DoubleClick, Forrester Look Deeper At Net Buys
Internet ad company DoubleClick Inc. and analyst firm ForresterResearch boosted their abilities to decipher Internet buying
patterns on the Internet as each sealed deals Monday with online
research firms.
Looking to present deeper online research to the media-planning
industry, DoubleClick picked up online target-market research firm Atplan Inc. for $125 million in stock and cash. Atplan collects information for Internet advertisers, agencies, and publishers using an in-house database that can cross-reference consumer- survey data regarding life style, product preferences, and demographics. Clients can use this information to plan marketing, advertising, and sales strategies. DoubleClick, which sells and services a network of Internet ad locations, says it will use Atplan as a launch pad for its own research division.
One analyst says the acquisition could be a smart move in a
tightening online-media industry. "They're facing additional
competition from companies like [A.C.] Nielsen," says Chris
Hansen, an advertising-industry analyst with Bank Of America. If
"media companies don't think they're biased, this may become a
significant portion of their business."
Meanwhile, Forrester is also looking to give its E-commerce
clients hard data on consumers' Internet buying behavior. On
Monday, Forrester outlined a partnership with Internet-behavior-
tracking company ComScore Networks Inc. that will give Forrester
access to data collected as ComScore follows the purchases of more than 1 million registered consumers. Forrester says it will
combine ComScore's behavioral data with its own market research
and analysis to help clients better plan online selling. The
partnership comes a week after Forrester took a minority holding
in ComScore during the company's third round of funding.
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