MAPPR
Which pilots will a network's viewers actually love, and how does this one compare to every pilot that came before it?
The question
Networks test pilots one at a time, but every decision is really a comparison against years of prior tests. That history lived in hundreds of separate reports.
Analyze
MAPPR pooled pilot-test results into one meta-analytical dataset, normalized scores across studies and seasons, and profiled each new pilot against comparable shows.
Present
An interactive visualization let researchers and programmers see where a pilot sat in the distribution, which audience segments carried it, and which past shows it most resembled.
Impact
MAPPR became a standing tool in Nielsen’s content research practice. CBS, ABC and FOX used it to greenlight shows that went on to be viewed by more than 100 million people; Discovery and Amazon Studios used it for their own pilots. It set the pattern for the “automated topline” work that followed.