TRA secures TV ad targeting patent

The news comes as the company is embroiled in a legal dispute with WPP over alleged infringement of another patent.

US patent 8,000,993, dated yesterday, relates to computer systems for cross-correlating data on media programming, advertising, purchases and demographic data in order “to optimise media placement generally or to address advertising content to specific households”.

CEO Mark Lieberman (pictured) said the patent reflects TRA’s “mission to be innovators in this space” as well as the importance of protecting consumers’ privacy.

The earlier patent, which TRA accuses WPP’s Kantar research division of having infringed, relates to “analysing return on investment of advertising campaigns by matching multiple data sources”. Kantar denies the allegations.

New York’s Southern District Court has ordered the two companies to try to solve their dispute through mediation. A meeting is due to take place on 27 September.