Upwave Invests to Expand its Full Suite of Brand Analytics Solutions
Upwave is expanding its platform by adding new search analytics capabilities through the acquisition of Croft Analytics’ search analytics technology. This investment further enhances Upwave’s brand analytics offerings and follows the recent sale of Upwave’s legacy survey and analytics platform business, Instant Insights.
San Francisco, CA (June 16, 2021) – Upwave, the leading analytics platform for brand marketers, announced today that it is expanding its platform by adding new search analytics capabilities. The newly expanded capabilities are the result of the acquisition of Croft Analytics’ search analytics technology, which powers the website, ShareofSearch. The investment further enhances Upwave’s brand analytics offerings and follows the recent sale of Upwave’s legacy survey and analytics platform business, Instant Insights.
The new acquisition reflects Upwave’s mission to deliver the world’s leading brand analytics – ranging from campaign-centric analysis to ongoing brand measurement. Specifically, the deal will provide access to “share of search” data, providing a more holistic view of brand awareness and market share. This will offer brands more relevant and ongoing insights into brand awareness and recall, for the first time extending beyond specific campaign measurements.
“Upwave is the leading brand analytics platform, so we couldn’t think of a better home for our search analytics,” said Frank Harrison, founder of Croft Analytics, owner of ShareofSearch, and a former senior agency executive at Publicis. “Measuring search activity is a well-known and widely accepted barometer of brand health. Uncovering these insights will undoubtedly enhance Upwave’s extensive brand analytics platform, especially with regard to long-term brand health. Now, they can show brands the impact of investments, both during campaigns and after they are complete.” In conjunction with the acquisition, Harrison will also be joining Upwave’s Advisory Board.
“Brand measurement is critical for marketers. But it is an ongoing challenge for marketers to build a complete picture of brand effectiveness because brand-related effects are not immediately apparent,” said George Musi, EVP and CEO of FCB Health Network (part of IPG) agency, Solve(d), and a leading voice on brand marketing in the industry. “Search data can be indicative of a brand’s mental availability and that is a key ingredient for sustainable growth. Adding additional data signals like search allows marketers to develop a more comprehensive view of how they are performing, not only during a campaign but also once it is complete–ultimately providing better insight into the total economic impact of their marketing investment..”
“We are laser-focused on building the best brand analytics platform in the market,” said Chris Kelly, CEO of Upwave. “This investment allows us to move beyond only offering campaign-level analytics to offering ongoing brand-level analytics. Nothing measures unaided awareness better than the search bar. We are thrilled to be bringing Frank and the ShareofSearch technology on board.”
The new investment reflects brands and agencies’ demands for increasingly robust brand analytics that provide deeper insight into customer behaviors and engagement throughout the customer journey.
This story was announced first in MediaPost.
About Upwave
Upwave (formerly Survata) is a fast-growing marketing analytics company providing ML-driven brand marketing measurement technology and intelligence to the world’s leading brands, agencies, and platforms. The company is based in San Francisco and New York and backed by leading Silicon Valley venture capital investors. Learn more at www.upwave.com.
