Omnicom Launches New Digital Data And Analytics Company

Data-Informed Platform Leverages Global Information Assets

Delivering Higher Level of Consumer Insights, More Efficient and Effective Media Investment

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Oct 25, 2010, 03:18 ET

NEW YORK, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Omnicom Media Group, the media services division of Omnicom Group Inc (NYSE: OMC) announces the launch of a new digital data and analytics organization called Annalect Group that will align and leverage consumer and media data from the Group's $2 billion in digital investments to deliver a higher level of consumer insight, and increase the efficiency and impact of client media investments.

This new entity is part of the Omnicom Media Group (OMG) portfolio, which includes global media service networks OMD and PHD, as well as a number of specialty media related companies.

Annalect Group brings together more than 300 digital and analytic experts from across several OMG specialty divisions -- including Media Analytics, Business Intelligence, Tools and Dashboard Systems, Econometric Modeling (Brand Science), Search (Resolution Media) and its DSP trading platform – to create a new, strategically focused, data-informed marketing platform.

"In many ways, Annalect Group represents the future of new media client services. In aligning our digital platform and investment strategies, and leveraging our digital media scale, the Annalect platform enables better consumer insights, more precise audience targeting and more effective media investment strategies", said Daryl Simm, CEO of Omnicom Media Group. "These capabilities will be at the core of our client service offering with dedicated resources for OMD and PHD, where our expert digital and client account teams will have the most advanced services at their disposal".

Scott Hagedorn, a digital and direct marketing veteran who is currently CEO of OMG's PHD USA, has been named CEO of Annalect Group. In his new role Hagedorn will report directly to Simm, who credits Hagedorn as an architect of the Annalect vision.

Describing that vision, Hagedorn said, "Social spaces, earned media, digital channels, new marketplaces – the concept of media has gone through a revolution, creating an imperative for re-inventing the fundamentals. Annalect has been designed to optimize the opportunity through the lens of digital and consumer behavior."

Hagedorn's leadership team includes Damian Blackden, who brings his experience as the top digital executive at OMG EMEA to the role of President, International; Tony LoFrumento, who has made OMG's business intelligence offer the gold standard for the industry, in the role of CMO; and Steve Katelman, Director of Global Partnerships.

Annalect Group will deploy its capabilities through four functional areas:

Digital Marketplaces: includes Search capabilities (Resolution Media) and DSP trading platform, both of which leverage OMG's vast digital footprint to deliver enhanced insights, precision targeting and investment efficiencies. This area is headed by Matt Spiegel, founder of Resolution Media, and previously head of OMG Digital.

Analytics: includes development and coordination of best- in-class analytic capabilities across our media agencies, with OMG's Brand Science econometric modeling unit at the core. Joe Masucci, previously head of OMD's business intelligence group, will lead this function.

Platform: includes application development, infrastructure, tool deployment and data management. The lead in this area is Dean McRobie, a former senior executive with Sapient who was most recently at Omnicom sister agency Organic.

Client Delivery: includes internal and external project management as well as implementation of client solutions. Former WPP global digital executive Ilana Nolte has joined OMG to head this effort.

Omnicom Media Group agencies, OMD and PHD, will continue to provide their own dedicated digital media planning, buying and digital account resources, which are unaffected by this announcement.

Hagedorn steps into his new role December 1. In the interim, he will be assisting in transitioning the CEO reigns to his successor at PHD, Andrew McLean. McLean joins PHD from Group M, where he was Chief Business Development Officer.

ABOUT OMNICOM MEDIA GROUP

Omnicom Media Group (OMG) is the media services division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), the leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company, providing services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

Omnicom Media Group includes the full service media networks OMD and PHD as well as a number of specialty media communications companies.

SOURCE Omnicom Media Group