Kantar Worldpanel and IMRB in expanded consumer panel deal

The partners – sister companies within WPP’s Kantar group of insight agencies – will relaunch their consumer panel service, MarketPulse, in 2014, with a further 10,000 households added to the existing 70,000-strong panel. The panel will cover new states such as Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

MarketPulse, it’s claimed, will also be the first panel in India to use insights from the 2011 Census and the socio-economic category consumer classification released by the Market Research Society of India in 2011.

“The rapid pace of globalisation means India is an important market for multinational companies and, increasingly, Indian businesses are looking to expand across the globe,” said Josep Montserrat, global CEO of Kantar Worldpanel.

“The new partnership will meet these needs and make it possible for clients to gain a greater understanding of both the Indian and global markets in which they operate – and, importantly, to identify new growth opportunities.”

Herman Mehta, senior vice president at IMRB, added: “India is changing rapidly and the pressure is on Indian brands to maintain and increase their consumer base, grow loyalty and continue to expand. This strategic partnership will enable us to provide our clients with actionable insights into global trends and perspectives.”