Canoe Taps Broussard for Top Research Role

In the US, Canoe Ventures - a firm founded to make it easier for advertisers to buy, use and measure ad technologies - has appointed media research veteran Gerard Broussard to the newly created role of Vice President of Research and Analytics.

Launched in 2008, Canoe is a joint venture formed by a number of US cable operators, which is currently building a database infrastructure to collect set-top box data. In the future, the firm expects to provide viewing metrics for 32 million US cable households, representing about 57 million set-tops.

Broussard joins from WPP-owned MediaLab where he worked as Managing Partner for four years. Prior to this, he served as Senior Partner-Director of Media Analytics at WPP's mOne/MindShare, where he oversaw a department that provided research guidance in planning/buying direct response and digital media.

Earlier in his career, he worked at Ogilvy & Mather, as Partner and Associate Director of Media Research; CBS Television Network, where he was Director of Market Analysis; and at Vitt Media International, as VP of Research.

He is also a past Chairman of the Media Rating Council's Internet Committee.

In his new role, Broussard is charged with charting a course for the company's research, data and analytics functions tied to digital TV marketing solutions. He will also manage advanced advertising campaign reporting and analytics for Canoe's partners and customers, as well as overseeing the development of campaign optimization tools and research studies.

He reports to COO Kathy Timko who joined the firm last summer from telecoms firm IDT, and who comments: 'Gerard's combination of industry expertise and reputation as a thought leader in the research community will be a great fit for Canoe'.

The New York-based firm is online at: www.canoe-ventures.com .