WPP Backs Ace Metrix

Ace Metrix, a Los Angeles-based provider of real-time television advertising analytics, has raised an undisclosed amount of strategic funding from WPP. A recent regulatory filing indicates around $2.24 million in new equity, although it’s unclear how much (if any) of that came from WPP. Ace Metrix previously raised around $6 million from Leapfrog Ventures, Palomar Ventures and Hummer Winblad Venture Partners.

PRESS RELEASE

Ace Metrix™, a leading provider of real time television advertising analytics, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY), a world leader in communications services, to provide marketers with fast access to in-market television advertising performance metrics and insights. In addition, WPP Digital is making a strategic investment in Ace Metrix™ and Mary Ann Packo, CEO of Millward Brown North America, a WPP company, will join the Ace Metrix™ board of directors.

Under the terms of the new partnership, Ace Metrix™ will work with WPP companies including those within Kantar, WPP’s consumer insight network. This collaboration will result in the marketing of Ace Metrix™ syndicated products to clients of WPP companies and the development of new tools and approaches to help marketers increase the effectiveness of their advertising and marketing investments.

The Ace Metrix™ syndicated software service, first launched in June 2009, features the Ace Score™, a patent-pending measurement of television advertising creative effectiveness. The service provides standardized metrics that enable advertisers to quickly and easily benchmark ads within their own brands and against the competition. WPP joins previous investors Leapfrog Ventures, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners and Palomar Ventures.

“Our clients are looking for quick turn around and additional competitive intelligence in today’s fast-changing marketing environment, and we are delighted to be working with Ace Metrix™ to respond to this market demand,” said Mark Read, CEO of WPP Digital. “This partnership continues our strategy of combining third-party data sets with our own for the maximum benefit of clients.”

Key elements of the strategic partnership will include:

• Expanded distribution of Ace Metrix™ data and software to clients
• Joint approaches for mutual clients to develop enhanced television advertising measurement solutions
• Joint development of technologies and insight, including integration of Kantar and Ace Metrix™ technology, data and products
• Sharing of marketing insights and best practices

“Ace Metrix™ has developed a unique and innovative approach to measuring consumer response to competitive ads within 24 to 48 hours of launch,” said Mary Ann Packo of Millward Brown. “We look forward to working with Ace Metrix™ to provide this information to clients, develop new applications, and integrate their syndicated products into our suite of solutions.”

“This partnership enables us to vastly accelerate our go-to-market readiness and reach. WPP, and specifically Kantar, brings a wealth of product know-how, market knowledge and customer insights to us and we look forward to exposing WPP teams and clients to the transformative power of Ace Metrix™. Together we can deliver a powerful combination to clients looking to improve their marketing and overall television advertising ROI,” said Peter Daboll, CEO of Ace Metrix™.

About Ace Metrix™

Ace Metrix™ delivers actionable analytics and competitive intelligence through the first online service measuring television advertising effectiveness.

Featuring the patent-pending Ace Score, Ace Metrix™ is delivered through a SaaS delivery model to the desktops of national advertisers and agency executives. With Ace Metrix™, advertisers and brand managers can make adjustments to creative and media schedules near real-time resulting in savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Ace Metrix™ customers include CBS, Chrysler, Cisco, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corp., Deutsch Inc., Mercedes-Benz, Nintendo, Nissan North America and other leading national advertisers.

About Kantar

Kantar is one of the world’s largest insight, information and consultancy networks. By uniting the diverse talents of its 13 specialist companies, the group aims to become the pre-eminent provider of compelling and inspirational insights for the global business community. Its 26,500 employees work across 95 countries and across the whole spectrum of research and consultancy disciplines, enabling the group to offer clients business insights at each and every point of the consumer cycle. The group’s services are employed by over half of the Fortune Top 500 companies. For further information, please visit us at www.kantar.com

About Millward Brown

Millward Brown is one of the world’s leading research agencies and expert in effective advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research. Through the use of an integrated suite of validated research solutions – both qualitative and quantitative – Millward Brown helps clients build strong brands. Millward Brown has more than 78 offices in 51 countries. Specialty practices include Millward Brown’s Global Media Practice (media effectiveness unit), Dynamic Logic (the world leader in digital marketing effectiveness), Neuroscience Practice (using neuroscience to enhance traditional research techniques), and Millward Brown Optimor (consultancy that helps clients maximize the returns on their brand and marketing investments). Millward Brown is part of Kantar, WPP’s insight division.