MUMBAI: ComScore has inked a strategic alliance with WPP’s data investment management division, Kantar.
The alliance, which covers territories outside the US, establishes a framework for the parties to bring the best of breed together from the two companies – their products, technology, data assets, research panels and relationships – to provide world class cross-media audience and campaign measurement capabilities.
The alliance follows the intended acquisition by WPP, announced earlier today, of a substantial equity stake in comScore. Under the terms of the agreement, comScore will issue 4.45 per cent in shares in exchange for the benefits of the strategic alliance, and acquisition of certain European Internet audience measurement assets. WPP will also purchase up to 15 per cent shares of comScore through a tender offer with an offering price of $46.13, giving WPP a total ownership stake in comScore of between 15-20 per cent. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2015. Provided WPP’s tender offer is successful, it is expected to be accretive to comScore’s non-GAAP earnings per share in 2015.
comScore will partner with Kantar and its operating businesses on cross-media audience and campaign measurement in non-US markets. comScore will also acquire the assets of Kantar’s Internet audience measurement businesses in certain European markets. In these markets, Kantar and comScore will continue to provide the same level of seamless integration and data services.
“This long-term, strategic alliance will simplify the deployment of global measurement capabilities and accelerate the creation of new services for the industry. The emerging mediascape points to a massive global opportunity waiting to be unlocked by cracking the code on cross-media audience and campaign measurement. We look forward to working together with Kantar to deliver new measurement products based on our complementary offerings in these markets,” said comScore CEO Serge Matta.
Kantar CEO Eric Salama added, “By partnering with comScore and combining our respective strengths, we will integrate data and expertise to give our clients a new standard in measuring audiences and campaigns across multiple platforms. This continues our strategy of combining survey, panel and census data and putting digital at the heart of all we do.”
