Crowd Science Launches CITRUS -- An End-to-End Audience Measurement, Segmentation and Targeting Platform for Publishers

NEW YORK and SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Scripps Networks, the National Hockey League, Cox Media Group, InvestingChannel and Martini Media have partnered with Crowd Science as the first users of CITRUS™, an innovative audience measurement, segmentation and targeting platform for publishers. CITRUS is being formally launched today at the 2011 IAB MIXX Conference & Expo in New York City.

The new data-generating platform provides audience research, segmentation and targeting, plus ad campaign effectiveness in a single closed-loop solution. CITRUS enables publishers to develop their own unique audience insights and build custom ad segments while improving audience transparency and ad-targeting efficiency. These uniquely branded segments can then be used to attract premium advertisers, and dramatically improve campaign performance.

Unlike other audience data and ad segmentation platforms, CITRUS is a first-party solution that uses the publishers' own data – eliminating reliance on commoditizing third-party solutions. Previously unidentifiable low-value run-of-site ad inventory is transformed into premium publisher-branded segments. The platform also provides control and safety in compliance with industry standards.

"Publishers are in desperate need of solutions that help them monetize more of their valuable audience," says Corey Leibow, Crowd Science CEO. "CITRUS gives publishers back ownership of their audience data so they can increase ad sales and grow CPMs. In turn, their advertisers are able to find more of the valued segments they seek and improve campaign performance."

Crowd Science offers a frictionless business model with competitive pricing for its audience research and campaign effectiveness tools. For the robust segmentation and targeting components, publishers pay a fee whenever CITRUS data is used for tasks like on-site ad targeting, off-site re-targeting, or data sales. Qualified publishers that sign on to the entire platform have the option to waive platform fees and get all-you-can-use access to its powerful audience research and campaign measurement solutions – a significant cost savings that reduces the need for multiple research and campaign effectiveness vendors.

CITRUS technology applies a proprietary 'pattern engine' and impression-level audience prediction to large-scale, statistically sound market research. This innovative combination of psychographics, analytics and machine learning increase the propensity of high-value audience segments – segments that were previously unidentifiable and therefore sold as low-value run-of-site inventory. This new data can then be easily integrated into the publisher's own display ad-targeting servers like Google DART for Publishers (DFP), or as input into data management platforms such as Adobe Demdex.  

Early BETA results from CITRUS found increases in the number of identifiable high-value audience segments of 10% to 50% when compared with standard ad targeting or third party segmentation solutions. In some instances CITRUS generated lift as high as 300% to 500%, depending on the segment.  

About Scripps Networks Interactive

Scripps Networks Interactive (http://scrippsnetworks.com) is one of the leading developers of lifestyle-oriented content for television and the Internet. The company's media portfolio includes popular lifestyle television and Internet brands HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel and country music network Great American Country.

About the NHL 

The National Hockey League, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America.  Today, the NHL consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League's international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other sport. The NHL entertains more than 250 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (VERSUS, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, NASN, ASN and NHL Network™) and radio (NHL Radio™, Sirius XM Radio and XM Canada).  Through the NHL Foundation, the League's charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer™ and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, log on to NHL.com. 

About Cox Media Group

Cox Media Group, Inc. is an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company that includes the national advertising rep firms of Cox Reps. For more information about Cox Media Group, please check us out online at www.coxmediagroup.com. 

About InvestingChannel Inc.

InvestingChannel (http://investingchannel.com) is one of the fastest growing financial media networks with over 200 premium websites, 10 million unique visitors and 300 million impressions per month.  

About Martini Media

Martini Media (http://www.martinimedianetwork.com/) is the platform for engaging people with the most influence and money online. Martini provides a publisher network of 1,000 sites in lifestyle and business with revenue support encompassing Web, video, mobile, email, social and data. For more than 270 premium-advertising clients, Martini combine proprietary audience targeting with full-service marketing support. Martini Media was founded in 2008, funded by Venrock, Reed Elsevier Ventures and Granite Ventures, along with a number of prominent angel investors. For more information, see www.martinimedianetwork.com.

About Crowd Science

Crowd Science (http://crowdscience.com) is revolutionizing audience targeting and segmentation by providing innovative solutions and technologies to online publishers and brands. Companies like Turner Network, PC World, Viacom, Meredith and Everyday Health use Crowd Science's powerful and holistic combination of demographic & psychographic insights, and best-in-class technology to improve their display advertising precision and increase revenue.

SOURCE Crowd Science