• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, January 6, 2011

NBC Universal has tapped a new research executive to help gin up advertiser interest in its array of properties targeting women, ranging from iVillage to Oxygen. Melissa Lavigne-Delville joins from a unit of talent agency CAA that focuses on marketing to young people.

At NBCU, she will be vice president, strategic insights for the Women at NBCU unit that looks to develop specific opportunities for marketers using properties that can include iVillage and Oxygen, but also "The Biggest Loser" and environmental-awareness initiatives. She will report to Tony Cardinale, a senior vice president in the Women & Lifestyle Entertainment Networks division.

At CAA, she worked in Intelligence Group, which runs a TrendCentral.com Web site. Lavigne-Delville, a managing director, joined in 2004, targeting the intersections of pop culture and marketing. Clients of the consultancy include Time Warner and Microsoft.

This round, NBCU stated that she will help clients navigate "today's rapidly changing technology, media and cultural landscape," with a focus on evaluating and packaging research data, both to inspire campaigns and track their effectiveness.

At the Intelligence Group, she worked with P&G (a Women at NBCU client), the BBC and HBO. She also led seminars on trends with generations X, Y and Z.

Lavigne-Delville's experience includes a role as a "youth culture expert" at Urban Outfitters.