Hudson MX, Comscore Partner On Auto Data

Hudson MX, a cloud-based modern software company solving the problems of local media, and ratings provider Comscore, today unveiled a strategic partnership that will let buyers of local TV purchase inventory against IHS Markit (formerly Polk) automotive audiences at scale.

Through Hudson MX’s AgencyCloud open APIs, Comscore’s IHS Markit automotive data will be seamlessly integrated into Hudson MX’s flagship product, BuyerAssist. Now, the companies say, an agency’s local buying team can support agency customized audience estimates at scale, “a development that will ultimately enhance the marketing effectiveness of local broadcast TV inventory.”

Advanced behavioral data for each individual program’s audience — such as ownership and purchase intention insights, in this case — has now become as readily available to buyers as traditional age/gender demographics.

“Behavior predicts behavior, demography does not,” said Steven Walsh, Comscore EVP, local markets. “The bar has been raised and clients are looking more at value and relevance of audience and focusing less on age and gender. The Comscore IHS Markit Data being integrated into the Hudson MX platform isn’t derived from one-off, self-reported surveys. It is data based on a privacy-conscious match of a home’s viewing against their automotive purchase history and proclivity for future vehicle purchases and service preferences.

“Automotive drives local advertising, but the demographic of ‘men 25-54’ Is no longer a relevant surrogate even for that sector. Hudson MX is teeing up local television to evolve by making it easier for the buy-side to digest a great deal of information, use the insights to make more effective ad buys for this crucial sector, and move more cars off the lots.”

“Explicit data empowers the buyer with program-level targeting capability and advances the art of the buy,” said Will Batson, Hudson MX co-founder and chief revenue officer. “We learned from digital that targeted audience data makes inventory more valuable, but until now, activating this data at scale has been far too cumbersome due to the extensive labor and time required by the legacy systems. Through our software, we are empowering automotive clients, agencies, and local broadcasters to benefit from unprecedented behavioral intelligence and functionality. We are very excited to be partnering with Comscore and we look forward to further collaboration.”