CHICAGO & SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), a global leader in innovative solutions and services for consumer, retail and over-the-counter healthcare companies, announced today it has acquired Aztec, a leading provider of market measurement and related services for consumer packaged goods (CPG), liquor and pharmaceutical manufacturers and retailers in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Aztec was acquired from Aegis Media.

“This agreement directly supports our overarching “Growth Delivered” business strategy and underscores IRI’s ongoing commitment to expanding its geographic footprint and capabilities to meet our multi-country clients’ evolving research needs,” said Andrew Appel, president and chief executive officer, IRI. “Aztec is a recognized leader in its markets and offers a host of distinctive assets, tools and relationships, including highly-differentiated offerings in the wholesaler and convenience sectors. This partnership immediately delivers a significant step change in value through an expanded presence, complementing IRI’s existing capabilities in the eight countries it currently serves.”

“Combining our complementary strengths with Aztec’s furthers IRI’s position as an innovation and market leader in all the markets it serves by offering enhanced data, combined with superior advanced analytics, consumer and shopper marketing, and consulting services to increase the pace of growth for each entity’s clients,” added Appel.

Aztec is a leading provider of market measurement, customer insight analytics and CRM services to CPG manufacturers, retailers and wholesalers. The company offers computer-based information services, including data processing and reporting, leading-edge and user-friendly software, training and client support.

Aztec includes six service lines: CRM, scan data sourcing, data processing, market measurement, shopper insights, and advanced analytics. The company, which was founded in 1995, has more than 500 employees and was previously part of Aegis Media, a leading global media and digital communications specialist.

There are many benefits to IRI and Aztec clients resulting from this acquisition. Integrating Aztec and IRI data provides clients with an unprecedented view of shopper behavior at point of sale, and an improved multi-country perspective of CPG and retail trends. Aztec clients secure access to IRI’s sophisticated suite of advanced analytics, consumer and shopper marketing, and consulting services, as well as IRI’s non-scan (consumer panel) data. Overall, Aztec and IRI’s complementary strengths in different channels in each geography will result in better quality data and services for all clients.

“We are delighted to be joining the IRI family and to play an integral part in expanding the company’s global franchise,” said Steve Prebble, Aztec global head and chief executive officer, Aegis Information Group, a division of Aegis Media. “The Aztec team is eager to help our joint clients achieve more rapid growth and is confident that integrating our market measurement information and services will be a cornerstone to helping clients achieve that growth. Today’s shoppers around the world are more demanding than ever before, and this acquisition will enable us to provide a unique set of innovative, globally-oriented capabilities.”

About Aztec

Aztec provides a complete, end-to-end information management solution that includes sourcing, processing, analyzing and interpreting disparate data sources from manufacturers and retailers. Its services span multiple retail channels and more than 200 consumer categories. Aztec also integrates traditional point-of-sale data with other data, such as ex-factory sales, weather, overseas information, stock prices and economic metrics. This combination allows clients to correlate disparate data points and make timely, informed decisions.

Aztec’s data and industry expertise coupled with intuitive and powerful decision support software, translates to providing unique insights that allow clients to make crucial decisions about their business and adjust their strategies to achieve their business objectives.

About Aegis Media and Dentsu Aegis Network

Aegis Media is a leading, global media and digital communications specialist whose vision is to Reinvent the Way Brands are Built. Through its five global network brands of Carat, Vizeum, Isobar, iProspect, and Posterscope, Aegis Media helps clients reach their consumers and achieve their goals through communications services that include digital creative execution, media planning and buying, brand tracking, social media activation and marketing analytics. Aegis Media’s operations worldwide are overseen by Dentsu Aegis Network Ltd., a governance body headquartered in London, owned by Tokyo-based Dentsu Inc. This governance body also oversees the operations of Dentsu Network, which manages all of Dentsu Inc’s other global business operations outside of Japan. More information on Aegis Media can be found at www.aegismedia.com.

About IRI

IRI is a leader in delivering powerful market and shopper information, predictive analysis and the foresight that leads to action. We go beyond the data to ignite extraordinary growth for our clients in the CPG, retail and over-the-counter healthcare industries by pinpointing what matters and illuminating how it can impact their businesses across sales and marketing.

Move your business forward at www.iriworldwide.com.