Why Fragmented Measurement Shouldn’t Scare You

The TV advertising landscape has become a patchwork. In 1985, the three major US networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) accounted for nearly 70% of all prime-time television viewing. Now it’s much different; viewers bounce across an ever-growing array of platforms, from linear TV to streaming apps, from social media to gaming consoles. This fragmentation could seem intimidating to advertisers accustomed to the simpler days of prime-time buys. Still, in reality, it's a golden opportunity for savvy marketers to leverage more precise, personalized, and performance-driven campaigns.

Let's unpack why fragmentation is your friend, not your foe.

Fragmentation = More Data, More Control

In a unified media world, brands were limited by the boundaries of the platforms they advertised on. One TV network, one siloed dataset, one campaign report. Fragmentation shatters those limits. Today's fragmented ecosystem offers granular, real-time data points that show exactly where, how, and when a brand’s audience engages.

According to the Nielsen Gauge report for March 2025, audience fragmentation is accelerating, with streaming now making up 43.8% of total TV viewing, surpassing both cable (24.0%) and broadcast (20.5%). Notably, viewers frequently shift between platforms, as seen by Warner Bros. Discovery's viewing share increasing by 0.8 percentage points in March due to events like March Madness and strong growth on Max. This ongoing fragmentation underscores the need for advertisers to closely track audience behavior and adapt swiftly.

Image source: Nielsen Gauge report

As audiences splinter across multiple channels, advertisers gain deeper insights into viewer behaviors and preferences. Consider connected TV: every click, pause, subscription, or churn is measurable. Whether someone is binge-watching a new series on one streaming channel or dipping in and out of another, these behaviors generate valuable data that can be leveraged immediately.

This data translates into control. With a more accurate understanding, advertisers can craft hyper-personalized experiences that resonate deeply with consumers. Instead of generic, one-size-fits-all ads, brands can deliver messaging tailored to interests, viewing habits, and even emotional contexts. A cooking enthusiast might see grocery delivery ads while watching cooking content on their favorite FAST channel, enhancing relevance and boosting conversion rates.

In short, more fragmentation equals better-informed marketers—and that equals more efficient ad spend and higher campaign ROI.

Brands Are Already Doing It—And Winning

Top advertisers aren't shying away from fragmentation — they’re diving headfirst and winning big.

Pharma marketing is a prime example. Historically conservative due to stringent regulatory requirements, pharmaceutical brands have now embraced fragmented measurement and data-driven targeting. They're using HIPAA-compliant data not only for digital targeting but also to pinpoint ideal audiences on both linear and connected TV. Imagine a diabetes drug brand leveraging anonymized prescription data and viewing habits to target relevant patients with tailored messages, driving deeper engagement without sacrificing compliance.

And it works. Pharma brands investing in TV as a central pillar report a significant lift across digital and social channels. According to industry insights, a strong, engaging 60-second TV ad can dramatically improve brand recall and trust, meaning subsequent interactions on digital or social platforms yield higher conversion rates.

The lesson here is clear: fragmentation isn't theoretical; it's proven and actionable. Brands courageous enough to embrace it are already pulling ahead.

Clean Rooms & Privacy-Safe Tech Are Unlocking Cross-Platform Insight

One challenge with fragmentation is clear: the more platforms involved, the more complex it can become to maintain data privacy and consistency. Enter the data clean room — a solution specifically designed for today’s fragmented ecosystem.

A clean room acts like a secure, neutral ground. It’s where advertisers and publishers can safely combine first-party and third-party data to unlock insights, refine targeting, and measure outcomes without ever risking exposure to personally identifiable information (PII). This allows advertisers to connect the dots between different data sets, tracking how a viewer interacts with content across multiple channels. A recent IAB report found that 61% of advertisers and agencies are already actively using or planning to use data clean rooms, citing measurement and attribution as primary use cases.

Here’s a quick example: a retailer and a major publisher can pool anonymized data to identify a shared audience segment (say, households interested in home improvement). Through clean rooms, they can then deliver precise messages tailored to these households, measuring campaign effectiveness across linear, streaming, and digital touchpoints simultaneously. The advertiser gains visibility into exactly which ad exposures led to conversions, which means better measurement, smarter budgeting, and higher return on ad spend (ROAS).

Clean rooms don’t just solve privacy challenges—they amplify effectiveness. Brands can confidently navigate fragmented environments, accessing the insights they need without compromising on privacy compliance. For marketers operating under GDPR or CCPA regulations, clean rooms aren’t just helpful—they’ve become essential.

Pivot on Mid-Flight, Reallocating Spend to Top-Performing Platforms

Perhaps one of the biggest advantages of fragmented measurement and data-rich platforms is agility. Advertisers no longer need to commit budgets blindly to far ahead of time or wait weeks or months for campaign results. Now, real-time data allows for continuous, mid-flight optimization.

Think about it: viewing patterns shift rapidly. A highly anticipated series premiere might pull viewers onto one streaming service in March, only for them to switch subscriptions after binge-watching the season finale in April. Marketers who rely on quarterly or annual planning without flexibility risk spending big on platforms where their target audience no longer spends time.

Real-time fragmentation data lets advertisers spot trends immediately. As viewers migrate, so can their budgets. Advertisers can monitor daily or weekly performance, reallocating spend toward platforms or creatives that resonate best at any given moment. This means better efficiency and effectiveness with every dollar spent.

If a prime-time spot is losing steam on one service but crushing it on another, why wait? Adjust budgets accordingly to maximize reach and conversions mid-campaign. This fluidity ensures the campaigns consistently align with audience behavior rather than outdated assumptions.

Embrace the Future: Fragmentation Is the Advantage

Fragmentation isn't chaos; it's opportunity.

Brands winning in 2025 and beyond won't fear fragmentation — they'll master it. They'll leverage clean rooms and privacy-safe technologies to build precise targeting strategies. They'll pivot swiftly in response to shifting viewer behaviors. Most importantly, they'll use every fragment of data to forge stronger connections, foster brand loyalty, and drive measurable results.

Brands successfully navigating TV fragmentation rely on tools designed to unify cross-platform measurement and deliver actionable insights. In 2025, choosing the right technology partner, like Simulmedia's TV+, is a cornerstone of achieving measurable, long-term success.

The fragmented TV ecosystem isn’t your enemy. It’s your greatest advantage — so long as you’re prepared to connect the dots and seize it.