Dive Brief:
- WPP’s media buying firm, GroupM, signed an agreement with Fullscreen to give it exclusive access to social media influencer data.
- Even though the data covers influencers on a variety of social platforms, YouTube influencers are a focus – OpenSlate has reported there are over 800,000 ad-supported channels on YouTube.
- The deal creates a program called Playa, which is designed to match GroupM’s clients with Fullscreen’s online celebrities.
Dive Insight:
Social media influencers are becoming a marketing force, but exist in a fickle marketplace where actual influence levels tend to ebb and flow.
In a deal that offers something for both parties, WPP’s GroupM and Fullscreen have created a marketing program to match the agency’s clients with the influencer network’s list of online celebrities and exclusive access to data on who is currently popular. GroupM is able to take some of the guesswork out of finding influencers for campaigns, and Fullscreen is given a marketplace for its network of influencers.
Rob Norman, GroupM’s chief digital officer, told the Wall Street Journal, "We could go buy ad inventory on YouTube any day of the week. That’s not a problem. But getting what has been an internal management tool at Fullscreen on the desktops of planners, that’s distinctly different and valuable."
He explained the deal allows GroupM to be a "hands-on user" rather than outsourcing when working with social media celebrities.
No financial terms on the deal were disclosed.
