CHICAGO and SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 28, 2006 – Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the world’s leading provider of enterprise market information solutions and services, today announced the formation of a strategic relationship with comScore Networks, Inc. to offer clients an unprecedented level of insight into consumer behavior and attitudes. The announcement was made at the third annual IRI Reinventing CPG and Retail Summit 2006 taking place Feb. 27-March 1, 2006, at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel.
Through this relationship, IRI clients can now extend new product and advertising testing initiatives by utilizing the industry gold-standard BehaviorScan® in-market testing solution and comScore’s advanced market research and targeting capabilities to conduct attitudinal research with consumers who have exhibited specific purchase behaviors. The relationship is part of the IRI innovation agenda in the area of “Consumer Understanding,” which is focused on improving clients’ understanding of consumers, including their drivers, preferences, loyalties, habits and concerns.
“On the heels of the BehaviorScan® 25th anniversary, IRI is pleased to continue its innovative legacy and to capitalize on the advances comScore has brought to the practice of behavioral and attitudinal research to provide solutions that drive actionable insights,” said IRI President and Chief Executive Officer Scott W. Klein. “By capturing more consumer purchases in more outlets, IRI is uniquely positioned to help clients quickly make comprehensive evaluations of high-risk or high-investment new products and ad campaigns.”
“IRI BehaviorScan is the leading service for advertising and new product testing,” said Gian Fulgoni, chairman of comScore Networks and former chairman and chief executive officer of IRI. “comScore is eager to deliver added value to IRI clients by precisely reaching targeted buyers and eliciting direct consumer feedback. We believe that together, IRI and comScore can offer marketers more accurate and actionable information based on combined insight into consumer behavior and attitudes.”
The partnership leverages comScore’s alliance with Catalina Marketing Corporation to deliver a unique survey research application that combines comScore’s research expertise with the enhanced targeting capabilities of Catalina Marketing. The application, known as BAR®–behavior activated research®–capitalizes on the breadth of the Catalina retail printer network installed in thousands of supermarkets to elicit consumer feedback via survey invitations presented at check-out, based on consumers’ purchase behavior as measured by the stores’ UPC scanners.
Working with IRI, comScore will tap into the Catalina network, installed in nearly 17,900 stores in 99 U.S. markets, to reach any consumer segment for attitudinal research, such as niche groups and hard-to-reach segments, and those exposed to BehaviorScan testing. Based on actual purchase behavior, covering current or historical transactions, consumers are issued a survey invitation with details for completing the survey via the internet or by phone.
“The addition of precise attitudinal information from comScore will provide unparalleled levels of consumer insight and help deliver greater return on investment for our clients,” added IRI President of Global Services Sunil (Sunny) Garga.
Fulgoni will speak at the Reinventing CPG and Retail Summit 2006 on Feb. 28, 2006 , discussing the role of the internet as a vehicle for helping retailers and manufacturers better understand today’s shopper, and better tailor marketing efforts to the passions, interests and lifestyles of key consumer segments.
About comScore
comScore Networks provides unparalleled insight into consumer behavior and attitudes. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore explicit permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestlé, MBNA, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Merck and Orbitz. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.
About Information Resources, Inc.
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) is the world’s leading provider of enterprise market information solutions and services, empowering its clients to grow their business profitably in a complex marketplace. Driving the transformation of the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, and healthcare industries, only IRI provides a unique combination of real-time market content, advanced analytics, enterprise performance management software, and professional services. The company’s portfolio of services, solutions, and technology enable leading retailers and their suppliers around the globe to see what they are missing, act faster with greater confidence and win at the shelf. Ninety-five percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 in CPG and retail leverage IRI to power their business. For more information, visit http://us.infores.com.