VisualDNA

VisualDNA was an audience insights and analytics company that translated data from visual personality quizzes into detailed audience profiles. Founded in 2006 by Alex Willcock and headquartered in London, the firm developed patented technology to profile online users based on the "Big Five" (OCEAN) psychological model. The company's core product involved engaging, image-based quizzes, such as the 'Who am I?' test, which were taken by over 40 million people globally. This data provided clients—primarily brands, agencies, and publishers—with psychographic insights into consumer motivations, personalities, and buying habits.

The business model centered on supplying this unique data to power highly-targeted advertising and to provide marketing insights. For advertisers, this meant moving beyond simple demographics to target consumers based on personality traits like being an 'Impulsive Shopper' or a 'Trendsetter'. In the credit and risk sector, their product allowed lenders to assess potential customers who lacked a traditional credit history. The company raised approximately $13.5M in funding from investors including Northzone, Atomico, and Horizons Ventures. A significant milestone was its expansion into North America in early 2016. In December 2016, VisualDNA was acquired by Nielsen for an undisclosed sum to enhance the capabilities of the Nielsen Marketing Cloud in Europe. Post-acquisition, the VisualDNA quizzes and data assets continued to be utilized as part of Nielsen's broader data and measurement offerings.

Keywords: audience insights, psychographic data, personality testing, data analytics, ad targeting, consumer profiling, marketing technology, market research, behavioral data, consumer insights, data monetization, visual quizzes, credit risk assessment, first-party data, Nielsen, Alex Willcock, people-based marketing, data-driven advertising, audience segmentation, consumer motivation