ComScore winds down ANZ operations as part of global revamp
Online measurement giant ComScore has reduced its Australia and New Zealand operations seven years after establishing a Sydney office.
The local wind back follows ComScore’s global announcement yesterday it would axe 175 jobs, with chief operating officer Cameron Meierhoefer stepping down.
In a statement to Mumbrella, a ComScore spokesperson said: “ComScore has announced we are implementing a reduction in workforce across our business so that we can flatten our organisation, speed-up innovation and better align our business to our customers’ needs.
“We are continuing to provide services in Australia and New Zealand, our Sydney office remains open, and we are committed to ensuring our customers continue to receive the innovative content, advertising and activation measurement services they have come to expect from ComScore.”
The ComScore spokesman elaborated there will be three staff in Sydney with additional sales and service support from APAC HQ in Singapore led by the company’s senior vice president for the Asia Pacific region, Joe Nguyen
ComScore’s announcement comes a week after AdRoll decided to wind back its Australian operations, with its management team moving to Dublin.
ComScore launched in Australia in late 2010 under Amy Weinberger, the first vice president of ComScore Australia and New Zealand.
However soon after its local launch, ComScore lost to Nielsen in a tender for the Interacting Advertising Bureau’s contract. In 2013 – when IAB extended its contract with Nielsen – Weinberger came out to say the company was both “surprised” and “disappointed” by the decision to do so without a tender.
That same year ComScore was appointed by the Audited Media Association of Australia as the preferred analytics platform.
Weinberger was later replaced by Lachlan Brahe, former MCM commercial director who has sat at the helm of the local operation since.
This year, ComScore had increased its investment in the local operation, launching its free advertising viewability tool in April, before adding three new members to the Australia team in July.
According to LinkedIn, there were fewer than ten employees in the Australian operation.
This article has been updated following a ComScore spokesperson clarifying the changes to its Australian operations.
Told ya there would be a bloodbath. I’m so smart
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We talk about digital advertising spend duopoly, at least there two. Shame to see the measurement space down to 1. ComScore team had some top talent. I’m sure come up on top.
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Shame to see this happen to great people with a solid product. Now we’re just left with Neilsen and their sales arm, the IAB
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The article says that they have shut down the Australia and NZ operations. But the spokesman says that the Sydney office is still open with three staff.
So, which is it?
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Hi Huh?,
My apologies for the confusion in the story. The ComScore comments clarifying their changes were received from their London office late in the day. I’ve reworded the story to reflect those changes.
Cheers,
Paul Wallbank
News Editors
Thanks for the update. Unfortunately the title is still misleading as operations in ANZ have not been winded down (entirely).
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Nic, all media channels support their primary audience measurement currency – CRA with Gfk, News Media Works with IPSOS, Think TV/Free TV support Oztam. IAB has had a close relationship with ComScore and they are members of our Exec Tech & Ad Effectiveness Councils. Their validation services data (viewability and IVT) feeds into the benchmarks we publish in collaboration with PwC. It is sad to see much of the team based here let go but look forward to still working with the guys on the ground.
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