• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, April 2, 2007

Signaling the importance digital database analytics will have on the future of advertising, GM Planworks has recruited a leading expert in the field of digital TV set-top data to spearhead a major push in the development of digital data analysis, as well as other emerging media research systems. The move comes on the eve of a major shift from analog to digital media that will come as part of the Federal Communications Commission's mandated conversion to digital broadcasting, and as a wide range of companies are trying to crack the code for measuring media via digital set-top devices. In fact, GM Planworks new hire, Michael Vinson, most recently was chief research scientist at erinMedia, one of the companies leading that charge until it put its roll out on hiatus in late February and laid off most of its staff.

erinMedia put the breaks on its expansion plans after Nielsen announced the rollout of DigitalPlus, a new unit that is seeking to develop audience measurement and analytics directly from digital set-top data streams. The Nielsen move effectively killed a $25 million venture capital firm that was being evaluated by, among other players, Publicis, the parent of GM Planworks, which is a unit of Starcom MediaVest Group.

erinMedia has said it plans to focus on working with the industry to explore licensing its patents and technology for deriving TV audience estimates from digital data streams until the marketplace becomes more "open." erinMedia has a federal antitrust suit pending against Nielsen, which has a trial date scheduled for early 2008.

Before joining erinMedia, Vinson was a leading academic in the field of theoretical physics, an he says he will apply that knowledge toward developing "advanced analytical methods" to the burgeoning digital media marketplace.

Although Vinson will be an executive at GM Planworks, a unit dedicated to client General Motors' media account, Publicis said he will spearhead developments across the Starcom MediaVest Group network. At GM Planworks, he will report to Executive Vice President-Chief Digital Officer Curt Hecht and Executive Vice President-Chief Strategy Officer Mary Carpenter.