Horizon Media Announces eMbrace, a customized Software and Data Solution Powered by Nielsen, to Bring Cultural Equity to Communications and Media Planning

NEW YORK, April 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As the U.S. becomes increasingly diverse and more people self-identify with more than one race, culture, or ethnicity, “Multiracial” is the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population (U.S. Census). Accordingly, marketing practices that fully weigh brands’ needs to reach multicultural groups are critical so planning tools and data sets must innovate and evolve with more speed, relevance, and resonance in engaging polycultural audiences. Addressing the need to leverage a data-driven approach to align cultural imperatives with a brand’s marketing and business priorities, Horizon Media developed the idea and overarching purpose of eMbrace and enlisted Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) to develop the software and data solution. This new communications and media planning platform, which recalibrates population-based, survey/panel outputs for a more equitable emphasis of Asian, Black, and Hispanic insights, is a critical precursor to media and investment planning, will help advertisers develop more thorough, inclusive strategies to better engage diverse audiences.

Through the analytics and analyses of eMbrace, brand marketers will now have an equity index score yielding insights that will help drive channel mixes that are more inclusive of polycultural segments to better drive connections, resonance, and business outcomes. By bringing a culturally equitable lens to communications and media planning, eMbrace will also identify actionable business growth opportunities that would otherwise be minimized or “washed out” in a typical “general market” population-based analysis. As important, the eMbrace analyses will enable media planning strategies to more equitably allocate investments and partnerships across minority-owned and minority-targeted media.

“Today’s most effective marketing strategy discussions start with an inclusive mindset – and with an operational view – not just theoretical – that cultural relevancy is an imperative,” said Karina Dobarro, EVP, Managing Partner, Multicultural at Horizon Media. “This perspective is a step beyond multicultural planning to new strategies and executions – founded on Nielsen data – that are tailored to specific audiences. Incorporating data analyses that have not been unavailable until now, this unique view that captures audience segment insights and relevance – the keys to differentiation and driving business outcomes – aren’t muted by mainstream marketing conventions.”

eMbrace, which Horizon Media is using as part of its pre-upfront planning with clients, will empower the agency’s planning teams to more equitably optimize media and channel mix by audience. By embedding Nielsen data and relevant and robust first- and third-party consumer and business data, eMbrace will help inform strategic direction resulting in campaigns that resonate with polycultural segments of the population.

“When working with Nielsen as part of the development of eMbrace, we needed to collaborate with a company that shared the same vision of combining robust consumer and business data through advanced analytics. This is much more than a simple dashboard; it’s about creating a data-informed approach to identify strategic client imperatives,” said John Marson, SVP, Managing Director of CORD, Horizon Media’s Channel Observance, Research & Development team. “Our remit is to drive business results for our clients by understanding, engaging, and motivating their communities, and Nielsen is helping us develop this innovation.”

“For years Nielsen and Horizon Media have worked together to bring advertisers the data-driven insights they need to best reach their audiences where they are,” said Jay Nielsen, SVP of Planning Products at Nielsen. “We’re continuing to innovate with Horizon as the first to integrate this more robust data set. Through eMbrace, we're expanding the sample population to include more diverse respondents, providing an unprecedented look at diverse customer segments to drive equity and growth to minority audiences in media.”

About Horizon Media
Horizon Media, Inc, the largest U.S. media agency according to AdAge Data Center 2021, delivers data-driven business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious brands.  Founded in 1989, headquartered in New York, and with offices in Edmonton, Los Angeles and Toronto, the company employs 2,400 people and has media investments of more than $9.5 billion.  Horizon Media’s fundamental belief is that business is personal, which drives its approach to connecting brands with their customers and engaging with its own employees resulting in industry-leading workplace satisfaction levels (Glassdoor).  The company is consistently recognized by independent media outlets for its client excellence and has earned several “Best Workplaces” awards reflecting its commitment to DEI and the life and well-being of everyone at Horizon Media.

ABOUT NIELSEN
Nielsen shapes the world’s media and content as a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their audiences—now and into the future.

An S&P 500 company, Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) operates around the world in more than 55 countries. Learn more at www.nielsen.com or www.nielsen.com/investors and connect with us on social media.

Media Contacts:

Horizon Media
Dan Prince
[email protected]
(917) 647-0086

Nielsen
Sarah Muratore
[email protected]
(917) 226-1193