WPP buys marketing analytics group and sports consultancy

The company's operating network Millward Brown, which specialises in brand, media and communications research, has agreed to acquire the business operations of marketing analytics company Analytics Quotient (AQ).

India-based AQ extracts insights from data to help clients define their marketing strategies and builds data visualisation tools and custom analytics solutions to help clients slice, dice, simulate and monitor business data.

For the year ended 31 December, AQ’s unaudited revenues were approximately $12.3m (£8.9m), with assets of $9.5m.

AQ will become part of Millward Brown Analytics, a Kantar brand focused on using connected data intelligence to unlock insights that help clients drive growth.

Millward Brown is part of Kantar, which is the data investment management arm of WPP and one of the world's largest insight, information and consultancy groups.

WPP said the acquisition continues its “strategy of investing in important markets and sectors and strengthening its capabilities in digital and data investment management businesses”.

Also on Monday, WPP said its strategic communications and public relations firm Burson-Marsteller has acquired a majority stake in Swiss-based international sports consultancy TSE Consulting.

TSE, which provides strategic advice to public sector and sports organisation clients in the practice areas of events, performance, participation and facilities, had unaudited revenue for the year ended 31 December 2015 of CHF2m (£1.44m).

Its clients include bidding and host cities, sports federations and major sport events.

WPP did not disclose any financial details for either deal.

At 0915 GMT, WPP shares were down 0.4% to 1,509.00p.