USA TODAY Opens Research and Marketing Arm

News publisher USA TODAY has launched a research and marketing unit, Buzz Bureau, to help clients find non-traditional ways to engage with their customers and identify new trends and market information.

The new unit offers a variety of services including custom research, and its team can also tap into the USA TODAY audience to create panels of specifically targeted readers.

Its research services are designed to enable clients to identify and analyze how to effectively reach niche markets. The offering includes primary research such as market segmentation; product concept testing, brand awareness and image assessment; advertising copy and effectiveness testing for print, online or video; and web site usability testing.

Secondary studies can also be conducted to 'repurpose' existing data into new information for clients, and the team's advanced quantitative capabilities can be used to carry out clients' overflow analytical work.

A wide range of marketing services are also available including content licensing; company branded inserts and video production services; advertising, design and creative solutions; and alternative marketing tactics such as e-mail campaigns; subscriber inserts; and trade show literature distribution.

'USA TODAY has always set the industry standard for the best content, design, distribution, market intelligence and audience reach,' states Susan Lavington, SVP of Marketing. 'The Buzz Bureau harnesses these unique assets in new and compelling ways for our clients.'

USA TODAY was founded in 1982 and today the newspaper has an average daily circulation of more than 2.1 million, while its USATODAY.com web site reaches a combined 5.8 million readers daily.

Web site: www.usatoday.com .