Nielsen Buys Customer Data Specialist Precima

Nielsen has acquired retail and customer data and analytics company Precima, from consumer behavior specialist Alliance Data Systems. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada and with offices in the Netherlands, US and UK, Precima uses AI and machine learning algorithms to drive its Transaction Log (TLog) and Loyalty/Customer Relationship Management (CRM) data platform. These solutions have been developed to help organizations improve their competitive position across all aspects of planning and operations, including pricing optimization, promotional planning, assortment optimization, targeted marketing, and supplier collaboration.

Through this acquisition, Nielsen Global Connect will expand its portfolio of personalized and addressable pricing, promotion and assortment capabilities. The deal also adds access to Precima's loyalty data-backed collaboration programs and retail relationships to Nielsen Global Connect clients, globally. Going forward, the firm will be referred to as 'Precima, a Nielsen company'.

Precima President Brian Ross says that his team is proud to be joining the Nielsen Global Connect family. Pat Dodd, Chief Commercial Officer for Nielsen Global Connect, adds: 'Driven by a mutual desire to enhance collaboration between the manufacturing and retail industries, this is a game changing deal. By combining Precima's customer-centric technology with ours, we remain committed to being the unrivaled power source to drive brands' and retailer growth'.

Alliance Data sold a major division, US data company Epsilon, to global marketing group Publicis last year for $3.95 billion.

Web sites: www.nielsen.com and www.precima.com .