• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, May 22, 2012

MEC North America is rolling out a new ROI analytics tool, dubbed Crossmedia, that compares and optimizes the sales effectiveness of media plans across all paid, owned and earned media channels. The shop is telling clients they can expect to average 5% to 15% efficiency gains across their media plans by utilizing the new approach.

“We had tools to use in order to optimize TV for sales, but clearly with the move to a more paid, owned and earned view of the world, we realized we had to start developing tools and capabilities that supported the broader landscape,” said Theresa LaMontagne, managing director, of MEC’s 2-year-old Analytics & Insights practice. 

The agency worked closely with WPP sibling Ohal, a London-based consultancy that works with numerous clients (Danone and PepsiCo among them) to develop econometric models and other techniques for optimizing advertising and marketing spending. Among WPP media shops, Ohal works exclusively with MEC to develop proprietary optimization tools, per LaMontagne.

The Crossmedia tool utilizes more than 1,000 econometric studies developed by Ohal overlaid with behavioral and segmentation data supplied by MRI and Simmons Research.  

LaMontagne said that a number of clients have agreed to use the new tool, but declined to identify any without their approval.

Since she joined the agency two years ago, charged with expanding and improving the shop’s analytics and insights capabilities, the A&I unit has nearly tripled in size to about 65 staffers, LaMontagne said.

The Crossmedia tool is being rolled out globally, although its implementation will vary by region given the differences in the media landscapes of individual markets.