SPSS, Chicago, announced its purchase of full-service data mining company Integral Solutions, Basingstoke, United Kingdom, for $7.1 million in cash.
ISL's main product Clementine, a data-mining tool designed for business users, which combines multiple modeling techniques with data visualization and manipulation, is used by more than 250 organizations worldwide including American Century Investments, Daimler-Benz, Glaxo Wellcome, Reuters and Unilever.
SPSS, which purchased ISL in an effort to expand its presence in the business intelligence marketplace, will continue to develop and market ISL products, including Clementine.
– Fingerhut and Targetbase Join Unica
Data mining technology provider Unica Technologies, Lincoln, MA, announced that cataloger Fingerhut, Minnetonka, MN, and data mining technology provider Targetbase Marketing, Dallas, have joined the Unica Im-Impact Customer Advisory Board.
The CAB consists of companies who are recognized as leaders in direct marketing and offers guidance and expertise while helping Unica test and evaluate Unica Impact, the company's predictive campaign management system, as it prepares for its first commercial release.
Fingerhut offers more than 150 catalogs to its more than 8.5 million customers. Targetbase Marketing is a customer relationship marketing solutions provider serving Fortune 500 companies.
– Intelliquest Opens Data Collection Center
Information-based marketing services provider, Intelliquest, Austin, TX, announced the opening of its new data collection center in Austin, completing the consolidation of three domestic data collection facilities into one operation. Intelliquest said the facility will be dedicated to providing market research concerning U.S. technology-driven and Internet markets.
According to Intelliquest, the facility will increase its interviewing capacity by 50 percent. The consolidation also will allow Intelliquest to concentrate its top interviewers and managers at a single location.
In other news, Intelliquest's Hi-Tech Household Database now identifies more than 11.5 million households, the company said. Through its electronic customer registration service the database is growing at the rate of more than 500,000 records per month.
– Creative Solutions, HSN Join Forces
Creative Solutions International, Hockessin, DE, a marketing consultancy and direct advertising agency, signed an agreement with predictive software developer HNC Financial Solutions to jointly market their respective services and marketing automation tools for credit card issuers.
Creative Solutions said working with HNC will enable them to provide clients with improved marketing programs.
“By applying HNC's predictive tool, SelectProfile, we can develop and execute better segment specific marketing, advertising and communications programs,” said William Keenan, president, Creative Solutions.
