Toronto-based OneCliq says it gleans consumer sentiment from activity on Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok.<\/p>\n
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Toronto-based market research firm Dig Insights<\/a> has acquired OneCliq<\/a>, an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled startup that mines social media to help brands better understand consumer sentiment.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201c[OneCliq] is a smart addition to our tech-enabled approach and a big step forward in how we help clients stay ahead of what\u2019s coming.\u201d<\/p>\n Paul Gaudette The acquisition closed earlier this month. In a press release, Dig co-founder and CEO Paul Gaudette said he was excited to have the OneCliq team join the firm. Dig declined to say whether all OneCliq employees were making the transition, noting the terms of the deal were confidential.\u00a0<\/p>\n OneCliq aims to automate qualitative research by aggregating consumer sentiment from posts, comments, and other content on social media platforms, including Instagram, Reddit, and TikTok. <\/p>\n The company claims its AI-powered consumer insight engine compiles engagement metrics and generates insights that brands can use to inform marketing approaches.\u00a0<\/p>\n The startup was founded in 2021 by siblings Tanika McLeod and Nathan Knight. In an email, McLeod said OneCliq had raised funding from Antler Canada and several angel investors, as well as family and friends. It also participated in programs such as York University\u2019s Schulich MBA in Technology Leadership venture studio<\/a> in partnership with Toronto tech hub OneEleven, York University\u2019s YSpace entrepreneurship hub, and the federally funded Black Entrepreneurship Alliance.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis started because my sister and I wanted to give people\u2019s voices a deeper place in decision-making,\u201d Knight said in a press release. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to join a team that shares our belief that emotion is data, culture is strategy, and the future belongs to those who listen deeply to what people say and feel today.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n RELATED: <\/strong>Define Capital fuels up for more niche software acquisitions with $28-million debt facility from Scotiabank<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Nafis Ahmed, associate director of entrepreneurship at YSpace, told BetaKit that the co-founders \u201cconsistently embodied the boldness and resilience that define great entrepreneurs.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Founded in 2010, Dig is a market insights consultancy that focuses on using tech to serve client brands. Toronto-based private equity firm Beringer Capital bought a majority stake<\/a> in September 2022.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a smart addition to our tech-enabled approach and a big step forward in how we help clients stay ahead of what\u2019s coming,\u201d Gaudette said in the release.\u00a0<\/p>\n The startup\u2019s tech will become part of Dig\u2019s product offerings, which include the market research platform Upsiide. Global brands such as McDonald\u2019s and La-Z-Boy have used Upsiide to shape their marketing strategies, according to Dig\u2019s website. Dig also leverages an AI tool, Storyteller, to create reports and recommendations collected from Upsiide consumer data.\u00a0<\/p>\n The current terms around pricing, data privacy, and product access will remain the same for OneCliq customers, the company said in an FAQ page on its website<\/a>. However, clients will now gain access to the suite of tools offered by Dig, which OneCliq says will lead to richer insights.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
Dig Insights<\/p><\/blockquote>\n