The Nielsen Co. agreed to acquire IAG Research for $225 million, the companies announced Monday.
IAG measures consumer engagement with television programs, commercials and product placements, factors that supplement Nielsen’s measurements of how many people are watching TV shows and commercials.
“IAG will add a new dimension to Nielsen’s media business and will be the cornerstone for a new analytics practice that will provide our clients with even greater insights and clarity,” said David L. Calhoun, chairman-CEO of Nielsen. “We are excited by the energy the IAG team will bring to the multiple opportunities they will have at Nielsen. Overlaying their perspective with the vast array of industries and technologies we touch gives us an opportunity to bring greater clarity and creativity to our work on behalf of clients.”
Nielsen said it expects to complete the acquisition during the second quarter. The executive team of IAG has agreed to join Nielsen following the merger.
“By working within Nielsen, we will also be able to make the company’s services available to a wider base of clients. In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, we believe strongly that advertisers and media companies need the insight that Nielsen and IAG can provide together,” said Alan Gould and Ken Orkin, IAG’s co-founders and co-CEOs, in a statement.