comScore Networks and IRI Join Forces to Create Internet Tracking Panel for CPG Industry

Business Wire, Feb 26, 2007

Panel Empowers CPG Manufacturers to Customize Internet Advertising Plans to Better Reach Consumers

CHICAGO & LAS VEGAS -- IRI, the leading global provider of consumer, shopper, and retail market intelligence and insights for the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare industries, and comScore Networks, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital age, today announced that they are joining forces to create an Internet tracking panel and other supporting solutions to deliver essential Internet media buying and planning tools for publishers, agencies and advertisers in the CPG industry. The new service will be unveiled tomorrow at the fourth annual IRI Summit 2007 taking place at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Since today's savvy consumers do not learn about new products strictly through TV advertising, it's becoming more challenging for CPG manufacturers and retailers to reach their customers through mass channels. The new Internet tracking panel and solutions from IRI and comScore will empower advertisers to quantify what web properties are engaging to their key consumer targets and subsequently quantify and track the return on investment of their online marketing campaigns.

"This represents an exciting new service from comScore and IRI that marries online measurement metrics from the leading supplier of digital intelligence with offline buying data from a prominent CPG syndicated information company," said AOL Vice President of Market Research Van Riley. "This service is truly needed by clients in the CPG industry to establish competitive baselines and ROI from online advertising."

"We're pleased to build on our partnership with comScore to provide another service that will drive new actionable insights for the CPG and retail industries," said President of IRI Business and Consumer Insights Sunny Garga. "Our new Internet tracking panel will help all of our clients to better understand the online behavior of their target audiences and to more effectively use the targeting capability that the Internet provides to increase the return on their marketing investments."

The new tracking panel will combine comScore's proprietary Internet tracking capabilities with the IRI Consumer Network[TM], a consumer panel that measures CPG buying behavior across more than 380 Retailer Marketing Areas (RMAs) and delivers visibility into more brands, more shoppers and more retailers at lower levels of geography. Recruitment of national panelists will begin in March followed by a launch of the new service during the second quarter of this year.

"With the increasing importance of the Internet as a marketing medium for the CPG industry, the new integrated panel will not only meet the demands of the advertising world, but also bring a much-needed service to both comScore and IRI clients," said Gian Fulgoni, chairman, comScore Networks, Inc. "We're delighted to have the opportunity to expand comScore's client base through this joint offering with IRI. The pairing of our company's respective technologies creates a powerful media planning and analysis capability that is urgently needed by the CPG industry."

About comScore Networks

comScore Networks is a global leader in measuring the digital age. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than 2 million consumers who have given comScore permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its proprietary technology, comScore provides insight on a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Fox Sports, Nestle, MBNA, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, Merck and Expedia. For more information, please visit www.comscore.com.

About Information Resources, Inc.

Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) is the world's leading global provider of consumer, shopper, and retail market intelligence and insights, empowering consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare companies to grow their business profitably in a complex marketplace. Driving breakthrough growth in the industries it serves; only IRI provides a unique combination of real-time market content, advanced analytics, enterprise performance management software, and professional services. The company's portfolio of services, solutions, and technology enable leading retailers and their suppliers around the globe to see what they are missing, act faster with greater confidence and win at the shelf. Ninety-five percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 in CPG and retail leverage IRI to power their business. For more information, visit: http://us.infores.com.