High Street Data Used to Target Online Audiences

Digital ad intelligence specialist Exponential Interactive has teamed up with WPP-owned behavioural targeting services firm I-Behavior, to help advertisers target consumers online based on their high street purchasing habits.

I-Behavior's data, representing £5.5 billion worth of UK purchase transactions, is gathered from more than 100 merchants, and is supplemented with consumer demographic and lifestyle information such as holiday travel and leisure interests.

The firm aggregates this information to build audience segments, such as 'home electronics buyers', and Exponential will now integrate these into its own system of online audience segments, in order to help advertisers deliver relevant digital messages to consumers.

Exponential UK MD Niki Stoker says the resulting data can be used, for example, to help a supermarket chain target groups of people online who regularly spend over £100 a week at a competitor's store, or by a travel company to target people who go on at least two European holidays a year.

'The partnership creates a much greater link between what people buy in a shop and their online behaviour. Consequently, it's much easier for advertisers to find their target audiences online and to create more tailored ads that appeal to them,' Stoker adds.

Web sites: www.exponential.com and www.i-behavior.com .