TNS to buy Compete, create new metric solution

The merge of TNS Media Intelligence, Compete Inc. and Cymfony will give global marketers greater insight into how their brands and messages are faring globally. TNS announced earlier this month that it would acquire Compete for $75 million.

by Kristina Knight

"This new group is set to expand our digital measurement capabilities and provide a single platform to deliver our services globally throughout the TNS network of companies and partners,” said David Lowden, chief executive of TNS.

Both TNS and Compete offer marketers metric information about their brands and campaigns; by joining forces they will likely put more pressure on Nielsen//Netratings, the largest metrics firm. Beginning with their US office, TNS users will be able to take profiling, measurement and segmentation information from Compete's platform and apply that information to the information already provided by TNS; this will give a broader and deeper look at how campaigns are faring.

The offerings will be available worldwide soon.

For traffic measurement, most marketers turn to Nielsen but competitors like TNS, Hitwise and comScore are beginning to create their own niche. Though it would seem that more metrics firms would muddy the waters of traffic and advertising measurement the opposite is true. With more firms offering measurement, metrics firms must continue to strive for more in-depth reporting features.