SymphonyAM Launches with Acquisition

In the US, Symphony Technology Group (STG) - the parent of retail market intelligence giant SymphonyIRI - has announced the launch of an ad performance analytics arm, supported by the acquisition of ad effectiveness measurement firm Factor Technology Group (FactorTG).

Terms of the buy were not disclosed.

Founded in 1999, San Francisco-based FactorTG measures the impact of branding and sales resulting from marketing activities including cross media advertising, events and sponsorships.

The buy enables newly launched Symphony Advanced Media (SymphonyAM) to offer insights on cross-media campaign performance based on a combination of behavioral and survey-based data.

SymphonyAM, which is headquartered in Palo Alto and San Francisco, with offices in Princeton and New York, is led by Manish Bhatia, Nielsen's former President of Advanced Digital Services.

Bhatia comments: 'As new media platforms emerge, it's more imperative than ever for marketers to fully understand how their media investments are impacting their brand value and bottom line. SymphonyAM enables advertisers to get the full value out of their media investments with the right set of fast, actionable, granular insights.'

Separately, earlier in the month, private equity firm New Mountain Capital, became a major investor in SymphonyIRI, which plans accelerated growth. The transaction, whose amount is undisclosed, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2011.

Web site: www.symphonyam.com .