Sky is acquiring the part of the Experian’s marketing services division that uses databases to target potential customers.
The hosted database unit already counted Sky as a customer. Now Sky is taking a majority stake in the piece Experian is divesting, for an unknown sum, and the pair will run it as a joint venture.
Experian is left concentrating on its marketing services division’s core activities in data and analytics, rather than marketing. The new company will get a new brand identity.
Sky has used Experian for this purpose for some time. It’s understood the satcaster is buying in to secure the unit’s hardware, software and intellectual property for itself. Experian valued what Sky’s buying at £8.6 million.
Sky will continue offering the services to other customers – meaning it could potentially even help rival pay-TV providers find customers.