As data becomes the most critical aspect of all things business, including marketing, GroupM has set up [m]PLATFORM, a technology suite of flexible media planning applications, data analytics and digital services. The platform aims to improve advertisers’ ability to use audience-defining insights from various data sources to find and communicate with their consumers across all media.
According to GroupM officials, [m]PLATFORM makes it possible for media planners at GroupM agencies to use the most detailed consumer data to achieve results for their clients. It is supported by a team of data scientists, technologists and digital practitioners from across GroupM specialist companies and Xaxis. [m]PLATFORM unifies data analytics and digital services including search, social, mobile, digital ad operations and programmatic into one team delivering a completely open and fully transparent data and technology architecture.
![Brian Gleason, [m]PLATFORM](https://arabianmarketer.ae/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Brian-Gleason.jpg)
“Marketers are under tremendous pressure to deliver results from media investments. This flexible platform approach enables us to focus USD 7 billion worth of investments we’ve made in data and technology over 10 years to help them realize a marketplace advantage. Our agencies will now have deeper consumer insights and the most robust technology in the market,” said Kelly Clark, CEO GroupM Global.
[m]PLATFORM connects wide-ranging WPP data sources across Kantar and Wunderman, third-party data providers, GroupM’s data from unique agreements with global media partners and clients’ own data when they choose. This allows the creation of the most complete consumer profiles within a brand’s target audience, including rich demographics, technology usage, behavioral insights, purchase history, location data and more that varies by region in line with local regulations.
The connected platform ensures insights carry through the whole communications process. [m]Core is the first full-stack audience intelligence platform combining cross-platform data (display, mobile, video, offline CRM, apps, etc.) for a singular consumer identifier, [m]ID. [m]Insights is the largest audience-centric media planning tool with cross-channel planning, creative workflow management, unified audience frequency capping and location-based and in-demo reach management. [m]Analytics marries online and offline campaign-level data to [m]ID to enable analytics, attribution and optimization. [m]Report merges data into a single, intuitive visualization dashboard with actionable intelligence.
GroupM is building a global structure to support [m]PLATFORM. Four regional Presidents will report to Mr Gleason. Presidents in EMEA and APAC will be named shortly but recently named President of Platform Services in North America, Phil Cowdell is now President [m]PLATFORM, NA. Lucas Mentasti is named President, [m]PLATFORM, LATAM. The [m]PLATFORM global leadership team comprises Nicolle Pangis as Chief Operating Officer; Jack Smith as Chief Strategy Officer and Bob Hammond as Chief Technology Officer.
“The rise of digital and mobile technologies, media fragmentation and expanding ecommerce create a pivot point in marketing where the scientific application of data to media strategies is essential. Today, marketers have to know their customers in richer detail than ever before, or else they won’t reach them. [m]PLATFORM is an audience-centric approach enabling our agencies with individualized consumer insights and technologies to reach audiences without boundaries,” said Mr Gleason.
“The technology development teams reporting to Brian demonstrate his ability to continuously innovate winning solutions for clients. Now, the best of our technologies, whether built, acquired or partnered are consolidated under his remit to enable our agencies with an unparalleled ability reach audiences and deliver outcomes for their clients,” added Mr Clark.
