Marcela Tabares
Tabares’ groundbreaking research into “how to market to women” in traditional male-centric categories—specifically automotive—has helped advertisers optimize messaging among the increasingly powerful female consumer, and she is pioneering new approaches to measuring how programming content affects ads by implementing standard psychological tests of cognitive performance. Another of Tabares’ studies, due this fall, explores how emotional tonality affects advertising. The expansion of new measurement technologies is “the beginning of a movement from basic demographics to audience-based selling,” she says. “In this effort, we are currently working on developing a tool that bridges Nielsen viewership with consumption based data.”
required to succeed. As we are tasked with decoding consumer behaviors, predicting future trends and clarifying the value of audiences using big data analytics, I look for someone who is energized by this complexity – someone who is not just an analytical, critical thinker, but who is also a great storyteller. The machines put out the data, but it requires a unique creativity to build narratives that deliver meaningful insight.
Name one emerging trend in cable we should all have our eye on.
The expansion of new measurement technologies is giving us access to more revealing insights about our viewers and their consumption behavior. I think we can expect to see growth in the development of new research tools that will more precisely align advertiser messaging with defined consumer targets – this is the beginning of a movement from basic demographics to audience based selling. In this effort, we are currently working on developing a tool that bridges Nielsen viewership with consumption based data.
Who has been your strongest mentor, and why?
While I can refer to a wonderful boss who has always supported me and provided invaluable guidance to foster my growth, I have to say that my strongest mentor has been my mother – her courage, her conviction, her spirituality and her unforgettable fiery Colombian personality has taught me great lessons about how to walk through life and has ultimately shaped who I am today. She was my number one fan, immensely proud of how far I’ve come.
