Facebook is looking to encourage ad agencies to make use of its Facebook IQ consumer research service with a road show tour that aims to demonstrate the strengths of the program to key firms.

The tour has made stops in New York City and Chicago, with plans to target Los Angeles firms next, followed by taking the road show international if it proves successful in getting people to sign up for Facebook IQ.

According to Ad Age, the events introduce mid-level agency staffers to the data available on Facebook IQ, which includes insights into user behaviour, demographic differences and other useful research for planning campaigns.

While the Facebook IQ program has been in place for several months, company executives have only recently started promoting it, which has given birth to the road show aimed at familiarising agencies with its capabilities.

Facebook IQ uses input from sociologists, data scientists, trend spotters, anthropologists and researchers to combine the massive amounts of user data the company has with other research, producing useful insights aimed at helping marketers “understand people across generations, geographies, devices and time,” according to the programs website.

The program isnt aiming to replace traditional research firms, but rather augment their services and encourage marketers and agencies to make use of the information during early campaign planning.

Facebook has not always had a great relationship with agencies, many of whom consider the social network difficult to work with or opaque in its operations, but the tour is one part of a concerted effort by the company to repair these rifts and improve relations with agencies, providing them with the data they want to see.

The Chicago event reportedly drew in over 200 agency representatives from all the major holding companies, along with a number of clients including McDonalds, Target and MillerCoors.