Clear Channel and Horizon Media in Ambitious $100 Million U.S. Cross-Marketing Deal

Cross-channel mass media conglomerate Clear Channel, and Horizon Media, the media services agency, are partnering in the U.S. in a $100 million, multi-year, multi-channel deal.

The deal will grant Horizon Media exclusive access to some of Clear Channel Media’s “key events and promotions” and allow it to tap into the latter’s creative teams “for special content creation opportunities,” they said in a joint statement. The agreement will also bring to Horizon Media the robust network of Clear Channel, in digital, mobile, outdoor, radio, live events, and on-demand entertainment and information services.

Some of Horizon Media’s brands:

The most interesting part, however, is both companies’ stated ambition to combine their respective marketing research, data mining capacities, and overall experience to bring innovative and highly efficient ways to target and reach U.S. consumers, notably in music, of course. In a few words: The alliance is all about the future of data-driven marketing and advertising.

More specifically, they are looking into customized content and experiences. Lauren Russo, senior vice president and director of local radio at Horizon Media, tells ClickZ that it will be about “research that gives us an understanding of artist attributes from a consumer perspective and how we could associate and align our brands with that artist’s image creating a customized concert event.”

Clear Channel declined to comment further but there is a huge chance that the partnership will also focus on digital (how could they not?). The catch will be, as always, to find a direct campaign ROI measurement — but that is what data-driven business is all about, isn’t it? Good luck!