YouGov completes SMG Insight acquisition

YouGov previously held a 20% stake in SMG Insight since 2010, but in 2018, announced it was buying the remaining 80% stake in the company from founder and managing director Frank Saez.

The deal was due to complete in May 2021, but SMG Insight has outperformed its revenue targets with ‘strong results’, meaning the earn-out period has been shorter than originally planned, YouGov said.

SMG focuses on media measurement and sponsorship evaluation in the sport sector. The company has offices in Australia, the US, the UK, UAE and India. Following the deal, it has been rebranded and integrated into the wider YouGov group.

Stephan Shakespeare, chief executive of YouGov (pictured), said: “Our proposition in the sports sector is proving to be a great success. The completion of this deal will allow us to more effectively build on this momentum.”