Daily Research News Online no. 9094 - WPP and Google Launch Media Research Grant Program

WPP and Google Launch Media Research Grant Program

October 28 2008

Marketing communications group WPP and Internet giant Google have partnered to jointly fund a grant program to support research into how online media influences consumer behaviour, attitudes and decision making.

In the next three years, the pair will contribute up to $4.6m to the new Google and WPP Marketing Research Awards Program, which will immediately begin reviewing grant applications from full-time faculty members at universities worldwide.

The program will be overseen by Professor John Quelch, Senior Associate Dean of Harvard Business School and Non-executive Director at WPP; Dr Hal Varian, Google's Chief Economist; and by Professor Glen Urban, former Dean of the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

'We want to encourage more research about how online and offline media work together to influence consumer choices,' explained Varian. 'We think that such research will contribute to more effective and more measurable advertising performance.'

This committee will work with WPP and Google to decide which grant proposals will be funded and ensure the integrity, delivery and impact of the research.

In addition to the funding, WPP will provide access to BrandZ - the annual study of brand perceptions published by The Kantar Group, as well as to media data and research generated at GroupM.

Eric Salama, CEO of Kantar, WPP's insight, information and consultancy division, added: 'The industry needs a much better handle on how offline and online media interact with each other and how that interaction shapes consumer attitudes and behaviours. This initiative will be a critical part of that solution.'

In the first year, the Awards Program will aim to award up to a dozen grants ranging from $50,000 to $70,000.

More information about the program can be found at www.research.google.com/university/marketingresearchawards/