Nielsen and Catalina JV for ROI Measurement

Nielsen has formed a joint venture with St. Petersburg, Florida-based consumer-driven print communications firm Catalina Marketing Corporation, addressing the current hot topic of linking marketing exposure with purchasing behaviour.

Catalina owns and operates Pointer Media Network, one of the largest print media vehicles in the world, based around a database of 250 million weekly shopping transactions.

Nielsen Catalina Ventures will offer precision media solutions and return on investment (ROI) measurement tools for consumer packaged goods (CPG) and media companies. The 50/50 j.v. will integrate information from Nielsen's TV, Internet and household purchase panels including the National People Meter, with purchase data from more than 50 million shoppers in Catalina's network, creating a major new TV ROI measurement service.

The partners say the link between consumers' media consumption and in-store purchase behavior will be 'direct' but 'anonymous'. The first precision media solutions will be launched in the first half of 2010. Nielsen's existing television and online precision media businesses, which currently use its Homescan data, will be integrated with Catalina Marketing's shopper data, greatly extending the number of measurable campaigns.

The joint venture will be a separate legal entity based in Cincinnati, Ohio, with personnel from both partners. Its CEO Mike Nazzaro is a former Nielsen executive, as well as a former P&G executive and entrepreneur.

Nielsen Chairman and CEO David Calhoun says the partnership is a 'first step toward a holistic measure of ROI that will redefine accountability in the CPG space.' Dick Buell, his opposite number at Catalina, comments: 'Understanding and adapting communications to more accurately reach a brand's most relevant customers takes a level of granular analysis that doesn't exist today. This new company offers a depth of insight that allows for more intelligent marketing campaign development, management and measurement.'

The partners' home pages are at www.nielsen.com and www.catalinamarketing.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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