Trendum Buys Buzzmetrics with VNU Backing

US online word-of-mouth research specialist BuzzMetrics has been acquired by Trendum, a provider of Internet search and linguistic analysis. Together, the companies hope to create a global standard to measure online consumer 'buzz' about brands. VNU is a minority shareholder in the new company, which will keep the BuzzMetrics name.

BuzzMetrics will offer both custom and syndicated word-of-mouth research and planning services to help marketers keep up with what consumers are saying across blogs, message boards and product feedback sites. The company will build on Trendum's technological expertise, using the facilities of its research and development lab in Israel.

Itzhak Fisher, Chairman of Trendum - and now of BuzzMetrics - says he is excited to bring together 'two of the world s most innovative research firms', and to have the strategic support of VNU. Jonathan Carson, President and CEO of BuzzMetrics, describes the new company as an 'extraordinary triumvirate, including BuzzMetrics' market leadership and client services, Trendum's revolutionary media mining technologies, and VNU's strategic backing'.

In addition to Carson, the senior management of BuzzMetrics now includes:

• Rich Nelson, Executive VP of Corporate Strategy and General Counsel (formerly President, Trendum USA)
• Ori Levy, President of BuzzMetrics Israel, the company s research-and-development lab (Trendum co-founder, and former President, Trendum Israel)
• Braxton Robbason, Chief Technology Officer (formerly CTO, BuzzMetrics)
• Jonathan Schler, VP, Research and Development.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.