Measurement Stories You Missed from January 2022

Symphony Technology Group have formed a new comms tech leader, kicking off 2022 with a bang. January also saw the release of the Edelman Trust Barometer, as well as funding for Lucidya and LifeBrand.

Symphony Technology Group acquires Kantar’s Reputation Intelligence, PRGloo and Onclusive

Back in August, we reported that Symphony Technology Group (STG) was in talks to acquire Kantar’s Reputation Intelligence business. The sale was finalised on 5 January, and with it came the news that STG had also picked up Onclusive and PRGloo for an undisclosed sum. The three companies have now merged and are to be called Onclusive. The new company arrives on the market supporting a whopping 9,000 clients. It points to an exciting new direction for Europe’s largest provider of media intelligence services.

Edelman Trust Barometer shows decline in trust

It just wouldn’t be January without the sobering read that is the Edelman Trust Barometer. This year’s report sees over 36,000 respondents from 28 markets participating in the survey. The results show a quickening decline in trust in the media and government. Unsurprisingly, there is a deep concern about fake news, with 76% or respondents worried about misinformation. Respondents also feel that they’re being lied to – 67% felt that journalists were deliberately misleading them. On the flipside, respondents overwhelmingly trusted their employers (77%), and felt that their CEOs should take a lead on societal issues. The report outlines how to best engage with audiences in current times, and is always worth the read.

Lucidya raises $USD 6 million

Saudi Arabia’s Lucidya has raised $USD 6 million in its latest funding round. Lucidya is a social media analytics and monitoring tool geared towards Arabic brands. The company’s platform offers in-depth monitoring and evaluation across news and social content in English and all Arabic dialects. The company intends to use the investment to develop its platform and expand its geographical footprint across the MENA region.

LifeBrand closes out funding with $USD 110 million valuation

Philadelphia’s LifeBrand is closing out $USD 27 million Series A funding round with a $USD 110 million valuation. LifeBrand helps to resolve one of the big threats to personal and corporate reputation – social media posts. The platform helps scrub clean years of previous social media posts, while helping to ensure that current and future posts are striking the right tone.

Tufts University models misinformation

Finally, for those looking for an academic read to get the brain pumping, I can recommend a new report from a group of researchers at Tufts University. The team have come up with a computer model that mirrors the way misinformation spreads in real life. The model is based on a blend of congi the notion that our pre-existing beliefs can strongly influence whether we accept new information, as well as how influencers change our perceptions. It’s an interesting take that could be applied to broader datasets to understand potential impact. (Just as a reminder, 76% of Edelman Trust Barometer respondents are worried about misinformation.)

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PR Measurement Stories You Missed in January