MeritB2B has its roots in B2B marketing lists but they too have expanded into technology and services. They just acquired True Influence, which collects B2B buyer intent signals and provides related account-based marketing and demand generation services.
Agency holding company WPP has bought itself Cloud Commerce Group, which handles order processing, shipping, and other back-office functions for ecommerce platforms and marketplaces. It integrates with ecommerce systems like Magento and Shopify, marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy, and shippers like UPS and Fedex. Agency companies like WPP didn’t used to own a lot of technology but that is changing. Cloud Commerce will join WPP’s Wunderman Thompson Commerce group.
We haven’t written much about the tribulations of Nielsen’s core media measurement business, which would make a fine soap opera of its own. The latest plot twist has an “Empire strikes back” vibe, with Nielsen announcing plans to convert its much-maligned TV audience measurements into something fashionably cross-platform and people based. Stay tuned.
Do not confuse Snow Software, which helps companies track IT costs, with Snowflake, a cloud database often used for CDP-ish solutions. Do take note that Snow has just been sold to Flexera, which also helps companies optimize their return on tech investments. It’s a helpful reminder that cost-conscious IT departments are more than happy to “help” marketers who are doing a poor job of controlling tech spend.