• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, April 1, 2020

Adwanted Group has acquired SRDS (AKA Standard Rate & Data Service) from Kantar for an undisclosed sum.

SRDS’ data is used by ad agencies and brands to compare online and traditional media across business, consumer and geographic audiences.

Nearly two years ago Adwanted Group’s U.S. platform Adwanted USA, an automated advertising marketplace entered into an exclusive partnership to license SRDS data on 6,700 U.S. B2B and consumer magazines and integrate it with the Adwanted platform. That deal was said to mark the first time SRDS subscribers were able to execute media buys with legacy media in addition to doing campaign research and planning on a single digital platform.

“Merging SRDS with Adwanted creates a compelling new product where customers can not only select and compare media opportunities, but now they can also purchase media quickly with just a few clicks,” stated Adwanted Group CEO Emmanuel Debuyck.  The move, he added also helps Adwanted expand its footprint in the U.S. and “adds to the company’s marketplace credibility due to SRDS’s reputation in the U.S. media industry.”

The 101-year-old SRDS will retain its branding under the new ownership although Adwanted plans to refresh the SRDS brand with a new logo, graphics and collateral materials as part of a broader expansion  and modernization plan for the service.

Adwanted said it would retain all current  SRDS employees most of whom are based at offices in Chicago.  

The transaction follows Bain Capital’s acquisition of a 60% stake in Kantar from WPP last December. WPP retains a 40% interest in the media and marketing research company.