Basis replaces SPA, which helped build the panel back in the summer of 2007. An IPC spokesman said the company would continue to work with SPA on other projects.

Women make up a significant proportion of the readership of IPC’s magazine titles, which include the likes of Marie Claire, Look and IdealHome. The Origin Panel is used in an effort keep up to speed on the attitudes and behaviours of this audience, to inform product and brand development, and as a resource for advertiser research.

IPC Advertising’s director of insight Amanda Wigginton (pictured) said that with the change in research partner, “We aim to make the panel a destination website for the women taking part, delivering an increased sense of community and more interactive elements.”

Basis research director Rune Mortensen said that, survey and discussion forums aside, tools such as wikis, feedback centres and blogs would be introduced to the panel “to generate deeper insights”.