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Digesting 'Big Data' Shouldn't Produce Heartburn

Writer and editor for MediaPost Laurie Sullivan writes: Globally, businesses created 1.8 zettabytes of data in 2011, according to research firm IDC. Data gives marketers the ability to better understand the relationship between brands and human behavior, but many just can't fathom the enormity of the bits and bytes generated from emerging online media. Two white papers published this month try to put the concept into context.   More...

Data-Driven Creative

Michael Kaushansky [pictured], SVP for Insights & Analytics of Havas Digital writes at MediaPost: Including data as an input into the creative cycle will allow current trends, consumer sentiment, real-time behavior and attitudinal response to be interwoven into creative thinking, thus making a campaign more relevant, dynamic and effective.

Data can enhance creative in major ways throughout the creative lifecycle.

Proper assignment of creative concepts to media channels, and constant monitoring and testing, will ensure that your creative is personalized and effective. More...

Exchange-Based Buying and Data Integration – Trend Drivers for 2012 [Video]

Video by ClickZAsia: Arun Kumar [pictured] from Mediabrands is confident that, “Recession or no recession, spending will continue to grow” this year.

He also said display will become more competitive than search and marketers will look at data more carefully to ensure data integration from multiple sources.  More...

In US, New IAB Study Reveals ‘Data Divide’

Survey of Nearly 200 Advertising and Marketing Industry Thought Leaders Showcases Emerging Data Approaches & Identifies Key Challenges to Widespread Adoption

NEW YORK, NY (January 17, 2012) — Continuing to demystify the myriad of digital data now available to marketers and online publishers, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) teamed with strategic consulting firm Winterberry Group to create a new study titled “From Information to Audiences: The Emerging Marketing Data Use Cases.” The white paper reveals new practices in data aggregation, management and deployment and spotlights barriers to widespread adoption. Its findings are based on research results from a survey of nearly 200 industry thought leaders and influencers, as well as Winterberry Group’s own quantitative and qualitative research.

“The plethora of new data sources, targeted technologies and advertising delivery platforms enable marketers to amass more intelligence from varied sources,” said Patrick Dolan [pictured], Executive Vice President and COO, IAB. “This promising resource can only bear fruit if marketers can take that raw data and harness it effectively, going beyond traditional usage. This study shows us that there are some hurdles we need to address before we can expect widespread adoption—and the ability for ‘big data’ to deliver big result.” More…

In US, New IAB Study Reveals ‘Data Divide’

Survey of Nearly 200 Advertising and Marketing Industry Thought Leaders Showcases Emerging Data Approaches & Identifies Key Challenges to Widespread Adoption

NEW YORK, January 17, 2012--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing to demystify the myriad of digital data now available to marketers and online publishers, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) teamed with strategic consulting firm Winterberry Group to create a new study titled “From Information to Audiences: The Emerging Marketing Data Use Cases.” The white paper reveals new practices in data aggregation, management and deployment and spotlights barriers to widespread adoption. Its findings are based on research results from a survey of nearly 200 industry thought leaders and influencers, as well as Winterberry Group’s own quantitative and qualitative research.

“The plethora of new data sources, targeted technologies and advertising delivery platforms enable marketers to amass more intelligence from varied sources,” said Patrick Dolan [pictured,left], Executive Vice President and COO, IAB. “This promising resource can only bear fruit if marketers can take that raw data and harness it effectively, going beyond traditional usage. This study shows us that there are some hurdles we need to address before we can expect widespread adoption—and the ability for ‘big data’ to deliver big result.”

“The digital marketplace has been growing by leaps and bounds, with data collection and usage representing a very complex and integral part of the puzzle,” said Jonathan Margulies [pictured, right], Managing Director, Winterberry Group. “Early adopters are making strides in pointing the ecosystem in the right direction, but a substantial ‘data divide’ continues to distinguish a small group of early adopters from those who have yet to explore the real potential impact that data may have on their advertising effectiveness.”  More...

2012 Trends: Tablets, Social Spamming, and Data Intelligence

Pushkar Sane [pictured], co-founder and CEO at Convergination Ventures writes at ClickZ.asia: Data mining will be in demand as clients continue to be bombarded with data dumb. They will look for companies that will provide data intelligence that is meaningful for their businesses. More…

The Key to Yahoo's Long-Term Health? Data, Says New CEO

Jason Del Rey of Advertising Age writes: Yahoo today named PayPal President Scott Thompson [pictured] as CEO after a four-month search and amid a sales process that may see the company broken up or sold for parts. He spoke with Ad Age this afternoon about why data was king at PayPal, why it needs to be the priority at Yahoo, and why you'll rarely catch him sitting behind his desk.

Thompson: I don't know exactly what that is right now but I am certain that the battle of the next generation of internet businesses will be made up of who has more data and who knows how to use it better than anyone else.   More...

In US, Mu Sigma Closes $108 Million Investment Round, Led by Global Growth Investor General Atlantic

Believed to Be Biggest Private-Equity Investment Made to Date in the Emerging Market for Analytics Services; Existing Investor Sequoia Capital Also Increases Stake

CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - Dec 28, 2011): Mu Sigma (http://www.mu-sigma.com), the largest pure-play provider of analytics and decision support services for global enterprise customers, announced today that it has closed a $108 million investment round led by General Atlantic. This is believed to be the biggest private-equity investment made to date in the emerging market for analytics services, and follows Mu Sigma's April 2011 $25 million round led by Sequoia Capital (which also participated in this latest round, raising its stake in the company).

"We are excited to partner with the clear market leader in the rapidly emerging field of analytics and decision sciences for large global enterprises," said Bill Ford [pictured, left], CEO of GA, who will be joining the Mu Sigma board. "We have long known and admired Mu Sigma for the strength of its management team and its innovative service offerings. The Big Data phenomenon is creating huge challenges for corporations as they look to better harness information to accelerate and improve decision making, and Mu Sigma is an excellent antidote. We look forward to working together in continuing to build a globally pre-eminent analytics company."

"General Atlantic brings a global perspective, experience and relationships that will be very valuable to us as we continue our growth globally," said Dhiraj Rajaram [pictured, right], Founder and CEO of Mu Sigma. " More...

The Data-Driven Digital Revolution

Jonathon Shaevitz [pictured], CEO of Maxifier writes for E-Commerce Times: Traditionally, online advertising was viewed primarily as a direct-response vehicle. However, the growing use of data to define and deliver audience targeting means it now can have an impact on all levels of the purchasing funnel -- from fostering awareness to reaching consumers at the ideal intersection between desire, intent and action.

While behavioral targeting and audience segmentation can point toward high incidences of someone potentially being in-market, retailer data points toward actual sales. More...

Online Advertisers Drowning In Data

Laurie Sullivan of MediaPost writes: Vizu released a study Wednesday supporting the need for more collaboration throughout the online advertising industry, especially when it comes to metrics. Survey results showed that data overload continues to cause confusion and slow industry growth. Still, despite such confusion, about 60% of the 450 advertising executives surveyed said they plan to increase their spending on brand-related online advertising in the coming year.

Vizu CMO Dan Beltramo [pictured], said nearly all brand marketers ranked in-market optimization of campaigns against brand metrics as "very important." Agencies, however, said they are primarily optimizing against various measures of engagement 58% of the time, or even click-through rates at 19% of the time, as opposed to the 16% of the time for brand awareness. More...