GfK MRI and E-Poll Debut Celebrity Fusion Solution

Consumer and media research specialist GfK MRI and full-service consumer agency E-Poll Market Research have jointly developed and launched a platform offering a granular understanding of consumer/celebrity compatibility.

MRI produces audience data in the US through its Survey of the American Consumer, which covers consumption of over 6,500 products and services in nearly 600 categories. E-Poll measures the marketability of celebrities, brands and entertainment programs, and its E-Score suite of research products includes awareness, appeal and attribute measures for more than 10,000 celebrities.

The firms' new 'MRI/E-Score Celebrity Fusion' solution visualizes the process of choosing endorsers and spokespeople, aligning product placements and making other decisions for celebrity-based marketing. Clients can use the solution to connect a celebrity to an existing brand identity, for product placement, and for media placement to find the right ads for shows built around specific celebrity appeal. It can also be used to identify those matched to a show based on the celebrities in the cast.

Karen Ramspacher, SVP of Innovation and Insights at MRI, says bringing together two resources - one focused on consumer lifestyle and the other on celebrity appeal - creates a tool to help 'place smart bets' on celebrity marketing. E-Poll President and CEO Gerry Philpott adds: Unlocking the mystery of celebrity attraction has been our goal from the beginning with E-Score. Now having the ability to pinpoint that attraction and pair it with the consumer's brand preferences fills a void that has existed in our industry for decades'.

Web sites: www.gfk.com and www.epollresearch.com .