Unilever first brand to adopt new global planning tool from WPP's Joule in bid to centralise connected-device strategy
Unilever has become the first brand to roll out a global planning tool developed by mobile marketing agency Joule, created to unlock deeper insight around cross-device consumer behaviour and media consumption.
The mFluence tool, developed by Joule and Kantar's TNS, has been in beta since last November, and now forms part of WPP’s connected audience activation and product company Tenthavenue's portfolio.
It is designed to boost media planners’ understanding of a complex data points, drawing on data from TNS’s Connected Life survey, a study of 55,000 internet users across 50 markets.
These data points include consumer behaviour across multiple markets, demographics, social economic groups, consumer segments and product purchase – through a series of in-depth filters. It will then help shape and articulate these into actionable media planning insights.
It will also reveal how paid, owned and earned media channels influence a consumer’s decision to purchase products and engage with brands, and how this behaviour differs between online and offline.
Unilever, was the first beta partner for the tool, and now has officially become the first non-beta client, with the view to using the tool as a fundamental part of its global planning strategy.
Unilever’s global media innovation chief Jay Altschuler said the tool will help the brand unlock “deeper insight” into how its target consumers behave across media channels, devices and what content they consumer across 50 markets.
“It showcases how the connected customer interacts throughout the path to purchase, highlighting the importance of multi-device strategies, digital strategies and ATL (above the line) media strategies in combination, meaning that we can better understand what is critical to ultimately reach the audience in the best way and incite purchase,” he said.
The FMCG giant is aiming to use the tool to help it centralise its connected device planning.
“We needed a centralised connected-device planning methodology that was scalable and relevant across multiple markets. This allows us to better ascertain what will be successful, where and where else.
“The traditional argument of digital and mobile investment is at critical point. Consumer habits have changed all over the world as they become increasingly connected across a multitude of devices. Consumer behaviours are altering faster than the industry’s understanding, and while ATL media investment is still critical, these channels no longer alone meet the needs of our connected consumers. mFluence lets us see how fundamentally important digital is in consumers lives, as well as the modern day path-to-purchase,” said Altschuler.
During the beta testing mFluence helped Unilever dig into insights around device ownership, usage and media consumption, and how and what people research by segments and countries, along with likely future technology behaviour.
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