Data Analytics: Kantar Launches Analytics Practice Amid WPP Sale Rumors

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WPP-owned research and insight specialist Kantar is launching a new Analytics Practice, amid rumors that the holding group may be preparing to sell the division.

The data and market research arm of WPP, Kantar announces the launch of a new global analytics practice that unlocks deeper insights to fuel business growth. Integrating analytical capabilities from across the company, Kantar Analytics Practice will combine the world’s most in-depth understanding of consumers with a deep analytics toolkit developed over four decades of solving the most difficult sales, brand, media, and marketing problems.

It will bring together the work of 1,500 data scientists, technologists and designers, to help businesses across a number of areas.

The practice will focus on five areas of expertise: brand and media ROI; customer analytics; segmentation and activation; innovation analytics; and retail and shopper analytics.

Earlier this year, and under pressure from management consultancies like Accenture and Deloitte, Kantar merged four of its brands – Kantar Added Value, Kantar Futures, Kantar Vermeer and Kantar Retail – to form one new group, Kantar Consulting. 

Commenting on the launch, Eric Salama, CEO Kantar, added: “Less than half (44%) of advertisers believe they have the right, actionable data. Clients feel data rich but insights poor and impact short. Kantar is unique in having the complete view of consumers across the entire demand cycle: the way they live, feel, shop, watch and post. Combining our insights with data from across any client’s organization can unlock deeper insights that fuel growth. “

On Monday, WPP reported a solid Q1 with revenues virtually flat for the final three months when Sorrell was in charge. Like-for-like revenues less pass-through costs – previously known as net sales – dropped 0.1% in the first three months of 2018.

It was better than the three previous quarters when revenues less pass-through costs fell 1.7% in Q2, 1.1% in Q3 and 1.3% in Q4 in 2017. It was also an improvement on figures for January 2018 when revenues less pass-through costs fell 1.2% and it suggests there was a pick-up in February and March.