SAN FRANCISCO -- Visa (NYSE: V), a global leader in digital payments, today announced that it has entered into a new strategic partnership with Analytic Partners, a global analytics solution provider. Together, Visa and Analytic Partners plan to address commercial challenges faced by merchants and brands, including improving the return on advertising investments, with value-enhancing AI-driven data analytics.

In a dynamic business environment rich with data, companies need meaningful, near-real-time insights to make informed decisions, yet solutions are often fragmented or not actionable. The partnership will combine Visa’s merchant relationships and consumer spend insights with Analytic Partners’ commercial decisioning platform to bring powerful marketing spend optimization analytics to merchants and brands around the world.

“The volume of data available to merchants can be overwhelming, and if they don’t get it just right, it’s a missed opportunity for growth,” said Jeni Mundy, Global Head of Merchant Sales & Acquiring, Visa. “Bringing together our scale and insights with Analytic Partners’ deep expertise in Commercial Analytics, we’ll enable our clients to achieve greater success in their lines of business. We’re excited to unlock the potential of new enhanced solutions for merchants in the years to come.”

Initially, the partnership will be focused on the United States, with a planned global expansion to follow. Visa and Analytic Partners have made certain exclusivity commitments for merchant and brand marketing spend optimization offerings and services. Visa and Analytic Partners also plan to collaborate to develop new and enhanced analytics solutions that enable merchants and brands to turn insights into measurable business growth.

“Commercial Analytics helps merchants and brands understand which consumer and commercial levers to pull, so they can drive more actionable opportunities for growth. This can ultimately improve their ability to deepen customer loyalty and attract new customers,” said Nancy Smith, CEO of Analytic Partners. “Visa’s global footprint, deep understanding of consumer spending and commitment to responsible innovation make them a great partner in revolutionizing commercial intelligence for merchants and brands around the world.”