MARS Advertising and Concentric Software Announce New Partnership

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Today MARS Advertising, a leading shopper marketing company, announces an exciting new global partnership with Concentric, the leader in agent-based modeling (ABM) software applications for marketing simulations.

The partnership will integrate one of Concentric's software platforms into a new MARS marketing service offering called Compass^SM. Compass is a framework allowing MARS clients to redefine engagement planning by building from the consumer level out. The platform operates through a simulation approach, utilizes "agents" to forecast simulated consumers' behavior, assess projected sales and risk profiles, and ultimately allows users to evaluate strategies in a test-and-learn environment.  

Commenting on the new partnership, Greg Silverman, Concentric CEO, said: "Simulation is rapidly becoming a fundamental element of a marketing strategy. It allows marketers to test judgment and intuition about future trends without being constrained by the past. In today's connected world, many brands face a constantly evolving competitor landscape and our platform allows our partners to use their existing expertise to successfully simulate such environments for their clients."

Rob Rivenburgh, Chief Operating Officer at MARS, says: "We are committed to providing our valuable clients with the latest approaches available to deliver competitive advantage. Our Compass simulation software is at the forefront of technological developments, and we're excited that our clients will have greater clarity in decision making and will be able to make more actionable the depth and breadth of marketing intelligence they have about their consumers and shoppers.

"Consumer-level analysis and integration is at the heart of the system we have developed with Concentric. The system's capability provides a way to understand and analyze marketing investments across the entire customer journey. MARS and its clients will also be able to improve engagement planning challenges ranging from how to target specific customer groups to the best creative for each touchpoint. This is a step change for a rapidly evolving and complex marketing landscape. As marketers, we can deploy the simulations to enable us to move from matching luggage activation to a more effective and meaningful experience by identifying which messages to use, when, and on which touchpoints for optimal effectiveness."

For additional information on MARS, please visit www.marsusa.com, and for more information on Concentric, visit www.ConcentricABM.com

For more MARS information, please contact:
Kathleen Curran, MARS
248.936.2611, currank@marsusa.com

About MARS

MARS Advertising is an award-winning global shopper marketing agency focused on understanding shopper behavior across the entire shopper journey. How and when shoppers behave this way is another key area of concentration for MARS and helps the agency achieve its goal of changing shopper behavior. MARS makes waves with its disruptive philosophy; independent, forward-thinking culture; and dedicated, committed approach to shoppers. For more information about MARS, visit http://www.marsusa.com/. 

For more Concentric information, please contact:
Chris Pappas, HotwirePR
646.738.8964, concentric@hotwirepr.com

About Concentric

Concentric is the global leader in agent-based modeling (ABM) software applications for marketing simulation. With a product suite built on eight years of R&D and in-market testing, Concentric licenses solutions that simulate the entire marketplace at the consumer level.

Concentric's simulations incorporate a wide variety of variables—including product usage, social networks, creative and messaging, customer journeys, and media campaigns—which allow for the aggregation of data and insights to recreate the environment in which a brand lives. Concentric partners with brand agencies and direct brands and has worked on projects in CPG, pharmaceutical, auto, telecom, financial, retail, entertainment, and other industries.

To learn more, visit www.concentricabm.com.

SOURCE MARS Advertising