Comscore
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Media measurement and analytics |
| Founded | 1 July 1999 in Reston, Virginia, United States |
| Founder | Gian Fulgoni and Magid Abraham |
| Headquarters | Reston , United States |
Key people | Bill Livek (CEO and Executive Vice Chairman as of November 2019) |
| Products | Media measurement and analytics services, marketing data and insights |
| Website | www |
Comscore, Inc. is a multinational American company specializing in media measurement and analytics, offering marketing data and insights to corporations, advertising firms, brand managers, and content publishers.
History
Established in July 1999 in Reston, Virginia, Comscore was co-founded by Gian Fulgoni, who previously served as CEO of the market research firm Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), alongside Magid Abraham, another former IRI executive.
Comscore made its public market debut on March 30, 2007, listing on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker "SCOR".
In February 2014, Serge Matta took over as CEO. Later, in August 2016, co-founder Gian Fulgoni returned to lead the company following Matta’s departure. That same year, Comscore encountered potential delisting from NASDAQ due to postponed financial disclosures and missed filing deadlines in early 2017, which put its trading status at risk and raised the possibility of moving to OTC Markets. Fulgoni stepped down from his CEO role in November 2017.
Bryan Wiener was appointed CEO in May 2018, bringing his background as chairman of the advertising agency 360i, known for its focus on innovation and data-centric marketing strategies. By October 2018, Comscore refreshed its corporate branding and logo to present a contemporary image.
In April 2019, both Wiener and president Sarah Hofstetter resigned amid strategic conflicts with the board.
Bill Livek assumed the roles of CEO and Executive Vice Chairman on November 5, 2019. Before joining Comscore, Livek was Vice Chairman and CEO of Rentrak, where he spearheaded advanced media measurement solutions. In February 2022, Livek announced his intention to retire once a new leader was selected.
Mergers and acquisitions
Comscore broadened its market reach through significant acquisitions beginning with Media Metrix in June 2002. This acquisition followed the Federal Trade Commission’s intervention that prevented NetRatings from purchasing Media Metrix. Originally launched as PC Meter under NPD Group, Media Metrix started publishing web metrics in 1996, underwent rebranding in 1997, merged with Relevant Knowledge in 1998, and went public in 1999 with a valuation of $135 million. After acquiring Jupiter Communications for $414 million in 2000 and becoming Jupiter Media Metrix, the company divested Media Metrix to Comscore for $1.5 million during the dot-com downturn in 2002.
In May 2008, Comscore enhanced its mobile content measurement by acquiring M:Metrics for $44.3 million. The firm expanded its presence in Latin America through the purchase of Santiago-based Certifica in October 2009. Additional acquisitions included ARSgroup in February 2010, Nexius Inc.’s product division in July 2010, and Dutch analytics provider Nedstat for roughly $36.7 million in September 2010.
In February 2015, Comscore formed a strategic alliance with Kantar (WPP), acquiring an equity interest to bolster its market position. On May 5, 2015, it purchased Proximic, a California-based analytics firm; this programmatic targeting unit was later rebranded as Proximic by Comscore in March 2023.
A pivotal development occurred in September 2015 when Comscore announced its merger with Rentrak to integrate digital and television measurement services with the goal of competing more effectively against Nielsen. The all-stock transaction was initially valued at approximately $732 million and completed on February 1, 2016, ultimately totaling $767.7 million.
Most recently, in December 2021, Comscore acquired Shareablee, a company specializing in social media marketing analytics, thereby expanding its portfolio to offer comprehensive cross-platform consumer insights.
Data collection and reporting
Comscore manages a user panel equipped with monitoring software, incorporating platforms such as PermissionResearch, OpinionSquare, and VoiceFive Networks, installed on participants' devices. In exchange for their involvement in these research panels, users receive incentives including antivirus software, data backup services, security tools, and opportunities to win prizes.
The panel comprises approximately two million individuals. To produce representative insights, Comscore applies demographic weighting adjustments based on factors such as location, income levels, and age groups. Recruitment strategies involve random digit dialing alongside offline methods to accurately mirror the online user base. Additionally, Comscore verifies demographic information during the data gathering process to ensure precision.
The refined data forms the foundation for reports covering website traffic, video streaming trends, and consumer purchasing power, delivering valuable analytics for companies across various sectors.
In April 2020, Comscore launched an expedited local television ratings service that delivers results within 48 hours, a notable improvement over the previous two-week reporting timeframe utilized by TV broadcasters.
Unified Digital Measurement
In May 2009, Comscore unveiled Unified Digital Measurement (UDM), a digital audience analytics solution that integrates both panel data and census-based metrics. This approach enables audience reach estimation unaffected by cookie deletion or blocking activities.
Campaign measurement
Comscore introduced Campaign Essentials in 2010 to assess the reach of digital advertising campaigns. March 2012 saw the release of validated Campaign Essentials (vCE), which incorporated “validated” impression metrics. By January 2013, Comscore had analyzed over 4,000 campaigns for clients representing more than 75 advertising agencies.
Criticism
In 2006, Harvard researcher Ben Edelman claimed that Comscore software was installed on users' computers without their permission. While Comscore acknowledged engaging in discussions with spyware company DollarRevenue, it denied entering into contracts and took measures to halt unauthorized data collection once identified. Stanford University’s IT department reported that Comscore software was included with the iMesh file-sharing application; however, this collaboration was short-lived and occurred several years prior.
Historically, Comscore’s software directed user internet traffic through proxy servers, which led to reduced connection speeds and prompted institutions such as universities and banks to block these proxies. In June 2010, security firm Intego associated Mac spyware found in free applications with VoiceFive, Inc., a company that has since adhered to EU-U.S. Privacy Shield and GDPR standards.
Angel investor Jason Calacanis accused Comscore of underreporting publisher traffic figures to compel payment for direct measurement services using tracking pixels. In response, Comscore made its tracking pixel available at no cost to smaller web publishers and offered discounts for startup companies.
SEC findings
In 2019, the SEC charged Comscore Inc. and former CEO Serge Matta with fraudulently inflating revenue by approximately $50 million and providing false statements regarding key performance indicators. The SEC determined that Comscore and Matta misrepresented aspects of the company’s client portfolio and principal product offerings. Matta reportedly deceived both internal accounting personnel and external auditors. This misconduct allowed Comscore to exceed revenue expectations set by analysts for seven consecutive quarters, creating a false impression of consistent business expansion.
Following these allegations, Comscore appointed new leadership at the CEO and senior executive levels. The company settled the SEC case in September 2019 by paying $5 million without admitting or denying the charges. Two years earlier, Comscore had restated its financial statements to correct revenue recognition issues. Since then, it has strengthened internal controls, compliance frameworks, and corporate policies. The revamped compliance program was honored as the "Best Compliance and Ethics Program (Small to Mid-Cap)" at the 2019 Corporate Governance Awards.
Awards
- Magid Abraham, who co-founded Comscore, was honored with the 2009 Charles Coolidge Parlin Marketing Research Award at the American Marketing Association's annual conference.
- The company secured the 2009 Chicago Innovation Awards in recognition of its creation, AdEffx.
- In June 2009, Comscore, together with the GSM Association, received the M.E.F. Award for Business Intelligence in Mobile Media.
- According to a survey conducted by William Blair & Company among members of the Chicago Interactive Marketing Association, Comscore was favored by 50.4% of participants.
- Based on 2008 domestic revenue figures, Comscore ranked as the 15th largest market research firm in the United States and exhibited the fastest growth among the top 25 companies, as reported by the Honomichl Top 50.
- The World Economic Forum acknowledged Comscore as one of the 47 most innovative companies in 2007.
- Co-founder Magid Abraham was presented with MIT Sloan’s Buck Weaver Award for his significant contributions to marketing science.
- In 2014, Comscore’s Digital Analytix platform received the Digital Analytics Association’s "New Technology of the Year Award" due to its advanced multi-platform user unification capabilities.
- At the 2018 Perspectives Conference, Comscore earned the Innovation Award for outstanding achievements in learning and development initiatives.
- The company’s ‘Free Viewability’ service was recognized with the Advertising Solutions prize at the 2018 IAB Europe Research Awards for its role in facilitating digital media campaign measurement.
- Comscore’s legal team was honored with a regional ACC National Chapter Corporate Counsel Award in 2018, acknowledging excellence in corporate governance, data privacy efforts, and cross-training programs.
Alliances
Comscore collaborates with The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) to study user engagement across television, Internet, and mobile platforms, thereby advancing cross-platform advertising and content evaluation.