Research
January 2010
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$22m funding for blog-watcher Visible Technologies
14-Jan-2010
US— Social media monitoring agency Visible Technologies has been awarded $22m in private equity funding to help it develop its technology and expand its international operations.
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2010 predictions – research for research's sake is over, says Forrester
6-Jan-2010
US— Happy New Year – or will it be? According to a new Forrester report, research buyers will continue to demand proof of ROI on their research projects, while vendor consolidation and insourcing is expected to make life difficult for the supplyside of the industry – even as recessionary pressures start to ease.
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60 Second Soapbox – Sue Burden
January 2010
IFF research director Sue Burden wants the industry to focus on respondents by cutting out long, boring surveys, and thinks we should focus more on understanding motivation
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ActiveGroup hires Foreman to ramp up European activities
12-Jan-2010
UK— Focus group video streaming company ActiveGroup is set to make a concerted push for dominance in the European market with the appointment of Dan Foreman as head of international business development.
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Ad agency Bark gets emotional with neuromarketing technology
7-Jan-2010
DENMARK — Advertising and marketing agency Bark Group is working with neuromarketing agency MindMetic to help it produce ad campaigns that bring out a stronger emotional response among consumers.
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AdBrite picks WebTrends for ad network analytics
20-Jan-2010
US— Online ad marketplace AdBrite has signed up to use WebTrends’ Analytics 9 tool to provide insight into visitor behaviour across its advertising networks.
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Adding a measure of quality to web audience ratings
28-Jan-2010
At the heart of the recent row over ComScore’s hybrid web audience measurement system was a dispute over the best way to measure the size of a website’s audience. But what about audience quality? It’s a question Crowd Science CEO John Martin hopes online advertisers will increasingly ask.
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Age Concern Liverpool opens up over-50s database for MR
11-Jan-2010
UK— Age Concern Liverpool is letting market research agencies use its database of 20,000 over-50s to survey the ‘grey pound’.
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All together now
January 2010
Social media has allowed friends and communities of interest to come together. Can the same technologies – and attitudes – bring about a similar revolution among research practitioners?
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Alterian sees strong Q3, but warns full-year might miss targets
20-Jan-2010
UK— Marketing analytics software firm Alterian has reported strong revenue growth for the third quarter of 2009 but warned that its US business may have to achieve higher than anticipated revenue to meet market expectations for the full year, owing to a weak performance in Europe.
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Analytics firm Covario acquires SEO specialist Netconcepts
13-Jan-2010
US— Covario, a provider of interactive marketing analytics software and services, has acquired search engine optimisation (SEO) specialist Netconcepts as it looks to claim a bigger slice of a market worth an estimated $2.5bn.
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Analytics firm Flurry claims Apple tablet preview
25-Jan-2010
US— It’s the question that has the tech world gripped – what new piece of kit is Apple set to announce on Wednesday? The consensus says it’s a tablet PC, and app analytics firm Flurry claims to have observed the device in testing.
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Analytics strong for Ebiquity in first half, but ad monitoring slows
13-Jan-2010
UK— Ebiquity has reported healthy growth in its media auditing, consultancy and marketing effectiveness practices for the first half of the year, but its advertising monitoring business suffered amid the challenging economic environment.
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Andrew Irving renews independence with the launch of AIMR
29-Jan-2010
UK— Andrew Irving sold his research consultancy for £300,000 a little over three years ago. Now he’s back with a new business, AIMR.
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Arbitron delays PPM switch in New Orleans indefinitely
6-Jan-2010
US— Arbitron has delayed introducing its portable people meter (PPM) radio ratings service in the New Orleans market “until further notice”.
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Arena BLM founder Makin named Work Research chairman
13-Jan-2010
UK— Media research company Work has hired Arena BLM’s chief strategic officer Charlie Makin as chairman, where he will advise the company on business strategy and the development of new products.
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BBC picks 2CV to study on-screen portrayal of homosexuals
22-Jan-2010
UK— Research agency 2CV is working with the BBC on a study looking at the way in which lesbian, gay and bisexual people are portrayed across the corporation’s TV, radio and internet output.
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BBC seeks 'best of the best' to join slimmed-down research roster
9-Nov-2010
UK— The BBC is to re-tender its market research roster, aiming to appoint fewer agencies in the hope of commissioning research in “a more cost effective way”.
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BrainJuicer revenue up 26% in 2009
19-Jan-2010
UK— Online researcher BrainJuicer increased its revenue by 26% last year, according to a trading update released today.
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Brazil's Ibope takes majority stake in Zogby International
21-Jan-2010
US— Brazilian research group Ibope has bought a 51% stake in pollster Zogby International. Terms have not been disclosed, however a Zogby spokesman told Research the size of the investment “was in the millions”.
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Burrell puts 'multi-ethnic urban males' under the spotlight
12-Jan-2010
US— Marketing communications agency Burrell Communications has launched a new subsidiary, Threshold Nation, which aims to provide clients with information about the multi-ethnic urban male consumer.
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Cello reports 'marked pick up' in MR business
19-Jan-2010
UK— Cello has reported a “marked pick up” in its market research business in the second half of last year – but this has been offset by challenges in its marketing division.
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Cicero Group buys Utah pollster Dan Jones & Associates
13-Jan-2010
US— Research and strategy agency Cicero Group has acquired polling and data collection firm Dan Jones & Associates for an undisclosed amount.
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CIMM plans development of set-top box measurement 'language'
26-Jan-2010
US— The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement has announced the next stage of its set-top box audience measurement initiative – the development of an industry-wide language for analysing and processing data.
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Comcon takes tough stance over TGI trademark in Russia
25-Jan-2010
RUSSIA— Research agency Comcon has vowed to continue using the TGI survey brand in Russia following Kantar’s decision to make a TNS survey the official TGI partner in the country.
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ComScore defends against Mahalo CEO's boycott call
25-Jan-2010
US— ComScore was forced on the defensive this weekend when the CEO of search engine Mahalo urged a boycott of the web measurement firm over its decision to charge websites for inclusion in its hybrid measurement system, Media Metrix 360.
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Context Analytics joins new digital consultancy
28-Jan-2010
UK— Context Analytics, the analytics division of PR agency Text 100, is to become part of a new digital consultancy being launched by parent company Next Fifteen.
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Decision Resources acquires BioTrends
19-Jan-2010
US— Healthcare researcher Decision Resources has acquired BioTrends Research Group, which provides syndicated research in smaller pharma markets.
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Digital outdoor ads risk creating 'one-way-mirror society'
28-Jan-2010
US— A new report from the World Privacy Forum warns that digital signage systems fitted with sensors, cameras and facial recognition systems for the delivery of targeted advertising risk creating a “one-way-mirror society”.
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DIY online survey tool goes live
19-Jan-2010
US— AskYourTargetMarket, an online, on-demand survey and panel service that offers research for under $30, has gone live.
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Dmrkynetec integrated into GfK and rebranded
19-Jan-2010
UK— Agricultural and animal health market research specialist Dmrkynetec has been integrated into the GfK Global Network and rebranded as GfK Kynetec.
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Double Lives – Rachel Cope
January 2010
Researchers reveal how their out-of-hours pursuits impact on the 9 to 5. This month, Rachel Cope, who’s regional director at Cello MRUK, and also coaches young rowers
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Dunnhumby buys price modelling and optimisation firm
6-Jan-2010
UK— Database marketing and analytics firm Dunnhumby has acquired KSS Retail, a developer of price modelling and optimisation software.
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Environics partners with Exvisu to form Nexalogy Environics
20-Jan-2010
CANADA— Research and analytics group Environics has partnered with the founders of social media monitoring agency Exvisu to create a new social media insight and analysis firm called Nexalogy Environics.
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Esomar publishes draft mobile research guidelines
18-Jan-2010
NETHERLANDS— Esomar has released a set of draft guidelines that aim to address legal, ethical and practical questions about research conducted via mobile phones.
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Essential names Leithal's Lacey as qual associate director
18-Jan-2010
UK— Steven Lacey, the former head of Leithal Thinking in London, has joined media research specialists Essential Research as associate director for qualitative.
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Ex-Arbitron and Nielsen CEOs join Innerscope
19-Jan-2010
US— Former Nielsen Media Research and Arbitron CEOs John Dimling and Steve Morris have joined the board at Innerscope, which uses biometrics and neuroscience in media research.
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Ex-Drummond Madell and GfK execs roll out Volante
7-Jan-2010
UK— Three ex-Drummond Madell executives and a former GfK NOP director have joined forces to launch a brand research agency called Volante Research.
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Ex-Nielsen VP Marc Ryan takes InsightExpress role
27-Jan-2010
US— Marc Ryan has been appointed senior vice president and chief research officer at digital research agency InsightExpress.
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Ex-Nokia analysis chief takes Semphonic role
13-Jan-2010
US— Nokia’s former head of analysis Greg Dowling has been appointed vice president at web analytics consultancy Semphonic.
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Experian Simmons launches syndicated ad evaluation tool
26-Jan-2010
US— Experian Simmons has launched a new weekly syndicated service to provide clients with insights into consumer trends and evaluate ad effectiveness.
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Failure rate in business services sector remains below average
19-Jan-2010
UK— The rate of insolvencies in the business services sector held below average in December, with the number of firms failing down 4% from the same period in 2008.
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Feel the fear and do it anyway
January 2010
Are researchers too timid? How can they become braver? Robert Bain, Alison Macleod and Simon Lamey look at the role of guts in the profession
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Flurry in mobile app data partnership with ComScore
6-Jan-2010
US— Analytics firm Flurry has struck a partnership with ComScore to integrate its data on mobile application usage with information ComScore collects on mobile web browsing habits.
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ForeSee Results nabs gaming site satisfaction deal
7-Jan-2010
US — Online video game rental firm GameFly has contracted ForeSee Results to gauge customer opinion about its website.
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Former Harris M&A man launches Red Pearl Advisors
12-Jan-2010
US— Harris Interactive’s former head of corporate development Kyle Karnes has launched a consulting firm to advise market research and marketing services agencies on growth strategies and mergers and acquisitions.
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Further job cuts planned at TNS Infratest in Germany
20-Jan-2010
GERMANY— TNS’s German business is planning further job cuts in the wake of the financial crisis. The company announced last summer that 4% of its workforce would go as a result of its merger with Research International, but more redundancies are now on the way.
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Gartner looks to kill off libel action with call for dismissal
11-Jan-2010
US— Gartner will go to court next month in a bid to put an end to a libel action brought against it by a software company angry at being called a “niche” vendor.
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Gartner snaps up IT specialist Burton Group
6-Jan-2010
US — IT industry researcher Gartner has acquired Burton Group, which specialises in research and advisory services for front-line IT workers, for $56m. The deal follows Gartner’s $64m acquisition of AMR Research in early December.
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German MR revenue 'down 5% in 2009'
22-Jan-2010
GERMANY— Market research revenues in Germany fell by 5% last year, according to league tables produced by industry publication Context.
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Going green
26-Jan-2010
Kadence International was the only research agency to make it on to the Sunday Times ‘best green companies’ list in 2009. The firm’s UK managing director Kieron Mathews offers some tips for agencies looking to go green.
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Google issues fix for web tracking loophole in Toolbar add-on
27-Jan-2010
US— Google has issued a quick fix for its web-browser add-on, Google Toolbar, blaming a bug in the code for allowing it to continue tracking Toolbar users’ web surfing habits after the programme has seemingly been disabled.
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Ground Truth aims to shake-up US mobile metrics industry
26-Jan-2010
US— Ground Truth, a new mobile metrics firm, made its debut today – boasting access to mobile operator data for more than 2.5m mobile internet users in the United States.
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Harris in the black: firm reports first quarterly profit in 21 months
27-Jan-2010
US— Harris Interactive has reported being in the black for the three months ended 31 December. Operating income for the quarter was $600,000 while net income was $1.3m.
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Harris names EVP for brand and comms consulting
21-Jan-2010
US— Jeni Lee Chapman has been appointed executive vice president of global brand and communication consulting at Harris Interactive where she will be responsible for working to refine a product portfolio in brand strategy, communication development/testing and tracking.
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Healthcare data firm SK&A sold to Cegedim
12-Jan-2010
US— Healthcare data and research firm SK&A has been sold to Cegedim Dendrite, a CRM services business focused on the life sciences industry.
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Herdman joins Kadence Indonesia in qual role from RI
18-Jan-2010
INDONESIA— Kadence International has hired Dawn Herdman as qualitative director in its Jakarta office, heading up a team of four that currently works for clients in the FMCG, banking and healthcare markets.
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How research can capture the 'true depth' of digital comms
6-Jan-2010
Online marketing communications are changing, and research needs to change too, writes Tom Woodnutt of Hall & Partners
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If there's one thing I've learnt... Josie Walden
January 2010
Career tips for research practitioners. This month we speak to Josie Walden, associate director at Rosenblatt
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IFF wins Guernsey childcare study
15-Jan-2010
UK— The States of Guernsey Government has contracted IFF Research to conduct a survey into attitudes to childcare.
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IFM bowled over by West Indian cricket contract
15-Jan-2010
UK— The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has appointed IFM Sports Marketing Surveys as its research consultant, tasked with carrying out a range of projects.
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Infotools Consoles and Viewers reviewed
January 2010
Tim Macer reviews a new graphical data delivery tool that could be used as an alternative to dashboard reporting
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ING Direct re-hires Virtual Surveys for c-sat task
6-Jan-2010
UK — Savings and mortgages firm ING Direct has re-commissioned Virtual Surveys to run its customer satisfaction research activities in 2010.
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Ipsos and Telemundo partner for Hispanic polls
28-Jan-2010
US— Ipsos and Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo have teamed up to launch a polling service that will keep track of the attitudes and opinions of Hispanic people.
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Ipsos appoints ex-TNS Sofres MD as country manager in France
21-Jan-2010
FRANCE— Ipsos has appointed Yannick Carriou as managing director for France, replacing Giorgio Caporusso who has left the company to join confectionery firm Ferrero Group in Italy.
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Ipsos completes takeover and integration of Ireland's MRBI
22-Jan-2010
IRELAND— The Market Research Bureau of Ireland has been renamed Ipsos MRBI on the completion of its acquisition by Ipsos.
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Ipsos to acquire OTX
28-Jan-2010
FRANCE— Ipsos has agreed a deal to acquire US-based online research group OTX for an undisclosed amount.
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IQ agrees sale of Viewpoint Field and Rosslyn Research
7-Jan-2010
UK— IQ Holdings has agreed to sell its Viewpoint Field and Rosslyn Research divisions to Rivington Street Holdings (RSH), a minority shareholder.
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IRI reshuffles management in key European markets
15-Jan-2010
SPAIN/US— Information Resources has promoted European marketing director Eva Vila Massanas to managing director in Spain, replacing Angelo Massaro.
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Jackson and Sheldon vie for chairmanship of MRS
8-Jan-2010
UK— Hall & Partners global CEO Vanella Jackson and Accent’s managing director Rob Sheldon will contest the chairmanship of the Market Research Society (MRS).
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Jive Software makes social media monitoring buy
7-Jan-2010
US— Social business software developer Jive Software has acquired social media monitoring technology firm Filtrbox for an undisclosed amount.
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Juicing on listening – ARF publishes new playbook
12-Jan-2010
US— Listening to customers is important, says the Advertising Research Foundation – and if you don’t believe it, just ask Tropicana. A packaging redesign for the juice drink brand met a firestorm of protest last year, forcing makers PepsiCo to change the packaging back just six weeks later.
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Karnes offers pearls of wisdom to research SMEs
18-Jan-2010
Harris Interactive’s former head of corporate development Kyle Karnes says small and medium-sized businesses need a strong and clear focus on growth and differentiation to survive the challenges of 2010. Brian Tarran reports.
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KDA Insights launched by ex-RI and Carphone Warehouse execs
21-Jan-2010
UK— The former head of product insight at The Carphone Warehouse and two ex-Research International executives have joined forces to launch a new agency, KDA Insights.
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Latitude Insights plans iPhone community research test
20-Jan-2010
AUSTRALIA— Online research community builder Latitude Insights is planning a test community of iPhone users to see how the smartphones can be used for community-based research purposes.
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Leapfrog Research toasts new wine contract
26-Jan-2010
UK— Laithwaites Wine has appointed Leapfrog Research to evaluate how customers and prospects perceive the wine merchant.
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Lithium bags $18m for customer community push
11-Jan-2010
US— Online community builder Lithium Technologies has snared $18m in financing to fund growth of its social network platform, which is already used by brands such as AT&T, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble and Sony PlayStation.
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Luma partners with Research Now for Add+Impact 2.0
18-Jan-2010
AUSTRALIA— Ad research agency Luma has struck a partnership with panel provider Research Now to offer advertisers a new online creative testing tool.
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Making PPM pay is 'front and centre' of new Arbitron CEO's plans
18-Jan-2010
US— William Kerr says the commercialisation of the firm’s portable people meter (PPM) radio audience measurement technology is his top priority.
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Market research in 2010: In a word...
13-Jan-2010
We asked Phyllis Macfarlane, Niels Schillewaert, Stan Sthanunathan and other voices from the industry to pick one word that they believe will sum up market research in 2010.
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Market Strategies transfers audience data collection arm to Dialsmith
14-Jan-2010
US— Market Strategies International has sold its MSInteractive audience data collection division to a start-up firm, Dialsmith, run by former MSInteractive vice president David Paull.
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Marketing Databasics merges with DM agency Entire
29-Jan-2010
UK— Marketing Databasics (MDB) has merged with direct marketing agency Entire and taken on the name of parent company Indicia.
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MarketStar and NPD Group strike market intelligence alliance
7-Jan-2010
US— Retail research specialist The NPD Group has formed a strategic alliance with Ominicon-owned MarketStar to offer clients a range of market planning services.
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MarketTools offers self-service online community product
8-Jan-2010
US— MarketTools is launching a self-service product for creating online communities next week, priced at what it claims is “a fraction of the cost” of competing full-service offers.
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McDonald quits Firefly for Leading Edge role
14-Jan-2010
UK— The Leading Edge has named Simon McDonald as UK managing partner. McDonald has spent the past seven years running his own consultancy Firefly Research.
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Mediacom hires consumer insights director
15-Jan-2010
US— Jennifer Marino has been appointed senior partner and director of consumer insights at marketing and media communications agency Mediacom.
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MediaCom names new insight heads in Asia Pacific and LatAm
28-Jan-2010
UK— MediaCom Worldwide has named Robert Fry and Gastón Betoled as heads of insight in Asia Pacific and Latin America respectively.
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Middleton moves from Moxie research role to Performics
22-Jan-2010
US— Publicis-owned search marketing agency Performics will get a new president from 1 April – Daina Middleton moves into the role from social marketing specialist Moxie Interactive, a sister firm, where she currently oversees research and insight.
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Millward Brown, Cymfony and Dynamic Logic partner for social media tracking
26-Jan-2010
US— Millward Brown and its digital agency Dynamic Logic have joined forces with Kantar-owned sister company Cymfony in an effort to produce a more complete view of brand health through social media insights.
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MR must educate the media in the use of research
21-Jan-2010
Liz Nelson, executive chairman of Fly Research, believes research agencies should take more responsibility for making sure that research findings are properly reported in the media.
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MR revenue falls by 4% in Czech Republic
22-Jan-2010
CZECH REPUBLIC— Market research revenues in the Czech Republic were down 4% in 2009, according to industry association Simar.
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MR to help curries spice up healthy eating credentials
8-Jan-2010
UK— DJS Research has been commissioned by the East Midlands Beacon Partnership Project to look into ways to make Indian takeaway food more healthy.
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MRS publishes revised code ahead of April enforcement date
14-Jan-2010
UK— The Market Research Society’s (MRS) revised code of conduct is being issued this month, ahead of its enforcement in April. Changes in the code include a new rule barring the use of client goods or services as incentives in a research project.
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New strategic partner for Manthan Systems in the US
8-Jan-2010
US— Manthan Systems, a retail analytics and intelligence firm, has appointed management consulting group Parker Avery as a strategic partner in the US.
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Nielsen announces schedule for online/offline TV metric
25-Jan-2010
US— Nielsen will introduce internet meters to households in its National People Meter sample by the end of August, and before the end of the year it will produce the first set of TV ratings to combine figures for shows viewed on televisions and computers.
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Nielsen backs postgraduate MR course in India
19-Jan-2010
INDIA— Nielsen and the Northpoint Centre of Learning business school have joined forces to launch a fast-track postgraduate course in market research.
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Nielsen bags Black Crow Media as radio ratings client
21-Jan-2010
US— TV measurement giant Nielsen has bagged another customer for its radio ratings service, with which it is challenging Arbitron’s dominance in 51 small and medium-sized markets.
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'No false dawn' – Bellwether continues to point to rosier marketing outlook
18-Jan-2010
UK— More quasi-good news from the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising’s (IPA) Bellwether Report – UK marketing spend fell for the ninth quarter running in Q4 2009 but the rate of decline was the lowest for almost two years.
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Nulink Analysis launched in Australia
21-Jan-2010
AUSTRALIA— Former Research International marketing science director Scott MacLean has launched a new firm that specialises in providing clients with consultation on research design and interpretation, Nulink Analytics.
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Omniture tool picked for Toyota analytics task
18-Jan-2010
JAPAN— Toyota Motor Corporation has signed up to use Omniture’s SiteCatalyst online analytics platform to analyse and optimise its marketing campaigns.
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Online video survey tech makes US push at CES
8-Jan-2010
US— Technology developed in Australia that allows for the creation of a survey interface around online videos is being demoed in the US this week as part of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
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Opinium names Masmi's Endersby as managing director
7-Jan-2010
UK— Online research agency Opinium has hired James Endersby as managing director. He was until recently co-managing director of Masmi UK.
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ORC hitches cell phone users to Caravan omnibus sample
25-Jan-2010
US— ORC is adding 250 cell phone users to the sample of its Caravan Telephone Omnibus – reflecting “the growing importance of cell phone usage nationwide”.
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P&G plans new online store as 'research lab'
15-Jan-2010
US— Proctor & Gamble is to launch a new website to study how people shop and buy online – while selling some of its most popular products direct to consumers.
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Peanut Labs Media platform wins ten gaming clients
27-Jan-2010
US— Ten social gaming publishers have signed up to use Peanut Labs Media’s monetisation platform, which rewards gamers with virtual goods and game credits in return for taking part in surveys.
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People on the move
29-Jan-2010
The latest appointments and promotions in the global research and insight industry. This week: Metro Research, Dow Jones, Cloud9 Analytics, Business Logic Systems, IAB Ireland, Lightspeed Research, Harris Interactive, Gongos Research and LogicLab.
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People on the move
7-Jan-2010
The latest appointments and promotions in the global research industry. This week: Synovate, MMR Research Worldwide, Response Mine Interactive, [x+1], HCD Research and the Marketing Research Association.
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People on the move
15-Jan-2010
The latest appointments and promotions in the global research and insight industry. This week: Sands Research, ComScore, Market Fusion Analytics, Kadence International, Getmemedia, Synovate, Evolution Market Research, eBureau, Zimmerman Advertising, Silver Fern Research, Decision Resources and ICM.
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People on the move
22-Jan-2010
The latest promotions and appointments from around the global research and insight industry, including news from MSR Consulting, Burke, Synovate France and more.
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Pettit named chief research officer at Conversition Strategies
25-Jan-2010
CANADA— Social media research agency Conversition Strategies has hired Ipsos’s former vice president of online panel analytics, Annie Pettit, as its new chief research officer.
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Populus launches online omnibus with 'analysis as standard'
25-Jan-2010
UK— Opinon pollster Populus is to offer free analysis as part of a newly launched online omnibus service.
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Powered ups the ante with three social media acquisitions
12-Jan-2010
US— Brand community builder Powered has reinvented itself as a social media marketing agency after completing a trio of acquisitions – Crayon, Drillteam and StepChange.
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PPM scoops TV measurement Emmy
8-Jan-2010
US— Arbitron has won an Emmy Award for Broadcast Audience Measurement Technology for its portable people meter technology.
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Precision Polling aims to spark DIY revolution in phone polls
18-Jan-2010
US— Cheap survey design tools have sparked a DIY revolution in online research. Now, a Seattle-based startup is seeking to do the same thing with telephone polling.
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Progressive names Fraser as managing director
27-Jan-2010
UK— Louise Fraser has been appointed managing director at Scottish independent research agency Progressive, replacing Mark Cuthbert after 10 years in the role.
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PSB co-founder Matt Carter takes Burson-Marsteller role
14-Jan-2010
UK— The UK co-founder and joint EMEA managing director of strategic research agency Penn Schoen & Berland Associates, Matt Carter, has been appointed CEO of UK operations at PR and communications firm Burson-Marsteller.
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Quantcast secures $27m investment to support Media Program
6-Jan-2010
US— Web measurement firm Quantcast has bagged a $27.5m investment to back a new year push for its Media Program – a platform to allow marketers and website owners to buy and sell access to online audiences.
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R/GA appoints chief strategy officer to lead research efforts
13-Jan-2010
US— William Charnock has been appointed chief strategy officer at digital advertising agency R/GA, where he will take charge of the firm’s research, planning and strategy teams.
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Ratings rift rocks Turkish television industry
14-Jan-2010
TURKEY— The Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) has thrown the Turkish TV industry into turmoil with plans to withdraw its channels from the ratings system run by AGB Nielsen, which is commissioned by joint industry committee TIAK.
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RC chooses Confirmit's SaaS survey platform
19-Jan-2010
GERMANY— RC Research & Consulting has selected Confirmit’s Horizons software-as-a-service (SaaS) research platform for its b2b research business in Germany.
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Rebrands for United Sample and Data Development Worldwide
20-Jan-2010
US— Online panel provider United Sample and research agency Data Development Worldwide have rebranded.
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Retail Eyes scoops Subway customer experience task
20-Jan-2010
UK— Fast food chain Subway has re-appointed mystery shopping firm Retail Eyes to run its Customer Experience Improvement Programme.
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Round three under way in Sunbeam vs Nielsen TV ratings dispute
22-Jan-2010
US— Sunbeam Television has filed a second amended anti-trust complaint against Nielsen, following the part-dismissal of its previous complaint earlier this month.
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Sacked InfoGroup exec claims $1m in unpaid severance
26-Jan-2010
US— Research and database marketing group InfoGroup is facing a lawsuit from sacked senior executive Stormy Dean, who claims he is owned more than $1m in unpaid severance and bonuses.
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Screen Digest named research partner for IAB Europe AdEx
29-Jan-2010
UK— Media analyst firm Screen Digest has been named as the new research partner for the IAB Europe’s AdEx report, which compiles figures on the size of the online advertising market across Europe.
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Shareholders back sale of IQ research businesses
12-Jan-2010
UK— Shareholders in IQ Holdings today approved the sale of the company’s businesses Viewpoint Field and Rosslyn Research in an all-share deal valued at £1.5m.
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Shelf life
January 2010
Michael Warren reviews Levitt and Dubner’s sequel to their phenomenally successful Freakonomics and Sheila Keegan’s new book on qualitative research
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Skarzynski quits Arbitron for giving false information to Congress
12-Jan-2010
US— Arbitron president and CEO Michael Skarzynski has resigned from his position at the radio ratings firm with immediate effect for giving false information at a hearing of the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
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Sony teams with CBS for research on home 3D experience
7-Jan-2010
US— Sony is to work with broadcaster CBS to research what audiences want from 3D video and display technology in the home.
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Strategy and futures director Martin Hayward leaves Dunnhumby
20-Jan-2010
UK— Martin Hayward has left his role as director of strategy and futures at Dunnhumby after more than five years with the database analytics firm, which is best known for its work on retailer Tesco’s Clubcard.
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Sunbeam's antitrust claims against Nielsen dismissed
11-Jan-2010
US— A Florida court has for a second time dismissed antitrust claims brought by Sunbeam Television against TV ratings firm Nielsen – but the broadcaster has again been given leave to amend its complaint.
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Surveying the changing political and social landscape
11-Jan-2010
2010 promises much to excite UK psephologists: a general election and the chance of a change in government after 13 years of Labour rule. But are the electorate enthused by the upcoming political bun fight? TNS-BMRB’s new unit aims to find out.
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Sway secures $2m investment to boost Shoutlet social media platform
20-Jan-2010
US— Social media research and marketing agency Sway has secured $2m in Series A funding to support the growth and development of its Shoutlet content distribution platform.
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Synovate in tribute to Nigel Jackson after fatal ski accident
8-Jan-2010
UK— Colleagues of Synovate executive Nigel Jackson have paid tribute to a man they describe as “a supportive, dedicated, massively hard-working leader” who died while skiing in the French Alps on Christmas Day.
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Tasty new research agency opens doors
13-Jan-2010
UK— An award-winning chef and a former Ogilvy marketer have teamed up to launch The Food Nursery, a new company that offers research and NPD services to the food industry.
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Ten companies sign up to 'collaborate around insight'
11-Jan-2010
UK— Diageo, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft and Procter & Gamble are among 10 companies taking part in an ambitious project that invites brands to work together on developing new brand and product ideas and new avenues for research through in-depth analysis of existing data.
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The Research Partnership appoints new US president
13-Jan-2010
US— Harriet Kozak has been appointed US president at pharmaceutical research agency The Research Partnership.
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The visibility factor
January 2010
When Arbitron’s chief executive officer Michael Skarzynski appeared before the US House ofRepresentativesCommittee on Oversight and Government Reform last month, he faced a formidable opponent
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TNS integrates Foresight Group into stakeholder management arm
28-Jan-2010
US— TNS has integrated its employee research firm The Foresight Group into its stakeholder management division.
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TNS man Paul Vittles goes it alone in Australia
29-Jan-2010
AUSTRALIA— Paul Vittles, TNS Australia’s director and executive coach, has left the firm and launched The Vittles Organisation, a coaching, training and motivational speaking business.
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TNS-BMRB launces Social & Political Attitudes Unit
8-Jan-2010
UK— TNS-BMRB will launch a new division this month to monitor voting intentions and keep track of social and political trends.
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Tree to be uprooted in proposed £2m sale to Chime
15-Jan-2010
UK— Marketing services group Cagney looks set to sell Tree, its research and data analysis agency, to Chime Communications in a cash deal worth £2m.
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TrendSource buys Vision Compliance
28-Jan-2010
US— Research agency TrendSource has acquired Vision Compliance, which provides inspection and compliance services to credit resellers and background screening providers, ensuring that borrowers are legitimate.
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Twitter rolls out Local Trends tool
28-Jan-2010
US— Twitter has launched a new service that allows users to see what the most popular conversation topics are at state and city levels.
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Two more sign up for Rentrak’s local TV ratings service
6-Jan-2010
US— Sinclair Broadcast Group and Lin TV have signed up to Rentrak’s local TV ratings service, StationView Essentials.
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UK government opens up online data hub, Data.gov.uk
21-Jan-2010
UK— The UK government has thrown open an online data hub to members of the public, promising easy access to government-held information that can be downloaded and re-used as people and businesses see fit.
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UK launch for Nielsen and Facebook's online ad testing tool
27-Jan-2010
UK— Facebook and Nielsen are rolling out their BrandLift online ad testing tool in the UK, following its launch in the US last September.
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UK web analytics market grows 9% to £85m, says Econsultancy
7-Jan-2010
UK— Web analytics spending in the UK grew 9% last year to £85m, according to a report published by digital marketing website Econsultancy.
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VBSI picks Confirmit for survey software deal
12-Jan-2010
US— Viacom Brand Solutions International has contracted with research software firm Confirmit to provide new survey software for its My MTV consumer research panel.
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VCs pump $7m into mobile app analytics firm Flurry
13-Jan-2010
US— Mobile app analytics firm Flurry has secured investment totalling $7m, following hot on the heels of its merger with rival Pinch Media.
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Vision Critical hires corporate development MD
6-Jan-2010
CANADA — Andrew Iain Reid has been appointed managing director of corporate development at online research agency Vision Critical.
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ViziSense tests ad monitoring tool for India
22-Jan-2010
INDIA— Web audience analytics firm ViziSense has launched a beta version of new tool to provide users with information about online advertising trends.
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Vovici scoops BlogHer engagement and panel contract
6-Jan-2010
US— Womens blogging network BlogHer has tapped Vovici technology to gather feedback from members and measure engagement levels across its various campaigns and programmes.
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Web analytics expert warns against 'risky' use of Flash cookies
15-Jan-2010
US— Flash cookies are emerging as a more reliable web audience measurement alternative to traditional HTTP cookies – but a leading analytics expert has warned companies they risk trouble if they use these “super-cookies” to override consumer privacy preferences.
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Youth Research boss pleads guilty to federal fraud charges
26-Jan-2010
US— Karen Forcade, the president of now-defunct research agency Youth Research Inc, has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in connection with faked child safety tests for cigarette lighters. She is due to be sentenced at a later date.