New PHD and Edge set up science body

New PHD is launching a joint venture with marketing and media consultancy Edge Marketing to offer clients a combination of scientific analysis and qualitative research.

The new marketing consultancy is to be called Brand Science and will be based at New PHD’s offices. It will be chaired jointly by Nick Horswell, managing partner of New PHD, and James Walker, director of Edge Marketing and the former worldwide chairman of MindShare’s Advanced Techniques Group.

Walker says Brand Science will bring together Edge Marketing’s expertise in quantative research and econometric modelling to predict the impact of changing advertising spend or strategy and New PHD’s understanding of brands, consumers and media.

He adds: “We feel that we are working with the best brand in the market.”

Horswell says: “Doing a joint venture with someone who has the expertise and the software means we can offer the service immediately. Brand Science will bring an extra hard edge to what we do.”

The service will offer clients an in-house modelling service, focusing on econometric modelling, new product development, launch strategies, advertising budget setting and portfolio management, pricing and distribution and business planning modelling – for example looking at the impact on brand profitability of changing advertising spend or strategy.

Horswell says the initiative will work alongside Apollo, New PHD’s existing data analysis consultancy.

New PHD and Edge Marketing are in the process of recruiting a dedicated head of brand consultancy and two analysts for Brand Science.