NIQ, a pioneering force in consumer and market intelligence, is proud to announce the appointment of Kris Ewing as the Global President of Consumer Panel Services (CPS) to accelerate growth, foster innovation, and deliver client-centric solutions. This leadership appointment underscores NIQ's unwavering commitment to expanding consumer-sourced measurement across diverse channels and categories, reinforcing its pivotal role in fortifying the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry. As NIQ marks its centennial milestone, this appointment signifies a dedication to propelling the Consumer Panel business into a new era where robust, data-driven insights are imperative for the success of the CPG industry.

Ewing's elevation to the position of Global President of Consumer Panel Services is a testament to NIQ's commitment to elevating data-driven insights to unprecedented heights. Reporting directly to Tracey Massey, Chief Operating Officer at NIQ, Ewing is tasked with steering the company's global expansion of Consumer Panel activities. With a keen focus on differentiated product offerings, cutting-edge technology, and a team of skilled shopper and consumer experts, Ewing's leadership aims to establish new industry standards.

With 76% of senior leaders from the FMCG industry stating that changing behaviours of consumers and new generations is a presenting a challenge and opportunity for future growth, the focus for NIQ is on delivering a commitment to clients that provide the future led consumer insights that enable brands to create long-term growth.

"I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to lead in this dynamic landscape,” said Kris Ewing, Global President of Consumer Panel Services at NIQ. “Our commitment to evolving and enhancing our capabilities is paramount to serve our clients better and achieve our ambitious goals. I look forward to spearheading this journey of innovation and growth, ensuring that our strategies resonate with the ever-evolving needs of our clients and the industry."

NIQ is strategically prioritizing the advancement of Consumer Panel Services across the organization, initiating a series of key actions:

• Fostering greater clarity for clients through the connection of Retail Measurement Services and Consumer Panel Services through dynamic, integrated views on NIQ Discover (launching in 2024).
• Strengthening coverage, representation, and CPS data quality across global markets with focused investments in leading samples in the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia, United States and Canada.
• Providing enhanced support through training, workshops, and thought leadership by industry-leading subject-matter experts to unveil new pathways to growth by leveraging best-in-class Retail Measurement and Consumer Panel insights.
• Delivering more precise and reliable trend reads, particularly in key growth channels as well as expanded omnichannel coverage, categories, and characteristics.

NIQ is driving a rapid pace of measurement advancement, underpinned by significant and strategic investments in coverage and technology. Embracing a forward-thinking approach, the company has pinpointed key critical initiatives to foster substantial growth, with CPS serving as a central pillar in this strategic pursuit. NIQ steadfastly upholds its mission of pioneering insights and innovation within the consumer and market intelligence sphere, driving us forward into a future of unparalleled advancements and transformative industry impact.

Qlik and Mozaic combine expertise to offer enhanced business value through a Data Product Catalog experience, a SaaS Solution

 Qlik^©, a leader in data integration and analytics, today announced the acquisition of Mozaic Data (Mozaic), an innovative AI-driven data management technology. This timely acquisition marks an advancement in simplifying data handling for businesses, focusing on a data product-oriented approach for better data quality and governance.

Integrating Mozaic into Qlik's portfolio brings a transformative approach to managing data as a product. "Organizations are increasingly seeking to create domain-centric data products that transcend data integration and quality. There's an elevated expectation within the industry," explained Stewart Bond, Vice President, Data Intelligence and Integration Software at IDC. "The focus of Qlik's data quality and governance offerings to embody the concept of data products highlights a maturity that resonates with today's customer needs."

Sharad Kumar, founder of Mozaic, joins Qlik as the Regional Head of Data Integration and Quality. His expertise will further enhance Qlik's innovative capabilities, aiming to develop a next-generation Data Product Catalog solution and allowing customers to extract more value from their data quickly and effectively.

Drew Clarke, General Manager, Data Business Unit at Qlik, emphasized, "The acquisition of Mozaic and Sharad's expertise is a pivotal step in reshaping the data landscape, and is a significant contribution to our ongoing work for 2024. Customers recognize the importance of treating data as a product—a strategy that aligns with the need for a SaaS-based Data Product Catalog, offering a more efficient and user-friendly experience in data lifecycle management, while also reinforcing a solid foundation for AI-driven data management."

Mozaic’s innovative Data Product Experience approach is designed following the principles of decentralized architecture. Mozaic enabled organizations to build, secure, govern, deploy, and manage domain-centric data products in the cloud. These data products can be discovered through a data product marketplace, and accessed through a broad spectrum of consumption patterns, enabling diverse business use cases.

This acquisition is set to accelerate data deployment and utilization across enterprises, especially in cloud platforms like Amazon Redshift, Databricks, Google BigQuery, Microsoft Fabric and Snowflake. The Harvard Business Review notes that treating data as a product can speed up the implementation of new use cases by 90% and reduce total cost of ownership by 30%.

Sharad Kumar commented, "Joining Qlik is a significant milestone for Mozaic Data. We share a vision to improve data consumption by maximizing value from data investments. This is an opportunity to advance the efficiency and innovation in data management driven by AI, integrating seamlessly with Qlik's upcoming projects."

With this acquisition, Qlik reinforces its commitment to providing end-to-end data solutions, seamlessly integrating Mozaic’s technology to enhance the overall data consumption experience for businesses.

Company Receives Industry Recognition for Global Identity Verification Platform

Trulioo, an industry-leading identity platform with proven global coverage for person and business verification, today announced a significant increase in the adoption of its platform in the past year. The company, which opened a new international headquarters in Vancouver this year, also earned industry recognition following the 2023 launch of its global identity verification platform.

“We have built an incredible suite of technological capabilities, as reflected in the remarkable adoption rate of our identity platform since its 2023 launch,” said Steve Munford, Trulioo CEO. “Our global platform with in-house person and business verification delivers the agility customers need to rise to the challenges of today’s rapidly growing global economy. We take immense pride in our accomplishments and will bring the same spirit of innovation and growth into 2024.”

Enterprise Customer Base Expansion

Following the successful launch of its identity verification platform in early 2023, Trulioo deepened relationships with global banks, payment service providers, marketplaces, social media platforms, online trading enterprises and foreign exchanges. Among new customers, 65% chose the workflow capabilities of the Trulioo platform for fast, flexible integration.

Trulioo counts as its customers three of the five largest U.S. banks, six of the top seven global digital payment processors, five of the world’s leading online marketplaces, four of the top five international foreign exchange brokers and three of the four leading crypto exchanges. Recent strategic partnerships include J.P. Morgan Payments, Public, Syngrafii and Consensys.

Industry Recognition

Trulioo received market recognition from Liminal Research, which found that an integrated identity platform can help companies streamline customer onboarding and reverification to deliver better user experiences and enhanced security.

Trulioo was named a leader in the Quadrant Knowledge Solutions SPARK Matrix™: Identity Capture and Verification 2023, securing a top-five position in technology excellence. The company’s identity platform, with a full suite of person and business verification services, delivers the highest onboarding assurance and eliminates the need for multiple point solutions.

Trulioo also earned recognition as a Deloitte North America Technology Fast 500™ company and was named one of Canada’s enterprise industry leaders in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50™ program.

Continued Innovation

Identity document verification plays a critical role in onboarding across the globe, and Trulioo took steps to ensure customers have access to the most cutting-edge capabilities. That included expanding the number of verifiable documents to more than 13,000 and enhancing optical character recognition to cover more than 20 language character sets.

Trulioo also offers an unparalleled ability to enable customers to mix and match document verification and personally identifiable information checks. That mix-and-match capability extends to pairing data, identity document and business verification in a single workflow so Trulioo customers can automatically waterfall from checking company details to identifying and verifying ultimate beneficial owners or people with significant control. That end-to-end business verification capability saw significant market demand, with 40% of new customers adopting the capability.

The user experience is central to successful onboarding, which is why Trulioo also developed state-of-the-art document verification image capture for web and mobile. On top of those document verification advancements, Trulioo delivers iBeta level 2-certified facial biometric technology to remove onboarding doubt, strengthen security and build compliance confidence.

CAMPAYGN announces transformative updates in Q4 2023, integrating ChatGPT for precise influencer searches, unveiling an Influencer Relationship Manager for direct email communication, introducing a Content Keyword Scanner, and launching a Pro-Sustainability Database to identify environmentally conscious influencers.

CAMPAYGN Unveils Major Enhancements in Q4 2023, Elevating Influencer Marketing Strategies

CAMPAYGN, a leading influencer marketing platform catering to global lifestyle brands, proudly announces a series of transformative updates to its platform in the fourth quarter of 2023. These advancements underscore CAMPAYGN's commitment to providing marketers with cutting-edge tools to enhance their influencer marketing campaigns.

Key highlights of the latest updates include:

ChatGPT Integration for Powerful Influencer Searching:

• CAMPAYGN has seamlessly integrated ChatGPT, a state-of-the-art language model, to revolutionize the way marketers search for influencers. Leveraging the power of ChatGPT, users can now perform more nuanced and context-aware searches to identify influencers that align perfectly with their brand objectives. This integration enhances the precision and efficiency of influencer discovery within the CAMPAYGN platform.

Influencer Relationship Manager (IRM):

• Introducing the Influencer Relationship Manager (IRM), a feature designed to streamline communication between brands and influencers. Marketers can now connect with influencers directly through email within the CAMPAYGN platform. This integration simplifies the outreach process, fostering stronger relationships and ensuring a seamless collaboration experience.

Content Keyword Scanner:

• CAMPAYGN introduces the Content Keyword Scanner, a powerful tool that allows marketers to identify specific words or brands used by influencers in their content. This feature provides marketers with valuable insights into influencer content, enabling them to align their brand messaging more effectively and ensure brand consistency across campaigns.

Pro-Sustainability Database:

• Recognizing the growing importance of sustainability in influencer marketing, CAMPAYGN introduces a Pro-Sustainability Database. This database identifies and showcases environmentally conscious influencers, enabling brands to partner with influencers who share their commitment to sustainability. Marketers can now make informed decisions that align with their brand's values and contribute to positive social and environmental impact.

"At CAMPAYGN, we believe in the power of listening to our clients, and these enhancements are a testament to our commitment to incorporating their valuable feedback into our product roadmap," said Olivier Billon, CEO of CAMPAYGN. "The Influencer Relationship Manager, ChatGPT integration, Content Keyword Scanner, and the Pro-Sustainability Database all stem from the insights and needs expressed by our dynamic user community. We're excited to see how these features will empower our users to create more impactful and sustainable influencer marketing campaigns."

CAMPAYGN remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of influencer marketing innovation. These updates are designed to empower marketers with advanced tools that not only enhance their influencer marketing strategies but also contribute to more meaningful and sustainable brand-influencer collaborations.

In a strategic move set to redefine the landscape of in-game advertising, Adverty, the leading In-Play ad platform, proudly announces its extended partnership with PubMatic, an independent technology company delivering digital advertising’s supply chain of the future. This collaboration solidifies PubMatic's position as Adverty's preferred Private Marketplace (PMP) partner on a global scale.

Adverty's decision to choose PubMatic as its preferred PMP partner underscores the commitment to global expansion. PubMatic's extensive reach and robust infrastructure will empower Adverty to seamlessly integrate its innovative In-Play video and display advertising solutions across diverse markets, reaching a broader audience with unparalleled efficiency for global reach and scale.

PubMatic's cutting-edge technology and programmatic advertising expertise will unlock new avenues for Adverty to monetize its in-game ad inventory. The partnership is showcasing PubMatic’s continuous investment into gaming industry. The extended partnership enables Adverty to tap into PubMatic's extensive network of advertisers and with PubMatic's sophisticated sell-side targeting capabilities, Adverty can now offer advertisers more precise and personalized in-game advertising experiences through dynamic and targeted ads. The partnership ensures that brands connect with their target audiences seamlessly within the gaming environment.

The use of PubMatic's PMP technology will prioritise a positive user experience. Additionally, by leveraging PubMatic's header bidding capabilities, Adverty can optimise ad delivery, reducing latency and ensuring a seamless gaming experience for users while maximizing revenue for publishers.

The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to innovation within the digital advertising landscape. Adverty and PubMatic will work collaboratively to explore new technologies and formats, staying at the forefront of industry trends and delivering cutting-edge solutions to advertisers and publishers alike, such as the latest programmatic VAST video support for In-Play recently released by Adverty.

Jonas Söderqvist, CEO at Adverty, explains: "We are thrilled to announce PubMatic as our preferred PMP partner globally. This collaboration strengthens our ability to deliver impactful in-game advertising solutions on a global scale, providing advertisers with unparalleled reach and precision."

"We are excited to partner with Adverty, a leader in the in-game advertising space. By combining our technology and expertise, we aim to elevate the in-game advertising ecosystem, offering advertisers innovative opportunities to engage with their target audiences in a dynamic and immersive manner," says Lashanne Phang, VP, Mobile at PubMatic.

This partnership signifies a pivotal moment in the evolution of In-Play advertising, as Adverty and PubMatic deepen their partnership to drive innovation, expand global reach, and deliver unparalleled value to advertisers, publishers, and gamers alike.

Deal Accelerates watsonx Data Ingestion Capabilities; Creates a Leading Application Modernization and Integration Platform

€2.13 billion Acquisition Demonstrates IBM's Continued Focus on Strategic M&A to Create Value and Bolster AI and Hybrid Cloud Offerings

IBM today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Software AG, a company majority owned by Silver Lake, to purchase StreamSets and webMethods, Software AG's Super iPaaS (integration platform-as-a-service) enterprise technology platforms, for €2.13 billion in cash.

As organizations continue to accelerate their digital transformations, application and data integration solutions are critical elements for application modernization and effectively deploying AI across the enterprise. StreamSets and webMethods are among the technology leaders in application integration, API management, and data integration. IDC predicts the worldwide integration software market will exceed $18.0 billion in 2027 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.1%.¹

The acquisition of StreamSets and webMethods is further evidence of IBM's deep focus and investment in AI and hybrid cloud. StreamSets will add data ingestion capabilities to watsonx, IBM's AI and data platform, while webMethods will give clients and partners additional integration and API management tools for their hybrid multi-cloud environments.

The core offerings include:

• StreamSets - a cloud-native DataOps and data ingestion platform which allows enterprises to achieve consistent access and delivery of data across a wide spectrum of data sources and types. StreamSets also facilitates the design of smart data pipelines and the ingestion of real-time and batch data.
  
  
• webMethods - an integration and API management platform. The integration platform, deployed both on-prem and in the cloud, offers B2B integration, managed file transfer, and provides a modern API gateway to manage, monitor, and monetize APIs.

Software AG's Super iPaaS platform is growing, profitable and has a significant recurring revenue profile. StreamSets and webMethods serve more than 1,500 clients across the globe.

"Together with IBM's watsonx AI and data platform, as well as its application modernization, data fabric and IT automation products, StreamSets and webMethods will help clients unlock the full potential of their applications and data. This powerful combination helps drive innovation while preparing businesses for AI, no matter where applications or data reside," said Rob Thomas, Senior Vice President, Software and Chief Commercial Officer, IBM. "Today's news will give IBM clients and partners one of the most modern and comprehensive application and data integration platforms in the industry."

The pending acquisition follows a more than 20-year relationship between IBM and Software AG, with both StreamSets and webMethods expected to drive synergy with IBM's current portfolio, including watsonx, Red Hat, the company's IT automation products, as well as IBM Consulting. Additionally, StreamSets and webMethods are expected to benefit from IBM's global scale, operating in more than 175 countries.

"IBM is the ideal home for webMethods and StreamSets, the products at the heart of our Super iPaaS vision," said Sanjay Brahmawar, Chief Executive Officer of Software AG. "Combined with IBM's global scale and focus on hybrid cloud and AI, our people will have a fantastic opportunity to develop while helping enterprises everywhere get the most out of their applications and data."

"We believe that there is no business more iconic or better suited than IBM to continue investing in and growing these great platforms," said Christian Lucas, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Software AG and Managing Partner of Silver Lake. "The opportunity to bring the StreamSets and webMethods teams together with IBM to innovate in building the future of hybrid cloud and next-generation AI solutions for the enterprise is uniquely compelling. We are pleased that our investment in Software AG helped spark that vision, reflecting Silver Lake's commitment to partner with the world's best management teams and technology leaders in driving exceptional value creation for customers, employees and other stakeholders."

StreamSets and webMethods will be acquired with available cash on hand. The consummation of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2024.

Only 37% of people expect financial improvements in 2024; people citing inflation worries are 30% more likely to spend less in discretionary categories

DISQO, the leading brand experience platform, released Consumer Trends 2024, a new report revealing that people will be apprehensive, budget-conscious, and intentional about purchases in the new year. A multitude of factors from global conflicts to inflation to politics are contributing to consumers’ pessimism. Nearly two-thirds (63%) reported a negative overall outlook, suggesting that brands must message with empathy and double down on delivering valuable customer experiences and quality.

Perceptions about personal finances are looking up for some consumers. Twenty-one percent (21%) said their finances were better in 2023 than last year, and thirty-seven percent (37%) said they expect 2024 to be better than 2023. Still, people citing inflation concerns were over 30% more likely to say they would spend less in non-discretionary categories next year.

“Social, economic, and political headwinds are challenging consumers’ sense of security,” said David Grabert, VP of Brand & Communications, DISQO. “2024 is not the year to ‘wing it’ when it comes to understanding your customers and their experiences. Brand stewards need to work harder than ever to understand every customer, every touchpoint, and every outcome, so they can continuously optimize advertising and all of their brand experiences.”

DISQO’s report also looks at consumers’ attitudes about advertising in traditional and new media. Beyond asking where ads are found to be informative, entertaining, or annoying, the mediums perceived as most effective in prompting purchases are revealed. Television and social media ads were ranked highest by consumers for their influence over purchases (43% and 44% respectively), but a quarter of all consumers said that they weren’t influenced by ads on any media channel. Sixty-one percent (61%) said that experiences with brands, products, and customer service were the most impactful on their perception of brands.

Top 2024 consumer trends

General sentiment & finances

• Inflation (64%) and global conflicts (61%) are consumers’ top concerns.
• Those concerned about inflation were over 30% more likely than those who didn’t to say they planned to spend less on travel, dining out, live entertainment, clothing, and cosmetics.

Brand experience

• Brand names are more important for higher-ticket and personal items. Consumers cited cars (52%), healthcare (49%), and electronics (48%) as the most important brand-name categories.
• Nearly two-thirds said their experiences with products and services influence their brand perceptions most, with quality, trust, and customer service also highly influential.

Advertising

• Nearly half of consumers find television ads entertaining (46%) and informative (44%). GenZers find social media ads informative (41%) and entertaining (41%), but were most likely to call ads irritating on nascent platforms like gaming (42%).
• TV (43%) and social media (41%) ranked highest as reported purchase drivers, but a quarter of consumers said that they weren’t influenced by ads on any platform.

Cable TV and streaming

• Thirty percent (30%) of “cable TV” subscribers plan to discontinue services in 2024.
• More than half of streaming subscribers (58%) plan to keep their subscriptions the same; 21% plan to increase them; and 21% plan to decrease.
• Over two-thirds of consumers (71%) said they spend $100 or less on cable and streaming services combined. Most paying consumers said they had one to three streaming subscriptions (67%). Nearly a fifth (18%) said they had five or more.

Insights were sourced from 3,004 U.S. adults in DISQO’s audience, November 6-13, 2023, and balanced on age, gender, income, and ethnicity. 

Mundial Media, the first AI-enabled contextual marketing platform uniting multicultural voices, has announced the hiring of Gerardo (Gerry) Ramirez as Chief Growth Officer, who will focus on strategic initiatives including client partnerships, operational optimizations, and marketing.

As Chief Growth Officer, Ramirez brings extensive experience in digital advertising across publishers and agencies with a proven track record of scaling business operations. Through this role, he will spearhead strategic growth initiatives and lead Mundial Media through its new expansion phase by increasing awareness of CADMUS AI, the company’s AI-enabled contextual technology. His leadership will further solidify the company’s position as the only end-to-end contextual solution to reach multicultural audiences. Ramirez was previously the General Manager of H Code at My Code Media and a key figure in designing and executing the company’s overall growth strategy. He also oversaw the account management, marketing, and other operational teams. He holds a B.A. in Business Marketing from Loyola Marymount University.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gerry Ramirez as our Chief Growth Officer. His unique expertise in the digital media space, leadership, and strategic vision will prove pivotal in shaping Mundial Media’s growth trajectory,” said Tony Gonzalez, CEO of Mundial Media. "Gerry's addition to our executive team exemplifies our company's dedication to assembling a leadership team that authentically represents the audiences we serve.”

“Mundial Media's approach to connecting with multicultural audiences resonates with me on a profound level. It's not just a matter of moral integrity; it's supported by compelling proprietary technology and a nuanced understanding of how authenticity plays a pivotal role in enhancing brand relevance," said Ramirez. "Mundial Media's technology empowers our brand and publisher partners to access a solution that possesses a profound understanding of the multicultural voices embedded within the content we represent. This capability opens doors to distinctive and nuanced prospects in the realms of media planning and delivery, integrated content, as well as research and insights."