• by Wayne Friedman , March 21, 2012

Adding to development of tools and metrics across traditional TV and new digital media, Viacom says it has adopted a new data management program to help marketers follow its cross-platform buys with the media company.

Using Adobe Audience Manager, Viacom says it is launching "Surround Sound," which will track and scale media buys across nearly 100 million TV homes and more than 80 million unique visitors via its digital platforms. It can also reach mobile and email users.

"Surround Sound" will be available cross-platform -- on-air, online and mobile platforms -- for Viacom Media Networks, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, TV Land and Spike TV.

Chris Robison, senior director, advertising solutions, Digital Marketing Business, Adobe, noted the AudienceManager value is providing "a single view of all its data assets."

"Surround Sound" uses proprietary, anonymous first-party data from Viacom, as well as anonymous data from industry partners. It focuses on demographics, geography and purchase behavior.

The service affords advertisers the "sustainable, scalable ability to reach very specific consumers across every screen we program," said Jim Perry, head of advertising sales for Nickelodeon Group for Viacom Media Networks.

Recently, Nielsen teamed with Group M to develop cross-platform metrics for marketers that can calculate the reach and frequency of consumer targets of media buys across traditional TV and in the online digital space.