[March 21, 2012]

SymphonyIRI Launches Analytics2020 Initiative to Define Next Decade of Consumer and Retail Analytics

A new economic model for the CPG and retail industries is emerging, resulting from a radical shift in shopper behavior and built on the integration of advanced, predictive analytical models and new flexible technologies. Addressing this transformation, SymphonyIRI today launched "Analytics2020," a CPG and retail industry initiative to identify and define the roadmap for consumer and retail analytics innovation in the next decade.

The initiative will comprise a global industry survey to study in detail the requirements for success in the evolving retail landscape and how to leverage analytics to create competitive advantage, coupled with creation of an Analytics2020 Consortium, including leading manufacturers and retailers, academics, and media agencies. The Consortium will develop a series of position papers that taken together will articulate the capabilities and anticipated results of the new generation of analytics on manufacturers, retailers and shoppers. An online field guide will be published to take the research into practice with specific recommendations to unlock growth and value creation.

"Powering performance and growth by leveraging the convergence of advanced predictive analytical modeling and dynamic technology is the top-of-mind issue for executives in the CPG and retail industries," said Robert Holston, executive vice president and division leader, Symphony Analytics, SymphonyIRI Group. "The next decade of consumer nd retail analytics promises to be nothing like the last in terms of how value is created and the speed in which decisions are made. We are excited to be at the center of defining and powering this for the industry."

The Grocery Manufacturer's Association (GMA), in collaboration with SymphonyIRI Group, will release initial industry research findings from Analytics2020 in August 2012 at the GMA Executive Conference. The GMA will also sponsor a related executive working session at its Trading Partner Alliance Strategies 4 Growth conference in late October 2012.

The Analytics2020 Consortium will tackle such issues as the evolving landscape of social and mobile technologies to power both media consumption and commerce. Additionally, the group will work to identify new business models which address the growing increase in unproductive trade funds and opportunities for more de-averaged and granular pricing execution.

In addition to Holston, Dr. Carl Mela, T. Austin Finch Foundation Professor of Business Administration at Duke University, is a founding member of the Consortium. Mela will focus on new media and marketing transformation. Additional Consortium members will be announced shortly.

Denny Belcastro, executive vice president of industry affairs and membership services at GMA, will provide ongoing strategic input on industry growth imperatives and retailer and manufacturer collaboration initiatives.

"Aggressively pursuing growth in the CPG and retail industry is critically important to our members," said Belcastro. "Application of advanced analytics will be instrumental in predicting, activating and changing the growth trajectory in the years ahead."

Additional information on the Analytics2020 initiative is available on Twitter (News - Alert): @Analytics2020

About SymphonyIRI Group, Inc.

SymphonyIRI Group, formerly named Information Resources, Inc. ("IRI"), is the global leader in innovative solutions and services for driving revenue and profit growth in CPG, retail and healthcare companies. SymphonyIRI offers two families of solutions: Core IRI solutions for market measurement and Symphony Advantage solutions for enabling new growth opportunities in marketing, sales, shopper marketing and category management. SymphonyIRI solutions uniquely combine content, analytics and technology to deliver maximum impact. SymphonyIRI helps companies create, plan and execute forward-looking, shopper-centric strategies across every level of the organization. For more information, visit: http://www.SymphonyIRI.com.

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