Borrell hires another ‘big data’ guru

Local ad-research firm Borrell Associates has taken a deep dive into the vast pool of local-market data with the hire of former media research executive Matt Baldwin. The announcement comes one week after the company announced it had hired Gannett's director of market intelligence, Corey Elliott.

Corey Elliott

"Big data sounds cool, but it can be a real morass," said Colby Atwood, president of Borrell. "Matt is a master at distilling tons of it into a fistful of powerful insights for local customers. Corey's been doing it for one of the largest media companies in the world, and Matt's been doing it for ad agencies. We're elated at the bench depth this gives us."

Baldwin's principal role will be to work with ad agencies. Prior to joining Borrell, he was corporate vice president of research at MediaNews Group (now Digital First Media), the second-largest U.S. media company with digital, print, TV and radio properties in 60 markets.

The hires of Baldwin and Elliott complement two acquisitions and three market expansions Borrell has made in the past several years. The company broadened its offerings in 2006 with the acquisition of Ad Audit Services, which provided advertising and marketing data to U.S. media companies. In 2010 it acquired Belden Interactive, which conducted primary research of local SMBs and consumers. And in 2012 the company expanded its coverage to Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.K.