Cisco appoints Information Arts

Cisco Systems, the networking technology company, has appointed Information Arts to act as its strategic data planning team following a competitive pitch.

Information Arts will complement the capabilities of Harte Hanks, which already works with Cisco in a prospect data management and call centre capacity.

Together, IA and Harte Hanks offers Cisco a unique engagement model through a single team, using expertise and resources from both businesses.

This marks the first time that both agencies have worked together to provide strategic, data-driven solutions to meet the objectives of a shared client following the 'option to acquire' agreement announced in October 2007.

In addition to a range of tactical data planning tasks, Information Arts has been tasked with understanding, capturing and translating business requirements, and using its insight, data and data services expertise to design data driven solutions that deliver better outcomes for strategic foundational project activity - driving down the cost of acquisition and maximising customer value.

IA will assist Cisco to correctly position data and insight at the heart of the business - aligning complementary resources to ensure that Cisco realises increased value in all of its planned programmes.

This engagement model is a first for both Information Arts, Harte Hanks and Cisco, with Information Arts working as an integral part of an overall support team providing data planning, insight and data services.

In addition to tactical support from its Data Planners, Information Arts has appointed a Data Strategy Manager who will work at Cisco's offices to manage and support the day-to-day operations of the existing Harte Hanks Managed Services Team.

Information Arts is also recruiting a Data Strategy Director who will work closely with the Senior Cisco Marketing personnel taking responsibility for all data, insight and data management related issues and provide pro active thought leadership to Cisco..

Both positions will report to a Harte Hanks Group Account Director.

Simon Lawrence, CEO, Information Arts, said: "Our appointment by Cisco recognises our ability to design and deliver multi faceted, data driven solutions to achieve business objectives in the real world.

"It also clearly illustrates how we can leverage the synergies between Information Arts and Harte Hanks to provide better, seamless solutions to large and complex clients - delivered through a single, integrated Account Team".

Stephen Gilbert, Data Strategy Manager Europe Marketing, Cisco Systems, said: "This partnership allows us to realise the full potential of the data held with our marketing systems and to capitalise intelligently on this data.

"The capacity available through both Harte Hanks and Information Arts will prove a powerful combination and I am confident that our relationship will be a long and fruitful one".

Adding: " Now we've laid the foundations, we need to architect solutions - and these are the guys".

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