January saw Edelman release their annual Trust Barometer, detailing the impact of COVID 19 on respondents. In addition, we saw acquisitions for Unicepta and Hootsuite, funding news for SOCi and Humanz, and Meltwater’s sponsoring chess.
Edelman Trust Barometer shows impact of COVID
The release of the Edelman Trust Barometer is always a highlight of January. After the year that we’ve had, however, I was very eager to see just how trust had changed in the age of COVID 19. The report, which questions over 33,000 respondents from 28 countries, shows that pandemic has put trust to the test. Government has seen levels of trust fall and the report shows that corporations are expected to fill the void. It is always an interesting read, but the 2021 Trust Barometer deserves your full attention.
Unicepta acquires Ubermetrics
One year after acquiring XY Media in the UK, Unicepta has acquired Ubermetrics, the German social media analytics provider. The financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed. It is expected that the 30 employees at Ubermetrics will join the Unicepta business. The founders of Ubermetrics, Patrick Bunk and Daniel Siewert, will remain with the business.
Hootsuite acquires Sparkcentral
Hootsuite, the social media management provider, has acquired Sparkcentral for an undisclosed sum. The core of Sparkcentral is an automated message distribution platform. According to Tom Keiser, Hootsuite’s CEO, “customers have been asking for more capabilities in the area of social customer care and we’re excited to expand our offering with this new acquisition.”
SOCi raises $US 80 million
SOCi, the San Diego-based social management platform, has closed a $US 80 million Series D funding round. SOCi’s proposition blends paid, shared and earned media to support localised social marketing. The company has seen remarkable growth over the past year as companies scramble to find the most effective ways to connect with local consumers. The company raised $US 15 million last January.
Humanz raises $US 3 million
Humanz, the AI-powered platform for micro-influencer campaigns, has raised $US 3 million in a seed funding round. The organisation’s tools are used by over 50,000 influencers, and clients include Kimberley-Clark and L’Oreal. Currently only available in Israel, South Africa, Turkey, Nigeria, Brazil, and the UK, Humanz expects to launch in the US shortly.
Omnicom launches earned media ROI tool
Omnicom believe they have cracked one of the longest-standing issues in measurement: consistently demonstrating the ROI of earned media content. The agency has launched a “patent-pending precision communications platform” called omniearnedID, which links the people exposed to a brand’s earned media content to measurable business results like sales and brand reputation.
Meltwater and the Chess champ
Meltwater is set to become the title partner for Play Magnus Group’s Champions Chess Tour, which will be renamed Meltwater Champions Chess Tour. With the agreement, Meltwater will also become a partner for Magnus Carlsen, four-time World Chess Champion. Following a successful IPO back in December, perhaps the powers that be over at Meltwater relaxed by watching The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix.
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