2009 was ‘dismal’ for top 25 with revenue down 3.1%, says Honomichl

Inside Research founder Jack Honomichl, who has compiled the figures since 1995, said a “down year” was “no surprise given the dismal state of the world’s economy”.

Adjusted for inflation, revenue for the group was down 4.5% while the reported number of full-time employees declined 4% on the prior year.

Fifteen of the firms – among them top 10 agencies Kantar, IMS Health, GfK, Ipsos and Synovate – saw revenues fall in 2009, while 10 companies boasted an increase.

Abt SRBI, a new entrant in the rankings at 19, had the highest growth rate, with revenue up 26% to $89.5m. UK-based retail data analysis specialist Dunnhumby was another new face on the list at 13, and had the second-highest reported growth rate of 17%.

Japanese online research firm Macromill made its debut at 25, replacing compatriot Dentsu, who dropped out of the rankings along with the UK’s YouGov and BVA Group of France.

Honomichl’s full report is available as a PDF download from the American Marketing Association’s website. The top 10 companies are listed below.

_{Notes: * Estimated by Top 25. ** For fiscal year ending March 2010. ( 1 ) Total revenues that include non-research activities for some companies are significantly higher. ( 2 ) Rate of growth from year to year has been adjusted so as not to include revenue gains or losses from acquisitions or divestitures, and excludes currency exchange effects.}