WPP swaps assets with US research company Nielsen

The WPP Group, the world's second largest advertising company, will swap its stake in a television audience measurement company for The Nielsen Company's holdings in businesses that provide services to the advertising and media industries. The transaction is expected to close by year-end.

Nielsen will now own 100 per cent of AGBNielsen Media Research (AGBNMR), a leading global television audience media measurement business, by acquiring the 50 per cent held by WPP.

AGBNMR, Nielsen's North American television measurement business and Nielsen's media measurement businesses in online, mobile, advertising and radio measurement will form the global foundation of Nielsen's media product portfolio.

In return, Nielsen will transfer to WPP SRDS, the leading provider of media rates and data to the advertising industry. It will also transfer PERQ/HCI, which provides a range of services in media planning, trading and post campaign effectiveness in healthcare.

And finally, Nielsen will also transfer to WPP its 11 per cent share in IBOPE PDM, IBOPE LA and IMI.com, which are part of the IBOPE Group, a Brazilian multinational market leader in media, market and opinion research.

WPP already holds a 31 per cent stake in IBOPE. These assets will be added to The Kantar Group, WPP's information, insight and consultancy division.

Regarding the deal, Piyush Mathur, Neilsen's Regional Managing Director for the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, said: "The decision was made last night. AGBNeilsen is now a 100 per cent Neilsen entity. We have been trying to bring AGBNeilsen to the Middle East and now that it has become part of the Neilsen company, it will be easier.

"For our clients, people meters can now be applied much faster in KSA, UAE and Qatar than could have happened in the past. We have a very strong presence in the region with more than 1,300 employees and are looking for even more. This way we can provide our clients with more support and they will feel more confident. I believe acquiring AGBNeilsen eases our job and brings in a more positive spin," he said.

AGBNMR, along with Ipsos, is likely to conduct the first people meter survey in Saudi Arabia commissioned by the Advertising Business Group and five top media organisations, including MBC.

David Calhoun, Nielsen's Chairman and CEO, said: "In an increasingly digital world, it is essential for Nielsen to strengthen its global market position. As a fully integrated part of our company, AGBNMR will be an important part of our portfolio and better positioned to offer high quality measurement for its clients. We are confident that our AGBNMR colleagues and their clients will be an important asset to The Nielsen Company."

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.