WPP Takes $5m Stake in Analytics Provider nPario

WPP Digital has bought a $5m minority stake in US data analytics firm nPario, a move which it says will boost its plans to integrate online and offline data from its Kantar and Media Innovation Group units.

nPario, which was founded by former Yahoo! executives Bassel Ojjeh and Krishna Uppala last year, has developed technology and applications to analyze large volumes of online and offline consumer data for clients such as Microsoft, Yahoo!, Adobe, Oracle and SAS.

WPP says the collaboration will result in the development of new solutions to help marketers and publishers gain faster access to audience insights.

Mark Read, CEO of WPP Digital, comments: 'The application of technology to the management, mining and actioning of information has always been a core competency for direct marketers and their agencies, but over the past several years the data has become exponentially more diverse, faster-moving and higher volume. We are pleased to be partnering with nPario to help us scale marketing analytics for the new era.'

Ojjeh, who is President and CEO of nPario, says the relationship with WPP will enable his firm to deliver better products to advertising agencies and marketers.

Web sites: www.wpp.com and www.npario.com .