Nielsen's Telephia Acquisition To Accelerate Third-Party Mobile Metrics

by Tameka Kee, Jun 28, 2007, 6:00 AM

• Comment
• Recommend (1)
• Tweet
• 

Mobile marketers asked for full-scale third-party measurement and The Nielsen Company has answered--by acquiring Telephia, the leading provider of syndicated telecom and mobile consumer research.

The deal creates a mobile media measurement powerhouse, building upon the Nielsen Wireless division launched June 6. Telephia serves clients in the U.S., Canada and Europe--including mobile operators, handset manufacturers and content providers--with quantitative tech-based tools as well as qualitative consumer insights panels.

The companies had worked together in various capacities for more than six years, and though neither would discuss specific financial or strategic details, a Nielsen spokesperson said the acquisition was "a natural progression, as third screen media measurement was something that [Nielsen] had been very interested in."

Telephia will keep its San Francisco corporate headquarters, as well as members of its senior management team. The two companies said no discussion has yet taken place about whether they will become a blended entity, like Nielsen BuzzMetrics--as both have brand equity tied to their names.

"We have a vested interest in making sure that clients can use all of our resources to make the best business decisions in a seamless way," said Jesse Goranson, senior vice president, account management, Telephia. "Together, Nielsen and Telephia can truly provide a view of the three screens--understanding what consumers are watching, when, why, and how they're reacting to the advertisements."

Given the increased synergy between digital and traditional advertising campaigns, marketers have cited the need for concrete metrics to gauge the investment risk with emerging platforms like mobile--and mobile carriers and content providers need the metrics as well to effectively monetize their inventory.

"You see some advertisers like P&G and Toyota that are willing to experiment and make fairly reasonable commitments to mobile advertising," said Goranson. "But you can't have a vibrant market until there are metrics around it to help folks understand what success means."

Industry leaders like the Mobile Marketing Association endorsed the acquisition. MMA President Laura Marriott said: "With the increasing focus around mobile advertising and the brand marketers' need for clear metrics and success criteria measurement, the mobile expertise of Telephia will help to further Nielsen's mobile initiatives."

• Comment
• Recommend (1)
• Tweet
• 

Be the first to comment on "Nielsen's Telephia Acquisition To Accelerate Third-Party Mobile Metrics "

Leave a Comment