Research
James Verrinder Editorial
James is a reporter for Research Magazine and Research-Live.com. Get in touch if you have ideas for articles or interviews that you'd like to discuss with us. You can find our writing guidelines at http://bit.ly/writeforresearch
Stories by this contributor.
-
MajesticMRSS boss planning more Asian partnerships
9-Feb-2012
INDIA— MajesticMRSS boss Raj Sharma is planning to set up more new partnerships across Asia Pacific following yesterday’s launch of MRSS India with ex-Nielsen man Sarang Panchal.
-
Dassault acquires social analytics platform Netvibes
9-Feb-2012
US/FRANCE— Dassualt Systèmes, a developer of 3D design and product lifecycle management software, has acquired social media monitoring and analytics platform Netvibes.
-
ForeSee to analyse npower's mobile and web user experience
9-Feb-2012
UK— Energy provider npower has hired customer experience analytics firm ForeSee to analyse and measure the experience of customers using its website and mobile apps.
-
Yellowwood hires research and analytics head
8-Feb-2012
SOUTH AFRICA— Research agency Yellowwood has appointed Matthew Glogauer as group head of research and analytics and moved group research director Jenny Moore to a new business development and innovation role.
-
Ex-Nielsen MD partners with Majestic MRSS to launch Indian firm
8-Feb-2012
INDIA— Majestic MRSS boss Raj Sharma and a former Nielsen director Sarang Panchal have launched a new agency, MRSS India.
-
AMI division grows but Rentrak posts loss
8-Feb-2012
US— Rentrak almost doubled the number of TV stations signed up to its local market audience measurement product, StationView Essentials, in the third quarter of fiscal 2012, helping the company’s Advanced Media and Information (AMI) division reach $9.9m in sales.
-
App analytics startup Appoxee lands funding
7-Feb-2012
ISRAEL— Mobile app analytics startup Appoxee has received an undisclosed amount of private equity funding from early-stage investors Cyhawk Ventures.
-
GfK MRI launches syndicated ad measurement service for digital mags
7-Feb-2012
US— GfK MRI is launching a syndicated service, Starch Digital, to measure the readership and effectiveness of advertising in digital consumer magazines.
-
Precision Opinion plans to double call centre headcount
7-Feb-2012
US— Las Vegas-based research agency Precision Opinion intends to double in size by taking on as many as 400 new call centre staff over the coming months.
-
BuzzBack opens in Sweden for Nordic push
7-Feb-2012
SWEDEN— Online research agency BuzzBack has expanded into the Nordic region with the opening of a new office in Sweden.
-
Harris revenue falls but Angrisani is upbeat on margin rise
3-Feb-2012
US— Harris Interactive has reported a 13% drop in revenue in the second quarter of fiscal 2012, but interim CEO Al Angrisani pointed to improvements in operating income and margin as signs the firm is making progress with its turnaround plan.
-
Intomart GfK wins three-year extension to Dutch radio contract
2-Feb-2012
NETHERLANDS— Dutch radio association NLO has extended Intomart GfK’s contract to count listener numbers for three years.
-
BritainThinks hires research lead
2-Feb-2012
UK— Stephen Saw has joined consultancy BritainThinks as research lead following a career that includes spells with Manning Gottlieb OMD Insight and TNS.
-
Are we there yet?
Feb 2012
John Gambles of Quadrangle and David Smith of DVL Smith have each chalked up 25 years in market research. James Verrinder asks them to reflect on how far the industry has come and where it’s heading.
-
Terapeak appoints new president, CEO
30-Jan-2012
US— E-commerce research and data analysis firm Terapeak has appointed Kevin North as its new president and CEO.
-
ICM adds research director to lead omnibus offering
30-Jan-2012
UK— ICM has hired Kantar Worldpanel’s James Guild as a research director to lead its omnibus team.
-
Comptel Corporation to buy Xtract for analytics boost
30-Jan-2012
FINLAND— Telecoms software firm Comptel Corporation is to acquire Finnish analytics firm Xtract in a deal worth €3.1m that will be completed by the end of February.
-
XPND to acquire iPerceptions in all-cash deal
30-Jan-2012
CANADA— Growth capital fund XPND has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire iPerceptions, which specialises in online customer satisfaction and experience measurement, in a cash deal valuing the firm at $3m.
-
Alterian shares come off stock exchange in SDL acquisition
27-Jan-2012
UK— Shares in marketing analytics firm Alterian have come off the London Stock Exchange as the firm’s acquisition by tech firm SDL is completed.
-
Semetric updates music popularity tracking tool
27-Jan-2012
UK— Tech firm Semetric has unveiled an improved web-based version of its Musicmetric service, which tracks social media and illegal filesharing activity for thousands of artists.
-
People on the move
27-Jan-2012
A roundup of the latest appointments and promotions in the global market research industry, including the latest moves at Crimson Hexagon, ODC Services, Spinach and more.
-
FBI plans to track threats through social media
26-Jan-2012
US— The FBI is the latest government agency to look into how it can harness social media monitoring.
-
ComRes adds quant leader and promotes two
26-Jan-2012
UK— Pollster ComRes has hired Pru Shelton to lead its quantitative research team, replacing Caroline Lawes who is leaving the firm to change careers.
-
Loyalty specialist CardStar acquired by Constant Contact
26-Jan-2012
US— Email marketing firm Constant Contact is to acquire CardStar, which makes mobile apps for retail loyalty schemes.
-
Belo expands Rentrak TV audience counting deal
26-Jan-2012
US— Texas-based media owner Belo Corp has renewed its StationView Essentials local TV ratings contract with Rentrak, and expanded the agreement to cover channels in more markets.
-
Time Warner unveils hi-tech media lab
25-Jan-2012
US— Time Warner has opened a media lab at its New York headquarters to carry out research into consumer behaviour and media habits.
-
Accenture to acquire Neo Metrics Analytics
25-Jan-2012
US— Management consultancy Accenture has agreed to buy Spanish predictive analytics agency Neo Metrics Analytics for an undisclosed amount.
-
SymphonyIRI teams up with price comparison site mySupermarket
25-Jan-2012
UK— SymphonyIRI Group and price comparison website mySupermarket have teamed up to study how the site’s users make buying decisions.
-
Ebiquity sees 'outstanding' analytics performance
25-Jan-2012
UK— Media intelligence group Ebiquity has posted a 17% increase in revenue and a 75% rise in underlying operating profit for the six month period ending 31 October 2011.
-
Onesixtyfourth launches trend study in UK
25-Jan-2012
UK— Brand strategy consultancy Onesixtyfourth has launched its trend-tracking service CultureQ in the UK.
-
Former MR agency director pleads guilty to child porn charge
24-Jan-2012
US— Former research agency director Kevin Hill is facing imprisonment after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography.
-
Revenue up 15% at Simon-Kucher in 2011
24-Jan-2012
GERMANY— Marketing and strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners increased its revenue by 15% to €121.3m in 2011.
-
Bob Shullman to retire from Ipsos Mendelsohn
24-Jan-2012
US— Ipsos Mendelsohn president Bob Shullman is to retire at the end of this month. He has been in the role since 2008.
-
Hill+Knowlton launches research and analytics business
24-Jan-2012
US—WPP-owned PR agency Hill+Knowlton has launched a new business to provide clients with data analytics and primary research to support their communications.
-
Murray Hardie returns to Hall & Partners as US CEO
24-Jan-2012
US— Murray Hardie has returned to Hall & Partners in the role of CEO for the US. He was part of the management team that opened the company’s first American office in 1996.
-
Robert Burgess named chair of NatCen board of trustees
23-Jan-2012
UK— NatCen has appointed Professor Sir Robert Burgess as chair of its board of trustees, replacing Dame Janet Finch who is retiring at the end of February after nine years.
-
Kantar Media boss on tracking online word of mouth in China
23-Jan-2012
Last week Kantar acquired Chinese social media monitoring firm CIC. Research spoke with Kantar Media CEO Jean-Michel Portier to hear how researchers are dealing with the rapidly evolving social media landscape in China.
-
Komli opens lab to drive ad targeting innovation
23-Jan-2012
INDIA— Digital media network and audience measurement firm Komli Media has launched a technology centre aiming to use research and data analytics to come up with new ways of targeting ads.
-
New head of research and marketing at India's TV Today Network
23-Jan-2012
INDIA— Vivek Malhotra has been appointed head of research and marketing at TV Today Network, where he will be responsible for developing the broadcaster’s brand and communications strategy.
-
Research Now names boss for Europe and Asia in management reshuffle
23-Jan-2012
US— Online fieldwork supplier Research Now has made several changes to its senior management team, including giving UK managing director Martin Filz the new role of managing director for EMEA and Asia Pacific.
-
Pharma focus delivers ‘solid’ 2011 performance for Cello
23-Jan-2012
UK— Cello’s research and consulting business has turned in a “solid performance” for the 2011, the company said in a trading update today.
-
People on the move
20-Jan-2012
All the latest appointments and promotions in the global market research industry, including news from FreshMinds Research, Dunnhumby, Product Perceptions, Sundance London and more.
-
TNS hires ORC's Martin Grimwood to lead financial practice
20-Jan-2012
UK— TNS has appointed former ORC International man Martin Grimwood as head of its financial services division in the UK.
-
ComScore launches ad validation tool
20-Jan-2012
US— Online audience measurement firm ComScore has introduced a way of measuring whether internet users have had a chance to see digital ads that are delivered to their computer.
-
London Stock Exchange to track social media buzz
20-Jan-2012
UK— The London Stock Exchange Group has appointed Social 360 to carry out daily monitoring of social media.
-
BrainJuicer revenue passes £20m in 2011
19-Jan-2012
UK— BrainJuicer’s revenue in 2011 increased by 26%, passing the £20m mark, the firm said in a trading update today.
-
Pollbob buys DIY pollster Mister Poll
19-Jan-2012
US— Social polling platform Pollbob has acquired DIY polling site Mister Poll and plans to integrate its database of survey makers and takers into its own community.
-
Companies sign up to new mobile research body
19-Jan-2012
US— Representatives from major agencies and clients have formed a new industry association to develop guidelines and best practices for mobile research.
-
MediaMiser acquires social media tech firm InfoGlutton
19-Jan-2012
CANADA— Media monitoring and analysis firm MediaMiser has acquired InfoGlutton Solutions, which provides social media monitoring tools to the restaurant and hospitality industries.
-
Nipo Software and MARSC combine research tools
18-Jan-2012
UK— Survey software maker Nipo and panel management software firm MARSC have combined their products to create a “seamless” package.
-
Danny Russell to leave Sky amid marketing restructure
18-Jan-2012
UK— Sky’s marketing strategy director Danny Russell is leaving the company as it restructures its sales and marketing teams, with Lucien Bowater taking on the new role of strategy and insight director.
-
House of Fraser picks Grass Roots for mystery shopping task
18-Jan-2012
UK— Department store chain House of Fraser has appointed Grass Roots to run a mystery shopping programme across its network of shops.
-
EasyInsites grows 37% in 2011
17-Jan-2012
Profit figures were not provided but co-founder and managing director Charles Pearson told Research that profit was up on the previous year.
-
Toluna adds DIY functions to iPhone and iPad apps
17-Jan-2012
UK— Toluna has updated its iPhone and iPad apps to incorporate its QuickSurveys DIY offering.
-
Rentrak wins local TV ratings contract in Missouri
17-Jan-2012
US— Koplar Communications has signed up to use Rentrak’s StationView Essentials local TV ratings service for its Fox-affiliate station KRBK in Springfield, Missouri.
-
Kantar Media buys Chinese social media researcher CIC
17-Jan-2012
CHINA— WPP subsidiary Kantar Media is to acquire Chinese social media research and consulting agency CIC.
-
Research Now hires Köksal to lead new Dutch office
17-Jan-2012
NETHERLANDS— Sample provider Research Now has appointed Kerem Köksal to lead its new office in Rotterdam, the company’s 24th location.
-
iPinion unveils mobile behaviour tracking app
16-Jan-2012
US— Mobile survey software developer iPinion has launched an app that tracks people’s usage of mobile devices.
-
Blauw Research extends Dapresy deal
16-Jan-2012
NETHERLANDS— Blauw Research has signed a new deal with Dapresy to create dashboards and online portals for its ad hoc and tracking surveys.
-
Privacy concerns raised over US government social media tracking
16-Jan-2012
US— Congress members have raised concerns about the Department of Homeland Security’s social media monitoring programme.
-
Satmetrix and Metavana in social media partnership
16-Jan-2012
US— Satmetrix has struck a strategic partnership with social media monitoring firm Metavana that will see the two firms collaborate on a range of products.
-
Brass shines with 23% increase in research sales
13-Jan-2012
UK— Marketing agency Brass, based in Leeds, has reported full-year sales for its research services arm of £2.3m, up 23% on the previous year.
-
Splunk prepares for $125m initial public offering
13-Jan-2012
US— Data analytics software firm Splunk is looking to raise up to $125m through an initial public offering of common stock.
-
GfK Healthcare appoints UK head of operations
12-Jan-2012
UK— Ben Walton has been appointed head of UK operations for GfK Healthcare, joining the company from Adelphi International Research.
-
Gender expert Jen Drexler joins Insight Strategy Group
9-Jan-2012
US— Insight Strategy Group has appointed author and gender marketing specialist Jen Drexler as vice president to study the role gender plays in consumer behaviour.
-
Millennial Media prepares to go public
9-Jan-2012
US— Millennial Media, a mobile advertising and data company, has filed registration forms with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regarding a proposed public offering of common stock.
-
People on the move
6-Jan-2012
The latest appointments and promotions in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: NuvoTV, Kantar Health, Lincoln Financial, Community Research, Berkeley Research Group, Brainjuicer, Research World International and Kixeye.
-
What are you looking at? CrowdOptic wants to know
6-Jan-2012
US— A company has developed a mobile application that tracks where fans at sporting events are aiming their mobile phone cameras so as to monitor shifts in their focus of attention.
-
Ipsos Public Affairs clinches spot on GSA Schedule
6-Jan-2012
US— Ipsos Public Affairs has been awarded a spot on the US government’s General Services Administration’s Advertising and Integrated Marketing Solutions Schedule, where it will be able to bid for work from federal and state-level clients.
-
USamp adds RelevantID fingerprinting to SampleMarket
6-Jan-2012
US— uSamp has integrated Imperium’s RelevantID digital fingerprinting technology into its SampleMarket self-service respondent sourcing platform.
-
Rentrak scoops double deal
5-Jan-2012
US— Rentrak has sealed a long-term contract expansion with Raycom TV and won a new contract from marketing and media services agency Camelot Strategic Marketing and Media.
-
Big Brother Watch turns its gaze on Path Intelligence
5-Jan-2012
UK— Privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch has joined calls for Path Intelligence to move to an opt-in model for its shopper tracking system, which uses mobile phone signals to monitor how people move around retail environments.
-
GfK adds to senior management in Asia Pacific
5-Jan-2012
SINGAPORE— GfK has announced a trio of senior appointments in the Asia Pacific region as part of the company’s ‘Own the Future’ global corporate strategy.
-
Texan MR agency targets billion-dollar clients
4-Jan-2012
US— A new agency, ReconMR, has launched in Texas with the goal of winning work from some of the state’s largest businesses across the healthcare, retail, media and technology sectors.
-
NatCen co-founder Sir Roger Jowell dies at 69
4-Jan-2012
UK— Sir Roger Jowell CBE, co-founder of the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), died on 25 December after suffering a heart attack. He was 69.
-
Epocrates and M3 pool physician panels
3-Jan-2012
US— Sample suppliers Epocrates and M3 have combined their physician panels to create a joint offering of more than 1.7 million respondents across 70 countries.
-
Arbiton wins Light Media ratings deal
3-Jan-2012
US— Light Media has signed up to receive Arbitron ratings for its flagship radio station Power105.5/The King in the Metro Albany, Georgia market.
-
Call Genie agrees VoodooVox acquisition
3-Jan-2012
CANADA— Digital mobile advertising firm Call Genie has agreed to acquire the assets of US-based data analytics and mobile advertising network VoodooVox.
-
Mu Sigma receives 'biggest ever' analytics investment
3-Jan-2012
US— Business and marketing analytics provider Mu Sigma has closed a $108m round of private equity investment, believed to be the largest ever investment in the analytics services market.
-
People on the move
23-Dec-2011
A roundup of the latest appointments and promotions in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: Phoenix Marketing, Pyramid Research, the IAB and Live Nation.
-
Tealeaf acquires user analytics firm Overstat
23-Dec-2011
US— Online customer experience management firm Tealeaf has acquired cloud-based website usability analytics company Overstat, which is headquartered in San Francisco.
-
FTC approves ScanScout Flash cookie settlement
22-Dec-2011
US— The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalised a settlement with online advertising firm ScanScout over its use of Flash ‘cookies’ to track online consumer behaviour.
-
Belgian JIC signs Nielsen for broadcast monitoring
22-Dec-2011
BELGIUM— The Belgian Joint Industry Committee for media audience measurement, CIM, has signed up to use Nielsen’s TV Events broadcast monitoring system for four years, starting in 2013.
-
Networked Insights and IPG partner for social TV analysis
22-Dec-2011
US— Networked Insights and IPG Mediabrands have partnered to launch a service that identifies which TV shows a brand’s audience is watching by analysing real-time social media data.
-
Invision adds Nielsen's online campain ratings to TV planning tool
21-Dec-2011
US— Advertising technology firm Invision has struck a partnership with Nielsen to incorporate the latter’s online campaign ratings into its advertising planning and sales platforms.
-
AskYourTargetMarket launches free service
21-Dec-2011
US— Self-service online research provider AskYourTargetMarket has launched a free service where users can carry out surveys with friends, colleagues, clients or social media contacts.
-
Police raid throws Turkish TV ratings into chaos
21-Dec-2011
TURKEY— The Turkish TV ratings industry is in a state of confusion after police raided the offices of ratings provider AGB Nielsen and two TV production companies amid claims that panel members’ details were leaked to third parties who sought to bribe them.
-
ICM adds crisis management service
20-Dec-2011
UK— ICM Research has launched a new crisis management service to help clients deal with events that can affect both the brand and its bottom line.
-
Cebr predicts 11% growth in ad and MR spend to 2016
20-Dec-2011
UK— The UK advertising and market research sector is set to grow 11.6% over the next five years, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).
-
Harris Interactive faces Nasdaq de-listing
20-Dec-2011
US— Harris Interactive is facing being de-listed from the Nasdaq stock exchange after failing to keep its stock price above $1 for 180 calendar days.
-
Which? insight director Mirpuri to join Sky
20-Dec-2011
UK— Sky has appointed Which? Magazine’s Harry Mirpuri as research director within its marketing strategy team, replacing Julian Dobinson who is moving to the new role of insight director for content and media.
-
Nielsen names vice chair and chief operating officer
19-Dec-2011
US— Nielsen has appointed Rick Kash as vice chairman and Mitchell Habib as chief operating officer, effective 1 January 2012.
-
ICM Group fills director spots with promotion and appointment
19-Dec-2011
UK— ICM has promoted Neil Sykes to the role of operations director and hired Ipsos Mori’s Rebekah Joseph (pictured) as field director of its FieldWork UK business.
-
Italian TV ratings body fined €1.8m by anti-trust authority
19-Dec-2011
ITALY— Auditel, the joint industry committee for TV measurement in Italy, has been fined €1.8m by the country’s anti-trust authority for practices that favoured broadcasters Mediaset and RAI.
-
MRIA receives complaints over Canadian pollster
19-Dec-2011
CANADA— The Marketing Research and Intelligence Association is looking into complaints over a survey that referenced rumours of an MP’s possible resignation.
-
InsightExpress strikes another Ignite deal
19-Dec-2011
US— InsightExpress has expanded its Ignite CPG offering through a partnership with Kantar Shopcom, similar to a deal agreed with SymphonyIRI last week.
-
NetCen wins spot on housing survey consortium
16-Dec-2011
UK— NatCen Social Research has been given a role in the new English Housing Survey by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).
-
InsightExpress, SymphonyIRI partner on ad impact
16-Dec-2011
US— InsightExpress has partnered with SymphonyIRI to launch a new service that reveals that impact of online advertising on shopper behaviour.
-
Ipsos opens full service office in Pakistan
16-Dec-2011
PAKISTAN— Ipsos has launched a full service office in Pakistan to be led by Abdul Sattar Babar.
-
Management buyout at Bunnyfoot Scotland
15-Dec-2011
UK— The Scottish arm of behavioural research agency Bunnyfoot will be rebranded as Nile in January next year after a management buyout led by MD Sarah Ronald.
-
MR pushes for exclusion from Singapore Do Not Call list
15-Dec-2011
SINGAPORE— The Market Research Society of Singapore has pressed the country’s Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) to exclude market research from Singapore’s proposed Do Not Call list.
-
WPP takes majority share of Qais Consulting, ups Chime stake
15-Dec-2011
SINGAPORE— WPP-owned digital agency VML has taken a majority stake in Singapore-based digital marketing agency Qais Consulting.
-
TNS appoints Rebecca Wynberg as global qual CEO
15-Dec-2011
UK— TNS has appointed Sadek Wynberg founder Rebecca Wynberg as global CEO of its qualitative business, a newly created position at the company.
-
Live Nation acquires BigChampagne Media Measurement
15-Dec-2011
US— Live Nation, owner of Ticketmaster, has acquired music audience measurement firm BigChampagne Media Measurement which tracks online listening and song downloading habits across social networks and music sites.
-
People on the move
14-Dec-2011
The latest promotions and appointments in the global market research industry and consumer insight industry. This week: Peryman & Kroll, BDRC, Pulse Group, Radius Global, Gongos, YouGov, Zeldis, NewBrandAnalytics, MarketVision, Kadence and Prophet.
-
uSamp appoints Wheeler to lead SurveyBuilder
14-Dec-2011
US— Online sample provider uSamp has named Justin Wheeler as vice president and general manager for its DIY survey tool SurveyBuilder.
-
AdStaff Media snaps up Media Research Planning and Placement
14-Dec-2011
US— Media buying firm AdStaff Media has acquired Media Research Planning and Placement (MRPP), a media agency offering market research and media planning and buying services.
-
PR software firm Augure buys blog watcher iMente Global
14-Dec-2011
FRANCE— PR software company Augure has acquired Spanish social media and online news monitoring firm iMente Global.
-
Media Monitors Group acquires China Clipping
14-Dec-2011
CHINA— Media Monitors Group has acquired China Clipping, a Beijing-based firm offering media monitoring and quantitative media analysis.
-
MarketView selects iMotions for eye-tracking software
13-Dec-2011
US— CPG and pharma research agency MarketView Research has signed up to use iMotions’ eye-tracking software platform in order to test ad effectiveness, product packaging and in-store shopping behaviour studies with Fortune 500 clients.
-
Quadrangle adds trio of directors
13-Dec-2011
UK— Quadrangle has added three new directors to its team, including Stephen Ashford, the former director of strategy and performance at Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
-
UK web analytics to top £100m, says Econsultancy
13-Dec-2011
UK— The UK web analytics market is set to grow by 12% in 2011, taking its value to more than £100m, according to a new report from Econsultancy.
-
Centaur acquires Venture Business Research
13-Dec-2011
UK— Business information and events group Centaur Media has acquired Venture Business Research in a deal that could eventually be worth £7.5m, depending on future performance.
-
Indian body puts out RFI ahead of print survey relaunch
12-Dec-2011
INDIA— The Readership Studies Council of India (RSCI) has issued a global request for information to gauge the state-of-the-art in readership research ahead of the launch of the country’s new print media survey.
-
Kantar snatches Swiss TV contract from GfK
12-Dec-2011
SWITZERLAND— Kantar Media won a six-year contract to measure television viewing in Switzerland from industry committee Mediapulse following a three-way pitch.
-
Facts taps Snap for mobile data uploads
12-Dec-2011
UK— Facts International has partnered with technology firm Snap to enable mobile uploads of fieldwork data from tablet devices and smartphones.
-
Nielsen scraps Tasmanian radio survey
12-Dec-2011
AUSTRALIA— Nielsen has cancelled its radio audience measurement survey in Tasmania after discovering that its sample over-represented older listeners and under-represented the younger demographic.
-
ICM appoints head of analytics and two research directors
9-Dec-2011
UK— ICM Research has appointed Tom Bailey as its new head of analytics and Ruth Moyer and Matt Draper as research directors.
-
Metametrics adds new directors for business relaunch
9-Dec-2011
UK— Metametrics, the business founded by former Kraft Foods market research manager Tom Lloyd, has relaunched with two new directors on board.
-
ComScore names Bert Miklosi as consumer goods VP
9-Dec-2011
US— ComScore has appointed Bert Miklosi as vice president of marketing solutions for the consumer packaged goods industry.
-
IBM agrees another analytics acquisition
9-Dec-2011
US— IBM is continuing its spending spree on analytics companies, agreeing a deal to buy DemandTec in an all-cash transaction worth approximately $440m.
-
NRG founder Joseph Farrell dies aged 76
8-Dec-2011
US— Entertainment researcher and film producer Joseph Farrell, the founder of the National Research Group, had died in Los Angeles aged 76.
-
Merger for Ireland's Red C and OI Research
8-Dec-2011
IRELAND— Red C Research and OI Research (formerly Outsourced Insight) have merged to create one of the largest independent research companies in Ireland.
-
Media Square chairman and CEO lead management buyout
8-Dec-2011
UK— Media Square chairman Roger Parry and CEO Peter Reid today executed a surprise management buyout of all the agencies that made up the marketing communications group.
-
Leger Marketing acquires Isopublic
8-Dec-2011
CANADA— Leger Marketing has become the majority shareholder in Swiss polling and market research agency Isopublic and its subsidiary Gallup Switzerland.
-
South Africa adding time-shifted data to TV figures
8-Dec-2011
SOUTH AFRICA— The South African Advertising Research Foundation (Saarf) is to introduce a TV metric that combines existing live audience data with time-shifted data collected from personal video recorders (PVR).
-
GfK wins five new measurement contracts
7-Dec-2011
GERMANY— GfK has been awarded five new media research contracts, in Romania, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia.
-
Ipsos acquires Vietnam's Consumer Behavior & Insight
7-Dec-2011
SINGAPORE— Ipsos has acquired Vietnamese MR agency Consumer Behavior & Insight for an undisclosed amount as part of its plan to grow across the Asia Pacific region.
-
uSamp fills corporate strategy and development role
7-Dec-2011
US— Online sample provider uSamp has appointed Joshua Pink to the newly created role of senior vice president for corporate strategy and global development.
-
Heart+Mind Strategies appoints senior solutions consultant
7-Dec-2011
US— Annabel Kelly has joined strategic research and consulting agency Heart + Mind Strategies as a senior solutions consultant, where she will support growth in client services and expand the firm’s strategic offerings.
-
Say Media and Quantcast target 'live-TV avoiders'
6-Dec-2011
US— Digital publisher Say Media is working with web measurement firm Quantcast on an online platform called Off The Grid to target advertising at television viewers who try to avoid ad breaks.
-
MRC reviewing Nielsen data in Nickelodeon dispute
6-Dec-2011
US— The Media Rating Council is working with Nielsen on a review of its TV audience data after Viacom queried a surprise fall in ratings for its Nickelodeon channel.
-
Opinion Leader nets women's sports project
6-Dec-2011
UK— The Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) has appointed Opinion Leader to investigate the role of coaches in recreational sport.
-
Insight Research Group becomes Insight Strategy Group
6-Dec-2011
US— New York-based Insight Research Group has changed its name to Insight Strategy Group.
-
WiTH Collective and Shoutlet team up in Australia
5-Dec-2011
AUSTRALIA— Digital marketing and analytics agency WiTH Collective has signed a partnership and distribution deal with US-based social media technology firm Shoutlet.
-
Arbitron sues former customer Magic Broadcasting
5-Dec-2011
US— Arbitron is suing a former client, Magic Broadcasting, for allegedly using its radio ratings reports without a licence.
-
NewsLifeMedia looks to The Future Lab
5-Dec-2011
AUSTRALIA/UK— NewsLifeMedia (previously News Magazines) has formed a strategic partnership with London-based trends forecasting and research agency The Future Laboratory.
-
DJS to run social mobility study for Kingston-upon-Hull
21-Nov-2011
UK— DJS Research has seen off competition from nine research agencies to carry out a social mobility project for Kingston-upon-Hull City Council.
-
Kadence adds associate director to UK team
21-Nov-2011
UK— Kadence International has appointed Hall & Partners’ Gurpinder Sidhu as an associate director at its UK headquarters.
-
Confirmit and TrainedTalent strike India training deal
21-Nov-2011
INDIA— Research software maker Confirmit has agreed a deal with the technology training company TrainedTalent that will see them become the exclusive approved Confirmit training institute in India.
-
NPD takes a stake in beauty tracker Segmenta
21-Nov-2011
US— Retail and consumer market research agency The NPD Group has made an investment in beauty market tracking firm Segmenta.
-
People on the move
18-Nov-2011
The latest appointments and promotions in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week:
-
GfK MRI release first digital, paper mag readership results
18-Nov-2011
US— GfK MRI has published the first set of results of its new magazine readership study, which for the first time includes both paper and digital edition audiences.
-
Lumi gets £2m to expand mobile engagement technology
18-Nov-2011
UK— Mobile engagement technology provider Lumi Mobile has scooped £2m in funding from Australian technology investor and Computershare founder Chris Morris.
-
Blinq acquires Looxii's social media analytics talent
18-Nov-2011
US— Social media advertising engagement firm Blinq Media has hired the founders of social media analytics firm Looxii.
-
Crowd Science adds to Citrus platform
17-Nov-2011
US— Crowd Science has added social and brand targeting features to its measurement and segmentation platform, Citrus, used by online publishers.
-
Former TNS and Toluna exec joins Prudential Group Insurance
17-Nov-2011
US— Prudential Group Insurance, part of Prudential Financial, has hired former TNS executive vice president William Guerin as senior vice president of the newly combined sales, marketing and strategy planning group.
-
Marketing firm Stratmark appoints analytics vice president
17-Nov-2011
US— Stratmark, a direct marketing firm for the non-profit sector, has appointed former Merkle manager George Zhang as vice president of analytics.
-
Visible Measures secures second US patent
17-Nov-2011
US— Online video measurement firm Visible Measures has been awarded a second US patent for an application that covers a method the firm developed to determine the viewing time of an online video.
-
Social media filter DataSift in US launch
17-Nov-2011
US— Social media data-filtering platform DataSift, the brainchild of TweetMeme founder Nick Halstead, has launched in the US.
-
Ad agency Venables Bell signs up with Crimson Hexagon
16-Nov-2011
US— Ad agency Venables Bell & Partners has signed up to use Crimson Hexagon’s ForSight platform to analyse online sentiment about client brands to inform advertising and marketing strategies.
-
NBC Universal appoints digital research exec
16-Nov-2011
US— NBC Universal has appointed Jonathan Gibs to the newly created position of senior vice president of digital research for its Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media (E&DN/IM) division.
-
Social media analytics firm Salorix nets $3.5m funding
16-Nov-2011
US— Social media marketing and analytics firm Salorix has received $3.5m in series A funding from private equity houses Inventus Capital Partners and Nexus Venture Partners.
-
Scout Analytics launches research division
15-Nov-2011
US— Web analytics firm Scout Analytics has spun out a research division that will develop behavioural models of online audiences to help publishers design new methodologies that predict revenue and profits based on audience size and behaviours.
-
LBi acquires Mr Youth
15-Nov-2011
NETHERLANDS/US— Global marketing and technology agency LBi has acquired New York-based social media marketing and insights firm Mr Youth in a deal valued at between $40m and $50m, which includes a performance-contingent pay-out structure.
-
TNS merges Polish businesses
15-Nov-2011
POLAND— TNS is to merge its two Polish entities, TNS OBOP (Osrodek Badania Opinii Publicznej) and TNS Pentor, into a single business in early 2012.
-
Visa Europe takes cut of Beyond Analysis
15-Nov-2011
UK— Visa Europe has bought a minority stake in customer insight firm Beyond Analysis to strengthen its data analytics capabilities.
-
Passenger hires Gaurav Bhalla as chief innovation officer
15-Nov-2011
US— Online community builder Passenger has hired former TNS man Gaurav Bhalla as chief innovation officer.
-
Australian government breaks MR spending record
14-Nov-2011
AUSTRALIA— The Australian government, led by Julia Gillard’s Labor Party, spent a record A$33m on market research in the last financial year, according to press reports.
-
GfK posts Q3 sales and income rise ahead of CEO swap
14-Nov-2011
GERMANY— GfK has posted third-quarter sales up 5% to €338.5m and nine-month revenue up 7.1% to €998.5m ahead of the arrival of new CEO Matthias Hartmann (pictured).
-
TNS names NMA's Maureen Duffy new UK CEO
14-Nov-2011
UK— TNS has named Newspaper Marketing Agency (NMA) boss Maureen Duffy as UK chief executive officer, replacing Andrew Czarnowski in January.
-
iPerceptions posts record revenue for Q3
11-Nov-2011
CANADA— iPerceptions, a maker of tools for measuring online customer satisfaction and experience, has posted record revenue for the third quarter of 2011 following a 16% rise in sales and a 54% reduction in operating losses.
-
Ex-Absolute Radio director named Firefish COO
11-Nov-2011
UK— Firefish has announced a trio of new appointments, including former Absolute Radio director MJ Olaore who becomes chief operating officer.
-
Product Perceptions and Deep Blue partner for FMCG work
11-Nov-2011
UK— Product development firm Product Perceptions and qualitative brand research agency Deep Blue Research have formed a collaborative partnership to offer enhanced brand and product research to clients.
-
NewBrandAnalytics nets $26m for social media customer feedback
11-Nov-2011
US— NewBrandAnalytics, which provides clients with business intelligence gathered from social media customer feedback, has received $26m in a series B funding round.
-
Vision Critical strikes Russian deals
10-Nov-2011
RUSSIA—Vision Critical has partnered with local agency CreaMetrix to launch a community panel of ‘creative’ Russians.
-
Kontagent scoops funding for user analytics
10-Nov-2011
US— User analytics company Kontagent has secured $12m in a series B funding round led by Battery Ventures with the continued support of Maverick Capital and Altos Ventures.
-
L'Oreal's Mark Anton joins MMA
10-Nov-2011
US— Marketing Management Analytics has appointed former clientside researcher Mark Anton as senior vice president of strategic accounts.
-
Alterian ready to talk after new SDL offer
10-Nov-2011
UK— Alterian has said it is “prepared to engage” with SDL, the makers of web content management technology, after it made an indicative offer to buy the marketing analytics software firm at a price of 110p a share.
-
MarketTools unveils new mobile offering
9-Nov-2011
US— Software and services firm MarketTools has announced a new mobile research offering, which allows clients to reach respondents through smartphones and tablets.
-
Mobile Posse saddles up with survey partners
9-Nov-2011
US— Mobile advertising and CRM firm Mobile Posse has teamed up with SurveySwipe and iPinion to launch a mobile research offering.
-
Dentsu and Parc reach ethnography agreement
9-Nov-2011
JAPAN/US— Research firm Dentsu Marketing Insight and its ad agency parent have reached an agreement with Xerox-owned innovation firm Parc to source ethnography services.
-
Polygraph Media launches to help clients improve social media presence
9-Nov-2011
US— Former Microsoft executive and marketing author Chris Treadaway has launched Polygraph Media, an analytics platform for companies to understand the effectiveness of theirs, and their competitors’, social media properties.
-
Harris unveils digital WOM measurement service
8-Nov-2011
US— Harris Interactive has launched a new panel-based approach to measuring digital word-of-mouth, which it calls Word-of-Network (WON).
-
ComScore and InsightXplorer forge Taiwan partnership
8-Nov-2011
TAIWAN— ComScore and digital measurement firm InsightXplorer have struck an exclusive third-part reseller alliance for the Taiwanese market.
-
GroupM and Kantar Media testing RPD data integration
8-Nov-2011
US— Kantar Media and GroupM are teaming up for a series of data integration projects, tying return path data (RPD) from TV set-top boxes with other data sets in order to investigate consumer behaviour.
-
Chime's research arm continues recovery
8-Nov-2011
UK— Chime Communications’ research business is “continuing to recover”, the company said in an interim management statement covering the 1 July–8 November period, published today.
-
Universal McCann taps Hiro for video ad management and analytics
7-Nov-2011
ISRAEL— Universal McCann Digital has partnered with Hiro Media to use its video ad management and analytics platform.
-
Cancer Research UK appoints head of consumer insight
7-Nov-2011
UK— Cancer Research UK has appointed Luba Kassova to the newly created role of head of consumer insight. She joins from the BBC where she was head of audiences for journalism.
-
Industry veteran John Gilfeather joins Koski Research
7-Nov-2011
US— Koski Research has appointed former Casro chair John Gilfeather as executive vice president. He will be based in Stamford, Connecticut.
-
TNS takes full ownership of Polish joint venture
7-Nov-2011
POLAND— TNS has upped its stake in Osrodek Badania Opinii Publicznej (TNS OBOP) from 60% to 100% after buying the remainder of the firm’s shares from Telewizja Polska (TVP), Poland’s public broadcasting corporation.
-
Rentrak sees media measurement revenue rise
4-Nov-2011
US— The advanced media information (AMI) division at Rentrak saw a 17% increase in revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2012 – but group revenue was down 9% to $21.9m.
-
Ex-Harris Asia bosses launch Agility Research
4-Nov-2011
SINGAPORE— Two former members of Harris Interactive’s Asia leadership team have launched Agility Research & Strategy, an agency based in Singapore with plans to expand into India and China.
-
Opinium Research unveils healthcare offering
3-Nov-2011
UK— Opinium Research has launched a healthcare offering, which will be led by Kate Norfolk.
-
Brass awarded Dixons Retail community deal
3-Nov-2011
UK— Brass has won a four-way pitch to develop and manage an online research community for Dixons Retail, which incorporates ongoing research for the firm’s Curry’s, PC World and Dixons.co.uk brands.
-
Quartet sign up for Kantar Videolytics
3-Nov-2011
US— Four companies have signed up to use Kantar Video’s new Videolytics online video tracking, syndication and optimisation service ahead of its full launch in the first quarter of 2012.
-
LMC Automotive acquires JD Power division
3-Nov-2011
UK— Market intelligence and analysis firm LMC Automotive has acquired JD Power & Associates’ automotive forecasting division.
-
ComScore posts record revenue but deeper loss in Q3
3-Nov-2011
US— ComScore has reported record quarterly revenue of $58.8m for the third quarter of 2011, but net loss for the period has grown compared to last year.
-
Chart.io gets funding for data analytics
2-Nov-2011
US— Data analytics firm Chart.io has been awarded $3.15m in a series A round of funding led by Avalon Ventures and Bullpen Capital.
-
Vivendi and Reelzchannel sign for Rentrak OnDemand
2-Nov-2011
US— Independent film, DVD and TV distribution company Vivendi Entertainment has signed up to use Rentrak’s OnDemand Essentials TV audience measurement service.
-
People on the move
2-Nov-2011
The latest round-up of appointments and promotions from the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: Effective Measure, GroupM, Insight Research Group, JRA Research, Burberry and RS Consulting.
-
Casro publishes social media guidelines
2-Nov-2011
US— The Council of American Survey Research Organisations (Casro) has published its social media research guidelines, designed to provide an ethical framework for conducting MR in online social environments.
-
Analytics body warns of 'critical shortage' of pros
1-Nov-2011
US— The Web Analytics Association (WAA) has warned of a “critical shortage” of qualified digital measurement professionals and has formed a career development task force to address the issue.
-
Maktoob's Deprez lands general manager role at Salience
1-Nov-2011
UAE— Tamara Deprez has been appointed general manager at Salience, a research agency measuring corporate communications, which is owned by News Group International.
-
Alitalia to measure passenger experience through Confirmit
1-Nov-2011
UK— European airline Alitalia has signed up to use the Confirmit Horizons platform to measure passengers’ flight experience.
-
The UK market research industry in review
1-Nov-2011
2010 will be remembered as the year that wasn’t as painful as the one before. The UK industry may have been flat – but there were still some growth stories worth talking about.
-
Forrester posts Q3 and nine-month revenue rise
31-Oct-2011
US— Forrester Research has reported revenue growth up 16.7% to $69.8m for the third quarter with net income up 54% to $5.7m.
-
Kantar to use Arbitron PPMs to measure Swedish radio audiences
31-Oct-2011
SWEDEN— Kantar Media has won a six-year deal to measure radio audiences in Sweden, and will use Portable People Meters (PPMs) licensed from Arbitron to carry out the work.
-
SPA Future Thinking opens Quantum Lab
31-Oct-2011
UK— SPA Future Thinking has opened an in-house think tank to develop “innovative” research services for the firm’s clients.
-
Kadence International adds three to UK team
31-Oct-2011
UK— Kadence International has bolstered its UK team with the appointment of George Tsakraklides as insight manager and Margaret Allen and Eimear Macgarty as insight executives.