Lifestyle insights survey commissioned 3 September 2004 Barb is expanding its data to provide more information about viewers to advertisers and broadcasters. Barb has commissioned a Lifestyle Insights survey, which will add hundreds of additional characteristics about the behaviour, spending and lifestyle of its viewing panel to its existing data. The survey will enable Barb’s TV panel viewing data to be analysed against information about leisure time, travel, car ownership, home & shopping and other media consumption. The Lifestyle Insights survey will provide a range of benefits – including improved ability to plan TV campaigns and target airtime. It will help in the assessment of cross-media delivery and the identification of potential target groups. It will increase understanding of viewer behaviour and motivations, and add depth to the knowledge of who are the key viewers of channels, programmes, and commercials. Barb Research Director Tony Wearn said: “The Lifestyle Insights survey is under way and we expect output to be available on these additional panel classifications by the end of the year. This is a major research project and has been commissioned for an initial 2 year period.” Barb Chief Executive Bjarne Thelin added: “We expect this service to be of high value across the media industry – from advertisers and agencies to broadcasters and programme makers. At a time when there is an increasing call for cross-media understanding, the additional panel classifications of Lifestyle Insights will also add to the available information.” New audience groups will be able to be identified within Barb data such as: High spenders on Gardening High spenders on DIY Cinemagoers Regular Wine Drinkers Car Drivers – Eg. Executive, or 4×4 Late-home Workers Frequent Air Travellers Digital Camera Owners Newspaper Readers – by major title The additional panel classifications of Lifestyle Insights will facilitate viewing analysis for groups of people with similar interests, media choices or spending patterns. The new classifications will assist users in the recognition of viewing patterns across the day, key programmes, and other viewing attributes. Using this information, advertising can be more specifically targeted, and broadcasters can understand more about the make up of their audience.