The statement from the board of arbitration for German social and market research names Omniphon and its managing director Jochen Heller.

The board said Omniphon had not done enough to separate its research and marketing activities, or to make that distinction clear to the public. It highlighted that the company’s full name refers to ‘dialogue marketing and market research’ and that materials on its website link the two types of service.

The board said it chose to issue a public reprimand in order to prevent damage to the public perception of the research industry.

Germany’s research industry has strict rules on keeping research and marketing activities separate, and on safeguarding respondent anonymity, both of which are seen as vital to protecting the industry’s reputation among lawmakers and the public.

A promotional campaign to make clear the distinction between research and marketing was launched last year by a group of research associations including the ADM, which runs the board of arbitration.

Omniphon had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

UPDATE 10/3/11: Jochen Heller of Omniphon has provided a statement in response to the reprimand, which he said was based on a complaint from a competitor. Heller said that Omniphon’s research and dialogue marketing activities are strictly separated. He added that the firm has operated for 10 years without any complaints about its adherence to industry regulations, and has been a member of the research association BVM since 2007, with its current organisational structure and company name. The company will continue to comply with industry principles and regulationsand consult with the BVM on the matter, Heller said.