WPP Links with Omniture, Invests $25m

Marcoms giant WPP has announced a partnership with US web analytics firm Omniture to provide clients with 'more effective insights' across both digital and traditional media channels. The deal involves WPP investing $25m in Omniture stock.

The aim of the partnership is to provide marketers with consumer insights supported by new technology, to help them increase their ROI from online marketing while optimizing their overall marketing expenditures.

The announcement comes just days after WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell announced that WPP plans to move away from its role as a traditional media and advertising supplier, to concentrate on becoming a more insight-led organisation.

As part of the deal, the pair will jointly develop analytical solutions, technologies and solutions, and combine some of their data and products. In addition, Omniture consultants will be deployed inside WPP companies, and more than 500 WPP employees will receive training on Omniture products and solutions within the first year of the relationship.

Specifically, over the next 12-18 months, the partners have agreed to integrate many of WPP's marketing technologies, data, insights and information products into the Omniture Genesis platform. These will include TNS Compete (competitive web benchmarking data) and TNS Stradegy (multimedia channel advertising occurrence and expenditure data).

'In the current economic environment and as clients continue to experiment with and develop their online budgets, the need for better analysis, measurability and focus on return on investment is more important than ever,' explained WPP Group CEO Sir Martin Sorrell. 'This partnership will help our many mutual clients meet these objectives.'

Web sites: www.wpp.com www.kantargrouptns.com and www.omniture.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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