Facebook and Nielsen in marketing pact

Facebook and The Nielsen Company have formed a strategic alliance designed to leverage Facebook’s global consumer base and Nielsen’s marketing research capabilities. Their first venture is called Nielsen BrandLift and it provides Facebook users with the option to join in on polls which measure their attitudes and purchasing intentions from the display advertising that appears within Facebook. Nielsen Brandlift will be firstly launched in the US and then roll out around the world. This new joint venture is Facebook’s second major attempt at leveraging its consumer base for marketing purposes after ceasing using its contentious advertising platform called Beacon.