Google acquires promotions platform firm Incentive Targeting

Google has acquired Incentive Targeting which offers a software-as-a-service platform for promotional campaigns to the grocery industry.

"As part of Google, we will have the resources and expertise to continue the transformation of couponing from a way to give discounts to a way to build business," founders Ben Sprecher and Joshua Herzig-Marx said while announcing the acquisition on Incentive Targeting's website on Wednesday.

"We look forward to working with Incentive Targeting in our ongoing efforts to help consumers save time and money and enable retailers deliver relevant discounts to the right customers," Google said in a statement. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed

Founded in 2007, Incentive Targeting in Cambridge, Massachusetts, partners with retail chains to provide a targeted marketing service to manufacturers of grocery and consumer products, according to its website.

Its web-based service allows manufacturers to create and monitor campaigns using data on offer redemptions at points-of-sale and other information.

Incentive Targeting said it set out to do for retail couponing what Google had done for online advertising, by making it "simple, relevant, measurable, and effective."

John Ribeiro covers outsourcing and general technology breaking news from India for The IDG News Service. Follow John on Twitter at @Johnribeiro. John's e-mail address is john_ribeiro@idg.com