After years of developing a range of different programs for publishers, the Ingram Content Group has created a new unit that will oversee a suite of consumer marketing services. The group is being led Kim Schutte, director of Ingram consumer marketing, and Pete McCarthy, director of consumer insights. The group also includes sales people and analysts.

Schutte said the formation of the unit was spurred by the launch of Ingram's Reader Reach platform, which provides users access to more than 2 million “verified readers.” Schutte said Reader Reach will be the “hub” of Ingram’s marketing offerings. Reader Reach is designed as an advertising platform for publishers and offers them the opportunity to reach all of Ingram’s verified readers or a more targeted audience. The platform currently consists of 50 book categories and Ingram continues to add new segments, McCarthy said. Cost to use Reader Reach depends on the number of titles in a particular program and the number of readers a publisher wants to reach, Schutte said.

Other products within the group include Reader Insights Reports, which features downloadable audience profiles that enable publishers to identify the who, what, and where of their target readers, as well as Marketing Insights, which is an analytics platform that helps publishers find high-value opportunities within their lists, according to Ingram.

The full suite of services is being offered under the Marketing Advantage umbrella, a program that is available only to Ingram Publisher Services clients. All marketing services are available to other publishers on an à la carte basis.

Ingram will provide more details on the marketing service in a webinar set for February 16.