London – Kantar Media announced the acquisition of The Data Republic, a specialist social TV analytics agency, on April 2. The acquisition will build on the company’s activities in audience measurement and insight in over 60 markets.
It follows the enhanced global partnership between Kantar and Twitter announced on March 31 expanding the provision of Kantar Media’s social TV planning and analytics from its current base in the UK and Spain to include the Nordics, Russia as well as parts of Africa and Southeast Asia.
Founded in 2011 in Barcelona, The Data Republic has developed a proprietary platform and suite of tools for monitoring and analysing real-time data across social media. Kantar Media’s clients will gain access to The Data Republic’s proprietary services including “Tuitele”, a tool which delivers curation and analysis of social media conversations around TV shows and commercials; delivering insights for media planning, audience research and commissioning. It closely follows the recent acquisition of Fisheye Analytics, a Singapore-based start-up providing social media listening. Both acquisitions continue Kantar Media’s commitment to strengthening capabilities in the converging paid, owned and earned media landscape.
Commenting on the acquisition Andy Brown, Global CEO of Kantar Media said: “The level of social media buzz related to TV shows and commercials continues to grow. Whilst electronic TV measurement continues to be the recognised currency for TV viewing around the world, the need to better understand and amplify the social engagement around programming and advertising has never been greater.
“In joining Kantar Media, The Data Republic will complement our offer portfolio perfectly, bringing all the necessary tools and skills to enrich our social TV strategy and expertise to complement our existing ratings services, offering clients a truly holistic view of audience behaviour.”
“We are excited to be joining Kantar Media and have long admired their global success and audience measurement expertise,” said Carlos Sanchez, co-founder at The Data Republic. “We look forward to growing and enriching our combined audience research expertise even further for the benefit of the media industry.”
Kantar Media is part of Kantar, the data investment management division of WPP and one of the world’s largest insight, information and consultancy groups.
