• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, May 15, 2012

IPG’s MagnaGlobal has struck a deal with Networked Insights (NI) to provide it with social media data and analysis related to TV programming.

NI monitors the social media space to glean insights about audience interests and opinions about content and brands. NI’s analytical platform delivers recommendations on the exact TV shows a brand's audience is watching by analyzing conversations in social media across the Web. The platform collects and synthesizes data by using proprietary tools to discover topics and themes to measure conversations, impressions and sentiment.

The deal, which is not exclusive, is designed to help Magna -- as well as sibling media shops Initiative and Universal McCann and their clients -- make better bets on which TV shows to advertise in. The agreement is effective immediately. NI will be providing data in time for the 2012 upfront marketplace.

NI CEO Dan Neely stated that MagnaGlobal has “recognized the value social data has to inform TV media planning in order to get the most reach for all of their clients.” He noted that NI will provide Initiative with such data throughout its global network.

According to Tim Spengler, worldwide CEO of MagnaGlobal, the NI data and analysis “will make our recommendations for clients that much sharper and more effective.”