Horizon Media And iHeartMedia Form Data Partnership.

Ad agency Horizon Media and iHeartMedia have formed a data partnership to integrate their respective data platforms for audio targeting. The companies say the data hook-up will provide greater visibility into total audience impressions for Horizon clients and give brands data-based audience planning optimization across iHeartMedia’s broadcast and digital platform.

The integration combines iHeartMedia’s programmatic SmartAudio ad sales platform – which has mapped first-party listening data for 270 million listeners by market, station and daypart – with Horizon’s connected marketing platform, blu., that is used to identify high-value targets at an individual level and where to best reach them. Horizon’s marketing platform has access to 283 million individuals in the U.S., a 90% household penetration, which are licensed directly from TransUnion. Horizon says it uses blu. to build audiences and pinpoint those individuals (blu.IDs) that present the highest potential value for clients.

The combined data from the two platforms will give Horizon a clearer picture into total audience impressions for audiences built within the blu. Platform, and help iHeart optimize broadcast radio plans with those audiences.

“Horizon continues to be ahead of the curve with their programmatic audio offerings and we are excited to partner with them on this innovative integration,” Justin Nesci, Executive Vice President of Advanced Audio & Data Revenue for iHeartMedia said in a release. “This partnership allows them to continue to advance their capabilities for data-driven planning, activation and measurement for broadcast campaigns – and this data integration will be the first time iHeart has mapped an agency’s full identity graph within our SmartAudio platform.”

“Leveraging data to inform and enhance our negotiations will contribute to growth in the audio sector and more importantly increase ROI while providing attribution solutions for our clients,” Lauren Russo, EVP Managing Partner, Audio Investment, Horizon Media added.