• by Laurie Sullivan , Staff Writer @lauriesullivan, June 28, 2012

Newly appointed Core Audience CEO Adam Lavelle wants to rule the management audience data space. "I love getting up in the morning, making great stuff, and seeing customer experiences continue to improve," he says, explaining that 80% of the experinces online "stink."

With the same mentality as Apple's Steve Jobs, Lavelle believes money remains a byproduct of making great things. What would he do if "what if" scenarios in lines of software code could create the perfect outcome? The idea behind the Core Audience platform, which gives brands and publishers full control of their data, would become a standard.

Omniture defined Web analytics. Lavelle wants Core Audience to define data management. The industry can start by eliminating flawed and limiting definitions, he says. "In the same way brands invested dollars in having a customer database of record built for them by the likes of Acxiom or Experian, they should have an audience database of record, too," he explains. "You should have the ability to query the audience profile to determine any marketing touch point, bought, earned or owned."

Big brands typically have analytical and email platforms, and buying premium display advertising and audiences. Different segmentation models should feed into one source and platform that profiles consumers, processes the data and spits it back out for use.

This week, Hearst rebranded Red Aril as Core Audience, appointed iCrossing's Lavelle to run the company, and began focusing on software as a service (SaaS) audience management for brands that want to control their audience data.

Core Audience, which has integrated with the entire Google stack of products, expands the role of the DMP beyond buying media by helping brands recognize valuable audience segments and respond in real time across all their bought, earned and owned media platforms, including Web sites, apps, email, premium display, RTB display, search, social spaces, and other channels.

The Hearst Digital Media group also launched an exchange Tuesday. The exchange was developed in conjunction with Pubmatic and Core Audience. With DMP services, the HearstAudience Exchange will manage audience data assets, which aims to help advertisers make more informed purchasing decisions.

Today, Core Audience integrates display campaign performance, and in the second half of the year marketers can expect other media like site-side analytics and email, according to Lavelle.