MCN partners with SAS to develop ad targeting platform

MCN partners with SAS for new data platform that provides advertisers with single view of the consumer across TV & Digital

Multi Channel Network has entered a new data partnership with SAS, the leader in analytics and the world’s largest privately held software company. MCN and SAS are developing SIA, Australia’s first data platform unifying market leading data sources and ultimately providing advertisers with a single consumer view across linear TV and all digital platforms.

Launching in 2018, SIA is a data management solution that will integrate all of MCN’s different data sources, including TV, online, mobile, location and OOH, as well as data from agencies and advertisers.

Acting as a ‘central nervous system’ for MCN’s data assets, SIA will manage all of MCN’s data driven business initiatives, including Programmatic TV and Addressable advertising, as well as help develop new business models around data.

MCN Chief Data Officer, Mark Brandon, said partnering with a world class advanced analytics business such as SAS would enable MCN to continue to maintain its historical position of innovation and market leadership in the development of cutting-edge data driven advertising and marketing solutions.

“Building on our pioneering work with Landmark and Programmatic TV, SIA evolves our sophisticated media data, targeting and trading capabilities,” he said. “The platform will redefine how integrated media campaigns are developed, delivered and analyzed in Australia.

“Agencies and advertisers working with MCN will receive the best of all worlds: the granular, real-time targeting of digital, combined with the premium brand building environment and scale of television, the greatest standards of transparency around where advertising appeared, who that advertising reached, and what business outcome occurred.

David Bowie, Vice President of SAS Australia and New Zealand, said: “MCN’s new SIA platform represents a major advance in the use of technology to better service the advertising industry and we are delighted to be part of it. The adoption of SAS will enable MCN to gain maximum productivity from its numerous and highly diverse data sources, for the benefit of its clients.”

Development of SIA commenced in early 2017, and test cases will be executed later this year. The platform will encompass a range of new data products that will be rolled out in 2018 and onwards.

Mr. Brandon added: “The most efficient products for the industry are built in collaboration with the industry and a significant component of this initiative is our cooperation with MCN agency partners across the industry. Sharing key success metrics to further develop our solutions and address client needs will be fundamental to the success of the platform.”