The blogosphere just got a lot of credit in the media business. The company best known for measurement of television ratings, Nielsen has paired up with consumer-generated-media analytics firm Intelliseek to form Nielsen BuzzMetrics.
The merger comes after BuzzMetrics, Inc., owned by Nielsen parent company VNU, acquired a 50.1 percent stake in Intelliseek. The newly formed company’s goal is to measure and understand word-of-mouth behavior and influence-mostly though studying the goings-on in the blogosphere.
Intelliseek’s Blogpulse is well known in the consumer-generated market as a way to track 20 million online conversations as they occur.
The deal marks the third in a series of word-of-mouth research investments supported by VNU. In February 2005, VNU acquired an equity interest in Israeli-based Trendum, a leader in media and linguistic analysis technologies. In September 2005, Trendum acquired BuzzMetrics, and the new company adopted the BuzzMetrics name.
The new combined company will build on its search and text-based analytics to help marketers develop more effective marketing strategies, gain new consumer insights, and enhance their relationship marketing and corporate reputation. The new company also will continue its research and development activities to measure the next generation of media technologies by which consumers create and share information, including audio and video.
“We know from experience that marketers are using CGM to make better, smarter, and more profitable business decisions, from marketing effectiveness to crisis management,” said Mike Nazzaro, president and CEO of Intelliseek, who will become president and COO of the new BuzzMetrics.
“This deal will help us scale much more quickly, leverage the experience and expertise of Nielsen, and expand our client insights, analysis and recommendations.”
A star client roster comes with the territory. The combined firm boasts of cross-industrial clients including Canon, Comcast, Ford, General Motors, HBO, Kraft, Microsoft, Nokia, P&G, Showtime, Sony, Target and Toyota, 14 of the top 15 pharmaceutical companies and eight television networks.
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