ITV increases investment in data tech firm InfoSum to support ad strategy

UK media company ITV has increased its investment in data technology company InfoSum. Although it doesn’t specify amounts, ITV said the new cash injection will increase its investment in the firm “by 50% of its original amount”.

Rhys Mclachlan

The investment comes following the launch of Planet V 2.0, a newly updated version of ITV’s premium advanced advertising platform, and the launch of the new Matchmaker advertising product which allows retail advertisers to enhance their VOD targeting by availing of the audience intersection between ITV’s registered first-party audience and shopper data from partners Boots and Tesco’s dunnhumby. Both of which, as well as ITV’s existing Data Match product, utilise InfoSum’s technology.

Brian Lesser, chairman and CEO of InfoSum, said: “ITV and InfoSum are joined by a common vision for enabling secure data collaboration. With ITV’s additional investment, we are thrilled to solidify our close partnership and all that is to come.”

Rhys Mclachlan, ITV director of advanced advertising, said: “InfoSum is a critical part of ITV Commercial’s innovation and addressable proposition and an increased stake in the business ensures that we’re securing our own futures.”

He added: “Our InfoSum Datamatch product has been developing nicely and in 2023 will be moving out of Adlabs, our innovation space, and instead become a scaled ‘always-on’ feature of our offering. In addition, Matchmaker is already over-subscribed for our pilot phase with more than ten brands looking to work with us on the prototype.”

Planet V 2.0 provides advertisers and agencies control over the planning, purchasing and reporting of campaigns. The upgraded platform, developed and owned by ITV and released to coincide with the launch of ITVX, puts more control into buyers’ hands.