Research
June 2010
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20|20 Research unveils QualLink tool for hybrid studies
14-Jun-2010
US— Fieldwork firm 20|20 Research has launched a new technology that allows clients to carry out qualitative work on quantitative respondents.
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4th Screen Advertising rolls out mobile targeting tools
28-Jun-2010
UK — Mobile ad agency 4th Screen Advertising has launched a new platform to help advertisers better target their audience and keep track of engagement.
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Adenyo boosts predictive analytics capabilities through KinetX asset buy
16-Jun-2010
CANADA— Mobile marketing software company Adenyo has acquired a number of IP and software assets and a specialised business unit from aerospace engineering consultancy KinetX, which Adenyo says will boost its predictive consumer analytics capabilities.
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Aegis forms Team Epic for event marketing and research
7-Jun-2010
US— Aegis Media has formed a lifestyle marketing agency called Team Epic that draws on the capabilities of group companies Velocity Sports and Vivid Marketing, with research being provided by Sponsorship Research International.
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AERS adds PayPal data to eBay market research tool
11-Jun-2010
CANADA— The developer of a market research tool used by eBay sellers has partnered with PayPal to take raw transaction data and enable users to analyse and monitor sales trends.
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Air industry veteran lands at Marketing Research Association
10-Jun-2010
US— The Marketing Research Association (MRA) has named David Almy – a veteran of air industry associations – as its new chief executive officer following the resignation of Larry Brownell last year.
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Alterian posts revenue and profit growth despite contract deferments
4-Jun-2010
UK— Marketing and analytics software firm Alterian has posted a 14% increase in revenue to £38m for the year ended 31 March.
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Anametrix gains foothold in Spain, China, Australia and Israel
25-Jun-2010
Anametrix has struck four new global reseller agreements for its InstaVista analytics platform.
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AOL sells Bebo for a song
17-Jun-2010
US— AOL has found a buyer for Bebo, the youth-centric social network it put up for sale earlier this year.
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Apple flavour added for Livra panellists
25-Jun-2010
Livra Panels has launched an iPhone app that allows respondents to vote on user-generated polls.
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Apple keeps third-party analytics ban in revised developer rules
10-Jun-2010
US— Apple is sticking to its guns in banning third-party analytics software from iPhone and iPad apps, but the company will let app developers collect user or device data that is necessary to serve advertising, according to revised app development rules.
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Apple's Jobs vents at analytics firm who peeked at iPad testing
3-Jun-2010
US— Developers working on Apple’s iPhone and iPad platforms may be upset about the recent ban on using third-party analytics software to collect device data – but they’re not half as angry as Apple CEO Steve Jobs is with the analytics firms.
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Arbitron acquires assets of Integrated Media Measurement Inc
22-Jun-2010
US— Arbitron has acquired the trade name, technology portfolio and patents of Integrated Media Measurement Inc (IMMI) for an undisclosed amount.
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Arbitron reshuffles leadership pack
24-Jun-2010
US— Arbitron CEO William Kerr has announced a raft of changes to the firm’s executive leadership team that he says is designed to build a stronger partnership with customers, and axed two senior execs in the process.
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Arbitron unveils new PPM360 technology
21-Jun-2010
US— Arbitron has launched a new version of its portable people meter (PPM) device that it claims will be able to better follow the lifestyles of consumers on the go.
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At Random picks Run-E survey database tool
28-Jun-2010
GERMANY— Fieldwork agency At Random International has signed up to to use software developer Run-E’s SampleMaker survey database tool.
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Barb to field test new TV viewing meter for PCs
29-Jun-2010
UK— The Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (Barb) is launching a temporary panel to field test a new meter that will keep tabs on television that is watched through a PC or laptop.
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Blog watcher Attentio opens in Singapore
21-Jun-2010
SINGAPORE— Belgian social media monitoring firm Attentio has opened an office in Singapore that will act as a headquarters for its activities across Asia.
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BrainJuicer names brand man Zantingh to lead Asia venture
17-Jun-2010
CHINA— BrainJuicer’s long-awaited foray into China is under way, following the appointment of Han Zantingh as managing director of consultancy initiatives in Shanghai.
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BrightRoll brings together video ad measurement services
18-Jun-2010
US— Video advertising network BrightRoll has unveiled a new reporting suite that uses measurement tools from ComScore, Nielsen, Vizu and InsightExpress to help clients assess ROI on online campaigns.
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Campbell Davies joins Shoppercentric in new qual role
28-Jun-2010
UK— Shoppercentric has appointed Kristen Campbell Davies as a director with a remit to refine the agency’s qual research methods.
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Chime appoints Gill Rumbold to research director role
8-Jun-2010
UK— Gill Rumbold has been appointed research director within the research and engagement division of marketing services group Chime.
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Chinese companies pile in for Vivaki's Pool project
1-Jun-2010
CHINA— Publicis-owned digital media agency Vivaki has launched a Chinese version of The Pool – its collaborative research project focusing on online video adverts.
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Cint adds to US management team: McCrary named MD, McCarron SVP
3-Jun-2010
US— Cint, a research software and services firm, has hired Michael McCrary as managing director of its US sales and operations – five months on from the departure of Kevin Umeh.
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Cloud Mobile Forms unveils Blackberry survey tool
1-Jun-2010
US— Mobile technology firm Cloud Mobile Forms has launched a tool to allow users to conduct market research via Blackberry smartphones, called eSurvey.
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COI ponders payment by results
18-Jun-2010
UK— Market research companies employed by the the Central Office of Information could soon be subject to a system of payment by results.
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ComRes to roll out automated phone polling service
29-Jun-2010
UK— ComRes is to make available the automated phone survey service that it used to test reaction to the party leaders’ debates.
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Consumers keen on co-creation, says Gongos survey
9-Jun-2010
US— The vast majority of consumers want to play a bigger role in the development of new products or the enhancement of existing ones, according to the results of a study by Gongos Research.
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Costa cleared by ASA following Starbucks complaint of flawed research
16-Jun-2010
UK— Costa has seen off a challenge from rival coffee chain Starbucks who had complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that a taste test quoted in a print ad campaign was flawed.
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Crayon acquires Acquity business and assets from administrators
10-Jun-2010
UK— Digital media agency Crayon has acquired data analytics and media integration specialist Acquity – a day after it was placed into administration.
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Creston hails 'resilient' performance for financial year
28-Jun-2010
UK — Insight and communications group Creston has posted a slight drop in revenue for the financial year ending March 31, but CEO Don Elgie has hailed the firm’s “resilient performance against a challenging economic backdrop”.
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Daily Kos threatens legal action over suspect polls
30-Jun-2010
US— Political analysis blog the Daily Kos has vowed to take legal action against pollster Research 2000 after a trio of statisticians raised doubts about the reliability of the firm’s work.
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Datameer and Zementis link for predictive analytics tool
30-Jun-2010
US— Data analytics firm Datameer and predictive analytics specialist Zementis have formed a strategic alliance to combine their offerings.
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Date set for shareholder vote on private equity takeover of Infogroup
2-Jun-2010
US— Infogroup shareholders look set to vote on 29 June to decide on the proposed sale of the database marketing and research company to private equity firm CCMP Capital.
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DePaul University and IBM team up for new analytics centre
18-Jun-2010
US— IBM has part-funded the launch of a new data analysis centre at DePaul University in Chicago.
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Diary: Pollsters, parliament and pets
June 2010
A quick roundup of stuff that has caught our eye in and around the research industry. This month the Diary has a strong election flavour.
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DJS Research doubles turnover
25-Jun-2010
UK— DJS Research has doubled its turnover from £450,000 to £910,000 for the 2009/10 financial year.
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Don't mention the ISO
29-Jun-2010
An online discussion of the relevance of ISO standards to the US research industry has generated plenty of heat, but not much light.
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Draft privacy bill poses major challenges to research industry
14-Jun-2010
US— A draft data privacy bill risks making it harder for researchers to reach respondents, thus impacting the accuracy of survey results, according to an analysis by the Marketing Research Association.
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Echo Stats adds NPD division
17-Jun-2010
US— Florida-based market research consultancy Echo Stats Research has launched a new division to focus on new product development work.
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eDigitalResearch launches concept testing tool
30-Jun-2010
UK— Online researcher eDigitalResearch has launched a concept testing service, eConceptTest.
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EEDAR and Nielsen expand data-sharing deal to UK market
16-Jun-2010
UK— A data-sharing deal between Nielsen and Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR), focused on the analysis of videogame marketing campaigns, is being extended from the US to the UK.
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EmSense hires two staff to lead new London office
8-Jun-2010
UK— Neuromarketing technology firm EmSense has opened an office in London to its spearhead European expansion, with Esomar vice president Sue Nosworthy taking up a senior role.
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E-Rewards and MarketTools strike TrueSample deal
9-Jun-2010
US— Online panel provider E-Rewards has struck a deal with MarketTools to offer the latter’s TrueSample panel cleaning software to clients.
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Esomar prices study finds US most expensive research market
11-Jun-2010
NETHERLANDS— The USA is the most expensive research market, followed by Switzerland, France, Sweden and Japan, according to an Esomar study of project prices in 100 countries.
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Essentials customers drive Rentrak revenue
15-Jun-2010
US— Multi-screen media measurement firm Rentrak has posted a 12% rise in revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 but a decline in sales for the year as a whole.
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European Commissioner promises public consultation on data protection
23-Jun-2010
BELGIUM— The European Commissioner responsible for justice, fundamental rights and citizenship has promised to launch a public consultation into online data protection issues across the EU, but believes that industry self-regulation should remain at the core of any new legislation.
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Ex-Ipsos Poland boss joins Vision Critical in Euro partnerships role
4-Jun-2010
CANADA— Dinko Svetopetric, the former head of Ipsos Poland, has joined Vision Critical in the role of director of European partnerships.
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Ex-Schweppes insight manager returns to Millward Brown
3-Jun-2010
AUSTRALIA— Millward Brown has appointed former Schweppes insight manager Martin Attwood as senior account director in its Melbourne office.
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FactSet buys financial survey specialist Market Metrics
2-Jun-2010
US— Financial information and analytics firm FactSet Research Systems has acquired insurance and investment products survey specialist Market Metrics.
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Families are changing. Why isn't research?
18-Jun-2010
Families are changing, and the 2.4 children stereotype is long gone. Qual researcher Debbie Newbould looks at how the research industry is responding to these changes
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FDA orders tobacco giant to hand over market research
21-Jun-2010
US— The Food and Drug Administration has ordered tobacco firm Philip Morris to hand over all market research relating to the rebranding of its Marlboro Lights cigarettes as ‘Marlboro Gold’.
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Five reasons to enter the Research Magazine awards today
June 2010
More than ever research businesses and in-house teams need to demonstrate the value that their insight brings, both at a strategic level and to the bottom line.
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Flash technology partnership for Confirmit and Annik
23-Jun-2010
US— Confirmit has partnered with research IT and operations company Annik to promote the latter’s SurveyFlashTools to users of its survey software platform.
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Football Supporters' Federation to probe fan interaction with World Cup
11-Jun-2010
UK— The World Cup kicks off in a couple of hours – and so does a qual research project commissioned by the Football Supporters’ Federation to study how English fans follow, consume and interact with the tournament.
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Forrester rolls out survey on tech consumers in Brazil and Mexico
14-Jun-2010
US— Forrester today launched a regular series of studies examining the uptake of technology and attitudes towards products and services in two of Latin America’s fast-growing consumer markets.
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FourthWall Media forms media measurement unit
1-Jun-2010
US— Interactive television technology company FourthWall Media has formed a media measurement unit built around set-top box data analysis.
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German online audience research body launches mobile division
8-Jun-2010
GERMANY— The Working Group for Online Media Research (AGOF), which brings together online marketers to support standardised audience research, has formed a division to focus on mobile audiences.
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GfK appoints new head of retail and technology to management board
14-Jun-2010
GERMANY— GfK has appointed Gerhard Hausruckinger to its management board, with specific responsibility for the company’s retail and technology division.
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GfK finds Hungarian researchers most trusted in 19-country survey
9-Jun-2010
GERMANY— Market researchers in Hungary are the most trusted in the world, according to GfK’s latest Trust Index Survey which ranks professions by their “trustworthiness”.
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Glasgow puts £5m marketing and research framework out to tender
21-Jun-2010
UK— Glasgow City Council has put a host of marketing and research services worth an estimated £1.2m per annum up for grabs.
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Globalpark snaps up web software firm WP-Experts
1-Jul-2010
GERMANY— Survey software maker Globalpark has acquired WP-Experts, which makes rich internet applications and online portals for business, for an undisclosed amount.
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Google 'cutting away' at the market share of paid-for analytics, says report
9-Jun-2010
UK— Google’s free web analytics package continues to grow market share at the expense of paid-for tools, with 87% of companies now using the software, according to the latest Online Measurement and Strategy Report from Econsultancy and Lynchpin Analytics.
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Group dynamic
June 2010
In 1999 Rover bragged about ignoring focus group findings, and Research questioned whether focus groups had a future. Eleven years later, focus groups thrive and we all know what happened to Rover. Dominic Scott-Malden asks, where did it all go right for research?
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GroupM signs for Arbitron radio ratings
16-Jun-2010
US— GroupM has signed a multi-year deal with Arbitron to receive radio ratings from all the firm’s portable people meter (PPM) and diary markets.
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Harris and Ipsos to poll Canadians on green energy issues
12-Jul-2010
CANADA— Harris-Decima and Ipsos-Reid have been awarded government contracts to investigate public perceptions of green energy issues.
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Harris Interactive's Lifestreaming service goes live
3-Jun-2010
US— Harris Interactive officially launched its Lifestreaming service today, which tracks and analyses the social media activities of an opt-in group of the company’s online panellists.
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Hear me out: Respondents are dead. Long live MR robots
June 2010
Ever had an idea that you know is genius, but everybody else thinks is crazy? Here is your chance to share it with the world of research. This month Will Goodhand of BrainJuicer proposes building an army of robo-respondents.
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How can market researchers get social?
3-Jun-2010
It’s a question posed by Forrester analyst Tamara Barber’s most recent report, which looks at the ways research agencies and practitioners are – or should be – utilising social media to generate consumer insight.
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IAB Europe and Google unveil Consumer Commerce Barometer
3-Jun-2010
UK— IAB Europe and Google have teamed up to launch an online tool that provides advertisers and agencies with information about online purchasing behaviour across 27 countries.
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IBM makes new analytics buy, snaps up Coremetrics
15-Jun-2010
US— IBM has bought web analytics firm Coremetrics – following up on its acquisitions of RedPill Solutions and SPSS last year.
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ICM Direct and Red C launch Irish online panel
22-Jun-2010
IRELAND— UK-based data collection agency ICM Direct has teamed up with Irish full-service research agency Red C to launch a version of its Newvista online panel in the country.
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Infogroup shareholders green light takeover deal
29-Jun-2010
US— Infogroup shareholders voted today in favour of selling the company to private equity firm CCMP Capital for $468m, or $8 per share.
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Insight – buried alive?
15-Jun-2010
A couple of weeks ago Nick Johnson declared insight dead and heralded the era of ‘diffusion’. Anthony Tasgal recognises many of the symptoms that Johnson points out, but says the diagnosis is premature.
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Insight promotes Gazey to commercial development role
2-Jun-2010
UK— Insight Research Group has promoted Lee Gazey to the newly created role of commercial development director and added four new members of staff.
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InsightExpress adds senior director to custom research team
29-Jun-2010
US— InsightExpress has appointed Cary Nadel as a senior director in its custom marketing research team.
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Interactive Advertising Bureau launches Tablet Task Force
9-Jun-2010
US— Hot on the heels of the iPad launch, the Interactive Advertising Bureau has formed a task force to create an infrastructure to support advertising opportunities on tablets and e-readers.
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Invoke Solutions to form concept optimisation and analytics units
24-Jun-2010
US— On its tenth anniversary online and mobile research technology provider Invoke Solutions is splitting its business in to two separate units.
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IP ban by Turkish government hampers Google Analytics
8-Jun-2010
TURKEY— Website owners in Turkey may have struggled to gain access to their Google Analytics traffic stats since last week after the government banned a number of IP addresses the search giant uses.
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Ipsos in global roll-out of Social Research Institute
2-Jun-2010
UK— Ipsos’s Social Research Institute (SRI), long established in the UK, is rolling out globally in an initiative overseen by Darrell Bricker, worldwide CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs.
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Ipsos MediaCT nets Al Jazeera Sports football deal
25-Jun-2010
DUBAI— Al Jazeera Sports has signed Ipsos MediaCT to conduct recall tests with football fans in the Middle East during the World Cup and next season’s UEFA Champions’ League.
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Ipsos OTX kicks off annual survey of media use in young families
23-Jun-2010
US— Ipsos OTX MediaCT has kicked off an annual study into the media habits of young families, involving 2,000 online kids aged six to 12 and their parents.
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IRI moves Cary Schneider to European role
7-Jun-2010
UK— Information Resources has appointed Cary Schneider as executive vice president of European operations and transformation.
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iSuppli to acquire media researcher Screen Digest
10-Jun-2010
US— Electronics industry analyst iSuppli Corporation has inked a deal to acquire media-focused research agency Screen Digest.
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Kantar Media combines web monitoring with survey data
30-Jun-2010
UK— Kantar Media is launching a service that combines publishers’ web monitoring data with custom online surveys.
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Kantar Media unveils Foresight tool to aid paid content strategy
15-Jun-2010
UK— Kantar Media has launched a predictive tool to help web publishers devise their paid content strategies.
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Kantar Video bulks up executive staff ahead of launch
29-Jun-2010
US— Kantar Video has announced a raft of senior appointments ahead of the launch of its new range of video measurement and tracking tools.
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Kenshoo adds Experian Hitwise data to keyword bid management tool
9-Jun-2010
US— Search marketing firm Kenshoo is to integrate data from Experian’s Hitwise Search Intelligence service into its SearchTM keyword bid management system.
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Loop Analytics and MSW Research target smartphone market
22-Jun-2010
US— Loop Analytics and MSW Research have formed a partnership focused on offering research, insights and strategy services to clients in the mobile industry.
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Macromill in deal to buy market research business of Yahoo Japan
15-Jun-2010
JAPAN— Online research firm Macromill is to take over the running of the market research business of Yahoo Japan Value Insight Corporation (YVI) in an all-share deal.
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Mall Networks signs Unica for web analytics
4-Jun-2010
US— Mall Networks has signed up to use Unica’s NetInsight OnDemand analytics software to report and analyse web visitor behaviour.
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Mesh and Cranfield University land analytics grant
18-Jun-2010
UK— Cranfield University and Mesh Planning have been awarded an £83,000 government grant to develop a suite of analytics tools.
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Millward Brown promotes UK & Ireland boss to European MD
8-Jun-2010
UK— Millward Brown has promoted Tim Wragg to the new position of chief executive officer for Europe. He was previously managing director for the UK and Ireland.
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Minnesota Historical Society taps Vocus
1-Jun-2010
US— The Minnesota Historical Society has picked PR software firm Vocus to provide technology to manage media relations and monitor news and social media mentions.
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Mobile marketers prepare for take-off
17-Jun-2010
More than 300 advertisers, agencies and brands gathered in London yesterday for the IAB Engage for Mobile event, which aimed to promote mobile marketing and advertising.
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Multichoice readies new viewer panel with TNS Research Surveys
24-Jun-2010
SOUTH AFRICA— Pay-TV company Multichoice is working with TNS Research Surveys on a viewer panel which uses return path data from digital satellite set-top boxes to monitor TV watching habits.
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NeuroFocus goes virtual with new 3D store research tool
4-Jun-2010
US— Neuromarketing research agency NeuroFocus has launched a 3D virtual reality tool, N-Matrix 3D, that it claims will bring digital technology “on a par with Avatar” – the James Cameron film – to the world of in-store research.
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New board members for Austrian research association
28-Jun-2010
AUSTRIA— Emanuel Maxl has been re-elected as chair of the Austrian research association VMÖ.
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Nielsen and McKinsey establish social media joint venture
14-Jun-2010
US— Nielsen and management consultancy McKinsey & Company have formed a joint venture to help clients improve their business performance through the use of intelligence drawn from social media sites.
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Nielsen bags TAM renewal deal in New Zealand
29-Jun-2010
NEW ZEALAND— Broadcasters Sky, TVNZ and TVWorks have awarded Nielsen a new eight-year contract to continue supplying television audience measurement services in New Zealand.
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Nielsen files for $1.75bn initial public offering
3-Jun-2010
US— The private equity consortium that owns Nielsen, the world’s largest consumer and media research group, is looking to raise $1.75bn in an initial public offering (IPO).
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Nielsen gets two-year extension to TAM Ireland contract
7-Jun-2010
IRELAND— Nielsen has secured a two-year extension to its contract to provide television audience measurement services to TAM Ireland, the country’s TV ratings body.
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Nielsen to run set-top box data tests in three markets
17-Jun-2010
US— Nielsen is to run new tests of using set-top box data to measure TV audiences and comparing it to existing services in three markets.
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Nielsen warming up for Life360 World Cup project
4-Jun-2010
SOUTH AFRICA— Nielsen and Blackberry maker Research in Motion have joined forces to measure local consumers’ lifestyle habits and engagement with brands and advertising during the upcoming World Cup.
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Nimbus adds EEG data to virtual shopping system
10-Jun-2010
US— Virtual shopping company Nimbus has added neuromarketing capabilities to its 3D virtual reality research tool.
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'No deal' to buy Comcon, says Synovate representative
8-Jun-2010
RUSSIA— A Synovate spokesman has told Research there has been “no deal at this point” to buy Moscow-based research agency Comcon, following reports in the Russian media.
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NPD in the Dream Factory
15-Jun-2010
We speak to Ipsos OTX’s Vincent Bruzzese about his work in Hollywood testing movies before they reach the big screen, and why consumer research doesn’t necessarily mean more ‘cookie-cutter fare’ in the multiplex.
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Online qual – always read the label
1-Jun-2010
Anna Thomas proposes an overhaul of product labelling for online qualitative research.
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OpinionLab launches direct feedback app for smartphones
11-Jun-2010
US— Users of Apple’s iPhone can now download a free app allowing them to send feedback direct to a company based on their experience at a retail location.
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Panel firms come together to weed out repeat respondents
11-Jun-2010
US— A group of panel companies has come together to help prevent respondents from taking part in too many surveys on similar topics.
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Panel provider uSamp awarded $10m in funding
22-Jun-2010
US— Online sample supplier uSamp has received $10m in Series C funding. The firm said that the cash will be used to fuel company growth through acquisition and to develop its next-generation panel management platform.
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Panoramix duo tackle the shrinking and wrinkling of economy and society
1-Jun-2010
Cautious consumerism and an ageing society present many challenges.
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Peanut Labs debuts social media panels in Italy and Spain
25-Jun-2010
US— Peanut Labs has launched two new panels made up of social media users in Italy and Spain, two of the world’s biggest users of social media sites.
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People on the move
29-Jun-2010
The latest promotions and appointments in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: Ipsos, SAARF and MSPA Europe.
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People on the move
13-Jul-2010
The latest promotions and appointments in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: COI, Bellomy Research and Forrester
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People on the move
25-Jun-2010
The latest promotions and appointments in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: E-Tabs, Rivet and HPI Research.
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People on the move
23-Jun-2010
The latest appointments and promotions in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: The Oxford Research Agency, Charm Communications, Site Intelligence, Hypatia Research, Collective, Cedar Fair, Hassan Associates, JWT New York, Movado, Ipsos Health, ComScore, Allen & Gerritsen and JRA Research.
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People on the move
17-Jun-2010
The latest appointments and promotions in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: Attensity Group, MEC, Synovate MMA, Ipsos, Truviso, Networked Insights, IPA, Loop Analytics, Nestle, Vision Critical, GfK, US Census Bureau and Mott MacDonald.
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People on the move
7-Jun-2010
The latest appointments and promotions in the global market research and consumer insight industry. This week: Millward Brown Firefly, The Research Partnership, InsightsNow, Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing and Soup.
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Pharma-Insight partners with healthcare research centre
28-Jun-2010
GERMANY— Healthcare researcher Pharma-Insight has entered a partnership with the University of Wuppertal’s centre of expertise in public health and healthcare management.
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Photo gallery: last year's winners celebrate in style
2-Jun-2010
View the photo galllery from the Research Awards 2009 ceremony held on 14 December at the Lancaster London Hotel. The event is a highlight of the year for the research industry, recognising and rewarding excellence, effectiveness and innovation.
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Poll dancing
June 2010
Who had a good general election? Well, Cameron and Clegg aren’t complaining, for starters. But thecoalition was forced as a result of there being no clear winner in this contest. If you are looking for aclear winner, you could do worse than look to the polling industry, which played a stormer on two fronts.
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Privacy advocates cry foul over ClearSight targeting tool
30-Jun-2010
US— ClearSight Interactive has launched an audience targeting suite for online display adverts, but the new service has already come in for criticism from some privacy advocates.
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Procter & Gamble partners Tobii for package and shelf testing
2-Jun-2010
SWEDEN— Procter & Gamble has signed up eye-tracking technology firm Tobii as a preferred partner for packaging design and shelf visibility testing projects.
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Publicis buys China's Genedigi Group
20-Jun-2011
CHINA— Communications house Publicis Groupe has acquired Chinese marketing communications and public relations agency Genedigi Group for an undisclosed amount.
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Publishers Australia backs ABA digital audit service
7-Jun-2010
AUSTRALIA— Publishers Australia, a body representing small and medium-sized publishers, has given its endorsement to the digital audit service run by the Audit Bureaux of Australia (ABA), which verifies that website traffic data is being measured and reported correctly.
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Qmarkets wins grant for prediction market software
30-Jun-2010
ISRAEL— Qmarkets, which makes software for prediction markets, has been awarded a grant from the Israeli government toward a $900,000 R&D project to develop new software.
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Qual group GIM shutters Russian office and focus group studio
8-Jun-2010
GERMANY— Qualitative research group GIM is closing down its Russian office, including its focus group studio, with the loss of 12 local jobs.
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Quantcast gets MRC accreditation for Quantified Publisher web traffic data
9-Jun-2010
US— Quantcast has received accreditation from the Media Rating Council (MRC) for website traffic data produced by its Quantified Publisher programme, which uses proprietary measurement tags.
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Rebuilding the 'House of Influentials'
10-Jun-2010
Crispin Beale is intent on rebuilding the one-time jewel in Chime’s research crown – Opinion Leader. We sat down to discuss where the business has been and where it’s heading.
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Rentrak scores brace of audience measurement deals
10-Jun-2010
US— TV station WFAA and broadcaster Schurz Communications have signed up to use Rentrak’s audience measurement service for local markets, StationView Essentials.
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Rentrak wins Cowles Media contract and plans MRC accreditation
24-Jun-2010
US— Rentrak has scooped Cowles Media Company as a client of its local market TV viewing data service while announcing plans to seek Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for its national audience measurement offering.
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Report says FTC to probe Apple effect on mobile ad market
14-Jun-2010
US— Officials at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) look set to investigate concerns that changes to Apple’s developer rules could potentially restrict competition in the mobile advertising market, according to a Bloomberg report.
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Research Magazine Award for Best Agency
June 2010
This is Research magazine’s top prize of the night and the winner will be the agency that really stands out from the competition as the market leader in its field.
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Research Magazine Award for Best In-house Research Team
June 2010
This award – new for 2010 – seeks to find the equivalent of Best Agency but on the client side; put simply the Best In-house Research Team. The winner will be the Research or Insight team from within an organisation – public or private sector - that can best demonstrate how they have developed and delivered outstanding work which has helped transform their organisation, its approach, products, services or bottom-line performance.
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Research Magazine Award for Best Innovation
June 2010
Each year sees new developments and initiatives which have the potential to redefine the way we view the industry.This award – new for 2010 – is intended to single out the individual or company, that has pioneered the product, service, process or initiative that can genuinely be hailed an innovation for the industry. The winning innovation will increase the value of market or social research to clients and make a measurable difference to their success.
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Research Magazine Award for Best New Agency
June 2010
New thinking and innovation are essential to keep the research industry fresh and maintain its long-term future. This award acknowledges the entrepreneurial spirit, achievement and ambition of smaller agencies.
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Research Magazine Award for Best Place to Work
June 2010
Agencies have to fight hard to recruit and then retain people and this award aims to highlight those businesses that really put people at the heart of their overall strategy. The winner of this award will be the business that can demonstrate innovative thinking, enlightened approaches and new initiatives that make their business a great place to work.
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Research Now moves into online ad tracking
1-Jun-2010
UK— Online fieldwork agency Research Now has started offering ad tracking services, monitoring which adverts its panellists are exposed to and how that exposure impacts brand metrics.
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Researcher ABH buys BBE's automotive consulting unit
10-Jun-2010
GERMANY— Research agency ABH Marketingservice has purchased the automotive unit of business consultancy BBE Retail Experts.
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Ricochet Research launches in Kenya
1-Jun-2010
KENYA— Vandi Hill and Babette van der Kloet have launched a new full service market research agency called Ricochet Research, based in Nairobi.
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Rosenblatt moves in with Cello Group sister company Face
22-Jun-2010
UK— Qual research agency Rosenblatt has moved in with Cello Group sister company, the co-creation firm Face, with the two companies now sharing administrative and commercial functions.
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Sample supplier uSamp acquires AOL's DMS Insights
24-Jun-2010
US— Online panel provider uSamp has acquired web research agency DMS Insights from AOL. DMS (also known as Digital Marketing Services) will keep its name and the firm’s management and production team will remain in place.
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Sampson takes over from Sparrow as ICM chairman
15-Jun-2010
UK— Creston has appointed former Kantar executive Justin Sampson as chairman of ICM Research Group, replacing ICM founder Nick Sparrow.
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Satmetrix launches European benchmark study
18-Jun-2010
UK— Customer loyalty agency Satmetrix has rolled out its Net Promoter Industry Benchmarks survey across the UK, France and Germany.
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SBS and Arbitron reach agreement to dismiss PPM legal dispute
2-Jun-2010
US— Arbitron and radio broadcaster Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) have reached an agreement to dismiss court proceedings stemming from a dispute between the two companies over Arbitron’s portable people meter-based (PPM) radio audience measurement.
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SEC settles insider trading case against ex-Qualcomm analysis director
21-Jun-2010
US— Andres Leyva, the former director of strategic marketing analysis at wireless technology firm Qualcomm, has paid a civil penalty of almost $35,000 to settle charges of insider trading.
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Siegel+Gale expands research team with double hire
24-Jun-2010
US— Ad and branding agency Siegel+Gale has strengthened its research and insights team with two new appointments.
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Slave to technology, or master of it?
22-Jun-2010
Tech expert Tim Macer reports back on a packed Casro Technology Conference, highlighting papers on quality, ethics, design and delivery issues. “The sheer array of what was on offer demonstrates how difficult it has become for research firms to be master of their technology, and not slave to it and its unintended consequences,” he says.
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SSI appoints APAC access and engagement director
25-Jun-2010
US— Survey Sampling International has appointed Jessica Sullivan as director of access and engagement for the Asia Pacific region.
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Survey Sampling in New Zealand panel launch
3-Jun-2010
NEW ZEALAND— Survey Sampling International has launched a new online consumer panel in New Zealand.
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SurveyMonkey buys DIY phone pollster Precision Polling
22-Jun-2010
US— SurveyMonkey, the DIY online survey platform, has acquired Precision Polling – a counterpart of sorts operating in the telephone polling arena.
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SurveyMonkey embarks on European expansion
30-Jun-2010
UK— SurveyMonkey has embarked on a European expansion with the launch of several dedicated websites to offer its DIY survey tool in local markets.
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SymphonyIRI adds brainwaves to BehaviourScan through EmSense tie-up
4-Jun-2010
US— SymphonyIRI is adding brain and biometric measurement to its BehaviourScan in-market testing service for new products and marketing strategies, through a partnership with neuroscience technology firm EmSense.
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Techneos upgrades SODA mobile survey service
25-Jun-2010
US— Techneos has added several new features to the latest version of its SODA mobile survey tool.
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The frontline of customer satisfaction
8-Jun-2010
Customer sat surveys are all well and good, writes Jamie Thorpe, but companies need to do something about the perception that feedback is not acted upon.
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The full list of award categories
June 2010
With categories for excellence, effectiveness and innovation in research – and for commercial achievement – there are many possible routes to success this year, including a brand new award for client-side research teams.
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The judges have their say on last year's winners
7-Jun-2010
All our winners had one thing in common: a continued drive to invest in their business and people, despite difficult market conditions. These investments continue to pay dividends, evidenced by growing client rosters, exceptional financial results and innovative tools that came to the fore in our winning agencies.
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The kids are alright
June 2010
Andrew Therkelsen, director at Discovery Research, explains why kids are the best co-creators, and sets out how to get the most out of them.
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The people movement
June 2010
Looking to come up with the next big thing? You could start by tearing up the research rule book, argue Doron Meyassed and Tom Hoy.
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The product of a healthy relationship
June 2010
The relationship between researchers and product designers can be a rocky one. Paul Golden looks at how market research can make sure it promotes creative thinking rather than obstructs it.
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The script doctor will see you now – OTX to test movie screenplays
4-Jun-2010
US— The Worldwide Motion Picture Group at Ipsos OTX MediaCT has launched a division to evaluate films while they are still at script stage.
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This month we... had our brain scanned
June 2010
Our reporter James Verrinder dons a hat with wires attached to experience the power of neuromarketing first hand.
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Ticketmaster picks Omniture for site analytics task
23-Jun-2010
US— Ticketmaster has signed up to use Omniture’s analytics software on its main website. The SiteCatalyst product will be used to identify online trends on Ticketmaster.com, and engage with customers based on their geographic location, behavioural trends or other criteria.
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TNS names new managing director for Canada
15-Jun-2010
CANADA— Michael Ennamorato has been promoted to managing director of TNS Canada, replacing Michael LoPresti in the role.
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Tobii promises 'more natural' research with eye-tracking specs
22-Jun-2010
SWEDEN— Tobii has designed a pair of glasses equipped with eye-tracking technology that they claim will allow researchers to gain a greater level of insight into consumer behaviour while their subject is in a natural environment.
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TPSi opens oncology unit
30-Jun-2010
US/UK— Strategic brand consultancy the Planning Shop International (TPSi) has opened a business unit focusing on oncology.
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TRA licences Media Trust IP to extend ROI analytics services
23-Jun-2010
US— TRA has licensed intellectual property from the Media Trust partnership to add new measurements of advertising ROI to its Media TRAnalytics system which matches ad exposure to actual purchase behaviour.
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Tracking202 founders buy back business from Bloosky Interactive
7-Jun-2010
US— The founders of pay-per-click analytics firm Tracking202 have struck a deal to buy it back from direct marketing agency Bloosky Interactive – less than a year after the original deal was completed.
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Trade Commission to research deceptive marketing
17-Jun-2010
US— The Federal Trade Commission is embarking on a study into consumer susceptibility to fraudulent and deceptive marketing.
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Trading 'purity' for 'pragmatism' – Communispace makes case for new model MR
9-Jun-2010
US— “It is time to decouple the notion of ‘quality’ from purity. Today it is more important for research to be actionable than irrefutable,” says research community builder Communispace in a paper calling for a new model of research better suited to the social media age.
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Trajectory looks to the future of Glimpses database post-acquisition
23-Jun-2010
UK— Trends forecaster Trajectory Partnership has acquired the Glimpses trends database from curator The Tomorrow Project.
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Turkish president lends support to overturn ban on Google services
14-Jun-2010
TURKEY— Google has gained a valuable ally in its fight to lift restrictions affecting its services in Turkey – the country’s president Abdullah Gul.
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Twitter buys analytics firm Smallthought Systems
11-Jun-2010
US— Twitter is stepping up its commitment to analytics with the acquisition of Smallthought Systems, developers of the web analytics dashboard Trendly.
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UCLA researchers 'predict behaviour' through neuroscience
23-Jun-2010
US— Researchers can use neuroscience to draw information from respondents that they would not be able to describe in a conventional survey, according to a university study.
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UK government rolls out 'Spending Challenge' consultation
24-Jun-2010
UK— David Cameron today kicked off a promised consultation exercise on ways to reduce government spending, asking public sector workers and members of the public to share their ideas on where to make cuts.
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UK MR down 4.7% in '09 – but this year's Q1 looks better both at home and abroad
7-Jun-2010
UK/US— Market research industry revenue was down 4.7% in the UK last year, according to figures published this morning by the Market Research Society (MRS).
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Ups and downs – Amanda Souter
June 2010
Amanda Souter, research director at Leapfrog on advice, ad campaigns and ambition.
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US government health survey could move to private contractor
18-Jun-2010
US— The organiser of the National Health Interview Survey is considering taking on a private contractor to run the survey from 2014.
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US research industry posts 3.5% decline in 2009 revenues
17-Jun-2010
US— Research revenue in the US fell 3.5% to $8.6bn last year, according to Inside Research’s Jack Honomichl – with 30 of the top 50 firms reporting a decline in sales.
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uSamp adds US office, hires in India for project and IT work
7-Jun-2010
US— Online sample supplier uSamp has opened an office in Connecticut and formed a project management team to work out of India.
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ViewSpace viewing facilities to open for business
21-Jun-2010
UK— A focus group viewing facility called ViewSpace will open its doors next week in Old Beaconsfield on the outskirts of London.
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Webtrends CEO: Coremetrics takeover 'ruined most of my day'
16-Jun-2010
US— IBM’s bid to buy Coremetrics has set tongues wagging about whether Webtrends – the last of the big independent web analytics players – will be next on the auction block. But Webtrends CEO Alex Yoder says the company has no plans to go shop itself.
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Webtrends seals Associated Press World Cup deal
18-Jun-2010
US— The Associated Press has signed up Webtrends to provide analysis and measurement for its World Cup mobile app and website.
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Welker becomes chair of German online research society
11-Jun-2010
GERMANY— The German Society for Online Research (DGOF) has announced that Martin Welker has been appointed chair, replacing Olaf Wenzel, who has stood down for personal reasons.
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Western Wats appoints vice president for online services group
2-Jun-2010
US— Data collection agency Western Wats has promoted Bob Fawson to lead its online services group. Fawson previously served as an account manager with the firm, which he joined in 2007.
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Words ain't what they used to be
June 2010
Researchers are anxious to make the most of blogs, forums and social networks. But, Rosie Campbell asks, are we equipped to analyse the new language of online communication?
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WorldOne opens Brazilian office
30-Jun-2010
BRAZIL— Healthcare research data collection agency WorldOne has opened a new office in Brazil to manage its existing panellists across Latin America.
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WPP backs TV ad analytics firm Ace Metrix
17-Jun-2010
US— WPP has invested in Ace Metrix as part of a strategic partnership that will see the TV ad analytics firm’s services promoted to WPP clients, while jointly developing new tools and approaches to measuring and improving advertising effectiveness.
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WPP merges healthcare marketing agencies
25-Jun-2010
US— WPP has merged healthcare marketing networks Ogilvy Healthworld and CommonHealth into a single entity, creating what it calls a “global powerhouse” in the industry.
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Yahoo!7 hires Nielsen for online video audience measurement
1-Jun-2010
AUSTRALIA— Yahoo!7 has signed up Nielsen to provide it with online video audience measurement services. Damon Scarr, national media sales director for the internet portal, said: “Advertisers are telling us they want reliable insights and intelligence on online video.”
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YouGov Siraj launches Pakistan panel
20-Jun-2011
UAE— Online researcher YouGov Siraj has launched a proprietary, research-only panel in Pakistan and has already signed up 10,000 respondents.
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Your cuts, your way
9-Jun-2010
George Osborne’s announcement yesterday of a consultation on the coming public spending cuts has met with a predictable reaction.
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Youthography sinks after stormy recession
2-Jun-2010
CANADA— Specialist youth research agency Youthography has shut down after a decade in business – a casualty of the recession, according to chief strategic officer Mike Farrell.
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Zain Raj quits as CEO of Euro RSCG data arm
4-Jun-2010
US— Zain Raj has quit as CEO of digital agency Euro RSCG’s data and analytics arm, Discovery, to join Chicago-based private equity firm Lake Capital. He will remain with the business until the end of the month.
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Zee TV signs Rentrak for audience measurement
2-Jun-2010
US— Asian content broadcaster Zee TV has signed up to use Rentrak’s TV Essentials audience measurement service.
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Zokem's mobile analytics scoops funding for international expansion
10-Jun-2010
FINLAND— Mobile analytics start-up Zokem has secured €2m in funding to fuel its growth over the next 12 months.