Sexy, and Stylish.  As compared to the opinions of women ages 13-25, Cattrall is seen as more Attractive, Classy, Interesting and Sexy among women 35+.

In her age group Cattrall ranks in the top ten for both Sexy and Stylish among female celebrities.  Olay is betting that older women can be convinced Cattrall’s beauty secrets come out of an Olay moisturizer bottle.  E-Score Celebrity can help uncover a celebrity’s strengths and weaknesses among specific target groups and help identify the right endorser for your brand.

With every new calendar year comes new resolutions to honor that gym membership and erase those additional servings of pie and egg nog.

Yet before the calendar turns to March, many such resolutions are forgotten.  Could mass market gyms be missing that unique selling proposition that would keep their members sweating past January?

Gyms Lack Brand Identity

Using E-Score Brand we looked at three of the largest gym chains; Bally Total Fitness, Gold’s Gym and 24 Hour Fitness.  Each brand is shown to lack a clear identity. Gold’s Gym has had a reputation for bodybuilders but have more recently been steering away from that direction towards the general public.  Each brand’s appeal scores are surprisingly similar.

Not one of the three brands has an attribute score higher than 20% and all three look fairly similar in the eyes of the consumer.  The average brand consideration score (among non-users) is a scant 4%.  Close to 50% of the appeal scores for all three brands falls in the lukewarm “like somewhat” category.

This lack of character and differentiation may work to satisfy the average gym rat, but America’s ongoing collective weight-gain suggests that these gyms have the potential to grow their subscriber base.  E-Score Brand reveals that despite the glut of excuses for not going to the gym, these brands have not adopted differentiated positions that might address specific complaints.

What Brands do you most associate with the holidays?

Hallmark…………………………. 26%

Butterball………………………….20%

Macy’s………………………………13%

Nestle’s Toll House Cookies……9%

See’s Candies……………………… 5%

Godiva Chocolate ……………….. 4%

Ferrer Rocher…………………….. 4%

Andre Champagne………………. 2%

Which actor should come to your house as Santa?

George Clooney…………………..23%

Johnny Depp……………………… 16%

Will Smith………………………….. 9%

Brad Pitt……………………………. 6%

Matt Damon………………………. 4%

Tom Cruise………………………… 3%

Ryan Reynolds……………………. 3%

Leonardo Di Caprio………………. 3%

Robert Pattinson…………………. 2%

James Franco……………………… 2%

Which Celebrity Chef would you like to prepare a holiday meal for you?

Paula Deen………………………… 15%

Rachael Ray……………………….. 13%

Emeril Lagasse……………………. 10%

Wolfgang Puck……………………. 6%

Gordon Ramsay …………………. 6%

Bobby Flay…………………………. 6%

Giada De Laurentiis……………… 6%

Guy Fieri……………………………. 4%

Mario Batali……………………….. 3%

Jamie Oliver……………………….. 3%

What dish would you like a Celebrity Chef prepare for you?

Turkey/Stuffing

Whatever they want

Ham

Lasagna

Sweet Potatoes

Macaroni and Cheese

Beef Roast

Where will you shop for the holiday?

TEENS

Target……………………………….. 45%

Wal-Mart…………………………… 36%

Amazon.com……………………… 30%

Best Buy……………………………. 29%

JCPenney………………………….. 16%

Apple Store……………………….. 13%

Macy’s………………………………. 13%

eBay…………………………………. 10%

Kohl’s……………………………….. 8%

Costco………………………………. 7%

ADULTS

Wal-Mart…………………………… 41%

Amazon.com……………………… 38%

Target……………………………….. 31%

Kohl’s……………………………….. 18%

Best Buy……………………………. 17%

JCPenney………………………….. 12%

Macy’s………………………………. 12%

eBay…………………………………. 10%

Toys R’ Us………………………….. 10%

Kmart……………………………….. 8%

Which female celebrity should come to your house as Santa’s helper?

Jennifer Aniston…………………. 11%

Halle Barry…………………………. 9%

Angelina Jolie……………………… 8%

Jennifer Love Hewitt……………. 7%

Scarlett Johansson………………. 7%

Jessica Alba………………………… 5%

Megan Fox………………………… 5%

Eva Mendes……………………….. 4%

Natalie Portman………………….. 4%

Jessica Biel…………………………. 3%

How much will teens spend on a gift for mom and dad?

$79

What gift do kids 6-12 want most this holiday?

Boys

Video Games

Legos

Game Console

Electronics

Video Game Accessories

Girls

Electronics

New Clothes

Arts & Crafts

Videogames

Stuffed animals

How much should you spend on a gift for your spouse/S.O.?

Males $487

Females $232

Peaceful Music (“Socially Conscious” Musicians)

U2

R.E.M

Rage Against the Machine

Bob Dylan

Sting

Paul McCartney

Neil Young

Dave Matthews Band

James Taylor

Sheryl Crow

Pajama Index (Characters Kids 2-5 would like to have on their clothing)

Hello Kitty………………………….. 79%

Bumblebee………………………… 78%

Pound Puppies…………………… 78%

Clone Wars………………………… 75%

Iron Man (Rendered)…………… 75%

Belle…………………………………. 74%

Lightning McQueen……………… 73%

Optimus Prime……………………. 73%

Strawberry Shortcake………….. 73%

Aurora………………………………. 72%

What gifts do you want most this holiday?

Teens – Male

Video Games/Console

Cell Phone

iPod

Money

Computer/Laptop

Teens – Female

Clothing/Accessories

Digital Camera

Money

Laptop/Computer

iPod

Adults-Male

Money

Be With Family

Health

iPad/Tablet

Happiness

Adults-Female

Be With Family

Money

Health

iPad/Tablet

Job/Employment

Read more results and responses from previous year’s Holiday Surveys.

Additional Results from our 2010 Holiday Survey

Are you better off financially, not as good, or about the same as you were a year ago?

Better off financially compared to 12 months ago     17%

The same compared to 12 months ago                       42%

Not as good financially compared to 12 months ago    39%

Boys 6-12 Toys you want to be

Video Game Character

Race Car

Transformer

Legos

Buzz Lightyear

Girls 6-12 Toys you want to be

Barbie

American Girl Doll

Stuffed Animal

Lego

Transformer

What Holiday Character do you identify with most?

TEENS

Charlie Brown (A Charlie Brown Christmas)         15%

Ralphie Parker (A Christmas Story)                     11%

Cindy Lou Who (How the Grinch Stole Christmas)     11%

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer                     10%

Santa Claus                                                        8%

Frosty the Snowman                                      7%

Jack Skellington (Nightmare Before Christmas)       7%

The Grinch (How the Grinch Stole Christmas)          4%

Mary Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life)                            4%

George Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life)                       3%

What Holiday Character do you identify with most?

ADULTS 18+

Charlie Brown (A Charlie Brown Christmas)             12%

George Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life)                         10%

Clark Griswold (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation)    9%

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer                                           8%

Santa Claus                                                                                    8%

Mrs. Claus                                                                                     6%

Ralphie Parker (A Christmas Story)                                  6%

Frosty the Snowman                                                              5%

Mary Bailey (It’s a Wonderful Life)                                  5%

Jack Skellington (Nightmare Before Christmas)        3%

What do you like most about the holidays? 18+

Spending time with family           62%

The holiday spirit                             35%

The food                                            28%

Spending time with friends         22%

Time off from work                         17%

The music                                          16%

The decorations                               15%

Buying presents                               13%

Decorating the tree                       11%

Getting presents                               9%

What are you most likely to buy your children (6-12) this holiday season?

Videogames                                                                       37%

New Clothes                                                                         35%

Electronics, (like iPad or iTouch, computer, laptop)        23%

Lego building set                                                                           19%

A board game (like Monopoly, Operation, Connect 4,etc.)    13%

Video game Console – (like Wii, Xbox, Sony Playstation)       11%

Video game accesories (like Kinect, Move, etc.)                     8%

Electronic hand held device or game                                          8%

A Bike                                                                                               8%

Fashion Dolls and accessories (like Monster High Barbie)    8%

Read our 12 Fun Facts from our Holiday Survey.

In a highly competitive viewing environment, some shows stand out as “appointment television.”  These are the programs that viewers “make a special effort to watch.”

With the growth of DVR and online viewing, many TV watchers have shifted their viewing paradigm from planning to be in front of the TV when a show airs, to making time to watch a show on their own schedule.

We wanted to compare these two trends and, using Program Pulse Broadcast, we looked at the top broadcast TV programs viewers make a “Special Effort to Watch” for the month of October to see if there is an effect on live viewing of those programs.

Shows Viewers Make a Special Effort to Watch

Viewers of each show were asked to describe their future viewing intent based on a scale ranging from Make a Special Effort to Watch to Definitely Not.

The Vampire Diaries topped our list with 80% of viewers claiming they Make a Special Effort to Watch -almost 30 points higher than the average for broadcast shows.  Chuck, One Tree Hill, Glee and Castle also earned scores of over 70% Special Effort to Watch.

The shows in our Special Effort to Watch list were also Watched Live at a rate 12 points lower than average (54% vs. 66%).  In turn DVR and Other Media viewing for our list of shows scored higher than average.  Survivor and Glee stood out as exceptions to this pattern, with higher levels of live viewing.

In the minds and hard drives of viewers; making a special effort to watch a show turns out to be less about when to sit on the couch, and more about using the DVR to make sure you don’t miss a show.

Program Pulse has the ability to look beyond ratings into motivations and future viewing intent.

Last week, late night TV’s prodigal comic returned in his new show on TBS titled “Conan”.  Attaching itself to the O’Brien zeitgeist is credit card provider American Express, which premiered a new commercial featuring O’Brien embarking on a quest through India for the perfect stage curtains.

Whereas Amex once was represented by Karl Malden telling consumers “don’t leave home without it,“ recently the company has been using leading comedians in their promotions.  Previous campaigns have featured Ellen DeGeneres, Tina Fey, and Jerry Seinfeld.  With Conan now earning his American Express endorser merit badge we took a look at his E-Scores along with those of past endorsers to see what makes Conan a good fit.

American Express Celebrity Brand Alignment

While Amex endorsers Ellen DeGeneres, Jerry Seinfeld, Tina Fey and Conan O’Brien are all considered leaders in their fields they also share a number of top attributes. Using E-Score Celebrity we looked at each comedian’s top 5 attributes and a number of similarities appeared.

Both Funny and Talented are top attributes for each of the 4 Amex endorsers.  Other top attributes common among the 4 endorsers include Intelligent, Kooky/Wacky and Interesting.

According to E-Score Brand, American Express’s top attributes are High-Quality, Classic, Influential, Conservative and A Leader.  In the use of these successful comedians as endorsers, we see Amex both reinforcing the brand’s positive attributes and possibly trying to change previous perceptions as a stodgy and conservative brand.

E-Score Brand and Celebrity can work in conjunction to lead you to the ideal endorser.

Despite TV’s affection for the familiar wacky neighbors, emergency room romances and forensic scientists who wear 4-inch heels to crime scenes; intelligent TV does exist and is thriving, particularly on cable.  For these programs, a high degree of intelligence sets them apart from the competition, and may even keep audiences watching.

Most Intelligent Cable Dramas

Using Program Pulse Cable we looked at which cable dramas are considered the most intelligent.   Topping our list with an Intelligent score of 63% is AMC’s critical and Emmy favorite Mad Men.  Basic cable is strongly represented, with nine of the ten most Intelligent shows, including three shows each from SyFy and TNT, and two from AMC.

Along with being considered intelligent many of the shows in our top ten also garner an active and engaged viewing audience. 76% of Breaking Bad viewers “Makes a Special Effort to Watch”, 10 percentage points above average.  Dexter scored a 72% for “Keeps Attention”, 15 points higher than average.  49% of viewers say they “Talked About” Doctor Who, compared to a score 37% for all other cable dramas.

In these shows, intelligence is achieved through multiple means: clever stories, complex and dark characters, and thought-provoking themes.  A program considered intelligent lends itself to an interesting script and story that can increase its chance at finding and keeping an audience.

During Halloween the thoughts of children turn to pillow cases stuffed with candy and creepy characters you wouldn’t want to meet at the jungle gym alone.  Creepy, unlike evil or mean is a much more elusive characteristic that is commonly an undercurrent of other more explicit behavior.

Aside from maniacal laughter and methodically petting an exotic pet; creepy is a trait that can be derived from many sources.  In honor of Halloween we used
E-Score Character Kids to look at which characters kids 6-12 find the creepiest.

Topping our list with a Creepy score of 54 is the Spiderman villain Venom who bears reptilian fangs and an oversized tongue.  The famously odd Tim Burton has two characters on our list, Mad Hatter and the Red Queen from his adaptation of Alice in Wonderland come in at third and fourth each earning a 51 Creepy score.

The German folktale and diminutive weirdo Rumpelstiltskin recently appeared as the antagonist in Shrek Forever After which helped put him at number five on our Creepy list with a score of 31.  SpongeBob character and Krabby Patty recipe seeker Sheldon James Plankton rounded out our list at ten with a score of 20.

Others submission included

- BP.umpkin

- Pac Man

- Pumpkin Gaga

- Jacob Twilight

Which one is your favorite?

The changing economics of the music business have made live performances a primary focus for many recording artists and brands that want to associate with them

While the list of top-grossing concert tours includes many acts targeting baby boomers and their seemingly huge appetite for nostalgia, we wanted to see what opportunities exist for acts appealing to the younger crowd.  Using
E-Score Music’s “Extendibility” measurements, we looked at which live performances are the most sought-after by persons 13-24.

Using E-Score Music we looked at artists that have the highest Awareness scores and the highest Interested in Performing in a Concert scores among ages 13-24.  Topping the list in terms of Awareness is Taylor Swift with a very Interested in Performing score of 25 and Awareness of 65.

When sorting for Interest in Performing in a Concert, Lady Gaga came out on top with a score of 32 with Awareness of 54.

When it comes to desire to attend a live performance, awareness and appeal don’t tell the whole story.  E-Score Music offers a unique set of Extendibility metrics which can help artists, brands and media managers alike assess consumer interest in artist live performances, television appearances, clothing labels and reveal possibilities for branding and endorsements.  E-Score Music data can further be filtered by age and level of music consumption and artist awareness.

The cable landscape is increasingly filled with reality shows, with Jersey Shore setting ratings records and entire programs dedicated to the behavior of categories such as housewives, pawn shops and teen moms.  In addition, new shows have been announced for reality veterans Paris Hilton, Lauren Conrad and “Pauly D” Delvecchio.

With outrageous personalities and salacious situations, some of cable TV’s most popular reality shows rely on a set of characteristics that stand apart from most of their cable brethren – a sub-genre that might be called “Fist Pump TV.”

Reality Show Scorecard

Using Program Pulse Cable we looked at some recently aired reality shows: Jersey Shore, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Bad Girls Club.  Each of the four shows share common characteristics when compared to Cable TV average scores.  These programs produced success following a combination of above average Funny, Sexy, and Predictable scores and low Intelligent and Informative scores.

In addition, the celebrities featured in these shows also share some less than admirable E-Scores.  Jersey Shore’s Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi each brandish E-Scores below 10, while Keeping Up with the Kardashians’ sisters Khloe and Kim both sport below average E-Scores.

In contrast, scripted programs like the new $#*! My Dad Says starring William Shatner, whose E-Score is 96, and Blue Bloods with Tom Selleck (E-Score of 98) have gotten off to good starts in the current TV season at least partly based on the strength of their highly marketable stars.  Relying as they do on being funny, sexy and entertaining, the Fist Pump TV reality group can succeed despite lacking highly appealing stars.

Shows that follow the “celeb-reality” path may not require celebrities with high E-Scores and may even be assisted by stars with low E-Scores that might create more curiosity for sampling.  So while Paris Hilton’s E-Score registers an abysmal 5, there may still be a path to success for her new show by dialing up the sex and humor, and avoiding informative or challenging situations.

Program Pulse Cable has the ability to look beyond ratings into viewer motivations and measure which attributes viewers associate with a show. Program Pulse also combines with E-Score Celebrity to determine connections between program and star.

So-called corporate characters, or brand mascots, are traditionally thought of as embodiments of the brand identity – a way to personify the brand in the consumers’ mind.  In some case, though, the characters seem to take on a life of their own.

We looked at different industries’ most popular corporate characters to see if their messages mesh with their applicable brands.

Make ‘Em Laugh

While there are many different brand images and positioning strategies, when examining corporate characters, we found a seemingly consistent approach.  Although E-Score Character measures 33 different attributes, among the corporate characters, Funny was consistently one of the top attributes followed closely by Unique.  In contrast, these attributes do not rank highly for most brands.

In a cluttered media environment where brands have to stand out among the rest, a funny and unique character can quickly grab a viewer’s attention and raise awareness and mindshare even when character attributes do not match up with the brand.

Sometimes it is a matter of recognition first, message second.  Or it may be the desire on the part of the brand to be seen as more lighthearted and down to earth.  Either way, understanding how consumers see brands and their mascots is an important first step in the branding mission.

E-Score Brand can be used together with Character and/or Celebrity to gauge how well a character and brand align.

When choosing a celebrity endorser, ideally they should demonstrate a sense of trustworthiness to the public that extends to the product or service being sold.  But being trustworthy may not necessarily make a celebrity an ideal pitchman or woman.

We looked at recent E-Score Celebrity data and ranked celebrities based on their Trustworthy scores.  Dr. Mehmet Oz came out on top with a score of 37.  Actor and Parkinsons advocate Michael J. Fox and news anchor Anderson Cooper followed with 31.

E-Score vs. Trustworthy

Interestingly, among the top 10 most Trustworthy celebrities, the names at the top of the list do not have the highest E-Scores.  Both Hall of Fame pudding pusher Bill Cosby who came in at 8th and Astronaut Buzz Aldrin at 9th have higher E-Scores than Dr. Oz who came in as the most Trustworthy.  Despite introducing Dr. Oz to America, Oprah has a lower Trustworthy score of 25 but earned a higher E-Score of 93.

E-Score Celebrity lets you zoom in on 46 different attributes, including “Trustworthy,” and find out exactly how any particular individual is perceived by the public.  When you want the big picture, E-Poll Market Research’s new E-Score is a single score ranked from 1 to 100 that summarizes consumers’ perception of a celebrity for easy comparison.

Over the course of a celebrity’s career particular milestones can move an actor from relative obscurity to the top of the marquee or vice versa.

E-Poll Market Research’s new E-Score has the ability to assess an individual’s marketing effectiveness.  The E-Score is a calculation of positive and negative appeal scores with awareness to asses a celebrity’s true marketability.

When looking at some of today’s stars we wondered which career landmarks pulled them up or down and affected their E-Scores.

Career trajectory by E-Score

The ongoing trials and tribulations of Lindsay Lohan have seen her E-Score move from a high of 74 in 2005 to most recently an abysmal E-Score of 8 as of July 2010.  Lohan’s series of unsuccessful films, recreational drug use and a lack of legal consequences led to the plummet in her E-Score.

Justin Timberlake has managed to rise from N’Sync Tiger Beat coverboy to sought-after Grammy-Winning musician, actor and music producer as his E-Score has risen from 40 in 2003 to 91 as of August 2010.  Timberlake’s rank in the top tier of E-Scores reflects his sucess in multiple fields.

Our new E-Score has the ability to encapsulate consumers’ perceptions of celebrities into one score ranked on a scale from 1 to 100 based on their score relative to all celebrities measured.  As news and events happen, the E-Score measures how an individual stacks up in the ranks of all celebrities.

In the recent Emmys, four of the six nominees for Lead Actor in a Drama Series  portray characters that, while appealing, have enough flaws and faults to make any psychologist sweat.

A successful anti-hero must reside in that grey area between good and evil. We wondered which combination of attributes allows our four anti-hero Emmy nominees Dexter (Dexter), Don Draper (Mad Men), Walter White (Breaking Bad) and House (House) to effectively balance between damaged and admirable.

What Makes an Anti-Hero

Using E-Score Character we looked at the four anti-hero nominees, and found that the four characters share a number of similar traits. Each of the nominees earn above average scores in appeal, dishonest, aggressive and intelligent.

Source: E-Score Character

While each of the four nominated characters earned higher than average top-two box appeal; your friendly neighborhood serial killer Dexter is the most appealing with a score of 71.  Breaking Bad’s chemistry teacher turned meth cook Walter White is seen as the most dishonest with a score of 23, 19 points above average.

Somewhat surprisingly, Dr. Gregory House who sports a limp and a cane scored the highest in aggressive at 53, topping the category average of 21.  Along with aggressive, House is also seen as the most intelligent with a score of 69, more than double the TV character average of 32.

Source: E-Score Character, TV Character avg. consists of broadcast and cable characters excluding animated

While a successful anti-hero can show a wide variety of both negative and positive traits, E-Score Character reveals that TV’s most popular and successful anti-heroes share intelligence matched with dishonesty and aggression.

As the fall TV season kicks off, which new network shows will be able to attract viewers without relying on just plot points of philandering doctors and cops that make their own rules?  Using E-Poll’s new E-Score measure we looked at how some of the stars of this fall’s new shows may draw viewers to their TVs.

The overall E-Score is a new addition to the
E-Score Celebrity database, and can be found at the top of each individual’s scorecard.  The E-Score is a single composite score representing the relative marketability of each celebrity in the database.  This calculation not only utilizes traditional awareness and appeal scores, but also factors in negative measures to better gauge a celebrity’s true value.

Each personality is then ranked on a scale from 1 to 100 based on their score relative to all celebrities measured.  Scores are color-coded to provide at-a-glance interpretation.  Scores above 80 appear in green and represent the most marketable celebs.

Several new network premieres will begin their promotional campaigns with the benefit of high-scoring leads.  NBC’s Outlaw stars Jimmy Smits who earns a high marketability score of 98.  CBS may attract viewers with star William Shatner’s E-Score of 96 for his new show  $#*! My Dad Says.   Keri Russel’s high marketability E-Score of 92 is an attractive feature for FOX’s Running Wilde.  Dana Delany’s E-Score of 91 may push her show’s medical drama Body of Proof on ABC into the light.

E-Score encapsulates consumers’ overall impression of a celebrity.  A new show can capitalize on a star’s existing public profile to intrigue viewers and encourage sampling.  Good story and writing is a key factor for success but first, the audience must be encouraged to tune in.

Last week Nintendo announced that the Wii sold its 30 millionth unit making it the fastest selling gaming system ever.  Premiering in November 2006 the Wii was expected to be playing third banana to PS3 and Xbox 360.  Rather than going after the hardcore gamers Nintendo positioned its system to expand playing beyond traditional console audiences.

Sales demonstrate that the Wii has been a financial success and has reached a broader audience neglected by other consoles.  With the Wii earning the moniker as the everyman’s system we wondered which particular consumers Sony and Microsoft have been playing without?

Baby Boomer’s Console Appeal and Usage

Using E-Score Brand we looked at the three consoles Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 and compared their appeal among different age groups.  The Wii leads the pack with an overall top two appeal of 57% followed by the PS3 with 41% and Xbox 360 with 35%.  Where the Wii really starts to separate itself from the group is among older audiences. Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) scored the Wii more than 15 percentage points higher in appeal than both the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Aside from appeal Baby Boomers are also sneaking in some swings with the Wii-mote.  39% of Baby Boomers have purchased/used the Wii, where PS3 and Xbox 360 scored only 22% and 18% among Baby Boomers respectively.  The Wii’s flatter learning curve and lower time investment is an attractive feature to older gamers that may see other consoles as too advanced.

E-Score Brand offers the ability to look at usage and appeal among specific age groups including Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials.  By understanding where specifically the Wii has increased its user base Nintendo can take the necessary steps to sustain its advantage and market efficiently to prevent alienating existing and new users.

Opening in theaters this weekend, The Expendables is literally a blast from the past saluting the character and personality of the 80’s and 90’s action film genre.  The cast includes action film hall of famers like Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke and Jet Li who cut their teeth reciting one-liners and walking in slow-motion away from explosions.

While the stars of The Expendables have retained their appeal, today’s action stars have a much different profile. As The Expendables blows up the box office, we wondered, has the action star category really changed that much or are today’s actors not kicking in enough teeth?

The Kinder, Gentler Action Hero

Recent E-Score Celebrity reports show that in addition to high current awareness and appeal, Stallone, Willis, Lundgren, Rourke and Li all share an above category average score in Aggressive, reaching 19%.

Looking at a few of today’s action stars revealed some stark differences in the perception of their attributes.  The action/adventure film actor category average Aggressive score came in at only 7%.  One of Hollywood biggest action stars Will Smith earns an Aggressive score of only 6%.  The occasional international spy and jet fighter pilot Tom Cruise Aggressive score is 11%.  The soon to be shield bashing Captain America Chris Evans’ score is 7% and the Bourne franchise’s star assassin Matt Damon scored a tame 5%.

Where aggressiveness was a cornerstone of the bygone action star, today’s stars seemingly belong in the Peace Corps.  In the hope of broadening their careers male stars may avoid pigeonholing themselves as only an action star by taking a wide range of roles from rom-com leads to face busting heroes.  While the Stallones of the world could be an artifact of the past, action stars may just be evolving into a kinder and gentler butt-kicker.      

The social media explosion that stemmed from Old Spice’s commercials has left other brands stinking of envy.  Old Spice claims their YouTube/Twitter social media response campaign was “the fastest-growing and most popular interactive campaign in history.”  The impact of the popular commercials on actual sales of Old Spice has been hotly debated, though Old Spice touts a 27% increase in body wash sales during the past 3 months.

Smells Like Teen Spirit?

Clearly the commercials have had unbelievable exposure and unprecedented social media interaction.  But how has that massive publicity altered Old Spice’s brand image itself?  Previously, younger audiences identified Old Spice as that oddly shaped bottle residing in dad’s medicine cabinet.  In the wake of the commercial’s Web 2.0 success, has Old Spice been able to change its outdated image and appeal to younger demographics?

Old Spice Increases Appeal and Positive Perceptions

Using E-Score Brand we looked at Old Spice’s scores before and after the success of the “Smell Like a Man” commercials.  Old Spice’s top box appeal among 13-17 years olds increased by 15 points,  12 points among 13-24 year olds and 7 points by panelists ages 18-24.  Among ages 13-25 Old Spice increased its Bold score by 7 points, Cool by 16 points and Distinctive by 8 points.  Brand Loyalty also saw a large increase; 13-25 year olds “very likely to purchase again” score jumped 14 points.

E-Poll’s E-Score® survey measured awareness, appeal and perceptions of the Miami Heat trio along numerous personality attributes.  In addition to a plunge in appeal rating from 47 to 29 points, James’ ratings for such attributes as “Confident,” “Exciting,” “Good Energy,” and “Talented” were all down significantly, while negative attributes such as “Cold,” “Insincere” and “Over-Exposed” showed big increases.  See table for additional details.

In contrast to James, Wade’s appeal score rose from 51 to 55 points, and he saw increases in his attribute scores for “Confident,” “Exciting” and “Talented.”  Chris Bosh experienced declines in appeal as well as most of his attribute scores.

With July coming to an end summer will soon be in the rear-view mirror.  For the nation’s youth, the sweet treats of summertime are made bitter by the appearance of three words at the local retail emporium – “back to school.”

August is prime time for back-to-school shopping.  Although parents typically provide the funding for back-to-school shopping, either directly or indirectly, in this era of social media and “haul” videos, the road to sales success goes through teenage consumers.  Today, kids and teens are far more product-savvy and attuned to which clothes they like and what retailers have to offer.  We wondered which department stores teens prefer, and why?

Targeting Teens

Using E-Score Brand’s filtering capabilities, we looked at department store preferences among both teens and parents of children under 18.  While Parents typically have high appeal ratings for many of the big department stores, teens are commonly left feeling lukewarm.  Target distinguishes itself from its competitors as a favorite among teens 13-17 utilizing products focused on teens such as snowboarder Shaun White’s new clothing and shoe line.

While Target earns high appeal scores from both Teens and Parents; Teens see Target 11 points higher for Cool (24% vs. 13%) than Parents, and score Target more than double for Unique than Parents (19% vs. 8%).  By appealing to both teens and their parents, has Target found the key to back-to-school success?

Target also scores well among Teens compared to its competitors. Target’s top two box appeal is 30 points higher than average among Teens.  Teens also scored Target more than 20 points higher for both “I would try new products/services” and “Is a brand I identify with” than its competitors.

E-Score Brand can look at retailer’s appeal, attribute and intent to purchase scores by Teens and Parents of Teens alike.  Dissecting brand appeal among Teens and Parents can reveal opportunities and deficiencies in targeting specific age groups.

The BP oil spill has received an unprecedented amount of media attention outlining the spill’s effect on politics, the economy and the environment.  The Gulf region in the South has felt the consequences of the disaster first-hand, with not only the environment but the local economy adversely affected.

While it is not unexpected that BP has take a big PR hit on this disaster, and is currently the most disliked company in E-Score Brand with 37% selecting dislike a lot to describe their feelings towards the firm, it is perhaps more surprising that the outrage directed at BP is not geographically consistent.  Using E-Score Brand we looked at how different regions of the nation feel about BP.

BP Appeal by Region

It may be that the coasts, which have less direct involvement with BP feel differently than the South where some residents rely on the oil industry as a source of income and livelihood.  While no region perceives BP positively, and the brand’s attribute scores indicate serious trouble along many dimensions, it is remarkable that BP is not more disliked in the South compared to other regions.

E-Poll has the ability to look at E-Scores for brands, celebrities and characters within regions or even at the state level.  Regional retailers, brands or franchises national ratings can mask local opinions and feelings that can be used to effectively market to key areas.

The world operates on a number of universal constants; gravity, taxes and women love men that can dance.  Dancing with the Stars has existed as a platform for celebrities to sashay their way into the hearts and minds of women.

This is particularly true for celebrities from the world of sports, many of whom are unknown outside the universe of XY chromosomes.  We wondered how those athletes rated with women once they saw them on the dance floor.

Effect of Dancing with the Stars Appearance

Using data from E-Score Celebrity we looked at football stars Chad Ochocinco, Warren Sapp and Jason Taylor along with race car driver Hélio Castroneves.  We compared their scores with women before and after their appearance on DWTS to gauge how the show can improve female opinion.

All four stars increased their scores in both awareness and top two appeal among females.  The largest increase in female appeal score came to Warren Sapp who increased his score by 29 percentage points. For awareness among women, Warren Sapp’s awareness doubled and Jason Taylor’s almost tripled.

DWTS has proven itself as a stage for athletes of all varieties to present themselves in a different light and attract a fan base to which they may not otherwise have access.  E-Score Celebrity can gauge how a celebrity’s actions on screen or off can affect how the public views and recognizes them.



• Vampire Weekend
• Phoenix
• Arcade Fire

• Vampire Weekend
• Phoenix
• Arcade Fire

Musicians, unlike actors, have the ability to construct a public persona without the worry of an acting job distorting their image.  Where actors generally must portray a number of different characters and personalities, musicians have only one persona.  This gives musicians the opportunity to market themselves with a distinct style and ”brand.”

Since celebrities cannot easily impart their looks, talent, or money to the adoring public, fans can at least dress like them.  Using E-Score Celebrity and Music together we wondered which musical artists are best suited for their own clothing lines.

Interest in Seeing Musician’s Clothing Line

Utilizing E-Score Music’s ability to gauge brand extendibility and Celebrity‘s appeal and attribute measures we can gauge potential interest in a recording artist’s fashion line.  We matched artists’ strong awareness, appeal, stylish and trend-setter E-Score Celebrity scores and ranked them with E-Score Music’s data on ”Interest in Seeing Musician Designing Clothing or Accessories.”

Topping the list is Selena Gomez. The teen actress turned singer, turned designer will be releasing her own fashion line ”Dream Out Loud” this August.  Coming in second is Gwen Stefani with her established L.A.M.B fashion line that continues to grow into fragrance and other accessories.

Source: Awareness greater than or equal to 16% ,like a lot greater than or equal to 15%, bottom 3 box less than or equal to 10%, stylish greater than or equal to 20%, trend-setter greater than or equal to 10%

Using the two E-Score products together you can combine the appeal and attribute scores in Celebrity with the brand extendibility and talent measures in Music to judge public interest in an artists clothing and accessory line.

While many brands look to create a brand image around one uniquely identifiable spokesperson, CoverGirl has taken a different approach.  CoverGirl’s portfolio of diverse endorsers varies almost as much as the number of ‘red’ lipsticks.  CoverGirl uses their celebrity endorsers’ specific qualities to impress onto their own brand.  We wondered what celebrity endorsers’ qualities are being applied?

Celebrity Endorsers Apply a Different Color

Using E-Score Brand we looked at CoverGirl’s strongest attributes and which of their celebrity endorsers are buoying those traits. Covergirl’s leading attributes are A Leader, Classic, Trustworthy and Sexy.  Looking at E-Score Celebrity data, CoverGirl endorsers Queen Latifah, Ellen DeGeneres, Rihanna and Drew Barrymore each provide support to different aspects of CoverGirl’s brand image.

Queen Latifah’s above category average Confident score aid the brands  A Leader score, Ellen’s above average Trustworthy score helps with the same brand attribute for CoverGirl,  Drew Barreymore’s strong Classic score benefit Covergirl’s Classy score and Rihanna’s above average Sexy score improves the same trait for Covergirl.

Source: E-Score Celebrity; Covergirl Endorser attributes with above category avg. scores.
E-Score Brand; CoverGirl highest rated attributes

It would be difficult to find one celebrity that encompasses all the different traits comprising the CoverGirl brand. CoverGirl employs a portfolio of endorsers with individual strengths to shape their public brand image.  E-Score Brand with Celebrity can identify which traits connect with the public and which celebrities can assist in implementing a successful brand strategy.

Lying between playing in the sandbox and perusing the mall exist a commonly overlooked youth segment known as tweens (ages 9 – 12).  Tweens are unique in their strong brand loyalty, lower price-sensitivity, importance of family and high value of ”fitting in” with peer groups.

Gender also plays a significant role in tween preference and recognition. While there are properties that garner broad appeal, most top ranked characters differ from boys to girls.  Looking at tween aged boys and girls we wanted to know how gender plays a role when picking favorites.

Tweens’ Favorite Characters

Using E-Score Character Kids we looked at both girls and boys ages 9 -12 favorite characters.  The difference in appeal is stark as there are zero characters appearing in both boys and girls top 15 most appealing characters.

iCarly topped the list for girls with a like a lot score of 75% while not even appearing in the boys top 5 favorite characters list. Also in the girls top 5 is Alex Russo (Wizards of Waverly Place) and Alvin and the Chipmunks, neither appearing in boys top 5.  Phineas and Ferb topped the list for boys with a 66% like a lot score, followed with Iron Man and Dug (Up), all not appearing in the top 5 for girls.

E-Score Character Kids not only allows you to look at specific sub groups of hard to reach ages but examine how gender plays a considerable role in character appeal.

Warner Bros. Animation is betting audiences still have an appetite for 80′s cartoon revivals as the Thundercats returns in 2011 to Cartoon Network in a new animated show.  The humanoid cat-like aliens are being groomed to attract tween to young teen audiences with a more mature anime-style design.

Thundercats has fleetingly appeared in media in the past years aside from the occasional t-shirt and tweens are unlikely to have even seen the original series.  Do the Thundercats contain the power to capture the hotly-contested attention of young audiences or will they fall to the legion of live-action tween sitcoms-stay tuned!

Thundercats Attribute Scores

Using E-Score Character Kids we looked at how 6-12 years olds perceive Thundercats.  71% see the Thundercats as ”a hero” 36 points higher than the animated character average (71% vs. 35%).  Thundercats were seen 10 percentage points higher than average for ”cool” (44% vs. 34%) and 15 points higher than average in ”exciting” (39% vs. 24%). Also, Thundercats earned a ”brave” score more than double the average for animated characters (58% vs. 27%). Thundercats awareness among boys is 20%, 18 points lower than animated character average but substantial despite limited use.

Looking at the attribute scores we can see a strong moralistic component to how current younger audiences view Thundercats.  In the original show each episode would focus on a value or moral that allowed for their victory against the evil Mumm-Ra.  Thundercats virtuous characteristics have carried to current young audiences and carved out an identity despite limited exposure.  E-Score Character Kids has the ability to measure characters despite any lapsed exposure or obscurity.

Source: E-Score Character Kids 6-12

Catchy slogans have long been a key tactic for marketers seeking to encapsulate a brand image in only a few words.  From Allstate’s ”You’re in good hands.” to BMW’s ”the ultimate driving machine” a strong slogan is instantly associated with its corresponding brand.

Effective slogans are also enduring, and this can become a double-edged sword for brands looking to change or update their image.  Fast-feeder KFC is facing an uphill battle in convincing customers to unthink its image for greasy, finger lickin good fried chicken, and research data from E-Score Brand shows that obsolete or out-of-use slogans are still recalled by a surprisingly large percentage of survey respondents.

Fast Food Slogan Recall

Using E-Score Brand we looked at what slogans are identified with some of the largest fast food chains and how well their current slogans performed. Respondents aware of the brand were asked an open-ended question ”what is the slogan for this brand?”

McDonald’s and Burger King have successfully imprinted their slogans on current consumers with ”i’m lovin’ it” identified by 60% of McDonalds brand respondents and Burger King’s ”Have It Your Way” weighing in at a ”whopping” 62%.  Taco Bell’s current slogan ”Think Outside The Bun” was recalled by 31% of respondents, but the long-unused ”Run For The Border” also garnered 16% recall.

Less effective, however, has been KFC’s ”UNTHINK.” campaign.  Despite the launch of a successful line of grilled chicken, only 2% associate the ”UNTHINK.” slogan with the KFC brand, while past tagline ”It’s Finger Lickin’ Good” came to mind for a full 45% of respondents.

An effective slogan can be a valuable source of brand equity, but marketers looking to alter their image should recognize that they, like KFC, will have a long and difficult road to travel if an old slogan has taken root in the public consciousness.  E-Score Brand can help unlock the awareness and associations that consumer have with your brand and slogan.

According to FastTrack Television which of the following shows is the most “Talked About”?

• Gossip Girl
• 90210
• The Vampire Diaries

As May comes to a close so does the network TV season, and with it the conclusion of several long-running series.

No ending was more notable than the series finale of Lost which sparked major water-cooler buzz.  Less noted, but still historic is the end of NBC perennial Law & Order.  After 20 years the crime drama is hanging up its badge, tied with Gunsmoke as the longest-running drama series in network history.

Where Lost follows a complicated and detailed story arc, Law & Order requires little or no knowledge of the show’s history to enjoy an episode.  We wondered how these two opposing show formats affect how viewers watch?

Weighing Lost vs. Law & Order

Using FastTrack Broadcast we looked at both Lost and Law & Order’s ”Makes a Special Effort to Watch” scores and compared those data to the average for all broadcast programs.  Lost’s average ”Special Effort to Watch” score is 30 points higher than broadcast average (77% vs. 47%).  For the past two seasons Lost’s audience ”Talked About the Show” score almost double the broadcast average (57% vs. 30%) and ”Keeps Attention” was 19 percentage points better than average (73% vs. 54%).

On the other hand, Law & Order’s ”Special Effort to Watch” score came in 9 points lower than broadcast average (38% vs. 47%).  Though lacking fanboys Law & Order succeeded via an ”Intelligent” score 20 points above average (56% vs. 36%) and 17 point-above-average in ”Intriguing” rating (56% vs. 39%).

Both Lost and Law & Order were extremely successful programs but with very different viewing patterns. Lost’s format created a loyal group of viewers but established a steep learning curve for any new coming watchers where Law & Order was not ”must-see” TV, but its consistent appeal allowed viewers to jump into a season at any point.  FastTrack Television can be used to understand how show formats and content drive program viewing and interaction.

According to FastTrack Television which of the following shows is the most “Talked About”?

• Gossip Girl
• 90210
• The Vampire Diaries

Long-standing video game producer Atari announced several changes to its board of directors including the return of co-founder Nolan Bushnell.  The re-integration of Bushnell is with hopes of refreshing the brand and returning to relevancy in an evolving gaming environment.

Bushnell co-founded Atari in 1972 when two paddles and a ball were cutting edge and computers were the size of Winnebago’s.  Bushnell has recently been quoted as saying ”one of the real assets for Atari is it has a really, really cool worldwide brand, and I think there’s a lot of good things to do with that brand and name recognition.”  But what, exactly is the Atari brand about today?  A quick look at E-Score Brand suggests that Atari’s aspirations to be known for more than just its classic 8 bit games could have obstacles even Frogger couldn’t navigate.

Atari Awareness and Attribute Scores

Using E-Score Brand we looked at how Atari is currently perceived by the public.  Awareness scores for the game producer demonstrate the brand’s current challenging position and indifference with younger audiences.  Atari’s awareness among younger audiences age 13-24 is 33 points lower than older generations ages 25-54 (30% vs. 63%).  Atari’s highest attribute scores are for classic, out-of-date and nostalgic.  Atari’s out-of-date score is 31 points higher than its category average (7% vs 38%).

Source: E-Score Brand

Representative quotes from the consumer comments regarding Atari include ”outdated,” ”from when I was a kid,” ”obsolete” and ”what do they do now?”

Source: E-Score Brand, Atari attribute score compared to Videogame Company average

The Black Eyed Peas have transformed from a Los Angeles-based hip hop troupe to a global marketing juggernaut partnering with the likes of Apple, Samsung and BlackBerry.  The traditional career trajectory for most musicians follows a path of greater CD/digital sales and larger concert venues.

Turning that concept on its head, The Black Eyed Peas represent a new breed of artist that doesn’t simply rely on album sales to generate income but instead creates endorsements, extension and corporate sponsorships.  Utilizing E-Score Music we looked at what ingredients put the Black Eyed Peas on corporate America’s top playlist.

The Black Eyed Peas and Everyone Else

According to E-Score Music The Black Eyed Peas have an above average appeal across all key age demographics.  Looking at artists with similar awareness, The Black Eyed Peas top-two box appeal among 18-25 year olds is 19 points above average (58% vs. 39%). Among the older age group 35-54, The Black Eyed Peas broad appeal tops the average by 8 points (56% vs. 48%, top-two box appeal).  Among other recording artists with similar awareness, The Black Eyed Peas rank the highest in cool and in the top 10 in both unique and trend-setter.

What also makes The Black Eyed Peas unique is their ability to retain a band identity while generating recognition to individual band members.  In an open-ended question asking to name members of The Black Eyed Peas; over 60% of respondents were able to name at least one member of the band.

Using E-Score Music we see that The Black Eyed Peas combine high awareness, broad appeal and positive perceptions.  This mixture of traits has made them a success not only for themselves but for their sponsors as well.

• Care Bears
• Fraggle Rock
• Smurfs

• Care Bears
• Fraggle Rock
• Smurfs

The rights to Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang have been bought by the Schulz family and the Iconix Brand Group as an addition to their portfolio of licensing brands.  The iconic characters have long been a licensing success, with over 1,200 agreements worldwide from Snoopy riding the MetLife blimp to Hallmark Cards urging ”Cheer Up, Charlie Brown.”

Public reports have speculated that the relatively low price of the deal may be due to the troubles of the newspaper industry and the declining popularity of the Peanuts franchise among younger consumers.  Using E-Score Character, we took a look at how the classic comic strip characters are perceived after more than 60 years in print.

Peanuts Interest by Age

Despite a dearth of new Peanuts media properties since the death of creator Charles Schulz, interest and appeal are still high for the Peanuts gang. According to E-Score Character Peanuts scored a top-two box appeal of 66%, well above the 49% for comics category average.  Kids 6-12 gave Peanuts a 67% top-two box appeal and 73% top-two box appeal for Kids 2-5.  65% of kids 6-12 would be very or somewhat interested in seeing Peanuts in a TV show and 58% are interested in seeing Charlie Brown & Company in a movie.

Peanuts generates an awareness E-Score above category average for people 13 to 49 and kids 6-12.  In spite of Peanuts’ absence from any recent TV and film productions, kids’ 2-5 awareness E-Score for Peanuts is about equal to its category average.

Looking at Peanuts E-Score Character scores can reveal latent extensions and opportunities for both kids and adults.  Classic characters like Peanuts that have withstood decades of changing technology and culture can rely on years of equity and established distinctiveness.  E-Score Character can tap into why these characters have withstood time and what their future potential may hold.

Conan O’Brien is moving to cable and into the eager arms of TBS.  Conan’s new show will air at 11 p.m. placing him in direct competition not only with Leno, Letterman and the late night talk shows, but also with cable heavyweights The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report.

The ”I’m With Coco” phenomenon demonstrated the strong allegiance of Conan’s young audience.  However, despite professing reverence for Conan, many college-aged viewers still kneel to the altar of Stewart and Colbert which raises the question: is there room for a lanky redhead in the 11 p.m. mindshare of young audiences?

Taking the 12:30 version of his show as representative of the type of program he will bring to cable, we wondered how Conan would compare against The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.

Conan vs. Stewart & Colbert

Using FastTrack Late Night we looked at Program Elements to see how the 12:30 Late Night with Conan O’Brien matches up against The Colbert Report and The Daily Show.  Late Night scored a 47% for Host while The Daily Show and Colbert earned 66% and 63%, respectively.  Late Night earned a 44% for Humor with The Daily Show scoring the highest with 61% and Colbert close at 59%.

Source: FastTrack Late Night, One Year Show Average, Program Elements Rated Excellent

Colbert and Stewart offer a slightly different product incorporating news and politics at the same time garnering impressive humor and host scores.  Squaring off against Comedy Central’s late night duo poses a different kind of challenge for Conan than network television presented.  Predicting how Conan may fare against Colbert and Stewart requires looking beyond number of viewers and into the source of his appeal.  Understanding viewer’s favorite show elements and habits offers greater audience insight that goes further than ratings.

The Oprah Winfrey Show is ending after 25 years, throwing the daytime TV market into a tizzy as new and old programs fight for Oprah’s mantle and coveted time slots.  One contender for Oprah’s throne is none other than Rosie O’Donnell.

However, much has changed since O’Donnell’s first daytime talk show, the successful The Rosie O’Donnell Show which ran for six seasons from 1996 to 2002.  On the show, her playful banter with audience and guests earned her the title ”The Queen of Nice.”  More recently she has been engaged in a number of public spats with Donald Trump, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, among others.

While the details of O’Donnell’s proposed new show are still being ironed out, we wondered, how does Rosie stack up?

Does Rosie Measure Up?

Using E-Score Celebrity we compared appeal and attribute scores of Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell.  Among women 18-54, O’Donnell earned a top-two box appeal (”Like a lot/Like”) E-Score of 21% where Ellen and Oprah scored 64% and 52%, respectively.  O’Donnell’s articulate E-Score came in at 10% where Ellen and Oprah scored 18% and 29%.  O’Donnell’s funny E-Score of 37% is above Oprah’s 18% but bellow Ellen’s 74%.

From this comparison, we can see that Rosie is unlikely to simply reprise her previous format.  Viewers may see the ”Queen of Nice” days are behind her, and her E-Scores indicate a more polarizing personality.  With a profile similar to other polarizing figures like Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, is the new Rosie returning to TV at the right time, or does the daytime audience still require a kinder, gentler approach?

Miranda Cosgrove of iCarly fame recently inked a new seven-figure contract with Nickelodeon to continue her popular show for an additional 26 episodes.  Such a large contract for an age-specific cable network show highlights the potential star power of young TV actors.

Cosgrove, as well as actors from Hannah Montana and High School Musical have proven to be successful beyond television in music, film and merchandise.   In the modern youth-oriented culture, today’s teen idol can be tomorrow’s multi-media superstar.  TV programs targeting the youth audience can be fertile ground to grow celebrity appeal and awareness among the fickle 13-17 age demographic.

Top 10 Teen TV Celebrities That You Don’t Know

To find the next generation of teen stars, we looked for actors who are liked by teens but are not yet on the radar of adults.  We used E-Score Celebrity and the Answer Center to generate a list of the top 10 TV actors who have the biggest difference in top-two box appeal among ages 13-17 compared to 18-54.

The list is topped by a trio of actors from ABC Family’s The Secret Life of the American Teenager.  India Eisley, Daren Kagasoff and Megan Park have a difference in appeal of over 30 points comparing 13-17 to 18-54. Leighton Meester of Gossip Girl and Michelle Trachtenberg of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame and more recently Mercy earned appeal differences respectively of 31 and 25 points. The list also includes newcomer Dianna Agron from the wildly popular Glee with an appeal difference of 20 points.

E-Score Celebrity in MediaSYNC has the ability to look at appeal among specific age groups to reveal opportunities within age demographics.

Fox has decided to not renew the drama 24 for a ninth season.  Increasingly high production costs and diminishing ratings in a competitive time-slot spelled out the end for the show.  Despite 24′s cancellation it may not be the last time we see Jack Bauer fighting insurgents and interrogating terrorists.  Speculation is a 24 movie may be in the works citing show producer Howard Gordon.

Television programs and characters making the jump to the big screen aren’t unheard of.  Sex and the City, Star Trek and The X-Files each spawned a series of feature films.  The viewing public’s opinion of the already familiar subject matter and characters can help determine the success of a jump to the silver screen.

Character Extendibility: Jack Bauer Coming to a Theater Near You

Using E-Score Character extendibility measures we looked at Jack Bauer’s potential as a big screen action star.  Bauer received an Interested in seeing in a movie E-Score of 58% top two box which is above the category average.

Action Hero Comparison

We also looked at how Bauer matched up with other successful action movie protagonists.  James Bond, Jason Bourne and Captain Kirk’s Exciting E-Score respectively are 61%, 64% and 46%. Bauer earned a  Exciting score of 54%.  Bond, Bourne and Kirk’s Brave E-Score fall between 62% and 59%; Bauer earned a 57% Brave E-Score.  E-Score Character can be used to look into a character’s potential extendibility and success in different media.

• Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory)
• Charlie Harper (Two and a Half Men)
• Michael Scott (The Office)

In recent attempts to expand and grow its brand Gatorade has broadly extended its product lineup and refashioned its long-standing logo.

At a recent analyst meeting PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi said the company has not been happy with its North American beverage business. Last year volume dropped by 12% along with a 10% decline in sales per BusinessWeek.  Both the Gatorade and Tropicana brand refreshes by PepsiCo have been publicly criticized.  Gatorade’s brand refresh inlcuded a new logo coupled with a tweak on the product name to G. These changes may have been too much for consumers to swallow.

Gatorade Logo vs. Name Awareness

Using E-Score Brand data we looked at the recent awareness scores for Gatorade.  In January 2010 Gatorade received a name awareness score of 80% while the logo received an awareness of just 34%. In reports using the older logo, Gatorade had awareness levels of 82% for both name and logo.

E-Score Brand has the power to dig deeper and uncover the source of problems as well as possible solutions. Looking at Gatorade’s numbers by age reveal a trend.  The 13-17 demographic has an image and logo awareness discrepancy of only 1 point.   As you move older the gap grows widely.  Ages 18 to 24 has a discrepancy of 12 points, 18 to 49 a discrepancy of 34 points and 25-54 a gap of 47 points.  Younger audiences that have a short history with Gatorade and a more plastic view of the logo have recognized the change where older consumers still hold on to the classic design.

Gatorade’s universally recognizable lightning bolt and green font had become a standard in sports.  A change in logo and product lineup created confusion between logo and name that Gatorade’s maketing has not yet overcome.  Understanding consumer connections not only with the product but the logo itself can help steer a successful brand strategy.

• The Price is Right
• Jeopardy!
• Wheel of Fortune

Discussions between Conan O’Brien and Fox over the ousted redhead‘s new late-night show continue to move forward with rumors and speculation over where Team Coco will set up shop.  The Wrap is reporting a number of syndication companies have shown interest in producing a syndicated show for Conan that would air as an early fringe or access talk show before primetime.  This shift in time would be a stark change from Conan’s previous gigs as a late-night host and may be a shake up for syndicated TV.

How Would Conan Do in Syndication?

If Conan was to make the change as an early fringe show how would he compare with current syndicated talk shows?  Using FastTrack Television Late Night and Weekday we looked at how The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien scored against existing syndicated talk shows.  Viewers of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien stated their top two reasons for watching the show were “I Like the Host” and “The Comedy Sketches”.  An average of all syndicated talk shows reveals the top rated program features include “Host/Anchor” and “Show Idea”.  Regardless of time slot, appeal of the host is a key element for any talk show

In developing a new show, understanding the elements of current successful programs can help better assess audiences and produce a hit. FastTrack Television measures not only viewership and consumption habits but why and how current viewers engage with a program.

Source:FastTrack Weekday June 2009 – February 2010

Source:FastTrack Late Night June 2009 – February 2010

• BMW
• Volkswagon
• Audi

Part of MediaSYNC’s Answer Center, the Comprehensive Search tool is an easy way to generate ranked lists using date  range, demographic and/or behavioral filters.  Lists can be created by specific awareness, attribute and appeal scores.  Reports can be easily downloaded and viewed as an Excel file.

Most Stylish Celebrities Among 18-34 Year Olds

To demonstrate the Answer Center’s Comprehensive Search we performed a query generating a list of the most Stylish celebrities according to 18-34 year olds during the year 2009.

When creating an Answer Center query, you will select parameters for date range, category and traits desired.  Then you will select any desired filters using either existing E-Poll “quick filters” or custom filters of your own design.

In this case, we specified E-Scores from January 1st to December 31st, 2009 in all categories ,with Stylish scores greater than or equal to 20% and Awareness greater than or equal to 10 percent.  Finally, we specified a demographic filter of ages greater or equal to 18 and less than or equal to 34.  The resulting list shows that Tim Gunn is considered the most stylish celebrity among ages 18 to 34.

Toyota’s troubles over the past year have been well documented since acceleration problems first surfaced in September 2009, and continuing through several recalls covering millions of vehicles.   However, new E-Score Brand data shows that Toyota’s situation has taken a drastic turn for the worse in the past month following a Congressional inquiry and high-profile apologies by company executive.

A Drastic Decline

As recently as early February 2010, Toyota was showing a decline of about ten percent on average on a selection of key brand equity attributes measured by E-Score Brand from pre-crisis levels in August 2009. However Toyota’s most recent E-Scores are showing an average decline of 26 percent in just the past month – more than 34 percent since the story broke.  While all parts of the company must respond decisively to the situation, the message to brand and crisis managers is clear: frequent and timely monitoring of brand equity is crucial.

Decline in Core Brand Attributes

Before the recall, Toyota’s High-Quality and Reliable scores were both well above the auto category average and among its top scoring attributes, reflecting Toyota’s strong brand position.  Based on the most recent survey, Toyota’s scores on these core brand attributes are now at or below industry averages, indicating the magnitude of the problems facing Toyota.

E-Score Brand can help determine what actions a brand needs to take to achieve their desired position in the eyes of consumers, measuring brand equity not only on a timely basis, but also assessing the impact on core brand attributes.

Source: E-Score Brand

Conveniently enough E-Poll Market Research tracks the awareness of more than 5,000 celebrities and has already made a similar comparison.  Our E-Score Celebrity service (no relation to E-Trade) measures awareness of both name and face and here’s what it shows: data from E-Score Celebrity, by E-Poll Market Research.

Name Awareness:

Lindsay Lohan   77%

Oprah Winfrey  89%

Madonna            91%

Image (Face) Awareness:

Lindsay Lohan   69%

Oprah Winfrey  92%

Madonna            67%

On a full name basis, Lindsay Lohan has substantially lower awareness than Oprah Winfrey and Madonna.

A famous American Express ad campaign featured celebrities giving clues to their identity and asking the question, “Do you know me?”

For those whose business involves celebrities, awareness is a critical issue, and one that can be complicated to evaluate.  For example, the American Express campaign relied on celebrities who are recognizable by name but not by their faces.

This is why a unique feature of the E-Score Celebrity methodology measures both name and face recognition to determine total awareness among your target.

Image vs. Name Awareness

Using E-Score Celebrity you can determine the source of a famous personality’s recognition.  We looked to see which celebrities have the largest gaps between face and name recognition.  In TV, gaps in name to face recognition came from John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox on Scrubs) and Ed O’Neill (Al Bundy from Married With Children and more recently Jay Pritchett of Modern Family ).  Both actors have a face recognition 40 points higher than their name.

The situation can be reversed in sports and other fields, where name recognition is more prominent.  Personalities with considerably better known names over faces included J.K. Rowling, Lance Armstrong and Shania Twain.  In today’s multi-platform media environment, a clear understanding of a personality’s fame can help determine the best way to use their celebrity effectively.

The wealth of information captured in the survey reveals that individuals in different life stages can have very similar demographic profiles but different attitudes and media usage.  For example, the 18 – 49 demographic group familiar to TV and advertising executives is made up of people in seven different stages, with College Students, New Nesters and Married No Kids comprising nearly equal proportions.  Three of the life stages have a median age of 37 or 38.  Yet when examining behavior, the life stages are distinct and exhibit clear differences.

The survey goes on to explore the definitions, distinctions and habits of each of the life stages in detail, covering such data points as financial situation, leisure activities, life satisfaction, activities on which they are spending more/less time, and usage of, and attitudes regarding a wide range of media technologies.

Implications for Media and Technology Companies

Among the questions addressed in the research, the study assesses the importance of various media technologies to each of the life stages, with a laptop as the item most difficult to give up for most groups, particularly college students at 80% saying it would be “very hard to give up.”  Meanwhile, smartphones are particularly important to Single No Kids households at 64%, and significantly less so to Empty Nesters (32%).  A DVD player, DVD subscription service, Video on Demand (VOD) and HDTV are most important to New Nesters, with Teens feeling less attachment to those technologies, while College Students are hooked on their iPods and video game consoles.  A full list is below.

About The Study

“Life Stage:  Its Impact on the Future of Traditional and Emerging Media” is a national pilot research study to examine the impact of life stages on emerging media.  Further studies will be fielded in the coming months to gain additional insight into key consumer trends that facilitate cross-industry discussions about today’s reality and the future of potential digital entertainment offerings.  For more information about life stage research, please contact E-Poll Market Research at 877-MY-EPOLL, or fill out a request form here.

• Princess Tiana (The Princess and the Frog)
• Ariel (The Little Mermaid)
• Cinderella

• Fringe
• Lost
• Supernatural

• Charts and graphs may be downloaded from MediaSYNC as images
• List Views now have a search box to quickly find an E-Score
• Printing now enabled in Firefox internet browser

• Fringe
• Lost
• Supernatural

Still grinning from its record breaking Super Bowl, CBS got another reason  to smile when comedy The Big Bang Theory surged to a ratings season high with a 6.0 rating with adults 18-49 according to TVbythenumbers.com.  With the valuable time slot following the successful Two and a Half Men, Big Bang has proven itself a hit, increasing its ratings in each succeeding season.

The Big Bang Theory Program Scores

Using FastTrack Broadcast we can track the correlation between The Big Bang Theory’s increased ratings with a progressive increase in show attributes and opinions.  Overall opinion of the show improved among viewers each season.  In season one 45% of viewers rated the show Excellent, 58% in season 2 and 61% in the current season. Viewers who rated show Situations as excellent increased from 47% in season one to 55% in season three.  Main Characters of the show increased their excellent rating from 56% in season one to 67% in season three.   FastTrack Broadcast can reveal specific viewer opinion of a program and which characteristics are leading to successful ratings.

Source: FastTrack Broadcast, Program Rated Excellent Among Program Core Viewers

Source: FastTrack Broadcast, Rated Excellent Among Program Core Viewers

Source: FastTrack Broadcast, Rated Excellent Among Program Core Viewers

According to E-Score Brand which of the following media providers  is considered  the “highest-quality”?

• Comcast
• Time Warner
• Cox

Fresh off his performance of the national anthem at the NFC Championship Game, American Idol winner Kris Allen can be seen in ads for Ford’s Fusion Hybrid.  Ford has been a long-standing sponsor of American Idol, with many promotional tie-ins.  Kris Allen’s relationship with Ford during his time on American Idol appears to have grown on the automaker, which recently released a new TV ad featuring the singer.

Kris Allen Keeps Ford in Tune

Ford’s return to profitability has relied upon the message of  reliability combined with an American-made product.  Kris Allen’s “hometown boy” genuine character fit with the automaker’s objectives and goals.  By using Allen’s popularity the resurgent Ford can bolster its comparative advantage against its competitors.

Allen’s top two-box appeal of 73% is far above his category average and greater than Ford’s appeal of 45%.  Ford also has a higher than category average score in both Trustworthy and Down to Earth.  Kris Allen also scores a higher than category average in those identical attributes.  Kris Allen’s appearance in Ford commercials is a move to reflect some of that hometown charm on to the automaker, and the matching attributes marks a good fit between brand and endorser.

Source: E-Score Brand Data

Source: E-Score Celebrity Data

According to E-Score Brand which of the following mobile phone manufacturers do the most people agree with “I would try products/services by brand“?

• HTC
• Motorola
• LG

According to E-Score Brand which of the following mobile phone manufacturers do the most people agree with “I would try products/services by brand“?

• HTC
• Motorola
• LG

Competition between wireless providers Verizon and AT&T has seemingly reached a boiling point with a bout of besmirching ads and lawsuits.  Verizon took the first jab with the familiar-sounding phrase “There’s a map for that” comparing Verizon’s 3G coverage to that of AT&T.  AT&T countered with commercials featuring celebrity spokesperson Luke Wilson while touting the thousands of apps exclusively available on the iPhone. Verizon appears to have the edge with the more aggressive ads and frequent commercial spots, but is someone winning the telecom arms race?

Verizon and AT&T’s Scorecard

Using E-Score Brand we looked at both Verizon and AT&T’s scores from this January.  Surprisingly the two wireless providers are scoring even.  Both Verizon and AT&T scored an identical 40% top-two box appeal.  Purchase and viewing consideration by non-users for Verizon stands at 12% with AT&T close behind at 8%. When asked “Is a brand I would recommend to family and friends” Verizon scored 32% and AT&T scored 31%.

AT&T and Verizon’s combative ads seem to have canceled each other out.  In early 2008,  before the public spat began, appeal scores for AT&T and Verizon were identical at 38%. Similarly, both Verizon and AT&T’s appeal scores now stand at 40% in January 2010.

• CSI
• CSI: Miami
• CSI: NY

The 67th Annual Golden Globes aired last Sunday with a few surprising winners in the TV categories.  Julianna Margulies beat out previous winner Anna Paquin and Glenn Close for Best Actress in a TV Drama, while Toni Collette knocked off back-to-back winner Tina Fey in the Comedy category.  Meanwhile, Dexter scored two acting awards as Michael C. Hall took down former champs Hugh Laurie and Jon Hamm for Best Actor in a TV Drama, and his cast-mate John Lithgow walked off with the Supporting Actor award.

Surprised by the Golden Globes? We Weren’t.

Using FastTrack Television we looked at best actor winners Dexter, The Good Wife, and United States of Tara for possible indicators of their recent Golden Globe awards.  Among cable programs both Dexter and United States of Tara scored well above the average for main characters.  Viewers of the United States of Tara see the show’s main characters as the best feature of the show.  Among broadcast shows The Good Wife also scored well above average for main characters.  Main characters for The Good Wife also scored as the highest rated feature of the show among viewers.

We looked at the E-Score Character appeal, awareness and attribute scores of The Simpson family.  Homer has the highest awareness score with 62% with Bart nipping at his heels with 61%, Marge with 54% and Lisa at 49%.  Homer is also the most appealing with a score of 54% top-two box.  Each Simpson family character’s highest attribute score is “funny”, except Lisa’s which is “intelligent”.  It is in the second highest attribute score where each character’s persona comes out.

Like all E-Score prodcuts, E-Score Character provides open-end responses that allow further insight into how characters are viewed by the public in their own words.  Among the open-ended questions E-Score Character asks “What do you like about this character?”, “Are there any additional words or phrases you would use to describe the character?” and “What do you dislike about this character?”

E-Score Character will now be fielded on a monthly basis, with data available in MediaSYNC within seven days of survey launch.  In addition to its other market-leading features, E-Score Character now has the most frequent fielding and fastest turnaround in the industry.

• ESPN
• MTV
• Starbucks

As the Tiger Woods drama recedes, controversy still rings in the minds of consumers of his endorsed brands.

Watchmaker Tag Heuer has stated that it supports Tiger but will begin reducing its ads featuring the golfer.  Using E-Score Brand we looked at how consumer opinions of Tag Heuer changed before and after the story broke.

In January 2009, pre-controversy, we asked respondents “What is the first thought that comes to mind when you see the name of this brand?”  3% of open-ended responses mentioned Tiger Woods.  In January 2010 when prompted with that same question 16% of responses mentioned Tiger Woods.  This increased association is also reflected in the decreased appeal of the Tag Heuer Brand.

Can Tag Heuer Hit Out of the Hazard?

Digging deeper we looked at brand connections within a customer base more sought after by Tag Heuer.  Among respondents  with an annual household income over 60K, purchase consideration fell 9% from January 2009 pre-controversy to January 2010 post-controversy.  Tag Heuer though did show a bright spot.  Brand loyalty among Tag Heuer owners making over 60K moved up by 3 points from January 2009 to January 2010

E-Score Brand can reveal how outside forces can influence consumer sentiment and appeal.  Monthly brand fielding can be performed quickly to provide a clear snapshot in time of public perception.

What celebrity would you most like to spend New Year’s with?

For the 2009 Holiday Survey, E-Poll asked over 1,400 adults (ages 13+) and 500 children (ages 2-12) a variety of holiday questions.

New Year’s Eve is a special night for making resolutions and reflecting on the past year.  The person you are with as the clock strikes midnight also holds some importance.  We asked “what celebrity would you most like to spend New Year’s with and why?”

Most Frequently Answered Celebrities

1. Barack Obama
2. Oprah Winfrey
3. Taylor Swift
4. Ellen DeGeneres
5. Megan Fox
6. George Clooney
7. Jesus/God
8. Jessica Alba
9. Johnny Depp
10. Sandra Bullock
11. Sarah Palin
12. Angelina Jolie
13. Robin Williams
14. Will Smith
15. Brad Pitt

Check out what respondents have in store for these celebrities on the big night.

Click here to read the rest of the results from our holiday survey.

• Dexter
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Californication

• Michelob
• Stella Artois
• Budweiser

• Michelob
• Stella Artois
• Budweiser

What Gift do Celebrities Need this Holiday Season?

For the 2009 Holiday Survey, E-Poll asked over 1,400 adults (ages 13+) and 500 children (ages 2-12) a variety of holiday questions.

The Scarecrow needed a brain; Tin Man needed a heart and the Lion pleaded for courage. With gift giving in season we asked respondents which celebrity is in need of a gift and what would you give them?

Most Frequently Answered Celebrities

1. Lindsay Lohan
2. Britney Spears
3. Paris Hilton
4. Barack Obama
5. Kanye West
6. All/Most
7. Jon Gosselin
8. Kate Gosselin
9. Miley Cyrus
10. Oprah Winfrey
11. Jennifer Aniston
12. Tom Cruise
13. Rush Limbaugh

Read to see what gifts celebrities are in desperate need of and post your own suggestions.

Click here to read the rest of the results from our holiday survey.

• Santa
• Frosty the Snowman
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

• Santa
• Frosty the Snowman
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

As part of our annual Holiday Survey, we matched classic holiday characters with their corresponding celebrity alter-egos.  Based on similar attribute scores, these were the matching characters and celebrities:

Separated at birth?

Follow the link to read more results from the holiday survey.  Find out what celebrity respondents would like to spend New Year’s Eve with, what gift certain celebrities are in dire need of this holiday, what gifts teens want this year and much more.

E-Score Celebrity Special Report

The newly released E-Score Celebrity Special Report is an added benefit to your E-Score subscription, and includes analysis and helpful lists covering the period Q4 2008 – Q3 2009.

For more information on this valuable resource, please contact your E-Poll Client Development representative or Michelle Waxman, SVP of Corporate Development at mwaxman@epoll.com or (818) 995-4960 x23.

Britney Spears – Common Sense

Chris Brown – Anger Management Classes

Heidi & Spencer Pratt – A Brain

Jon Gosselin – A muzzle

Kanye West – Humility

Lindsay Lohan – Rehab

Miley Cyrus – To find a neutral place between youth & young adult

Octomom – A bunch of babysitters

Paris Hilton – Talent

Rush Limbaugh – A heart

Taylor Lautner – ME!

Tom Cruise – A new brain, one less psycho

Tyra Banks – Modesty

-What else do you think celebrities should have on their list? Comment and let us know!

Albert Einstein – I would like to understand Relativity.  I think he could explain it

Angelina Jolie – Isn’t it obvious!

Ashley Tisdale – Because she’s famous enough that there would be definite friendship perks, but not so famous that she wouldn’t call me the next day. Also, she’s really pretty and seems like she’d be fun.

Christopher Walken – Creepy and cool guy

Cote De Pablo – HAVE YOU SEEN HER!

Craig Ferguson – He’s funny, kooky. Would be fun to be with at a party.

George Clooney – wouldn’t everybody?

Jesus – He loves me, right? So we should spend New Year’s eve together.

Megan Fox – Should be self-explanatory

Mike Rowe – He seems like a great guy to sit down and have a beer with.

Oprah – Come on! The money that she plays with you know she would hook you up.

Taylor Swift – because kissing her at midnight would be AWESOME!

Ellen DeGeneres- I think she’s hysterical!

Jay Leno – So he can make me laugh

-Comment and let us know who you would like to ring in the new year with!

• Glee
• Modern Family
• The Cleveland Show

The E-Score Celebrity Special Report covers trends in the celebrity marketplace including which celebrities appearing in blockbuster films had the largest gains and declines in appeal.  Taylor Lautner of “Twilight”, Zachary Quinto from “Star Trek” and Emma Watson in “Harry Potter” top the list for largest increase in appeal.  Interestingly, Lautner’s 34% positive appeal ranks higher than his more well-known costars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart among the younger demographic.

Check out the report to see what other celebrities made the list and their percentage increase in appeal.

The E-Score Celebrity Special Report also covers:

• Biggest Celebrity Gains and Declines
• Celebrities with Highest Appeal By Age Group
• Most Talented Up and Coming  Celebrities
• Most Appealing Reality TV Show Hosts by Age Group.
• Blockbuster Movie Actor/Actress Gains and Declines By Age Group

Clinique
L’Oréal
M.A.C Cosmetics

• Clinique
• L’Oréal
• M.A.C Cosmetics