Think Twice about Fast-Forwarding!
The next time you DVR a television show on CNN, TBS or TNT, think twice about fast-forwarding through the commercials. Instead, watch the ads and appreciate the handiwork of Juan Ma, who is using data analytics to ensure that the right commercials end up in just the right timeslots.
For the past two years, Juan (pronounced “Joo-on”) has been an operations research analyst for Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) Inc. in Atlanta, where she’s charged with helping advertisers reach their target audience.
For example, a company and its advertising firm will come to Turner with a budget in mind and a goal of reaching a certain number of viewers in a core demographic, and Juan and her fellow statisticians will develop an allocation plan that Turner’s sales team can present to the company and advertising firm. The allocation plan is a strategy proposal outlining which programs across Turner’s broad portfolio of cable networks, and at which times of day, the company should advertise to get the most bang for its buck.
