Saturday, 13 March 2010

Private equity firm pumps $35m into 1010data

11-Mar-2010

US— Data analytics firm 1010data has secured a $35m minority investment from Norwest Venture Partners.

'Very disappointing' research performance mars Chime results

10-Mar-2010

UK— Chime Communications’ “best results ever” have been marred by the performance of the group’s research division, which includes agencies Opinion Leader, Brand Democracy, and Facts International.

Truth founder Andy Dexter

2009 was 'pretty shocking', but still Truth posts growth of 32%

9-Mar-2010

UK— Insight consultancy Truth is preparing to move Stateside this year following growth of 32% in 2009, taking turnover to just over £5m.

Mobile marketing and analytics firm Adenyo scoops $27m funding

5-Mar-2010

US— Mobile marketing software firm Adenyo has secured $26.9m in private equity funding which it says it will use to accelerate international growth.

Nielsen reports 2009 revenue of $4.8bn, flat on 2008

26-Feb-2010

US— Nielsen’s business is measuring what people watch and what people buy – and, according to results out today, business has been reasonably good in spite of the global economic downturn.

GfK CEO Klaus Wubbenhorst

GfK reports 2009 sales down 4.6% to €1.16bn

25-Feb-2010

GERMANY— GfK’s sales were down 4.6% to €1,164m in 2009 – but with a marked improvement in business in the final three months of last year, the research group is expecting a return to growth this year.

Arbitron says it's poised for 2010 growth with '09 revenue up 4%

18-Feb-2010

US— Radio ratings firm Arbitron predicted modest growth for 2010 as it reported an 8.5% rise in revenue for the fourth quarter of 2009 and a 4.4% increase for the full 12 months.

Shake on it

Mixpanel secures backing from PayPal and Bebo founders

12-Feb-2010

US— Mixpanel, a web application analytics company, has received financial backing from two major online players, Max Levchin and Michael Birch, respectively the founders of PayPal and Bebo.

Gartner chief expects 'double-digit revenue growth' in 2010

10-Feb-2010

US— Gene Hall, CEO of IT industry analyst Gartner, predicts that the firm will see double-digit revenue growth this year after posting a 11% decline in sales for 2009.

Rentrak chief sees Nielsen as 'frenemy' as measurement business grows

9-Feb-2010

US— Any company like Rentrak looking to make a name for itself in media measurement will eventually run into the ratings juggernaut that is Nielsen. Does that make the firm friend or foe?

Creston CEO Don Elgie

Creston reports improved performance in third quarter

4-Feb-2010

UK— Insight and communications group Creston this morning reported an improved business performance for the three months ending 31 December, but warned that the economic climate “remains challenging”.

BrainJuicer proves resilient in the face of research recession

9-Mar-2010

UK— BrainJuicer finance chief James Geddes revealed this morning that the online research agency’s growth in 2009 was below expectations – but with revenue up 27% to £11.8m investors shouldn’t have much to complain about.

WPP CEO Martin Sorrell

'Less worse' turns to 'stability' – WPP reports 2009 results

5-Mar-2010

UK— WPP’s consumer insight revenue was down 9.5% on a like-for-like basis in 2009, the company said today. The results show a steady improvement in performance towards the tail end of what the marketing services group described as a “brutal” year.

B2B International sees revenue rise and industry optimism return

4-Mar-2010

UK— Specialist business-to-business research agency B2B International has reported nearly 10% rise in revenue for 2009.

Ipsos CEO Didier Truchot

'Ready for battle' – Ipsos predicts growth for 2010 after 2009 decline

25-Feb-2010

FRANCE— 2009 marked the end of Ipsos’s 30-year run of growth with sales down 3.6% to €943.7m. The company called it “a year of learning”and has vowed to come out fighting in 2010.

Scott Julian

Venture capitalists pump $4m into Effective Measure

18-Feb-2010

AUSTRALIA— Online audience measurement firm Effective Measure has secured $4m in private equity funding. The cash will be used to support “growing demand” for its services, the firm said.

PAC ups Media Square ownership to 28.5%

15-Feb-2010

UK— Investment house Prime Active Capital has upped its stake in marketing communications group Media Square from 21% to 28.5% after buying 3,350,000 shares at 15 pence each.

IMS reports 3% rise in Q4 sales, 6% decline for 2009

10-Feb-2010

US— IMS Health has reported a 3% rise in revenue for the final quarter of 2009, in what is likely to be its last results announcement before becoming a privately-held company.

Forrester plans investment after 'beating plan' for 2009

10-Feb-2010

US— Forrester Research has reported revenue drops in the fourth quarter and for 2009 as a whole, but chairman and CEO George Colony said the firm was moving into 2010 with a view to investing for growth.

Bill Fairfield

InfoGroup ends a challenging 2009 on a note of optimism

9-Feb-2010

US— InfoGroup’s research division booked a quarter-on-quarter improvement in revenue for the final three months of 2009 – ending an otherwise difficult year on a note of optimism.

BlueKai scoops $21m in private equity funding

2-Feb-2010

US— Online data provider BlueKai has secured $21m in series C fundraising led by GGV Capital and existing investors Redpoint Ventures and Battery Ventures.