Marketing Intelligence was reportedly closed in May this year after 11 years in business as clients cut back on their research spending, but partner Chris Baker told Research that the firm had “never officially closed and had been in limbo” since the end of May.

He said that he had kept in contact with the agency’s clients, and after a three-and-a-half month spell with advertising research agency Communicus, struck a “merger of sorts” with Strongpoint to form a new company – Strongpoint MI.

Baker will serve as research director at the new firm, responsible for surveys, focus groups, depth interviews and data analytics.

He said that there “may have been an opportunity” to reopen Marketing Intelligence as a stand-alone business some time in the future but the deal with Strongpoint offered access to new sets of clients for both firms.

Kapil Jain, the University of Arizona professor who co-founded Marketing Intelligence with Baker in 1999 remains associated with the company as a consultant.