Omnicom Strikes Data Deal with Internet Giants

In the US, marketing services group Omnicom has partnered with AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo! in order to gain access to their consumer data and provide highly targeted online ads based on information such as users' gender, location and age.

According to a report in the Financial Times, Omnicom's Digital Chief Jonathan Nelson says his firm is already spending 'hundreds of millions of dollars' with the four companies, and the new initiative will help Omnicom spend its budgets more effectively.

Omnicom says the deal will enable it to 'sidestep criticism' around privacy issues, as it will not own the data. Nelson (pictured) told the newspaper: 'They are providing their database segmented the way we want it. We don't need to own the data to have the most intelligence, and we don't see anything that the media company doesn't want us to see. What we get is real-time access to their audiences at the moment that we need to make a media buy.'

Last October, Omnicom launched a data and analytics agency called Annalect, with the aim of providing 'better consumer insights, more precise audience targeting, and more effective media investment strategies'.

The firm has since acquired advanced analytics and predictive modeling specialist The Modellers and online community developer Communispace.

Web site: www.omnicomgroup.com .