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US retail behemoth Walmart is to extend its Luminate insights solution outside the US, with the ambition of turning its Walmart Data Ventures division into 'a global leader in insights and analytics'. More
Shopper insights agency Explorer Research, recently acquired by Savanta, is expanding into the UK with the London launch of its experiential lab. More
Minnetonka, MN-based full service custom researcher SIVO has announced that CEO and co-founder Cindy Blackstock will step down, with former SVP Client Experience Julie Rose promoted to fill the CEO role. More
Australian marketing advisory, strategy and analytics company Forethought has launched BrandComms.AI, which generates creative ideas based on consumer behaviour and 'tested for impact with real consumers'. More
In the UK,strategic insight agency Opinium has named ten more staff members as equity partners,as it aims for eventual 50% employee ownership. More
Kantar has announced a partnership with attention-based media quality measurement specialist Adelaide, enriching the outputs from the former's LIFT and LIFT+ products. More
The Tesco Media & Insight Platform, which combines the British supermarket's loyalty card data and in-store insights with the expertise of its subsidiary dunnhumby, has appointed former Amazon exec Steve Edwards as Head of Agency, and former Pinterest man Russell Franklin as Head of Client Bus Dev. More
British firm STRAT7 Jigsaw has promoted Sarah McKee to the role of Managing Director, taking over the day-to-day running of the business from founders Ann Morgan and Sue Van Meeteren, who will move to focus on key accounts and improving collaboration between Jigsaw and other STRAT7 Group companies. More
In Toronto, Canada, consumer insights and cross-platform audience measurement provider Vividata has announced a strategic partnership with data solutions and data science company Consumer Orbit. A new company and two new products are the immediate results of this collaboration. More
Kantar, has appointed James Lavell in the new role of Chief Commercial Officer for its Profiles Division - the group's Centre of Expertise for panel management as well as home to its portfolio of custom research services. More
Purchase transaction insights firm Behaviorally has partnered with China-based eCommerce giant Alibaba to offer the former's pack testing products on the latter's TMIC (Tmall Innovation Center) platform, allowing users to assess the impact of packaging design and eCommerce visuals in the country. More
Ipsos has reported continued solid growth in the first quarter of the year, with revenue up 4.5% in organic terms, to EUR 557.5m. The EMEA and Asia Pacific regions led the way with revenue up more than 9% in each case (organic) while the Americas saw a 3.2% decline. More
AI-based consumer research platform Bounce Insights has brought in Aaron Peck as Regional Commercial Director, North America, as it expands into the US. The company has also added Ian Kiernan to its board as Non-Executive Director. More
Manchester, UK-based product intelligence platform Vypr has appointed Glenn Porter as Chief Commercial Officer. More
Marketing intelligence software company Proxima has closed a $12m Series A round of funding. Money will be used to further develop its technology platform, including AI-powered feature development, as well as recruitment for its tech and commercial teams. More
Consumer information and credit reporting company TransUnion has partnered with researcher MRI-Simmons, promising clients 'improved actionability across the addressable marketing ecosystem'. More
Consumer intelligence specialist NIQ - previously Nielsen IQ - has appointed former TransUnion exec R. Dane Mauldin as Chief Transformation Officer. He replaces Curtis Miller, who moves into the role of Chief Strategy Officer. More
US firm Decision Analyst has promoted Bonnie Janzen to President, taking over the role from founder Jerry W. Thomas, who continues to serve as CEO More
Market Research charity the MRBA has three days to run on its 2024 auction. Bidding for two tickets to Taylor Swift's sold-out Eras tour (Wembley Stadium concert, August) currently stands at £1,500, but those with more modest budgets can bid for bottles, days / meals out and other items. More
Consumer and B2B research agency 2CV has promoted Sabine Cronick to the role of CEO of UK/EU, and James Redden to CEO of US and APAC. More
Personalized shopping experience company Fermat, based in San Francisco, has more than doubled its funding to date with a $17m raise. The firm's software allows users to launch, test and optimize web pages based on individual customer journeys and the preferences and intentions they reveal. More
Former Dynata Chief Gary Laben has joined retail and consumer goods analytics and inventory optimisation firm Trax, as CEO. More
Australia marketing advisory, strategy and analytics company Forethought has appointed Diane Shelton and Andrew Slot as Joint Managing Directors, effective immediately. Shelton is a former CEO returning to the firm, while ten-year company veteran Slot has been serving as Interim MD for the past year. More
Customer data science pioneer dunnhumby has partnered with location analytics specialist Placer.ai in the US to provide retailers and CPG companies with a combination of on-and off-line customer insights and personalize customer communications and experiences. More
Global MR and data group YouGov has announced the rebranding of its Swiss subsidiary LINK, acquired in December 2021, as YouGov Switzerland. More
NIQ, the consumer intelligence company previously part of Nielsen and now combined with GfK, has launched a Global Media Division, which it says is 'designed to enhance the value advertisers derive from their marketing efforts' - and has appointed Lana Busignani to lead it. More
Ipsos has launched InnoExplorer, which uses generative and analytical AI to help clients accelerate innovation cycles 'from months to days' and improve success rates. More
Brand tracking specialist Tracksuit has raised $13.5m in Series A funding, which it will use for its official launch in the US and UK markets, and to expand its research and platform capabilities. More
In Antwerp, Belgium, design-tech company iVisual has launched AI-based branding and packaging intelligence technology which it says will 'transform the way companies develop branding and packaging'. The new firm has appointed Julie Dumoulin as its CEO. More
Ipsos has reported organic, constant currency revenue growth of 8.8% for the fourth quarter of 2023, and 3% for the full year, with operating profit stable at an all-time high of 13.1%. More
In San Francisco, consumer insights, marketing strategy and training firm Ignite 360 has announced that founder and Chairman Rob Volpe will resume his role as CEO from next week, as current Chief Lisa Osborne leaves for an insights leadership role at a healthcare nonprofit. More
Packaging, NPD and shopper specialist PRS IN VIVO has appointed Richard Bordenave as global Chief Behavioral Officer. More
Consumer data giant Circana has announced changes to its commercial organisation including the appointment of former CPG sector President Jeremy Allen as Chief Commercial Officer. Tim Bush, currently President, General Merchandise, will retire by the end of the year after two decades at Circana and NPD. More
Agile and automated market research platform Zappi has appointed Nataly Kelly as Chief Marketing Officer and promoted Babita Earle from EVP of Global Enterprise Partnerships to International MD. The firm also recently hired Melissa Clucas as CFO. More
Automated in-home product testing platform Highlight has announced changes to its leadership team, with the appointments of Priyanka Carr as COO and President, and Deirdre Norris as VP of Product. More
In the US. customer experience company Harte Hanks has made permanent the previously Interim CFO role of David Garrison, and appointed David Fisher as Chief Transformation Officer. More
Manchester-based kids, parents and family specialist The Insights Family has secured a £5.6m investment, with which to continue and accelerate its rapid global growth. More
MR and analytics group YouGov has promoted Tom Fisher to Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), aiming to deepen its relationships with blue-chip clients. More
London-based Firefish Group has rebranded its quant and data analytics business the numbers lab as 'Firefish Data', reflecting its evolution into an agency delivering 'fully connected, integrated and agile human insights consulting, driven by AI, connected data and new technologies'. More
Consumer intelligence provider NIQ has joined forces with Databricks to develop a Supply Chain Solution for retail clients, combining the latter's Data Intelligence Platform with the former's Connect / Discover platform to promise more accurate demand forecasting and better personalization. More
Shanghai-based fieldwork and research services provider Holden Healthcare has welcomed a partner in Korea to its Asia Physician Panel Alliance (APPA). Seoul agency Nownfuture joins existing partners Seed Planning in Japan and The Owl Consulting Company in Taiwan. More
In Worthington, Ohio, consumer data and insights provider Prosper Insights & Analytics has announced a partnership with business data monetization platform DataPostie, which will make smaller bundles of Prosper's data available on demand via a Consumer Insights Marketplace. More
The Insights Family, which provides intelligence focused on kids, parents and families, has relocated its Manchester headquarters to a larger space in the city centre, and has launched in the Republic of Ireland - described as its first 'Tier 2' market. More
Insights group Human8 has announced a change of leadership at its cultural and creative consultancy Space Doctors. Co-founder and MD Fiona McNae will leave the company at the end of this year, after 22 years, to be replaced by Gareth Lewis and Cato Hunt. More
At fast food chain McDonald's, former VP Global Insights and Analytics Michelle Gansle has been promoted to Chief Data and Analytics Officer. More
Consumer data and analytics firm NIQ has announced the launch of NIQ Labs, an innovation center which it says will 'harness the collective power of top-tier talent and capabilities acquired through strategic M&As'. More
DRNO's News Editor of seventeen years Mel Crowther passed away last week after a battle with cancer. Mel has been a wonderful colleague and the driving force in making this publication what it is today, as well as a well-loved figure in the industry, and I'm sorry I know her loss will come as a shock to a lot of you. More
In Chicago, fast-growing agency QualSights has appointed Tod Johnson and Karyn Schoenbart to its Board of Directors. More
New York-based CPG industry customer insight platform Yogi has announced a $10m Series A round of funding, with which to accelerate growth including product development and the expansion of client support. More
Consumer research platform GWI has appointed former OAG tech leader Nick Dearden as CTO, based in its UK headquarters in London. More
Consumer analytics and market intelligence provider NIQ has promoted Elizabeth Buchanan to serve as President of its North American business, based in Chicago. She replaces Jeanne Danubio, who is retiring after 38 years with the business. More
'In The Moment' emotive analytics firm Blue Yonder Research has been granted a patent in the US, UK and Europe for its Clickscape technology, which links measured emotions to specific moments in real time. More
New Zealand-based customer insights platform Ideally has appointed Simon Gawn to lead Australian operations, reflecting its 'ambitious growth strategy'. More
We are 25! On 29th Nov 1998 the first job ad appeared on mrweb.com. We're celebrating with the relaunch of our directories, under a new brand and with an ambitious new approach; and with Thank You's to our regular advertisers and some special offers for new ones. More
US-based, AI-powered sponsorship analytics platform Relo Metrics has expanded its broadcast viewing and valuation data into the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, as well as Asia Pacific. More
Stockholm-based affluent and HNWI fieldwork specialist Altiant has appointed Lyndsey Denyer as VP of Client Services, and promoted Meryam Schneider to Chief Marketing Officer. More
Consumer testing platform Stickybeak, which recruits respondents for testing and research through social media platforms, has partnered with online sample marketplace PureSpectrum to ensure clients can reach 'any consumer niche anywhere in the world'. More
Ipsos has promoted Kirstopher Hull to the new role of Executive Vice President and Senior Client Officer of its North America Consumer Products Segment. More
US-based family entertainment and dining group CEC Entertainment has hired Mark Kupferman as Chief Insights and Marketing Officer for its flagship brand, Chuck E. Cheese and its virtual kitchen brands. He also takes overall responsibility for all insights and research. More
Toluna has confirmed its senior team following the June acquisition of MetrixLab. The firm's Chief Sales, Research, Technology and Financial Officers will remain in role while former MetrixLab Global HR Director Hans Verhulst becomes Chief People Officer and Jolique Weelink Chief Insight Officer. More
European data collection group Norstat has handed over management of its research panel in the Republic of Ireland to its newly acquired UK subsidiary Panelbase. More
Consumer data giant Circana has announced an agreement to give clients of marketing tech company The Trade Desk access to its Media Lift solution, providing authenticated audience targeting and multi-retailer measurement. More
Vilnius, Lithuania-based consumer data platform provider Syno International has promoted Mantas Stirbys to serve as its Chief Operating Officer. More
Nielsen has partnered with consumer research platform GWI to launch 'the Nielsen GWI Fusion', promising clients 'more comprehensive insights' into US TV audiences, cross-media behavior and its drivers. More
US research firm SMARI has moved into a new location in the First Internet Bank Building in Downtown Fishers, Indiana. The company is returning to office-based work after a few years 'completely virtual'. More
Ipsos has reported third quarter revenue of EUR 588m, representing organic growth of 4.3% and restoring year-to-date organic growth after shrinkage in the first half. All the group's global regions shared in the Q3 growth, with EMEA leading the way. More
London-based consultancy Thinks Insight & Strategy has reshaped its leadership structure with co-fonder Ben Shimson stepping into the CEO role; and promoted Richenda Devereux to Operations Partner. More
Kantar has announced a 'broad expansion' of AI capabilities within its brand strategy and creative development portfolio. They include Link subscriptions, to help stretch ad testing budgets; celebrity recognition in Link AI testing; predictive eye tracking; big data for threat detection; and help with 'sonic branding'. More
Research tech firm SightX has moved its VP Global Commercialization Daryl Maloney McCall to focus on regional growth in Europe and APAC, as its offering and client base in these regions expands. More
British, tech-based insights and data firm Delineate is moving its headquarters to Ceredigion, on the west coast of Wales, and says it will build its team there to some 50 employees. More
In Sydney, Nielsen has partnered with audience tech firm Eyeota and synthetic population modeler RDA Research to offer Australian advertisers and marketers enhanced access to its CMV dataset (Consumer and Media View). More
In the UK, STRAT7-owned cultural insight and strategy consultancy Crowd DNA has appointed Elliot Pigram as its new Global MD. Pigram will take the reins on 1st January next year from founder and CEO Andy Crysell, who will move to the position of non-executive Chair. More
Supermarket giant Tesco and its data division dunnhumby have announced further new features on the Tesco Media & Insight Platform, including ads on 'Scan as You Shop' handsets, product placement options, and collaboration with the ISBA over standardisation of retail media measurement. More
In Manchester, UK, product intelligence platform Vypr has promoted its CFO Chris Williams to CEO. He replaces founder Ben Davies, who the firm says will maintain a key role in the leadership team as it looks to scale up. More
AI-powered consumer brand tracker.Brox.AI, which was set up earlier this year by two of the creators of YouGov Signal, has raised $1.9m in a seed funding round. More
Boutique agency Intuit Research has partnered with Kantar's Profiles division to launch a syndicated survey called Media DOTS (Media Data on Target Segments), tracking the profile, mindset, media habits and product consumption of the general population (aged 12 to 64) in Hong Kong. More
In Miami, retail markets predictive intelligence platform Daash has closed a $2.75m seed investment round, for use in honing its predictive intelligence platform and scaling go-to-market efforts across multiple CPG categories. More
Panels and behavioral data specialist Netquest has appointed Jordi Guix as Client Solutions Director, signalling 'a new era of strategic growth and innovation', according to the firm. More
UK-based insights and data firm Delineate has promoted Simon Sketchley to the role of Chief Client Officer, covering all aspects of client delivery including insight functions, data services and quality. More
CTV and cross-screen advertising company LG Ad Solutions has developed a targeting and measurement solution called LoopIQ, in partnership with consumer purchase insights firm Affinity Solutions. More
Human insight business One Minute to Midnight has launched a dedicated global quantitative unit called 'One Minute to Midnight & Counting'. More
Full service research agency mindline has appointed five former execs from consultancy Happy Thinking People, for its new Berlin-based qual unit mindline explore. More
US-based customer intelligence platform InMoment and digital experience analyst Contentsquare have partnered to help marketing CX teams visualize customer experiences and understand web site and mobile app visitor behavior. More
London and New York-based customer data and experience specialist Ometria has raised £8m in growth capital, for use in further developing the retail-specific AI capabilities of its platform. More
Insights-based consulting firm SKIM has opened an office in Paris, France - its fourth location in Europe and tenth worldwide. More
British supermarket chain Asda has appointed former Aldi exec David Hills as Chief Customer Officer. He takes over from acting Chief Customer Officer Sam Dickson, who will assume responsibility for Asda brand customer propositions with a focus on improving quality perception. More
In the US Circana, the company formed from the merger of IRI and the NPD Group, has launched what it describes as its first 'guided survey solution'. Fast Feedback Guided Surveys taps the consumer insights platform of partner firm Zappi and targets 'small to midsize CPG brands'. More
TRA Labs, the ventures arm of Australian insights firm TRA, has partnered with innovation studio Previously Unavailable to launch Ideally, a platform promising 'fast, affordable and accessible customer insights to help bring great ideas to life'. More
Marcoms giant Omnicom has announced an expansion of its partnership with corporate comms group Criteo to encompass digital shelf and other retail data; and a new deal between its OMG media services division and customer data science pioneer dunnhumby. More
Consumer purchasing analyst Behaviorally has appointed Brent Snider as Managing Director, Global Business Development. He joins from Maru where he was President & Chief Revenue Officer. More
Automated physical product testing platform Highlight has raised $18m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to accelerate its product roadmap, expand its community of 'Highlighters', and grow its team. More
CX and insights firm Alida and insights platform Discuss have deepened their partnership to extend the former's qualitative research solutions, adding Discuss's moderator capabilities to Alida's managed service offering in its Video Discussions product. More
US market research firm SMARI has appointed former Research Now and Precision Sample Vice President Pat Goodnight as VP of Business Development, a step change for the 40-year-old company which had previously focused on referrals. More
New York City and London-based data intelligence platform Tracer has closed an oversubscribed $18.1m Series A round of funding. More
New York-based cold chain sector business intelligence tool SnoFox has launched out of stealth with $4.5m of seed funding, which it will use to reach new customers in more markets across the US, and to hire new talent. More
In the US, four former execs of new product advisory service Top Box Associates have launched a research agency called Innovate Wisely, focused on new product development. More
UK insight agency Walnut UNLIMITED has named Jane Rudling as its new Managing Director, succeeding Chris Bland. The firm has also appointed two Research Directors - Vanessa Henry to lead its shopper proposition, and Raluca Usery in the Qualitative team. More
Ipsos has announced results for the second quarter of 2023, returning to very modest organic revenue growth thanks to a strong performance in emerging markets. The group says its business is 'returning to a more usual pattern' after Covid and is on course for a good year. More
In the US, retail space-planning and performance analytics software developer Nuqleous has secured $26m in strategic growth investment, and says it will accelerate product innovation and strengthen its customer-led growth. More
In New York, business intelligence platform Polar Analytics has raised $9m in Series A funding, and says it will continue hiring engineers and product designers with the aim of doubling its current headcount of 30 people, in the next eighteen months. More
In the UK, consumer behaviour data company ViewersLogic is partnering with media investment analysis specialist Ebiquity, integrating the data from its Single-Source Data Panel (SSD Panel) with Ebiquity's media optimisation platform. More
London-based mobility intelligence company Huq Industries has raised £4m in equity funding, which will fuel its expansion into new international markets and further development of its Huq Signals platform. More
UK-based consumer intelligence technology company Measure Protocol has appointed Christie Hartbarger as its first Chief Revenue Officer. She is based in Chicago. More
Inventory planning platform Flagship, which delivers customer-focused, data-driven solutions to the retail sector, has raised $5m in a seed funding round. Money will be used to further accelerate development of the firm's first product, and to grow its customer base. More
Leeds, UK-based consumer intelligence firm STRAT7 Researchbods has opened an office in New York, its first in the US. Former Echo-MR exec Steve Becker joins to help expand the firm's US operations. More
GfK has entered into an agreement to sell its European Consumer Panel (CP) business to YouGov, as part of its deal to merge with NielsenIQ (NIQ). Terms of the CP sale have not been disclosed. More
In London, Kantar has hired former eBay / Amazon exec Bérengère Chaintreau-Fuchs for the newly created role of Global Panel Director in its Profiles division. More
Tesco-owned data firm dunnhumby has appointed Josh Bottomley as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Dan Olley who had been in the post only since January 2022. More
In the US, sponsorship measurement specialist MVP Index has raised $20m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to fuel expansion plans, accelerate product innovation, and strengthen its sales and marketing efforts. More
In the UK, retail intelligence platform Upp. has raised $10m in a seed funding round, which it will use to continue improving its technology, accelerate the growth of its sales and marketing function, expand geographically, and launch new AI/ML-driven automation solutions for retailers. More
US broadcaster Fox Corporation has appointed long-time FOX Sports executive Mike Mulvihill, as President, Insights and Analytics, a new role overseeing the research, analytics and strategic planning teams across FOX Sports, FOX Entertainment and Tubi. More
MrWeb has partnered with insight sector organisation GreenBook, publisher of the GRIT Report and the GreenBook Directory, and organiser of IIEX events, to further expand the reach and appeal of its job board, currently in its 25th year. WIRe (Women in Research) and ESOMAR are already partners. More
Havas Media Network (HMN) has rolled out its CSA consumer behavior specialist business across its global network, promising clients improved understanding of customer data and higher ROI through analytics and machine learning solutions. More
WPP's consumer data specialist Wavemaker has appointed Sindhuja Rai as Chief Executive Officer in Asia Pacific, based in Singapore. She takes up the role in September, when she will also join the Wavemaker Global Executive team and the GroupM APAC Leadership team. More
Nigeria-based MR and strategy firm Pierrine Consulting has officially opened offices in Kenya and Ghana, to support clients in the East and West African regions. More
Consumer behaviour specialist Circana, formed from the merger of IRI and The NPD Group, has appointed Anne Bramman as Chief Financial and Growth Officer and a member of its executive leadership team. She starts on June 20th. More
In the US, real-time product pricing, promotions and assortment data provider Datasembly has raised $16m in funding, which it will use to bring new tools to the market. More
New York print and digital publisher Dotdash Meredith (DDM) has launched an ad targeting tool called D/Cipher, facilitating intent-based targeting at scale without cookies. More
Former Illuminas MD Frank Ma has launched a qualitative research business called One16 in Singapore, focusing on market / user exploratory studies, concept testing, post-launch tracking and UX research. More
In New York, consumer insights specialist MRI-Simmons has received continuing Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for its consumer study, including the Doublebase USA study and MEMRI analytics tool; and a new accreditation for its Insights Platform. More
Circana, recently formed from the merger of consumer data and insights firms Information Resources Inc. (IRI) and The NPD Group, has appointed long-time Ford exec Amy Marentic as President, Global Solutions. She succeeds Nishat Mehta who is leaving after six years with the firm. More
Kantar has launched an 'always-on' brand performance tracker called BrandNow, delivering daily benchmarks and short-term forecasts for 25 product and service categories. The solution is initially available for tracking US and UK markets. More
Australia-based consumer data company Pureprofile has expanded its research panel through a partnership with AsiaPacific shopping rewards and payments platform ShopBack. Shoppers can earn cashback by completing surveys. More
Following the news that it filed for bankruptcy in February, US-based ad tech and data company Big Village has sold its Insights and Agency business units to holding company Bright Mountain Media for approximately $20m. More
Ipsos has reported a 2.9% drop in Q1 revenues to EUR 532m, with organic decline of 2.8%. The firm had said when presenting its 2022 annual results that it anticipated a 'tougher first quarter'. The total is still 26% up on the figure for Q1 2019, pre-Covid, and Ipsos says it expects annual growth of c.5%. More
Consumer insight provider Human8, until recently known as InSites Consulting, has expanded its services to the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region, where Senior Business Director Kurt Thompson will lead activies from Dubai, UAE. More
YouGov has appointed Meta Platforms exec Steve Hatch as Chief Executive Officer from 1st August. He will take over from co-founder Stephan Shakespeare, who will become Non-Executive Chair, replacing Roger Parry. More
In London, customer data science specialist dunnhumby has appointed Ben Burdsall as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), leading the global engineering function which is responsible for the design, build and operation of technology solutions. More
New York-based market intelligence platform Native AI has raised $3.5m in a seed funding round, to expand its services helping brands to digitally clone their target customers into test groups, ask them questions and instantly get actionable recommendations. More
Kantar has announced a new growth strategy for the APAC region; launched a tailored platform in China; and plans to quadruple the size of its Indian panel. More
GfK and price intelligence company Minderest have partnered to provide retailers and manufacturers with a 'comprehensive overview' of current prices in their markets, as well as recommendations for price adjustments, using the latter firm's smart updating online shelf price information. More
In Canada, foodservice market analytics specialist Brizo Data has raised $12m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to accelerate growth and expand into new markets. More
US consumer insights provider MRI-Simmons and Spanish-language media company TelevisaUnivision have partnered to enable advertisers to use the former's psychographic and behavioral consumer variables, including insights into English and Spanish-speaking Hispanics. More
Marketing and communications agency Allison+Partners has launched a multicultural marketing offering called M365, comprising a team with expertise in 'ensuring diverse consumer groups are seen, heard and valued every day of the year'. More
In the US, Ipsos has partnered with video feedback platform Discuss to enhance its offering in live virtual feedback and fast online qual, among other areas. More
Toronto-based eCommerce analytics platform Birdseye has raised $500k in a pre-seed round of funding, which it will use to expand its engineering team and continue developing its AI-powered technology. More
Retail intelligence provider EDITED has raised $15m in growth funding, which it will use for further product development, to invest in partnerships, and for 'opportunistic' mergers and acquisitions. More
British Out-Of-Home (OOH) measurement body Route has issued an invitation for partners to design a measurement system for out-of-home advertising on posters and screens across Great Britain. More
In New York, data-led creative agency Formerly Knowns As (FKA) has appointed Linsey Loy as Chief Growth Officer. More
Consumer and B2B agency 2CV has promoted Karine Pepin to SVP and Head of Quant, and Amy Spencer to SVP and Head of Qual. The pair are based in San Francisco, and now jointly lead the firm's US offices. More
In the US, recently merged consumer data and insights firms Information Resources Inc. (IRI) and The NPD Group have named the combined company 'Circana', which CEO Kirk Perry says conveys the business's 360-degree, full-circle understanding of the consumer and market. More
In New York, Ipsos' brand and marketing advisory unit Strategy3 has promoted Philip Ryan to the role of US Managing Partner, and Service Line Head. More
In New York, former Qualtrics exec Kimberly Bastoni has joined consumer insights tech firm Suzy as its first Chief Revenue Officer. More
In London, creative and technology company MSQ has hired Anna-Lee Bridgstock - formerly Director of Data, Intelligence and Planning at social media publisher LADbible - for the new role of Partner of Analytics & Insight in its Freemavens division. More
In the UK, personalised beauty shopping marketplace Sourcerie has raised £1.8m in a pre-seed round of funding, which it will use to continue to build its tech platform and personalisation software for consumer skin, hair and body care consumers and brands. More
NielsenIQ, the consumer intelligence business which split away from its Media wing two years ago this month and is now combining with GfK, has rebranded as NIQ. Accompanying this, the firm says it is undergoing 'a significant transformation' and is committed to providing the 'Full View' of global consumers. More
MrWeb's RAIDAR real-time ranking of top companies operating in analytics, insight and data is now fully operational, and you'll see financial results, CEO changes and other items from tonight's Daily Research News reflected in tomorrow's top 40. More
London-based Zipzero, which rewards consumers for sharing any shopping receipt via an app, has raised £1m in seed funding, which it will use to further develop its platform and its partnerships with retailers and brands. More
Savanta has promoted Danielle Rodriguez to Chief Commercial Officer and Mark Martins to Chief Services Officer, both with seats on the firm's global Board and both retaining existing roles and responsibilities in addition. More
Shopper insights specialist Behaviorally is opening a new hub in Sydney, and has appointed former TNS and Colgate-Palmolive exec Lauren Kurensky to lead it. More
Consumer and sensory research agency MMR Research Worldwide has announced the opening of a facility in Wokingham, Berkshire, designed to help FMCG firms improve their pack and product experience. More
German-based pricing analyst Simon-Kucher has announced revenue of EUR 534.9m for 2022, up 21% year-on-year. The company has also unveiled a new brand identity based around 'Unlocking better growth'. More
Ipsos has reported 2022 annual revenue up 12% to EUR 2.4 bn, representing organic growth of 5.6%. In the final quarter of the year, the business grew by 8.8%, including nearly 4% organic growth. More
In France, consumer intelligence business NielsenIQ has promoted Emilie Darolles to the role of Managing Director for Western Europe and International Global Clients. More
Media conglomerate News Corp Australia has launched a research and intelligence service called The Growth D_Stillery, offering consumer insights to help marketers meet brand challenges, anticipate consumer trends and understand where best to invest. More
In the UK, The Insights Family has hired Voxpopme co-founder Tom Williams as Chief Growth Officer, while moving Clive Maudsley to the role of COO. Founder Nick Richardson moves to Chief Strategy Officer, following the appointment of Rachel Bardill to lead the Marketing and Partnerships team. More
London-based immersive product shopping platform Situ Live has raised £1m in an investment round, which it will use to further develop its technology and increase sales and marketing activity. More
In London, agencies See Research and Sherbert Research have partnered to combine See's global MR operations with Sherbert's specialism in kids, youth and family research. More
Swiss data service provider Redslim and UK-based analytics company Interrodata have partnered, to help execs at CPG and retail industry organisations draw insights from multiple data sources, and receive a personalized view of business performance. More
Behavioural science research and consulting agency PRS IN VIVO, in collaboration with sister agency BVA BDRC, is expanding its services in the APAC region, through the opening of a new office in Australia. More
Australia-based consumer data firm Pureprofile has announced revenue up 21% to $AUD 12.8m for the quarter ended 31st December, the second of its fiscal year 2023. More
In the US, behavioral science and MR consultancy Protobrand has appointed former employee Pal Marton Afzelius to Chief Executive Officer, taking over from founder and Chairman Anders Bengtsson. More
In New York, QR code customer engagement platform Beaconstac, which businesses use to acquire first-party data, has raised $25m in a Series A round of funding, which will help to further develop its technology and expand its team. More
As of today, you can filter MrWeb's recently-launched real-time ranking of top companies providing MR, insights, data and analytics activities, to include just one type (eg Full Service) or one headquarters country. Another ten firms have been assessed and added, making it a top 40. More
In New York, insights and analytics company Consumer Edge has raised $60m in equity financing, which it will use to accelerate product expansion and drive its mergers and acquisitions strategy. More
In between paying nine-figure fines and settlements, Meta has found time to strike a deal with IRI which will allow the consumer data giant to link ad campaigns on Instagram and Facebook to US retail sales at the brand and product level. 'Ansa' also allows for campaign targeting and optimization. More
More than two years after first announcing its Nielsen One cross-platform measurement solution, and a year after the start of 'Alpha' testing, Nielsen says it is ready for a full launch of the first elements next week. More
Purchasing behavior specialist Behaviorally has hired Gustavo Alvarez to launch a Latin American hub in Mexico City. More
That's it for another year from DRNO - our next issue will be for January 3rd 2023. Our very best wishes for a Merry Christmas to all those of you celebrating it, a Happy New Year to all readers, and a big Thank You as ever for your support and feedback in 2022. More
Today we're launching RAIDAR. Like an industry top 30 companies list, but instead of publishing it once a year, we'll update it every day based on yesterday's DRNO stories and other company data; show our workings; include companies never before considered; and allow sorting by a long list of criteria. More
Monterrey, Mexico-based promotion and pricing optimization specialist Kuona has raised $6m in seed funding, which it will use to expand its presence in key locations including Latin America, Europe and the US. More
Consumer intelligence platform ProfitWheel has raised $1.2m in a pre-series A round of funding, building on a $3m seed round last year. The funding will be used to expand in the US and other global markets, and to hire for its sales and customer success teams. More
Automated consumer insights platform Zappi has raised $170m in growth capital, which it will use to expand data sets across new markets, verticals and categories; power its platform innovation with emerging technologies; and continue expanding its team globally. More
Customer data science pioneer dunnhumby has appointed Matt O'Grady as its President for the Americas region, a newly created role responsible for delivering growth across the two continents, reporting direct to CEO Dan Olley. More
Dan Olley, CEO of Tesco-owned customer data specialist dunnhumby, is joining financial services company Hargreaves Lansdown in the Chief Exec role. A dunnhumby spokesperson told DRNO that Olley will continue as dunnhumby CEO until a successor is appointed in the coming months. More
AdTech solutions company AdAdapted has partnered with Comscore, to provide CPG brands with demographic insights, while confirming to beer, wine and spirit advertisers that the AdAdapted network is legal drinking age (LDA) compliant. More
In the US, data science-driven retail planning solutions provider Invent Analytics has raised $7.5m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to continue its expansion in North America and Western Europe, and to invest in its AI-powered solutions. More
In the US, full service shopper behavior specialist Alter Agents has appointed Heather O'Shea as Chief Research Officer, and Casey Willard as Chief Analytics Officer, while promoting Eddie Francis to the role of Chief Operating Officer. More
Kids, teens, parents and family market intelligence provider The Insights Family has appointed Clive Maudsley as Managing Director, replacing Will Pearce, who had held the position for less than a year. Meanwhile founder Nick Richardson is stepping down from as CEO to focus on specific areas. More
In the US, machine learning-based retail database Luz, built for market research, competitor tracking and product development, has been renamed Particl. The firm has also raised $8.5m in a Series A round of investment, which it says it will use to 'disrupt' the MR sector. More
Netherlands-based full service agency DVJ Insights has opened an office in Helsingborg, Sweden, servicing global and local clients in the Nordic region and led by Client Consultants Pontus Egnér and Henrik Dieden. More
Consumer sensory insights specialist MMR Research has opened a new 'ASEAN sensory hub' facility in the Pasir Panjang area of Singapore. More
US-based company Vizit, which captures consumers' interactions with online commercial imagery to generate models of their visual preferences, has raised $10m in a Series A round of funding. More
Israel-based near real-time consumer insights provider Revuze has raised $12m in a round of growth investment, supported by NPD Group's former CEO and Chair. Proceeds will be used for expansion into the US, to scale technology, and to continue to innovate. More
In Australia, research and brand strategy consultancy Pollinate has opened new offices in two state capitals, Brisbane and Adelaide. More
In the US, Suffolk University's Sawyer Business School has integrated iMotions' biosensor research platform to launch an on-campus human behavior lab called X-Lab, which is dedicated to advancing academic research and integrating it into the school's curriculum. More
Manchester, UK-based consumer insights business Vypr has raised an additional £3.4m, which it will use to scale its product intelligence platform and consumer app, and invest in its commercial and product teams. More
AI-based retail, CPG and supply chain planning platform Impact Analytics has raised $10m in a round of growth funding, which it will use to continue expanding its retail solution suite, and scale its customer success, sales and marketing organizations in the US, EMEA and Asia. More
Ipsos has reported a 14.3% increase in reported third quarter revenue, to EUR 601.5m from EUR 526.3m a year earlier. Organic revenue growth was 5.3%, while 8.0% resulted from currency effects. More
In the US, data platform Crisp and in-store retail marketing and trade promotions agency Promomash have partnered, to launch a new solution allowing CPG brands to access and analyze actual product sales, shipment and trade spend data in one place. More
In New York, Banyan, which offers services such as automated expense management, fraud reduction and shopping offer development using item-level receipt data, has raised $43m in a Series A round of funding. More
CTV and omnichannel media measurement and planning specialist EMX by Big Village has partnered with Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM) to make Kroger's retail sales data available to advertisers through its Data Connected Private Marketplace (DCPMP) offering. More
The shareholders of northern European research firms RAIT, Dive and Intra have agreed to move the companies under a new holding company called STATCO. Ownership and branding of the individual businesses will remain unchanged. More
Insights group MetrixLab is opening a second UK office, in Manchester, and appointed three people to work in it: Cecily Crawley joins as a Team Lead and Richard Lomax as an AD, while recent joiner Sam Smith will move from remote working. Three more positions are being recruited. More
Singapore-based digital customer experience solutions provider TDCX has expanded to Turkey, where its new campus will offer capabilities in Turkish and Arabic, in addition to European languages. The firm also plans to expand to Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam in the next twelve months. More
In Europe, Nielsen has partnered with FMCG cash-back app Shopmium, a subsidiary of its existing US partner Quotient Technology, promising improved segmentation-based digital marketing for the post-cookie world. More
London-based design research agency The Big Picture (TBP) has promoted Chris Aukett and Laura Pereira to serve as Joint Managing Directors. Former MD John Cassidy becomes company Chairman. More
US entrepreneurs Alex Shamir, Jordan Shamir and Andrew Stetsenko have launched a platform called Yofi, to help brands and retailers understand their 'actual' customers, their motivations, and the best way to interact with them. The team has raised $1.5m in a pre-seed round of funding. More
Kantar's TGI consumer data team has partnered with location intelligence company Adsquare to help brands build targeted, cookieless and ID-free localised ad campaigns in Great Britain and France. More
In the US, comms agency Vox Global has opened a Behavioral Insights practice, led by SVP and company Partner James Baril, with support from Partner Jessica Abensour. More
In the US, consumer research and strategy consultancy Bastion Insights has appointed long-time Hall & Partners' exec Joanna Fanuele as Chief Executive Officer. She replaces outgoing CEO Chris Hubble, who founded the agency in 2009. More
Yahoo! and audience data and targeting specialist Adsquare have partnered to help advertisers in EMEA markets develop their digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaigns, using Adsquare's footfall measurement and audience scoring segments. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science specialist Nepa has announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Ann-Christine Fick, has resigned for 'personal reasons'. Fick will remain at the company until December, and a search for her replacement has commenced. More
US-headquartered shopper and digital marketing consultancy Behaviorally has opened a hub in Dubai, where it has appointed former Nielsen MD Abhik Gupta as a Consultant. More
YouGov has launched free 'Lite' versions of its BrandIndex and Profiles tools, allowing users to analyse their target audiences and track brand performance for no charge. More
Indian-owned consumer insights company Hansa Research has partnered with experience management platform Qualtrics, to help organizations monitor their brand health performance and build their brands in the country. More
Automated insights platform Zappi has hired MRS Board Chair Sinéad Jefferies for a newly created role with a global remit, Senior Vice President of Customer Transformation. More
In the US, former Microsoft exec Malli Vangala has joined newly merged consumer data and insights providers IRI and The NPD Group as Chief Strategy Officer. He succeeds Wei Lin Wong, who will now focus on his role as President of Retail. More
In New York, content creation and personalization platform FindMine has received a new round of venture capital funding, which supplements a previous seed round and brings the total raised to date to $9.9m. More
Kroger Precision Marketing (KPM), the retail media business of supermarket giant Kroger, which is powered by the chain's loyalty card data business 84.51 degrees, has expanded its private programmatic marketplace to include video and CTV inventory. More
In Canada, spatial analytics platform Cognitive3D has raised $2.5m in a seed funding round, and says it will double headcount during the next eighteen months. More
Automotive giant General Motors will be the first advertiser to integrate its own first-party data with media group NBCUniversal's identity platform, NBCUnified. More
Shopper and digital marketing consultancy Behaviorally has opened an office in Hanoi, Vietnam, and appointed Tomas Emmers there as Vice President. More
Berlin-based, AI-powered brand tracking and consumer insights platform Latana has raised EUR 36 million in a Series B round of equity and debt financing. Funds will be used to scale Latana's marketing and sales operations, grow its consumer-facing product teams, and for R&D. More
Online survey and research services firm QuestionPro has expanded to Japan with the opening of a Tokyo office, and appointed MR veteran Satoshi Komatsuzaki to lead it as Country Director. More
In the US, consumer data provider IRI and ad and marketing tech company Epsilon have connected the latter's identity solution CORE ID with IRI's CPG transaction data, through Epsilon's clean room, PeopleCloud Prospect. More
Consumer data giant IRI and connectivity and analytics platform LiveRamp have extended their existing partnership, offering access to purchase-based audiences from 45 million households in IRI ProScore within the LiveRamp Safe Haven data collaboration platform. More
Kantar has announced unaudited results for the first half of 2022, with 'gross revenue' up 5% (at constant currency rates) to $1.832bn and adjusted EBITDA up 6% to $310m. Unadjusted, revenue was down 1.8% to $1.566bn, while one-off events contributed to an operating loss of $88m. More
YouGov has promoted Laura Robbie, previously MD Australia, to the role of CEO of the Asia Pacific region, replacing Julien Chevignon who becomes CEO for Western Europe. More
Retail data and analytics provider Intelligence Node has partnered with pricing intelligence company Pricemoov, to help retailers and brands act on competitive price movements. More
EU regulators are proposing a EUR 60m fine on French ad tech company Criteo for consumer tracking, profiling and targeting activities said to breach GDPR. The company 'strongly disagrees' with the findings, has time to respond in detail, and a final decision is likely to be taken in 2023. More
In the US, consumer product insights provider Smarter Sorting has raised $7m in a new round of investment, which it will use to further build out its team, digital products and data platform. More
Australian insight consultancy Fiftyfive5 has appointed former Kadence MD Phil Steggals as Head of Consulting for the APAC region. He is based in Singapore. More
Bulgaria-based online panels provider JTN has opened an office in Denmark, to be run by Business Development Director Maria Lassen Pedersen, supported by Helle Raun Oddershede who has been named Business Development Manager. More
Kantar and China-based consumption and media research company Sinomonitor have announced a data sharing partnership, to improve access to the former firm's TGI consumer insight data and help their respective clients better understand their growth markets. More
Kantar has launched a fast-turnaround solution called Brand Equity Evaluation, to help users quickly answer questions about brand equity strength in a competitive environment, and how to improve it. More
Ipsos has reported second quarter revenue of EUR 574.0m, representing organic growth of 2.1% (reported growth 8.9%). After exceptional results in Q1, the group cited global events and the end of Covid measurement contracts - as well as strong comparatives from Q2 2021 - for the lower figures. More
Retail data and research firms dunnhumby and VST (Virtual Store Trials) have teamed up to launch 'Planogram Publisher', which promises to make retailer Tesco's planogram data accessible to CPG brands. More
Digital consumer marketing insights specialist Behaviorally has opened a first office in Thailand, and appointed Vorasiri 'Pat' Supanichvorapart there as Vice President. More
In the UK, customer experience marketing agency Gekko has partnered with behavioural insight specialist CloudArmy to offer a neuroscience research service helping brands understand customer thinking. More
In the US, cultural intelligence company Collage Group has raised $25m in an inaugural round of growth capital, which it will use for investments in sales and marketing, and for continued development of its data science and technology platform. More
London-based insight consultancy Basis has announced record results, with annual revenue up 20% to £27.4m for the year ended March 2022. More
Research firm MetrixLab has opened an office in Warsaw, Poland, its first in Eastern Europe. More
Mobile-based Indonesian consumer insights platform Populix has won a further US$7.7m in a Series A round of financing, for use in continuing to optimize its existing products and to release new services. More
In the US, shopper intelligence specialist Catalina has partnered with sponsorship data platform FanAI, to help CPG brands better understand and measure how their sponsorship investments directly drive sales for their products. More
Paris-based MR data and tech firm Bilendi has expanded to the Netherlands with the opening of an office in Amsterdam, appointing Luigi Casula as Country Manager. The company has also created a new Dutch panel with more than 30,000 members. More
In the US, restaurant sector marketing and analytics platform Personica has appointed Adam Ochstein as Chief Executive Officer, replacing interim CEO John Ouren. The firm has also completed a round of growth recapitalization. More
Tokyo-based MR sample provider GMO Research is expanding to North America with the opening of a subsidiary in New York City, headed up by Christa Arite. More
Independent British-based insight consultancy Trinity McQueen has announced sales of £7.4m in the year ending March 2022; some ten per cent up on the pre-pandemic figure (year ending March 2020). More
Matt Britton started digital research platform Suzy in 2018, named it after a favourite song, worked with other non-researchers to build it, and got to $25 million annual recurring revenue 'faster than Salesforce and Qualtrics'. An interview with MrWeb's Nick Thomas - available as video or in print. More
Washington, DC-based research-led consulting firm Heart+Mind Strategies has opened a MENA headquarters in the city of Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). More
Kantar has announced unaudited results for the first quarter of calendar 2022, including pro forma, currency-adjusted gross revenue up 6% to $911m, and adjusted EBITDA of $144m, up 16% from a year earlier and almost twice the pre-Covid Q1 2019 figure. More
In Australia, consumer data giant NielsenIQ is to offer clients access to 'one of the biggest receipt panels in Australia', promising new understanding of 'the most important retail consumer group - the omnishopper'. More
In the UK, full-service agency BMG Research has opened an office in the London Bridge-based News UK Building, having closed its previous London base during the pandemic due to working from home. More
Shopper marketing consultancy Behaviorally has expanded to the Philippines with the opening of a hub in Manila, where it has appointed Joy Abella-Yu as Vice President. More
Lang.ai, which helps CX teams draw insights from conversations, has raised $10.5m in a Series A round of funding. The money will help improve software to understand what each customer is saying at any point in their buying journey, and correlate this data with their purchase history. More
Oxfordshire, UK-based brand, NPD, category and shopper consultancy Touchstone Shoppercentric is moving all its staff to a four-day working week - with full-time salary - from 6th June. More
Tel Aviv, Israel-based in-store intelligence and personalization specialist Nexite has Raised $67m in a Series C round of funding, which brings the company's total funding to $100m. More
Independent social and market research agency IFF Research has made two dozen promotions - equivalent to 20% of its team - following 18% revenue growth in 2021-2. More
London-based machine learning start-up Quin AI has raised £582k in seed funding, which it will use to scale the business across the UK and Germany and build out its business offering. More
In the US retail fraud prevention and data services firm Lillii RNB has raised $3m in a seed round, co-led by tennis star Serena William's venture management fund Serena Ventures, along with Aperture Venture Capital. More
UK-based consumer and sensory research agency PPL Insights and France-based consumer and shopper research specialist Strategir have formed a joint venture, to provide a broad range of research services linking all elements of the consumer journey. More
In New York City, shopper marketing consultancy Behaviorally has appointed Christine Baskin as Vice President, leading the firm's new OTC (over the counter) Pharmaceutical Customer Success teams. More
Ipsos has reported 12.3% first quarter organic revenue growth and a 17.5% reported increase to EUR 547.8m. The firm says it is planning an 'exciting range' of potential acquisitions in key sectors and territories, especially in the USA. More
In New York, personalized snack box provider SnackMagic has launched a data platform called CPGpulse, to provide consumer insights for CPG brands. More
Shopper marketing consultancy Behaviorally has expanded to France, opening a Paris hub and appointing Damien Arrouas as Vice President, Customer Success to lead the local team. More
Consumer intel giant NielsenIQ has made an undisclosed amount of investment in mobile consumer rewards app Fetch Rewards, whose thirteen million monthly US active users have submitted more than two billion receipts. The deal allows NielsenIQ to enhance its Omnishopper panel. More
In the US, consumer data and insights firm Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) and eCommerce intelligence platform Profitero have partnered to help clients measure and optimize CPG digital shelf presence based on actual item-level sales. More
NielsenIQ exec Yuneeb Khan is to join digital media analytics specialist Quotient in July as CFO, Principal Accounting Officer and Treasurer. Chief Account Officer John Kellerman will serve in an interim capacity until then. More
Behavioural science consultancy The Behavioural Architects (TBA) has hired 29 new members of staff across its global offices - twelve in China, seven in Australia, and ten in the UK. More
In the US, consumer data firm Neustar has partnered with shopping behavior insights provider Catalina to enable consumer packaged goods brand advertisers to optimize their marketing mix, campaign tactics and audience targets on-the-fly based on real time purchase behavior. More
In the US, low-code retail intelligence platform GoalProfit has raised $655k in a pre-seed round of funding. More
Shopper insights firm Behaviorally has expanded to Germany, appointing Christian Dössel as Senior Vice President based in Hamburg. More
In the US, Ipsos has appointed former Kantar exec Whitney Krause James as a President of the US organization, leading several lines of business. She joins on April 4th and will be based in New York. More
In New York, cinema advertising network National CineMedia (NCM) has launched a data, insights and analytics platform for moviegoers called NCMx, to connect brands with custom audiences in theaters as well as on digital screens before and after attending movies. More
British video-based insight company Vox Pops International has become employee-owned through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). More
New York-based post-purchase consumer survey data firm EnquireLabs has raised $4.5m in a seed funding round, as it releases its flagship Question Stream product and software development kit. More
California-based digital media analytics specialist Quotient has announced that Chief Technology Officer and former long-time Nielsen exec Matthew Krepsik will become Chief Executive Officer when founder Steven Boal retires from the role at the end of this year. More
In the US, experience platform Survey Dynamix has been renamed Mindful Feedback, following its recent acquisition by CX software developer VHT. More
In the US, consumer goods data company Smarter Sorting has raised $25m in a funding round, which it will use to accelerate its tech roadmap and scale business operations. The firm has also named Jacqueline Claudia as Chief Executive, replacing founder Chris Ripley. More
Shopper insight specialist Behaviorally has opened an office in New York, where it has appointed former InSites Consulting exec Jeff Haselum as Senior Vice President, leading the practice. More
US-based EPG Media has formed a new consumer measurement and insights company called EPG Specialty Information. More
Nielsen's shares soared by around 30% to $22.85 yesterday, after it was reported in The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that the firm is in talks to be acquired by a group of investors in a $15bn deal. More
In New York, in-home product testing platform Highlight has raised $7m in a seed round of investment, including money from Momentive CEO Zander Lurie; Richard Thornton, former CEO of Cint; Tom Bernthal, CEO of Kelton; and Max Mullen, founder of Instacart. More
In the US, custom MR firm AMC Global has promoted seven employees, including Erin Russeck for the newly created role of Chief Research Officer. Kelly Jasper moves into Russeck's previous position, EVP of Corporate Strategy & Innovation. More
Pureprofile has announced a partnership with Southeast Asian content and community platform theAsianparent. More
In Barcelona, retail customer data platform (CDP) Loyal Guru has raised EUR 8m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use for expansion across Europe and the Americas, and to further develop its product. More
In the US, sensory evaluation and consumer product research firm Curion Holdings has opened a Consumer Center in Natick, Massachusetts, to expand its innovation insights services in the New England area. More
MrWeb's special issue on 'Measuring Brains and Bodies' is launched today: viewing and downloading the 72-page pdf supplement is free: click the cover or the link below; or read on for the second part of Michelle Niedziela's article, which offers a guide to Best Practice in consumer neuroscience projects. More
In Sweden, product recommendation specialist Depict.ai has raised $17m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand its recommendation engine in Europe and the US, and to grow its team. More
Emotion analytics specialist Realeyes and media quality measurement agency Adelaide have partnered to help advertisers uncover the value of attention insights across both creative and media. More
Ipsos has reported a 16.8% increase in annual revenue to EUR 2.14bn for 2021, with overall organic growth of 17.9%. Perhaps more significantly, the figures represent impressive organic growth of 10.4% when compared with 2019. More
Packaged food manufacturing giant Kraft Heinz has announced a far-reaching partnership with Google, with the aim of improving its understanding of consumers, and tailoring products and experience to them. More
Tel Aviv, Israel-based AI-driven data analytics platform Blyp has raised $4m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to scale its US operations and add new functionality to its platform. More
Kantar is doubling the frequency of its Republic of Ireland TGI survey data release, which will now be issued twice a year. More
US-based behavioral insights consultancy Behaviorally has expanded its APAC presence to Australia, where it has appointed Liam Gilbert as Vice President to lead its efforts in the country. More
San Francisco-based no-code retail sector decision intelligence solution Cerebra has raised $15m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to scale its solution globally and for strategic hires. More
Automated insights platform Zappi has reported $50 million in sales in 2021, representing more than 30 percent growth in twelve months; and the hiring of more than 100 new employees during the year. More
In New York, marketing technology company Bluecore has partnered with ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo to help brands use their owned first-party data to predict what new and existing shoppers will buy next on major ad channels. More
Continuing our focus on 'Measuring Brains & Bodies', HCD's VP of Research & Innovation talks about a career in 'neuro' (with a rat allergy); quantifying the stress of bad audio on a Zoom call; whether any perfume can live up to one of those weird ads; and much more besides. Available to watch or read. More
In Australia, Advantage Group, which acts as an advisor for CPG and grocery sector B2B engagement solutions, has hired Peter Harris for the newly created role of Global Chief Research Officer. More
Tesco-owned customer data specialist dunnhumby has appointed former Elsevier EVP Dan Olley as its new Chief Exec. He replaces Guillaume Bacuvier, who left the business last May and is now Global CEO of Kantar's consumer panel division Worldpanel. More
Consumer intent analysis platform System1 has become a publicly listed company through a merger with 'blank check company' Trebia Acquisition Corp, set up by D&B investor Cannae Holdings. The deal values System1 at $1.4 billion. More
New York-based full service agency Radius Global Market Research (Radius GMR) has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Star Mountain Capital. More
GfK and cross-device targeting specialist Dstillery have expanded their partnership with the development of 32 new audience segments, through which digital marketers can target CPG shoppers. More
Wearable tech is everywhere, and offers great potential for collecting data, but how useful is it right now for answering specific research questions? Kathryn Ambroze, Manager of Behavioral and Marketing Sciences at HCD Research continues our month-long focus on 'Measuring Brains & Bodies'. More
US-based behavioral insights consultancy Behaviorally has launched a division called eFluence, to help brands drive sales at the digital shelf level, and influence the omnichannel shopper journey. Former Chief Commercial Officer Scott Brill will lead the new division as MD. More
Tesco's customer data science firm dunnhumby has partnered with software giant SAP to help retailers make 'faster, customer-led decisions' and deliver a more personalised shopper experience in-store and at home. More
UK-based kids and family market intelligence provider The Insights Family has expanded its services to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Argentina and South Africa. More
Fonto, the recently launched Australia-based consumer data business headed up by former Kantar and Nielsen leader Ben Dixon, has raised $6m in capital with which to accelerate its growth and expand its suite of services. More
Shopper intelligence specialist Catalina has partnered with location intelligence firm PlaceIQ to offer location-driven planning, measurement and attribution services to CPG retailers. More
Israel-based digital market intelligence company SimilarWeb has added consumer insights from Walmart, Target, Best Buy and pet food retailer Chewy to its Shopper Intelligence solution, which launched in July with insights from Amazon. More
In New York, location intelligence platform CARTO has raised $61m in a Series C round of funding, which it will use to expand into verticals such as consumer packaged goods, retail, logistics and telecoms. More
R.R. Donnelley & Sons' $2.1bn acquisition by Atlas Holdings is off, replaced by a $2.3bn deal with private investment firm Chatham Asset Management, which is a longstanding investor in the company. More
John Robson and Magnus Willis, the founders of London-based consumer insight and brand strategy specialist Sparkler, have left the business to take time out for a 'rest and reset'. More
Indian consumer insights provider Hansa Research Group is opening an office in Dhaka, Bangladesh. More
In the US, marketers Shane George and Tom Cherrey have launched a platform called BrandTruth, which uses artificial intelligence and 'proven psychology' to help organisations understand their 'brand essence' and drive the brand development process. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has given this year's Agency of the Year Award to London-based insight firm Opinium, which had previously been shortlisted eight times in nine years. More
Kantar has reported revenue of $2,681m for the first three quarters of 2021, up 11% at constant currency although still down 5% from 2019 figures; and EBITDA of $445m, up 52% on 2020 and 39% (organic growth 33%) versus the same period in 2019. More
In Toronto, Harris Poll owner Stagwell Group has brought together two units of its recently merged business MDC Partners to form a new agency, DonerNorth. The two are creative, digital and media experts UNION and shopper innovation and insights firm 6 Degrees. More
Affinity Solutions, which analyzes consumer spending data to help clients with their targeted marketing initiatives, has partnered with public sector software and services provider Tyler Technologies, to provide real-time data and insights on economic recovery. More
Crispin Beale, former Chime I&E CEO, has joined US-based Behaviorally in the newly created role of company President, overseeing all client service and business development efforts across Europe, Asia and North America. More
Consumer and brand researcher 4Sight has partnered with CHN Analytics, which provides predictive analytics for the US Department of Defense, to offer services for commercial clients identifying potential risks in product ingredients and opportunities from new technology. More
Ian Forrester, former Insight Head at video tracking platform Unruly, has launched an AI-powered ad research platform called DAIVID, which automates ad testing by using facial coding, eye tracking and computer vision data to predict human attention levels and emotions. More
Marketing and consumer insights platform Prodege has secured an undisclosed 'major' investment from private equity firm Great Hill Partners, for use in rapid organic expansion and for targeted acquisitions. More
Southeast Asian consumer research and analytics firm Milieu Insight has raised $5m in funding, for use in development of new products and geographical expansion. More
In New York, customer data and marketing platform Ometria has raised $40m in a Series C round of funding, which it will use to triple the size of its Product and Engineering team. More
San Francisco-based UserTesting has launched an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of 14.2 million shares, through which it plans to raise $227m. More
Australian insight consultancy Fiftyfive5 has made 33 new hires since July, boosting its teams in Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore. They include Clare Bradshaw as COO and Helen Brocklehurst as NZ-based Head of CX. More
Nielsen and mobile audience data and targeting specialist Adsquare have expanded their data partnership to Australia, combining consumer data with location-based targeting capabilities so clients can reach 'hyper-relevant audiences at the right mobile moments'. More
American grocery giant Kroger has launched a programmatic advertising marketplace, through which agencies and brands can reach its consumers. More
Long-time Kantar exec Tim Wragg has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of brand insights analytics and consulting agency Hall & Partners, succeeding Vanella Jackson who moves to the role of company Chairperson. More
US-based in-store video analytics firm Deep North has raised $16.7m in a Series A-1 round of funding, which it will use to make 'key hires' and to expand its services. More
Ipsos has posted third quarter revenue of EUR 526.3m, up 12.3% versus Q3 2020 and 5.4% - or 8.5% in organic growth terms - compared with Q3 2019. The firm says profitability is 'in line with the objectives for the year announced in July', with a slight improvement predicted in operating margin. More
Research and analytics group YouGov has brought its recent Canadian sports research acquisition Charlton Insights under the main corporate brand. More
YouGov has reported revenue of £169.0m for the year to July 31st, up 18% in like-for-like terms and 11% reported. Reported pre-tax profit rose 24% to £18.9m, and adjusted operating profit rose 32% like-for-like (21% reported) to £31.2m. More
In the US, eCommerce specialist David Weissman has launched a company called Humankind, allowing retailers to connect their product experts with online shoppers through one-to-one SMS conversations. More
In New York, data-driven audience intelligence platform Helixa and audience insight company GlobalWebIndex (GWI) have partnered to integrate predictive insights with 'expressed consumer intent' data. More
Ipsos has announced that Nathalie Roos will no longer be taking over as CEO, following the emergence of 'deep discrepancies' in her discussions with Didier Truchot. Instead, Ipsos MORI CEO Ben Page will take the top job, from November 15th. More
WPP has agreed to pay more than $19m to settle charges that it violated several provisions of the USA's Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). The SEC accused the marcoms giant of breaches of protocols including anti-bribery, books and records, and internal accounting. More
Reflecting the ever-increasing value placed on 'alternative data' by financial advisors and investors, Bloomberg is to make rich consumer purchase intent data for the US and China from Prosper Insights & Analytics available through its data marketplace. More
In San Francisco, artificial intelligence-based analytics start-up Viable has raised $3.9m in pre-seed and seed funding rounds, which it will use to roll out its qualitative feedback tool. Craft Ventures and Javelin Venture Partners led the funding rounds respectively. More
In the US, consumer behavior analyst and consultancy GBK Collective has appointed former Kantar exec Rob da Silva as Executive Vice President, while promoting Brian Smith to the role of EVP, Strategic Insights. More
In the US, consumer data giant IRI has partnered with Banyan, which connects SKU-level consumer receipt data with financial transactions, to provide its retail clients with a more 'holistic' view of consumer shopping habits and opportunities. More
Pierre Le Manh, Ipsos' CEO in North America, has left the company to pursue 'other opportunities', and been replaced by former Gartner exec Lorenzo Larini. More
Multinational food, snack and beverage corporation PepsiCo has launched an in-house data practice called Pepviz, using real-time insights, advanced analytics and data science to target shoppers. More
UK-based consumer and sensory researcher MMR Group has opened an office in Amsterdam, where it has appointed former Flavors & Fragrances exec James Gater as Regional Head, Netherlands. More
Consumer and shopper insights agency PRS IN VIVO has appointed Nicole Duckworth as Managing Director in the UK and Clément Dargent as Managing Director in France, while promoting Olivier Bardin to the position of Head of Switzerland, VP Client Development. More
Former dunnhumby CEO Guillaume Bacuvier has been hired as Global Chief Executive Officer of Kantar's consumer panel division Worldpanel. He succeeds Josep Montserrat, who takes on the role of Non-Executive Chairman. More
Research revenue for the Top 50 US-based insights and data analytics companies rose 4% to $48 billion in 2020, even as overall US GDP contracted 3.5% during the global Covid pandemic, according to the Insights Association's Top 50 Report. More
In the US, consumer intelligence business NielsenIQ and experience management platform Qualtrics have partnered, to create 'comprehensive' brand experience solutions, offering clients a real-time, '360-degree view' of their brand health based on consumer feedback. More
In the US, social media listening and analytics specialist Talkwalker has acquired review management platform Reviewbox for an undisclosed sum. More
In London, Tesco-owned customer data firm dunnhumby has promoted long-time employee Sandra Stanley to the role of Chief Data Science Officer, leading its global team of 500 data scientists. More
In South Africa, full-service agency BMi Research has promoted Jenni-Ruth Coggin to Chief Executive Officer and Cindi Collett to Chief Operating Officer. More
In the US, shopper intelligence firm Catalina has partnered with out-of-home (OOH) buying program AdQuick to launch a purchase-based audience targeting and sales lift measurement insights service for OOH media buyers. More
US-based customer experience (CX) specialist SeeLevel HX has partnered with Shop'n Chek Latin America to develop a new range of services. More
In Pittsburgh, USA, market intelligence company CivicScience is launching an advertising company tapping data from its 100m plus survey respondents. The new firm starts with $15m seed funding from investors including the NPD Group, and is led by CEO Doug Lauretano. More
Vienna, Austria-based marketing analytics platform Adverity has closed a $120 million Series D financing round. More
Tokyo-based Macromill has announced the launch of a digital advertising business, Macromill Ads, tapping the data from its 1.3m proprietary consumer panelists to provide a one-stop service from ad planning and distribution to the measurement of effectiveness. More
London-based youth insight and panel business YouthSight has hired six researchers, plus two new members for its Project Management team. This includes the appointment of former Yonder Consulting/Ipsos MORI exec Ralph Robinson as Senior Research Manager. More
Comscore and Verisk-owned transaction data provider Commerce Signals have partnered to develop contextual audiences for cookieless ad targeting across digital mobile, and CTV inventory, for the retail industry. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has merged its digital content production company MediaMonks and digital media solutions provider MightyHive into a single data, digital media and tech brand called Media.Monks. More
Community panels pioneer Verve has appointed Tesco veteran Simon Taylor as a Research Director leading its grocery specialism, supporting key client the John Lewis Partnership; and has announced seven promotions. More
Fast-rising Manchester, UK-based researcher The Insights Family has announced a move to larger offices on the city's central King Street, and the opening of a satellite office in Mayfair, London, as well a roll-out in Poland and a number of hires. More
Aromyx, which has developed technology to digitize and quantify the information from sensory receptors in the human nose and tongue, has raised $10m in a Series A round. Funds will help increase capacity and automation capabilities, improve AI algorithms, and expand its lab and software teams. More
In New York, 'zero-party' data marketing platform Octane AI has raised $5m in a round of funding, which it will use to help merchants personalize shoppers' eCommerce experiences. More
Netherlands-based group Effective Media & Marketing (EMM) has launched an FMCG-focused agency called ASK-Opinions, which will combine online panel research with shopper and purchase data from more than 1.5 million brand and category buyers. More
From our special issue published this week, KL Communications founder Kevin Lonnie talks about what's changed and what hasn't in twenty years running a communities business; about getting customers to solve clients' business problems; and getting space men to talk to each other. More
Our 2021 Online Communities supplement is published today. In this article, Richard Preedy from title sponsor Verve looks at the role the company's community panels have played in the customer-focused transformation of retailer John Lewis. More
Kantar has chosen a new Chief Executive - Chris Jansen, currently CEO of global schools group Cognita, starts in the role on 1st November. More
Twenty years to the day from its launch, North of England firm DJS Research has announced it is now an employee-owned business. More
Kantar has announced the formal integration of New Zealand's Colmar Brunton into its business, with the Colmar Brunton name to be phased out by the end of this year. All 121 staff in the country will join one of two new NZ divisions, Kantar or Kantar Public. More
KPMG Australia has shuffled the leadership team for its customer, brand and marketing advisory (CBMA) business, promoting Carmen Bekker to lead the expanded business. More
Real-time consumer feedback and market intelligence platform Native.AI has launched a new offering for Food & Beverage (F&B) and CPG companies; and has secured $1.75m in strategic pre-seed funding. More
Digital research firm MetrixLab has expanded its DACH business with a new office in Frankfurt and four senior appointments, following what it calls 'years of growing demand from local and global clients' in the region. More
Australia-based consulting business Fiftyfive5 says it has made 45 new hires in the last twelve months, 'across all geographies and levels', bringing its headcount to 147. More
In the UK, mobile research tech firm RealityMine and transaction measurement services firm Rippll have partnered to allow clients single source access to digital behavioural capture and transaction data from Rippll's Open Banking technology. More
Comscore is to integrate its contextual Activation suite into ad tech company Viant's cross-channel programmatic ad platform, Adelphic, allowing Viant's advertisers to use Comscore's cookie-free targeting solutions. More
In New York, ad agency TBWA has hired Alyson Stevens as Global Head of Connected Intelligence and Michael Horn as Global Head of Data Product, both newly created roles. More
Kantar has partnered with data collaboration platform InfoSum to help advertisers ad TGI consumer insights to their own first-party data, improving targeting. More
US and Israel-based revenue intelligence provider Gong has raised $250m in a Series E round of funding, valuing the company at $7.25 billion. More
As the insight world emerges from the shadow of Covid, 'only around 50% of formerly face to face activity will revert to type', says Verve's Andy Dexter, introducing a month of features focused on Online Communities, for our forthcoming special issue. More
In New York, consumer insights platform Morning Consult has raised $60m in a Series B round of funding, which values the company at $1.01 billion. Funds will be used for development of its data collection technology and expansion into the EMEA and APAC regions. More
Kids, parents and family research specialist The Insights Family and US experiential youth marketing agency InspiredConsumer have partnered to produce research solutions for clients in the US. More
Cross-platform television ad measurement specialist TVSquared has added Foursquare's location data to its ADvantage platform, enabling users to connect linear and OTT/CTV ads to physical outcomes such as store visits and foot traffic, and understand how campaigns impact off-line consumer behavior. More
QYOU Media, which distributes content created by social media stars and digital content creators, has acquired India-based influencer marketing specialist Chtrbox for an undisclosed sum. More
Kantar's first quarter revenue was up 3% to $896m, with six of its seven divisions delivering growth. This includes double digit increases from the group's consumer and shopper behavior specialist Worldpanel, and public policy services provider Kantar Public. More
Kym Frank has resigned as President of out of home (OOH) audience measurement body Geopath. According to Mediapost, her decision relates to complaints from Board members following the launch of several industry standards by the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA). More
Consumer data company Pureprofile has expanded its media business Pure.amplify into the UK, where it will be led by Pureprofile's current Head of Performance Marketing, Catherine Jones. More
Ad and innovation testing platform Zappi has appointed Melanie LoBue as Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, based in the US. More
Ad and innovation testing platform Zappi has made three hires to support growth across the EMEA and APAC regions. The firm says its international sales team has doubled in size, and is planned to triple by the end of the year. More
Britain's MRS has awarded the Gold Medal, its most prestigious honour, to former NOP MD Phyllis Macfarlane; and announced new fellows including research tech writer Tim Macer and two inspirational former Chairs of B2B research group BIG, Claire Labrum and Trevor Wilkinson. More
Northumberland, UK-based online research supplier Panelbase is opening an office in central London, where it has appointed Monica Kaur and James Ward to grow the business. More
Global industry association ESOMAR has teamed up with NewMR, Confirmit and more than twenty other organisations for the next wave of its survey among buyers and users of insights, measuring how usage and purchasing patterns are evolving. More
In India, marcoms group Rediffusion Brand Solutions has launched a specialist consumer research and analysis division called Rediffusion Consumer Lab (Red Lab), offering market research, consumer understanding and trend spotting services. More
New Zealand-based specialist product development and sensory evaluation business Futurescape has been renamed Imagine Research. More
After four years at Tesco-owned customer data firm dunnhumby, CEO Guillaume Bacuvier has left the business, and has been replaced by Tesco Group Innovation Director Claire Lorains as interim CEO. Bacuvier has now joined consumer research platform Attest as an independent Director. More
Indonesia-based consumer insights provider Populix has raised $1.2m in a pre-Series A round of funding, which it will use to roll out new products and expand its marketing efforts. More
Kantar has launched what it says is South Africa's biggest ever consumer panel, measuring the FMCG purchasing behaviour of more than 6,500 local households at launch. More
In the US, customer engagement (CE) agency Inte Q has opened a new office in Milwaukee, staffed by former Kohl's Corporation brand marketing and analytics execs Jeremy Griffith, Adam Nenning, Nick Ratelis and Jessica Stemper. More
Kantar Chief Executive Alexis Nasard has stepped down after just four months in the role. Deputy CEO Ian Griffiths will lead the company until a new appointment is made. More
Ipsos has posted revenue of EUR 466.3m in the first quarter of 2021, up 8.8% from Q1 2020 and up 10.5% from Q1 2019. Like-for-like, the increase was 14.1%, driven by a very strong performance in EMEA. More
Insights and data firm Pureprofile has reported revenues up 25% to $7.1m in the first three months of 2021; and says it plans to launch new partnerships, plus panels in Europe and Asia. More
Immersive research firm Further&Further has added four new members of staff to its North American team, including former Synovate CFO Richard McQuarrie as Finance Director; and says it plans to double in size. More
Central European research firms Integral, Sinus and Opinion have merged to form ISO, described as 'a medium-sized group, owner-managed and independent'. More
Shopper insights specialist Behaviorally (previously known as PRS IN VIVO USA) has expanded into Asia, opening hubs in both Singapore and Shanghai. Former PRS IN VIVO execs Nichole Gu and Melvin Ng join as Managing Director, Asia and Vice President, Market Development respectively. More
Singapore-based retail and consumer goods analytics firm Trax has raised $640m in a Series E round of funding, which it will use to expand its team, scale its business, and drive long-term growth. More
Consumer intelligence platform NielsenIQ has launched an 'Omnishopper' solution, helping clients to understand a variety of consumer behavior across the US marketplace. More
Four specialists from different marketing disciplines have launched a collective called Crater Lake & Co, bringing together marketing analytics, creative strategy, media planning and market research to provide answers to questions around clients' marketing decisions. More
German eCommerce data company Productsup has raised $20m in funding, which it will use for product development, to scale its marketing and sales initiatives, and to expand to new markets across the world, particularly in North America. More
For the third of our new video podcasts, we're Zooming In on Gary Drenik, co-founder and CEO of Prosper. If you're interested in the collection and modeling of consumer data (USA and China) this is a must. More
In the US, AI-based qualitative research provider Emozo Labs has partnered with data collection firm Global Survey to use artificial intelligence to better understand customers' conscious and unconscious responses. More
In the UK, foodservice sector customer ratings specialist Feed It Back has received a 'multi-million pound' investment from telecoms entrepreneur James Palmer, who becomes majority shareholder. The firm will expand its team and create new products and services. More
In New York, consumer insights provider Feedback Loop has raised $14m in an add-on Series A round of funding, which it will use to accelerate product development and drive adoption of its platform. More
The Insight Climate Collective (ICC), a group calling on the industry to come together and play its part in tackling the environmental crisis, has appointed a Steering Committee to help put its strategy into action. More
Nielsen has moved Sandra Sims-Williams to the role of Chief Diversity Officer, taking over from CEO David Kenny, who has held both roles since February 2019. More
Trade association ESOMAR has named ScaleHouse Consulting founder Kristin Luck as President of its Council, replacing Joaquim Bretcha of Netquest who has completed his two-year term. MindSpark founder Nikki Lavoie is the new Vice President, and five of the remaining eight members are also women. More
London-based and family-focused insight and creative marketing agency Kids Industries (KI) has partnered with similar agencies in France, Germany and Spain to create a European industry network called The League. More
Former Kantar TNS East Africa CEO Aggrey Maposa died last Tuesday, after battling a long-term illness. More
Oxfordshire, UK-based brand, NPD, category and shopper consultancy Touchstone Shoppercentric has appointed Savanta veteran Ian Hext as Research Director. More
UK-headquartered kids, parents and family panels firm The Insights People is expanding to Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea, surveying around 410 kids and around 205 parents of children in each country. More
Nordic-based automated product and concept testing platform Cambri has raised EUR 3.6m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use for global expansion. In addition, Lynda Clarizio, former President of Nielsen US Media, has joined the company's Board of Directors. More
In Melbourne, Kantar has promoted Jon Foged to the newly created role of Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, Insights arm - he was previously CEO of the division in Australia. Jason Shoebridge, CEO of Kantar New Zealand, will leave the business in April. More
StreamPulse, the in-home division of Texas-based neuromarketing researcher MediaScience has teamed up with neurometric equipment manufacturer Shimmer to develop StreamPulse Neuro, a system for measuring consumers' emotional response in a natural viewing environment. More
Nielsen has completed the previously announced sale of its consumer intelligence business NielsenIQ (formerly Nielsen Global Connect) for $2.7bn to affiliates of Advent Interrnational, in partnership with former TransUnion CEO James 'Jim' Peck. More
Data from Kantar's Great Britain TGI consumer survey will now be updated and released on a monthly basis, in response to what the firm says are evolving demands for consumer insight. More
UK industry charity the Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA) is launching its annual fundraising auction on the International Day of Happiness on 20th March. This year's event will be known as the 'Donate a Smile' auction. More
In the UK, Blue Yonder Research has launched an R&D insight and product testing facility called Sense:Lab. More
Ipsos has reported Covid-hit full-year revenue of EUR 1.8bn, down 6.5% on a like-for-like basis, but managed organic growth of 1.4% in Q4 (vs Q4 2019). Negative currency effects dented reported figures for both periods. More
Nielsen has reported fourth quarter 2020 net income of $35m, compared to a loss of $109m in the prior year period. Revenue for the period fell just 1.1% to $1.67bn, while adjusted EBITDA was $560m, up 13.8%. For the full year, the company almost broke even, on revenues down 3.2%. More
Behavioural research specialist EyeSee has opened a new sales office in Singapore and an operations office in Mexico City, following a year of record growth in 2020. More
Manchester, UK-based consumer insights business Vypr has appointed Cint exec Richard Thornton to its board, following a £2.5m investment last month by YFM Equity Partners. More
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has promoted four and hired three new employees as part of its expansion in the US. The promotees include thinqonline co-founder Mark Martins, who is now Americas EVP as well as Asia Pacific General Manager. More
Following its management buyout last month, French research and consulting firm BVA Group says it will reposition itself as an 'experience champion', and will take a more international and more 'participative' approach. More
In the US Kevin Kruper and Rocky Prozeller, former directors of British-based MR firm Incite, have launched a boutique insights consultancy called Old Salt. More
SurveyMonkey has announced that its CX solution GetFeedback will integrate with cross-channel shopper personalisation platform Salesforce Commerce Cloud. More
The second of our new video podcasts is with Eugene Murphy of indeemo and includes discussion of mobile ethnography, the future of shopping, the impact of the pandemic on research methods and budgets, and the potential for qualitative in the post-Covid world. More
Ad and innovation testing platform Zappi has set up an Enterprise Team to help large organisations drive global business impact through insights. The new team is led by Babita Earle, with the title of EVP of Global Enterprise Customers and Partnerships. More
In the UK, retail association The Co-Op has appointed former BBC exec Phil Barker as Head of Customer Experience (CX) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), as it expands its Data and Loyalty teams. More
Australian insights consultancy Fiftyfive5 has brought in six new graduates in its Sydney office and one in Auckland. They are joined by Caelan Bistram who started as an intern last year. More
Today we kick off our video podcast series with a closer look at how luxury markets are faring in time of Covid, and the challenges of researching this sector. MrWeb's Nick Thomas talks to Lars Long, Chief Executive of Altiant. More
From this week, Daily Research News will feature video interviews of around 20-25 minutes with leading figures in the insights and analytics world, giving you more depth on some of the stories in the news, and talking about themselves, their companies and their views. More
Shopper insights specialist Behaviorally (known until last week as PRS IN VIVO USA) has appointed Stefan Barden as Non-Executive Chair of its Board of Directors. More
Australia-based digital research platform Pureprofile has announced a record 26% increase in revenue for the quarter ending 31st December 2020. The total of $8.2m was driven by strong performance in all business units, and was 'well ahead of expectations', according to the firm. More
In the UK, Gail Balfour, co-founder of consumer research and brand consulting business Tangible Branding, has launched a new company called Research Human, promising to understand the consumer by 'connecting with the human'. More
Shopper insights agency PRS IN VIVO USA has been renamed Behaviorally, following its sale to new majority shareholder Alcentra. More
Automated ad and innovation testing platform Zappi has hired Alison Scott as Senior Director, Customer Transformation, and Mary Lou Barney as Vice President, Strategic Accounts. The firm has also promoted Patricia Montesdeoca, Michelle Wu and Zontziry Johnson. More
In the UK, sandwich shop franchise Pret A Manger has hired Dan Burdett as Chief Customer & Growth Officer, responsible for setting the group's global direction across food innovation, coffee and packaging, brand and insight, sustainability, technical, quality and commercial growth. More
Kantar has announced an exclusive partnership AI-powered search intelligence company Adthena, whose worldwide search data will be integrated into the insights giant's Ad Intelligence platform. More
UK-based research firm Field Scope International (FSI) has opened an office in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, serving increased demand for research in Sub-Saharan Africa. More
DRNO is taking a break now until 4th January. It's been a strange old 12 months, but we're looking forward greatly to 2021. We wish those of you doing it a fantastic Christmas, and everyone a great New Year. More
In the US, restaurant sector marketing and analytics platform Fishbowl has changed its name to Personica, and launched a loyalty program it says will help restaurants collect and use member, campaign and transactional data to build guest relationships with every interaction. More
In the US, consumer data giant IRI and business intelligence provider 1010data have partnered to jointly develop new products and solutions to enhance CPG retailers' and manufacturers' use of data to drive growth. More
In the US, consumer data giant IRI has appointed Suellen Ravanas as Global Chief Financial Officer. More
Kids, tweens and teens market intelligence specialist The Insights People has appointed four new team members and moved to a new 2,000 square foot office on Manchester's Portland Street. More
In London, mobile-based customer insights platform Streetbees has added $6.7m to its $40m Series B round of funding, which it says will provide its founders, early employees and angel investors with liquid assets. More
Tokyo-based marcoms giant dentsu is planning to cut 6,000 jobs - around 12.5 per cent of its 46,560-strong workforce based outside Japan - in the next twelve months, as a result of the downturn in global spending caused by Covid-19. The group says it will also eliminate 154 of its brands. More
Former Nielsen Chief Executive Mitch Barns has joined the Board of automated ad and innovation testing platform Zappi. More
Tesco-owned customer data firm dunnhumby has promoted Grant Steadman to the role of President of North America, focusing on growing and expanding partnerships with retailers and brands throughout the region. More
Sainsbury's loyalty and insights business Nectar360 has partnered with tech CitrusAd to launch a retail media platform allowing targeted sponsored product offers, banner advertising and analytics across the Sainsburys.co.uk web site. More
In London, retail scenario testing firm Virtual Store Trials (VST) has appointed long-time industry execs Helen Davis and Charlotte Kiddle as Account Directors, to lead partnerships with FMCG retailers and CPG brands. The company is also planning to open a US office next year. More
In Europe, data-driven digital signage provider Intuiface and face analysis specialist Sightcorp have integrated their solutions to create a no-code approach to running and measuring digital out-of-home ad placements, delivering individually targeted content at the right time and place. More
Israel-based consumer journey analytics platform Konnecto has raised $3.5m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to increase its Data Science team and expand into new verticals and geographies. More
Swedish brand tracking and consumer science firm Nepa has reported its 'strongest operating profit ever', SEK 5.9m for the third quarter of calendar 2021, compared with a loss of SEK -13.9m a year earlier, on the back of reductions in personnel costs and other expenses. More
New Jersey-based MR and applied consumer neuroscience company HCD Research has launched a division focused on health and wellness research relating to the cannabis market. More
Nielsen is launching its own ID resolution system, which it says will support cross-media measurement in a cookieless world. More
UK-based brand communications and experience research agency The Nursery has become employee-owned, with rights transferred to a trust set up for the benefit of all staff. More
YouGov has acquired Turkish online-focused MR firm Wizsight for an undisclosed sum. The company will be renamed YouGov Turkey. More
In the UK, food and drink sector research and support organisation Campden BRI has announced that current COO Pete Headridge will become Chief Executive on 1st January 2021, following the retirement of Chris Huscroft. More
Nielsen Global Connect and management consultancy Bain & Company have partnered to help clients in the consumer packaged goods industry improve capabilities across pricing, promotions, assortment optimization and customer planning. More
UK-based branding and innovation agency Brand Potential has partnered with structural and sustainable design consultancy Touch to launch HALO, a joint venture focused on insight and innovation and promising to help clients with sustainable pack and product innovation. More
Nielsen has announced revenues of $1,563m for the third quarter of 2020, down 3.3% year-on-year on a reported basis, and 3.0% at constant currency. Adjusted EBITDA was $501m, equivalent to a 6.1% rise at constant currency. More
Consumer data giant IRI and product data specialist Label Insight have expanded their relationship to help CPG marketers design marketing campaigns based on consumer demand for product attributes such as 'gluten-free' and 'sustainably sourced'. More
Consumer intelligence platform Toluna has secured a 'significant' round of financing, which it will use to fund planned global growth initiatives. More
Former ESOMAR President Dan Foreman has made an undisclosed amount of investment in retail tech provider Virtual Store Trials (VST), which offers AI solutions for shelf and pack testing, macro-space optimization, planogram visualization, and automated planogram builds. More
Our Data Visualization special issue is published today. Here, in his Introduction, Ipsos co-founder & CEO Didier Truchot talks about clients' need for clarity, AI's potential to change our industry, and why insight professionals should be confident about the future. More
In London, mobile-based customer insights firm Streetbees has raised $40m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to accelerate development of its platform, and increase headcount from 100 to 230 during the next twelve months. More
Nielsen has announced that is consumer business will be renamed NielsenIQ, once it becomes a standalone company. Separately, a report in the Financial Times suggests that private equity group Advent International is in talks to buy the division in a deal valuing it at about $2.9bn. More
In Los Angeles, full service MR firm Alter Agents has appointed five new members of staff, including Lauren DeWitt Thompson as Research Director; Ryan Palmer, Adrienne Scotti and Roxanne Benoun as Research Managers, and Taryn Akiyoshi as a Senior Research Analyst. More
Ipsos has posted revenue of EUR 468.6m in the third quarter of 2020, down 6.2% on a reported basis but just 3.3% on a like-for-like, constant currency basis despite the impact of the pandemic. The group says this reflects 'a renewed stability since June', with recovery month by month. More
UK market research budgets experienced another 'marked decline' in the third quarter - the second sharpest since data collection for this category started in the final quarter of 2012 - according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report. More
In London, Kantar has appointed long-time Procter & Gamble exec Alexis Nasard as Chief Executive Officer, effective 30th December. He replaces Eric Salama, who left the business in February. More
Tesco-owned customer data firm dunnhumby and retail media platform CitrusAd have announced a partnership. The resulting solution uses historical data from a customer's off- and online purchasing behaviour to help retailers showcase relevant products to shoppers using non-interruptive native ads. More
In Los Angeles, insights design and strategy agency Hypothesis has appointed former Millward Brown North America CEO Mary Ann Packo as a Senior Partner, leading client growth, research innovation and talent acquisition. More
Manchester, UK-based market intelligence provider Kids Insights has expanded to Russia and China. More
Last year, research revenue for the Top 50 US-based market research and data analytics companies rose 4.8% to $14.8bn - comprising an almost equal split of domestic (50.2%) and international (49.8%) business - according to the latest annual Top 50 Report. More
Nielsen has announced that the headquarters for its Global Consumer Business will be in Chicago, from January 1st, 2021. More
Marcoms group Dentsu Aegis Network is to change its name to Dentsu International Limited, dropping a name it acquired with the purchase in 2012 of British-owned Aegis Group. More
Kantar is planning to cut around ten percent of its US staff due to the impact of the pandemic, according to online reports. More
Television measurement, attribution and analytics company 605 has signed an agreement with retail giant Walmart, to provide ad impact and audience analysis via its PLATF0RM solution. More
European data collection company Norstat has hired Evelin Pae as MD for its Estonia business, replacing Kaspar Küünarpuu who has left the company. More
UK professional body the MRS has noted a slight positive shift in the expectations of companies in the post-Covid world; and has downgraded its earlier call on the government to 'save the sector' to a more modest appeal for investment in infrastructure and innovation. More
London-based data company TeakOrigin has partnered with mobile intelligence platform Streetbees to launch a study to understand the link between nutritional value and consumption of fresh produce. More
YouGov has expanded in the Asia Pacific region through a partnership with Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam-based behavioural science specialist Decision Lab. More
IBM has partnered with Nielsen Global to launch a solution called 'Watson Advertising Weather Targeting', designed to help marketers make the connection between weather and product sales, without the use of third-party cookies or identifiers. More
TV measurement and analytics company 605 has announced new data partnerships with Catalina, PlaceIQ and Polk Automotive Solutions by IHS Markit, combining ad exposure and content viewership with consumer behavior and business outcomes on a 'massive scale'. More
In the US, consumer data giant IRI has appointed Jeremy Allen as President of Market and Shopper Intelligence (MSI), responsible for leading and further enhancing solutions in the area. More
In the US, AI-based insights platform Birdie has appointed long-time industry exec Ted Clark as Chief Operating Officer, charged with overseeing operations, leading the Client Services team, and driving the firm's growth and business development. More
Hall & Partners has teamed up with first-party data and insights platform Dynata, whose connected data capabilities and technology will power the ad and brand research specialist's data visualization and storytelling platform, The Hub. More
US-based research agency Gongos has partnered with audience insights platform DISQO, to offer organizations an 'agnostic digital consumer view' of brands and their categories. More
In the US, marketing and consumer sciences firm HCD Research has partnered with neuroscience and consumer research specialist Dr Martha Bajec to launch a new unit focused on consumer health and wellness products. More
Australian data intelligence company Potentiate and New Zealand-based longitudinal relationship analytics specialist MirrorWave have partnered, to provide a service which 'follows' customers, employees and partners over time. More
Audience technology platform Eyeota has achieved certification from the IAB's Tech Lab industry standards body for the latter's recently launched 'Data Transparency Standard Compliance Program'. More
Research and analytics company MESH Experience has partnered with insights software and services agency Cambrian Analytics to build an interactive dashboard providing insights on brand performance. More
In the US, product pricing, promotions, and availability data provider Datasembly has raised $10.3m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to accelerate product development and expand its sales and marketing efforts. More
In Canada, data management platform ThinkData Works has partnered with consumer intent data provider Prosper Insights & Analytics, to provide clients with a better understanding of spending patterns, consumer happiness and impulsivity, while gaining insights into intent over time. More
London-based human insight consultancy One Minute To Midnight is opening an Americas office in New York City, to better serve its growing US client base. More
UK-based kids, parents and family specialist The Insights People has raised £500k in investment funding, which it will use for international expansion, and to create eight new jobs at its Manchester headquarters. The firm has also appointed Stefan Lampinen as Chairman. More
Audience measurement firm Comscore has teamed up with behaviour-based data science company Consumer Orbit to launch Comscore Consumer Intelligence, offering the local market advertising sector the ability to link media consumption and shopping behaviour. More
Nielsen has reported an 8.1% drop in second quarter revenue (-5.9% on a constant currency basis) to $1.49 billion compared with $1.63bn in the prior year period; while net loss was $30m, compared with net income of $123m in Q2 2019. More
GfK has partnered with technology designer stickee to develop the 'Daily Pricing Monitor', a fully-automated data collection, monitoring and analysis suite for the telecoms sector, feeding back through an online dashboard. More
Start-up Advertima, which uses AI to customize in-store experiences, has closed a EUR 15m ($17.3m) funding round, earmarked for further development of its tracking platform. More
Research & Results, the organiser of the annual Munich, Germany-based trade show for market research, data and insights professionals, has decided to close its whole business because of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis. More
UK-based kids, parents and family specialist The Insights People has expanded to Canada and Australia, to meet international demand for its market intelligence solutions. More
In the US, brand and marketing insights company Shapiro+Raj has appointed Cindy Tran as company President. The position has been vacant for the past two years, since the departure of Margaret Mueller, who now serves as CEO of the Executives' Club of Chicago. More
Global shopper insights agency PRS IN VIVO has hired long-time Ipsos exec Karen Gombault for a newly created role, EU Managing Director, based in its Paris office. More
UK-based consumer research agency MMR and Paris, France-based research and marketing intelligence institute Repères have signed a partnership agreement, giving each access to a combined methodological toolkit and increased geographical footprint. More
Naomi Gooblar, the founder of London-based qual and quant fieldwork services firm Field Sauce, has set up a dedicated team called Field Sauce Kidz, working with young people aged from 0 to 20, as well as their parents and educators. More
In the US, marketing and consumer research firm HCD Research has partnered with artificial intelligence and sensory research agency Aigora, to launch a tool designed to help clients understand the relationship between consumers and brands. More
Ipsos has posted revenue of EUR 786m for the first half of the year, down 13% from last year's EUR 903.4m. The firm says that after a close to flat performance in the first quarter, the second was heavily affected by the 'havoc' wreaked by Covid-19. More
In the US, grocery retail giant Kroger has promoted Milen Mahadevan, COO of its data analytics subsidiary 84.51°, adding the role of President. He is now responsible for 84.51°'s day-to-day leadership, management and vision. He replaces CEO Stuart Aitken. More
Customer data pioneer dunnhumby has expanded its India leadership team, adding three industry veterans: Finance Director Dipti Bhatia, Director of Media Products Sourabh Sharma and Director of Technology and Operations Sai Prakash Dilipkumar. More
Innovation insights firm Clarivate Analytics has announced the launch of a Global Business Center in Penang, Malaysia, to be led by VP Shankar Nagalingam. Two more such centres are planned, for London and Chandler, Arizona. More
Marketing tech firm Kenshoo has partnered with CPG and retail competitive intelligence service DataWeave to offer real-time aggregate data on digital shoppers. More
In New York, food data platform Crisp has raised $12m in a Series A round of funding, for use in expanding its supply chain technology and building an open data platform connecting thousands of companies across the sector. More
US-based insight-led marketing services firm LRW Group has been renamed 'Material', bringing its ten companies into one unified offering. More
Former Kantar CEO Eric Salama has joined the Board of New York-based consumer insights platform Morning Consult, along with Karen van Bergen, former CEO of Omnicom Public Relations Group. More
The New York Stock Exchange has begun the process of delisting multi-channel marketing solutions firm Harte Hanks after the latter firm failed to stay above required thresholds for stockholders' equity and/or market equity. The firm will not appeal the decision, and will trade on the OTCQX instead. More
Breweries have a new tool for working with Nielsen data, courtesy of a partnership between Nielsen Connected Partner TABS Analytics and sector specialist Brewers Advisors. More
Nielsen Sports has closed its office in Singapore, as part of its parent's recently announced measures to drive 'operational efficiencies' and optimise Nielsen's global footprint. More
In the US, grocery retail giant The Kroger Co has moved SVP, Chief Information Officer (CIO) Yael Cosset back to its data analytics subsidiary 84.51°, where he will serve as Chief Executive Officer and SVP of Alternative Business. He will continue to lead Kroger Technology & Digital. More
Nielsen is carrying out an 'optimization plan' to drive permanent cost savings and 'operational efficiencies', which will result in the loss of around 3,500 of its c.46,000 employees. The firm also plans to exit several smaller, underperforming markets and non-core businesses in H2 2020. More
Boston, MA-based behavioral science and MR consultancy Protobrand has promoted Irina Zilberman to the role of company President. More
In Canada, marketing analytics company StrategyBox has raised $2m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to support more than 50 additional platforms, and add radio attribution as a service. More
Australia-based strategic brand agency Maven Intelligence has closed operations, according to reports, with its founders stating they need to return their focus to their other businesses. More
Gordon Brown, the co-founder of Millward Brown, died peacefully at his home in the UK on Saturday 6th June, after a short battle with dementia. He was 76 years old. More
Paris-based OpinionWay Group has announced the opening of a new strategic regional hub in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, to be led by Florence de Bigault, who joins the Group as MD of Sub-Saharan Africa. More
Retail and consumer goods image recognition and analytics firm Trax has partnered with in-store data and shopper insights platform Snooper, to provide brands in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) with a new store auditing solution which combines image recognition and crowdsourcing. More
Nielsen Global Connect has launched a suite of shopper research solutions which use 'extreme' reality and gaming technology for virtual retail shelf and planogram testing, and to uncover in-store shopping behavior. More
Shopper data and insights business Nielsen Global Connect has appointed Tribune Media veteran Chandler Bigelow as its first Chief Financial Officer. More
Stockholm-based brand tracking and consumer science firm Nepa has announced net sales up 3.8% (constant currency) in the first quarter to MSEK 69.4m ($US 7.4m), with EBIT loss slashed from MSEK -3.3m to just -0.3m. The company has also moved quickly to off-set possible damage from the pandemic. More
Boston, MA behavioral science-based market research consultancy Protobrand has appointed Veylinx co-founder Rainier van Rietschoten as VP, Client Services, starting today. More
Consumer data firm IRI and retail and tech sector research and advisory firm Coresight Research have partnered to launch a joint, monthly retail trend report, providing insights into the future of the sector. More
London-based research platform Attest has raised $15m from an unnamed investor. This new round of funding will be used to further expand in the US, where it has hired Marc Schraer and Tamer Abouleinein. More
In Vietnam, Kantar has transferred David Anjoubault from Worldpanel to take up the role of CEO of its Insights division. He replaces Nitin Nishandar, who has been named Chairman of the Insights division in Vietnam and Chief Client Officer. More
The insights sector is in line for an $18.7 billion loss in value due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new report released by industry body ESOMAR and based on a survey of 2,889 professionals from 127 countries. More
Brand tracking and consumer science firm Nepa has partnered with mobile research tech firm RealityMine, to provide behavioural data technology for the former's Omnichannel Path to Purchase and Digital Pulse solutions. More
Nielsen has announced information sharing and 'cooperation' agreements with one of its largest shareholders, hedge fund Elliott Management Corporation, which now owns a 13% stake in the group. It will also set up a Finance Committee and add IPG exec Jonathan Miller to its Board. More
Nielsen has reported a 0.3% drop in first quarter revenues to $1.56 billion, equivalent to a 1.5% rise on a constant currency basis. It also turned a net profit of $43m in Q1 2019 into a net loss of $18m a year later, although adjusted EBITDA remained positive. More
Nordic MR specialist Userneeds has partnered with mobile research tech firm RealityMine, aiming to provide a more holistic view of the digital behaviour of Nordic consumers. More
British-based full service insight consultancy Basis Research has opened an office in Chicago, where it has appointed brand insights and strategy specialist Katie Buckley as Managing Partner. More
Ipsos has posted first quarter revenue of EUR 428.7m, up 1.6% from the same period last year; but says its order book in the three weeks from March 30th has seen a significant fall. More
YouGov has reported a 16% increase in revenue to £76.9m in its half-year (HY) results for the six months to 31st January, compared with HY 2019, when revenue increased 18% to £66.5m. The firm also says it has not yet seen any 'material impact' to the business from the Covid-19 pandemic. More
Alcohol sector market analyst Overproof has raised an additional $1.25m from unnamed existing investors, in its fourth round of seed funding. More
Southeast Asia-based qual and quant marketing intelligence company Divergent Insights has opened an office in Jakarta, Indonesia. More
Asia Pacific-based data-led marketing and strategy consulting group Illuminera has partnered with marketing insights professional Ashok Sethi, to launch a specialist marketing and behavior change division called 'Behave!' More
In China, third party marketing data and tech provider Miaozhen Systems has split into two units: Omni-marketing Intelligence (OMI) and Business Intelligence & Analytics (BIA). More
In the US, retail sales, marketing and services company Acosta has appointed Sharon Hart as Chief Information Officer, to further develop the firm's proprietary digital and analytic solutions. More
Global association ESOMAR is teaming up with MrWeb and its existing partner Women In Research to give data and insights professionals access to the world's largest specialist index of job opportunities, with new packages and offers also launched. More
Jane Frost, Chief Executive of Britain's MRS, has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak warning of the 'immediate and potentially catastrophic impact' of the Covid-19 crisis on the industry, and asking for further help in protecting it. More
Silicon Valley-based computer vision and AI-powered video analytics company Deep North has closed a $25.7m Series A funding round, which it says will be used in 'digitizing the next generation of brick-and-mortar retail and shopping centers on a global level'. More
Paris, France-based MR firm OpinionWay has expanded to Poland, opening offices in Krakow and Warsaw. More
In the US, focus group facilities and recruiting services company L&E Research has expanded with the acquisition of the midtown Manhattan office of Consumer Center. More
Nielsen Holdings plc has appointed Sean Cohan as Chief Growth Officer and President, International; and promoted Peter Bradbury to Chief Commercial Officer, U.S. and Karthik Rao to COO of its Media division. More
Ipsos has reported a 14.5% increase in full-year revenue to slightly more than EUR 2 billion; with organic, constant currency growth of 3.8%, the firm's best annual performance since 2011. More
Nielsen Holdings has announced 2019 revenues of $6.498bn, equivalent to a 1.7% rise at constant currency, although a fall of 0.3% as reported. Q4 revenues were $1.69bn, up 2.0% on a reported basis and 2.7% in constant currency terms. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science specialist Nepa has promoted Ann-Christine Fick to the position of Chief Financial Officer, while Michael Wallin joins in the newly created role of Head of Investor Relations. More
America's largest grocery retailer Kroger has partnered with Microsoft to jointly market a solution designed to help retailers use customer insights to create higher levels of personalization, while enhancing store staff productivity. More
Adam Crozier, former CEO of broadcaster ITV, the Football Association and Royal Mail, has been named Non-Executive Chairman of Kantar. More
Dentsu Aegis-owned performance marketing agency Merkle has launched a Promotion and Loyalty Solutions division, to be led by Peter DeNunzio as Global Head of Loyalty. More
Following its acquisition of WPP AUNZ's Data Investment Management (DIM) division, Kantar has announced a number of steps which it says will help drive growth for its clients in Australia, including the retirement of the Colmar Brunton brand in the country. More
Colorado-based Egg Strategy is moving its corporate headquarters within the state, from Boulder to Denver - where more than 40 percent of its nearly 70 employees live. More
Symphony RetailAI, which provides artificial intelligence-enabled solutions for FMCG retailers and CPG manufacturers, has appointed Chris Koziol as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Pallab Chatterjee, who has retired. More
P-O Westerlund has been named CEO of Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science firm Nepa AB, replacing Fredrik Östgren who leaves the company with immediate effect. More
One-year-old immersive research firm Further&Further has added a fourth office in Chicago, to existing locations in Montreal, New York and London. Eve Ejsmont and Brian Flannery join the new office as Directors while Matthew Pemberton joins the Montreal office as a Film Director. More
In Newcastle-upon-Tyne, full-service agency Explain Market Research has undergone a management buyout, with founder David Shiel selling his controlling 75% stake. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Dutch full service agency DVJ Insights has opened an office in Hamburg, and appointed GfK veterans Erk Maassen and Stephan Knäble as Managing Partners, to lead and develop it. More
Tech and consumer specialist Breaking Blue Research is formally joining sister agency Cello Health Insight, in a move which the firms say will add specialist expertise to strengthen the overall business insights and analytics offer. More
Nielsen has appointed David Rawlinson as Chief Executive Officer of its Global Connect business, while Linda Zukauckas will take up the position of Chief Financial Officer of the Global Media business. Both will join on February 3rd. More
Snacks company pladis has brought in former PepsiCo Asia Pacific Insights & Analytics Lead Geoff Painter as Chief Insights Officer, starting today. More
Shopper intelligence specialist Catalina is partnering with consumer analytics platform and promotion network Koupon, to provide convenience store (C-store) retailers and CPGs with a more 'holistic' understanding of cross-channel consumer purchase behavior. More
Tesco-owned customer data firm dunnhumby is moving its customer insights products across to Microsoft's cloud platform Azure, in order to give more retailers and suppliers instant access to shopper and business insights. More
In the UK, Cambridge Market Research (CMR) has hired former Future Thinking UK MD Adele Gritten as its first Chief Executive Officer. More
This is 2019's last edition of Daily Research News. We wish a very Merry Christmas to all those celebrating it, and a Happy New Year and a great holiday to all readers, clients, contributors, partners and friends around the world. DRNO resumes in the first week of 2020. More
Retail data firm The NPD Group has appointed Darren Person as Global Chief Information Officer, and Robert Taylor as SVP, Enterprise Systems. More
2001, like 1984, was a year for which fiction had given us very specific expectations, and while disappointingly little coasted through the heavens to the strains of the 'Blue Danube', some MR industry giants certainly soared. Here's our review of the year on DRNO. More
Kantar Chief Executive Eric Salama has decided to step down from his role at some point in 2020, after which he will serve as a non-executive Director and Consultant at the company. Kantar has already begun the process of recruiting a successor. More
Kantar and consumer data giant IRI have launched a solution to help CPG clients measure and optimize marketing programs against the drivers of long-term brand health and short-term sales. More
US professional body The Insights Association has named former Dynata EVP Melanie Courtright as its Chief Executive Officer, beginning January 1st and succeeding David Almy. More
Indonesia-based consumer insights start-up Populix has raised $1m in a round of seed funding, which it will use to develop new product features and hire new employees. The firm is also planning to cover more countries in the Southeast Asia region. More
Canadian consumer and audience insights company Vividata has announced a partnership with consumer segmentation specialist Manifold Data Mining, applying the latter's Polaris Intelligence platform to the former's large-scale, established research studies. More
Today it's exactly 21 years since MrWeb was officially launched - a traditional coming-of-age here in the UK. In Internet terms, 21 is ancient really, and we'll do a bit of looking backward over the next few weeks, but we also have major plans for the coming year. Details here - and your feedback wanted! More
In New York, consumer behavior tracking specialist wappier has raised $4m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to continue building and growing its AI-powered revenue management and data visualization platform; and to strengthen its team in the US and Europe. More
In New York, Nielsen Global Connect has hired IBM exec Jacqueline Woods as Chief Marketing Officer, starting on December 1st. More
In the US, shopper understanding company PreciseTarget has hired three new execs for its senior leadership team: Mitch Paletz as SVP Channel Partnerships; Andrew McCasker as Chief Technology Officer; and Brian Graziano as VP Marketing. More
In New York, long-time GfK exec David Albert has been named Managing Director of research and data services company ENGINE Insights. The business is part of full-service media and marketing company ENGINE, which was previously the parent of ORC. More
Nielsen has announced a major expansion of its relationship with US-based food giant General Mills Inc. More
MRI-Simmons has partnered with cultural profiling firm EthniFacts to launch Cultural Suite, a tool for targeting different cultural groups. More
In Belgium, former Haystack execs Wim Hamaekers and Jasper Scheir have launched an insights consultancy called One Inch Whale, which promises to help people and brands to be 'relevant and sustainable'. More
Nielsen has completed its strategic review, and announced plans to spin off its Global Connect business (similar, but not identical to the former 'Buy' segment), creating two independent publicly traded companies. The company also posted a respectable 2.4% constant currency revenue rise for Q3. More
In California, former JWT Intelligence director Lucie Greene has launched a futures, research and brand strategy consultancy called Light Years. More
Shopper intelligence specialist Catalina has hired Wayne Powers as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, replacing Jerry Sokol, who will continue as a Strategic Advisor during the transition period. More
London-based boutique insights agency 2CV has promoted Sabine Cronick - previously Head of Quant - to Managing Director, UK; and Jennifer Axen, previously Head of Qual, to MD North America. More
Ipsos has reported organic growth of 3% in the third quarter of the year. Reported revenue rose fully 16.7% to EUR 499.4m, driven by the acquisition of units of GfK since last year, and to a lesser extent by that of Synthesio and by currency effects. More
In a trading update for the third quarter, WPP has reported its first like-for-like (LFL) revenue increase of the year - with insight division Kantar sharing in the improvement. Group reported revenue rose 1.9% LFL to £3.29bn. More
TV audience measurement body BARC India has announced that founding CEO Partho Dasgupta is leaving the position, and will be replaced by Sunil Lulla. More
In the US, enterprise analytics specialist ThoughtSpot has partnered with Nielsen to launch a search and artificial intelligence-driven platform called Retail Insights, designed to help organizations understand and respond to changing consumer expectations. More
Cultural insights and strategy consultancy Crowd DNA has recruited RDSi director David Power to manage its quant and analytics offer, which is being rebranded as 'Crowd Numbers'. Power will join the firm in November. More
In the US, shopper targeting firm Valassis has promoted Cali Tran to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, replacing CEO Dan Singleton who will move into a senior advisory role for parent company Harland Clarke Holdings. More
In India, Kantar and artificial intelligence platform Frrole have partnered to launch a service called 'TGI Social+', which combines consumer profiles from Kantar's consumer survey TGI with social media analytics to provide a 'holistic' understanding of online consumers. More
British retailer M&S has hired former GroupM exec Mehdi Hosseini for a newly created role, Head of Data Science, including responsibility for recruiting for up to twenty new roles in the near future. More
Continuing our month-long focus on online communities Stephen Cribbett, CEO and founder of Further looks at projects where communities excel, offering huge benefits over other formats - with case studies of work for Bupa, VouchForMe, Condé Nast and Keyhouse software. More
Washington, DC-based research and consulting firm Luntz Global Partners has rebranded as Storyline Strategies, as it repositions itself with a wider offer and a focus on innovative methods. More
US programmatic ad tech and footfall insights provider Mobiquity Technologies has announced a successful recapitalization, cleared the way for a Nasdaq application, and extended the contracts of two key execs from recently acquired Advangelists, who it says will play a key role in its future. More
Shopper and product experience specialist PRS IN VIVO has expanded its global Luxury Practice, and added the concept of 'Happiness Science' to its behavioral science offering. More
New Jersey-based MR and applied consumer neuroscience company HCD Research has been awarded a patent for a new approach to mapping mood, product marketability and promotion, through physiological measures. More
US-based consumer psychology expert Strategic Vision is opening its first office in India, located in Hyderabad and led by Ravindra 'Ravi' Kondagunta, in partnership with his company Traction Labs. More
Consumer data giant IRI and location intelligence firm PlaceIQ have further extended their partnership, integrating the latter anonymous foot traffic data in the former's Liquid Data loyalty card and point-of-sale analysis platform. More
Customer data pioneer dunnhumby has launched an in-house tech accelerator called dunnhumby Labs (dh Labs), to develop its product offerings in the global retail marketplace. The new business unit will be led by Kyle Fugere, who also heads dunnhumby ventures. More
Consumer insights platform DISQO has appointed former MarketShare and Neustar executive Jean-Philippe Durrios as CFO and COO, based in its Los Angeles headquarters and charged with leading its plans for rapid growth. More
On 29th November 1998 MrWeb - publisher of DRNO - officially launched with the appearance of its first job ad. To celebrate our twenty-first birthday we're publishing special supplements on five major growth areas in the sector, beginning this month with online communities. More
UK-based brand research agency The Nursery has merged with recently acquired Arkenford, and moved to refurbished offices in Rathbone Place, London W1. More
Escalent (formerly Market Strategies International-Morpace) has announced that Chief Information Officer Sharna Morelli has decided to retire, while John Sivak has been promoted to Senior Vice President, leading the firm's IT division from its Livonia, MI headquarters. More
The insight sector around the world including traditional and new areas turned over around $80bn in 2018, according to ESOMAR's annual Global MR report - up from $76bn in 2017. New areas such as data analytics accounted for most but not all of the growth, rising around 10% year-on-year. More
Dan Hess, former Comscore Chief Product Officer, has joined retail data specialist The NPD Group to lead its global product development and management. More
In the US, sensory and consumer product research specialist Curion says it has appointed thirty-five new employees this year, supporting rapid growth and the launch of three new services. More
Australian insights consultancy Fiftyfive5 has expanded its teams in Sydney and Melbourne over the past six months, with the appointment of fourteen new members of staff. More
US firms LoopMe and Numerator have partnered to offer 'traditional' retailers ad campaign attribution and in-flight optimisation, using off-line purchase data. More
In the US, data collection and fieldwork services firm Opinions Ltd has opened its newest testing center, in Staten Island, New York. More
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has hired five new US employees while announcing a move to a larger office in New York City. More
In Africa, marketing services network WPP ScanGroup is to meet an obligation to sell two of its subsidiaries, following parent company WPP's decision to sell 60% of Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital. More
Nielsen has reported a 1.2% drop in second quarter revenues to $1.63bn - although excluding currency effects it would have risen by the same amount. Adjusted EBITDA increased 0.4% to $470m - a rise of 2% at constant currency. More
Nielsen has entered a partnership with digital media analytics specialist Quotient Technology, whose purchase intelligence will be integrated into Nielsen's own audience and performance measurement solutions, creating a new industry omni-channel data set. More
Los Angeles-based consumer insights business MarketCast Group has appointed long-time media and entertainment exec John Batter as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Henry Shapiro who has moved into the position of Chairman. More
Ipsos has generated revenue of EUR 903.4m in the first half of 2019, up 14.9% compared with the first six months of 2018. Organic growth for the half year was 3.0%. More
Australian retail chain Woolworths has officially launched a standalone media business, Cartology, which will run a network of digital screens across supermarkets nationwide, and offer performance tracking modelling to assess campaign effectiveness. More
IRI has appointed Mike Eklund as CFO and Evan Swidler as Chief Human Resources Officer, with both replacing interim leaders. More
Florida-based shopper intelligence and personalized digital firm Catalina Marketing has partnered with LiveRamp to develop new audience segments and measurement offerings for US CPG marketers, for launch this quarter. More
Indonesia-based research and neuroscience start-up Neurosensum has followed up a recent $1.8m funding win with the launch of a new research tool, SurveySensum, and says it aims to double its size to around 90 employees by the end of the year. More
WPP has agreed to sell 60% of its data, research, consulting and analytics business Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital, in a deal which values the whole of Kantar at around £3.2bn ($4.0bn). More
Nielsen and retail and consumer goods image recognition and analytics firm Trax have launched three new offerings, designed to provide US brands with access to both episodic and continuous views of shelf conditions. More
Amsterdam-headquartered consumer insights solutions provider Veylinx has opened its first US office in Brooklyn, New York, where it has appointed former Pollfish exec Nihad Zahri as US Business Development Director. More
WPP has confirmed this evening it is now in exclusive talks with private equity firm Bain Capital, over the sale of a majority stake in Kantar. More
In the US, automated consumer insights platform Zappi has appointed Zontziry 'Z' Johnson as Vice President of Customer Transformation. More
In London, the management team at agribusiness pricing, media, data and intelligence company AgriBriefing has bought the company for an undisclosed sum. More
US-based Numerator has appointed Eric Belcher as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Dennis Moore who becomes President, Panel Solutions. The firm was formed last year through the merger of omnichannel market intelligence firm Market Track and its consumer panel provider InfoScout. More
Mobile research firms RealityMine and MFour have partnered to launch a solution called 'Connected Consumer Data', providing clients with a single-source continuous data set that combines observed digital and location behavior with validated surveys. More
Global market reports and analysis firm Euromonitor International has launched an office in Dusseldorf, servicing the DACH region - Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More
New York-based consumer insights specialist MRI-Simmons has announced a partnership with New Jersey social media metrics and off-line word-of-mouth specialist Engagement Labs, helping marketers to activate their off-line brand advocates and influencers and 'seed' new conversations. More
In the US, global strategy and consumer insights company db5 has announced the return of Chris Hubble as Chief Executive Officer, after a three year stint developing and managing DIY research platform PopResearch (Pop). More
Shopper intelligence specialist Catalina Marketing has partnered with TV data provider Samba TV, to integrate shopper behavioral data and video viewing insights at 'massive scale', encompassing tens of millions of households and billions of data points. More
In Australia, Kantar has promoted Leigh Mander and Jacqui Brandt to MD roles, leading the Sydney and Melbourne offices respectively. Meanwhile James Brown moves into the newly created position of National Head of Shopper. More
Consumer data giant IRI and product data specialist Label Insight are joining forces, to provide CPG manufacturers and retailers with more detailed insight into product performance based on nutrition and ingredient label data. More
In the US, Market Strategies International-Morpace has rebranded as 'Escalent'. The new name comes from the word 'escalate', which the firm says reflects its mission to help organizations accelerate, develop and grow. More
Troubled direct marketing and targeting firm Harte Hanks has announced that CEO Bant Breen has resigned from his role, to 'focus on other interests and professional pursuits'. President and COO Andrew Harrison will now take the title of Principal Executive Officer. More
In the US, consumer data specialist 84.51º is to relocate its Chicago office in preparation for an increase in headcount from 86 to 250 associates within the next five years. More
In the US, full-service ad and brand research specialist Phoenix Marketing International has appointed long-time Nielsen exec Michele Orlick as SVP, Networks & Media. She will be based in the firm's recently opened NYC office. More
In the UK, full-service agency ABA Research has been renamed 'Kokoro', the Japanese word for heart. The firm has also hired former Chime CIE Board Director Caroline Bates as Insight Consultancy Director in its leadership team. More
Australia-based insight and strategy consultancy The Leading Edge has closed its London office, citing 'Brexit uncertainty-related issues' which it says have made clients reluctant to commit to budgets. The firm will now run most client accounts from its Sydney headquarters. More
Nielsen has reported a 2.9% fall in first quarter revenue (+0.4% on constant currency terms), to $1.6bn, with net income down 40% to $43m from $72m a year ago, but adjusted EBITDA up slightly (+0.5%) at $415m. More
In the US, Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) has appointed Nielsen's former SVP, Client Solutions Linda Dupree as Chief Executive Officer. She replaces Matt O'Grady, who has returned to Nielsen as MD, International Media, based in London. More
Automated research platform operator Methodify has announced a partnership with survey bot CRIS (Conversational Research Insight System), and the appointments of digital tech expert Jonathan Hyde-Barnes and former Coca Cola Shopper Insights lead Melissa Hugh. More
Ipsos has reported organic growth of 2.4% for the first quarter of 2019, which coupled with acquisitions including Synthesio and parts of GfK drove reported revenue up an impressive 15.0% to EUR 422.1m. More
Automated consumer insights platform Zappi has opened a new office in Hamburg, Germany to support clients across Central Europe. More
In the UK, location planning specialist CACI has teamed up with behavioural measurement data provider Huq Industries to add new on-demand geo-behavioural insight capabilities to ifs offer. More
London-based YouGov has expanded its Global Partnerships Programme with the addition of new members in Russia, Poland, Pakistan and Egypt. Additional partners are in development across the EMEA and APAC regions. More
London-based System1 Group plc has released a trading update for the 12 months ending 31st March 2019, showing a 1% annual decline in its key gross profit measure, to £22m, but a much improved second half performance (up 4%). More
US-headquartered real-time consumer behavior specialist First Insight has opened offices in London, UK and Chennai, India. The firm has also added twelve new currencies and ten new languages to its Customer-Centric Merchandising platform. More
Kantar has partnered with eCommerce performance analytics firm Profitero to create a suite of services to help clients manage their eCommerce and omnichannel investments. More
Nielsen CEO David Kenny has signed the LEAD (Leading Executives Advancing Diversity) Network CEO Pledge, committing the company to increasing the number of women in senior leadership roles globally. More
In China, Nielsen and eCommerce giant JD have signed a data-sharing agreement, and launched a big data product called Online Pricing Optimizer (OPO), to help brands evaluate their pricing on the JD platform. More
Kantar is dispensing with brands including TNS, Millward Brown, Lightspeed, Worldpanel and IMRB, and from 2nd April will deliver 'all services and offerings under the Kantar brand name'. More
Digital research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has promoted Pieter van der Gouwe to the role of Managing Director of its Netherlands operation, while Pim van Leeuwen moves up to Director of Client Strategy and Growth. The pair will jointly lead the Dutch office. More
YouGov media planning and audience segmentation tool Profiles has been combined with the IPA's TouchPoints survey, which provides an annual view of where, when and in what mood people consume media in Britain. More
Shopper intelligence and personalization firm Catalina has partnered with digital tech services company GlobalLogic to accelerate the development and delivery of new data-driven products and digital solutions. More
Kantar is preparing to close its TNS office in Edinburgh by the end of the month, as part of its review of 'strategic priorities'; but two of its former directors, Jim Eccleston and Duncan Stewart, have announced they will launch their own agency, 56 Degree Insight. More
Ad and brand research firm Hall & Partners has promoted Joanna Fanuele to Managing Partner in its New York office, leading its consumer division. More
In the UK, Tesco-owned customer data science platform dunnhumby has appointed Julie Woods-Moss as Chair of Board of Directors. More
WPP expects to announce a deal selling a majority stake in Kantar to an investor by the middle of the year, according to Chief Executive Mark Read. More
Omnicom subsidiary The Integer Group has launched Sky Bench, a 'retail experience design consultancy' combining online and off-line expertise, with services including shopper journey tracking and planning, retail CX audits and mapping, and venue and space analytics. More
WPP has reported a 4.5% decline (1.8% in constant currency terms) in revenue for its Kantar data investment management (DIM) division, for the year 2018. Reported revenue was down from £2.7bn in 2017 to £2.56bn in 2018. More
Dentsu Aegis Network has launched its dentsu X media business in Canada. The agency uses an insight-driven media planning approach which goes beyond consumers' claimed behaviour and aims to understand audiences based on their motivations. More
Beth Ann Kaminkow, CEO of Kantar Consulting Americas, is moving across to WPP-owned sister agency Geometry as Global Chief Executive. She joins at the beginning of next month and replaces Steve Harding, who has decided to leave the business. More
Nielsen has reported a 0.9% decrease in full year 2018 revenue to $6.5bn. The company will now restructure into two new segments, Nielsen Global Media and Nielsen Global Connect, and CEO David Kenny says its 2019 focus is to transform into a 'product-driven technology organization'. More
Ipsos has reported organic growth of just 0.7% for 2018, with currency fluctuations reducing reported revenue to EUR 1.7bn, 1.7% down on the previous year. Q4 revenue was up 4.5% to EUR 535.6m, as the firm consolidates recent acquisitions. More
Shopper behaviour specialist Kantar Worldpanel has partnered with research-based marketing consultancy Kantar MRB, to enhance the household panel running in Bangladesh since 2012. More
Global ad and brand researcher Phoenix Marketing International has opened new offices in Florida and New York. The company is growing its team following the recent acquisition of Nielsen's Brand Effect solution in early 2018. More
Nielsen has joined the NPD Group in a new alliance which aims to 'reimagine the future of omnishopper measurement'. The partners are building a 'large-scale, comprehensive' consumer panel bringing together Nielsen's CPG measurement and NPD's general merchandise data. More
Starcount, the customer data and insight analytics consultancy led by the founders of dunnhumby, has appointed Joanna Wardle as Chief Commercial Officer. More
Shopper intelligence and personalization firm Catalina Marketing has emerged from Chapter 11 status after financial restructuring and a change of ownership. Michael Bailey joins as CTO, and the company has also reaffirmed its commitment to its Nielsen Catalina Solutions JV (NCS), as has Nielsen. More
Former Kelton Global exec Amy Snow is launching a full-service research and strategy agency called Periscope, based in Los Angeles, California. More
In the US, two of the co-founders of full-service shopper behavior specialist Alter Agents have left the company for their 'next big ventures', leaving Rebecca Brooks with sole ownership of the business. Terms of any deal have not been disclosed. More
WPP's specialist growth consultancy Kantar Consulting has opened a Retail, Sales & Shopper practice in Singapore, and has hired three new members for the team. More
In the US, consumer data giant IRI has appointed Baljit 'Bal' Dail as President of IRI Global, leading the firm's commercial efforts in the US and internationally. He will join on April 1st, 2019, and will also become a member of the IRI Board of Directors. More
In Israel, former Google CMO Alon Chen and techie Eyal Gaon have launched a food intelligence platform called Tastewise, to offer industry insights and predictions based on the analysis of billions of social media posts and photos, restaurant menus, reviews and recipes. More
In the US, consumer insights specialists GfK MRI and Simmons Research have formed a joint venture called MRI-Simmons, jointly owned by respective parent companies GfK and SymphonyAI Group, with GfK as the majority partner. More
In the US, retail information provider The NPD Group has hired Gina Pingitore as Senior Vice President, Research and Innovation. More
In the UK, online food ordering and delivery service Just Eat has hired easyJet exec Alberto Rey Villaverde as Chief Data Officer, starting on 11th March. More
Retail data pioneer the NPD Group has appointed former GfK exec Stanley Kee as MD of its APAC business, effective January 2nd 2018, based in Singapore and leading teams in China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. More
Tesco-owned customer data business dunnhumby has launched an online documentary series focusing on innovation in North America's food retail industry, with the first episode airing today. More
In the US, shopper targeting firm Valassis has promoted former COO Wayne Powers to the new role of President; and moved Greg Green to the expanded role of Chief Data and Analytics Officer at parent company Harland Clarke Holdings. More
Automated MR company ZappiStore has expanded to Latin America with the appointment of former GfK exec Gabriel Velez, who will lead its operations across the region. More
In the US, people-based ad technology company Viant and consumer data giant IRI have partnered, to boost data and analytics offerings for shopper marketers. More
In the UK, marcoms network the Unlimited Group has combined four of its existing insight businesses to form Walnut Unlimited, which it describes as a 'human understanding' agency. More
Spanish language broadcast network NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and tech and communities business Maru/Matchbox have hooked up to launch what the firms describe as the largest insight community of its kind. More
Former Nielsen COO Steve Hasker is joining American entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) as Chief Executive Officer of its recently restructured investment arm, CAA Global. More
Today we are launching a survey of the UK market research industry, in partnership with B2B specialist Circle Research. If you're a UK insights or analytics professional, we want your input! More
Supply chain solutions provider JDA Software has launched what it describes as the industry's first 'space-aware' assortment optimization solution, in partnership with shopper data firm dunnhumby. The tool uses data science to increase customer loyalty, return on inventory and space. More
KPMG Australia has launched a new Advisory team for Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs), within its Customer, Brand & Marketing Advisory business - and appointed Carmen Bekker as a Partner, heading it up. More
In the UK, mobile intelligence company Location Sciences has partnered with mobile MR and sample specialist On Device Research, to help brands and agencies measure media effectiveness and store visit uplift. More
In the UK, grocery shopping comparison web site mySupermarket has made its premium purchase intent data segments available through local audience data firm Eyeota's Private Data Marketplace (PDMP). More
Dun & Bradstreet's former UK CEO Christian Erlandson is joining GfK as Chief Customer Officer next Monday. He will take over responsibility for sales and business activities across all regions from CEO Peter Feld. More
UK business Barnett Waddingham - which provides actuarial, administration and consultancy services - has appointed former John Lewis Partnership HR insights leader Peter Meyler as Head of it new Workplace Consultancy team. More
Tash Whitmey, the CEO of Havas Worldwide's customer engagement agency Havas helia, is leaving the business to join Tesco in the newly created role of Loyalty and Membership Director, leading the supermarket giant's Customer Loyalty Marketing scheme. More
In New York, marcoms giant Havas US has partnered with former Flamingo/Omnicom Managing Partner Sam Hornsby to launch a brand insight and culture consultancy called TRIPTK. More
Crowdsourced in-store data provider BeMyEye has raised $10.5m in a Series C round of financing, which it will use to accelerate its European expansion and scale the business globally. More
UK-based behavioural economics specialist The Behavioural Architects has announced 'four new significant hires' and says it has 'big plans for further expansion in 2018'. More
Boston-based retail intelligence specialist Survey.com has opened a new office in Charlotte, North Carolina, where it plans to hire 25 full-time employees in the next six months. More
In the US, ad industry strategists Megan Kent and Betsy Liegey have set up a brand and customer experience design consultancy called THE GO LAB, with an offer including consumer research, VOC data analysis, competitive audits and UX journey mapping. More
In the US, a team of former consumer goods and retail marketing execs have launched a 'cognitive marketing' agency, AIQ, which will use shopper engagement data and artificial intelligence (AI) to help brands and retailers communicate with consumers and enhance ROI. More
Harris Interactive has launched a product called PackTest Express, the latest tool in its digital new product development research suite. More
YouGov Group Chief Strategy Officer Alex McIntosh has been promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer, replacing Alan Newman who is leaving the company at the end of the year. Both McIntosh and COO Sundip Chahal will be given seats on the Board. More
UK-based agency Future Thinking has appointed former Joint UK MD Adele Gritten as (sole) UK Managing Director, following the recent departure of Claudia Strauss. The firm has also restructured and split its client teams. More
In the US, consumer intelligence specialist Resonate has raised $8m in growth capital, which it will use to expand its sales efforts targeting B2C brand verticals, as well as agency partners. More
Ipsos grew its Q3 revenue to EUR 434.0m, equivalent to organic growth of 4.9% and representing 'solid recovery'. Due to currency effects - a fall in the value of the US dollar and pound sterling against the euro - the reported figure was up only 0.5%. More
In New York, consumer insights firm Simmons Research has appointed former Nielsen exec Andrew Feigenson as Chief Executive Officer, replacing President and Chief Research Officer Pat Pellegrini, who will be leaving the company. More
Online panel and behavioral data specialist Netquest has promoted long-time company exec Enric Cid to the role of Managing Director, North America, leading its expansion into the US. More
WPP's Data Investment Management (DIM) arm has seen third quarter like-for-like revenue fall 2.9%. CEO Sir Martin Sorrell admitted to investors that it had been a 'tough quarter' as the group predicts a 'broadly flat' 2017. More
In Canada, marketing services and data firm Environics Analytics has partnered with location intelligence technology provider SiteZeus, to provide market planning capabilities for restaurants, retailers, convenience stores, and firms in the commercial real estate sector. More
Shopper intelligence firm Catalina has appointed Kraft Foods veteran Tom Corley as Global Chief Retail Officer and President of US Retail. More
Chicago-based analytics firm Clarity Insights has promoted Neil Huse, currently Managing Partner overseeing the healthcare practice, to President. Tom Thimot will step down as CEO, but will continue to advise the Board. More
YouGov has released preliminary results for the year ended 31st July 2017, with revenue up 9% on a constant currency basis to £107.0m, and adjusted profit before tax up 24% to £16.4m. More
Manchester, UK-based consumer insight agency Join the Dots is to open an office in New York, led by Jeff Haselum who has been promoted to Head of US Research. More
YouGov CFO Alan Newman has informed the Board of his intention to retire by the end of the year. The recruitment process for his successor is underway. More
UK consultancy Simpson Carpenter is expanding its pharma and biotech operation with a new office in Manchester's MediaCity. Alex Martin and Shaan Bassi join the company and will be based in the new location. More
comScore has teamed up with location intelligence firm PlaceIQ to launch a joint solution measuring lift in retail visits resulting from TV, mobile and desktop advertising. More
In New York, influence marketing company WHOSAY has launched a division focusing on shopper marketing campaigns at the time of purchase. More
Nielsen Sports has shuffled and strengthened its leadership team. Middle East leader Jon Long will move to London in January as MD, UK and Ireland, to be joined by Richard Brinkman, former Global head of KantarSport. Long replaces Jon Stainer who has moved to an expanded MD Americas role. More
Last year saw the MR industry experience its highest level of growth since 2010, according to the latest study by international association ESOMAR. More
In the UK, dairy co-op Arla Foods has hired former dunnhumby exec Steve Millard for the newly created role of Head of eCommerce & Digital. More
Consumer tracking company The NPD Group has announced the appointment of former GfK leader Gerhard Hausruckinger as Group President for Europe and APAC. More
Microsoft has patented a tool called the 'Opinion Search Engine', to help companies collect and understand customer feedback and product reviews across the web, and to help consumers with their product choices. More
GfK has announced a transformation and investment programme, aimed at sharpening its focus on customer needs, accelerating digitization and getting the company 'back on a sustainable growth path'. Plans include a 'one office per country' strategy. More
WPP has slashed its full-year growth forecast for revenues and net sales to between zero and 1%, as clients cut their marketing budgets. For the second quarter, like-for-like revenue in the Data Investment Management (DIM) division fell 4.6% to £669m. More
UK-based marcoms group Creston Ltd will now be known as 'The Unlimited Group' - following the theme of its earlier rebranding of operating companies using the 'Unlimited' suffix. More
In the US, Nielsen Sports' Global Co-MD Danny Townsend has left the firm to become CEO of Sydney Football Club. Glenn Lovett, who previously shared the title, has been promoted to sole Global Managing Director, leading all aspects of the global sports business. More
US-based direct marketing and targeting giant Harte Hanks has received notification of non-compliance from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) after its share price dropped below one dollar. More
GfK has partnered with Edinburgh-based personal financial management service Money Dashboard, to provide retailers and brands with insights into UK consumer spending patterns by category. More
In the US, privacy watchdog the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), urging it to halt Google's tracking of consumers' in-store purchases. More
In London, brand performance measurement specialist Morar HPI has launched a creative services division called ARGO, offering evidence-based brand development work as well as stand-alone brand and creative services. More
Nielsen has reported a 3.0% increase in second quarter revenue to $1.644bn, equivalent to a 4.1% rise on a constant currency basis. In organic terms - excluding the acquisition of Gracenote - the quarter was almost flat. More
Netherlands-based customer insights agency SKIM has opened an office in Gothenburg, Sweden on the campus of Chalmers University of Technology. More
Ipsos has reported what it has described as an 'uneventful' first-half year, with revenue of EUR 833.8m, almost unchanged from a year before, and organic growth of just 1 percent. More
Joseph El Habre has been named Chief Executive of Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) & Operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. More
In Germany, crowd-sourced shopper insights provider POSpulse has raised EUR 3m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to roll out its products to additional international markets. More
Global MR groups The Research Club, Women In Research (WIRe) and MrWeb have teamed up to put the world's biggest listing of research job opportunities in front of a hugely expanded audience of potential candidates. The search is also in a new more mobile-friendly format. More
In the UK, customer experience specialist Maru/edr has appointed Damian Miller and Ross Durston as Managing Directors for its Retail and Financial Services divisions, respectively. More
In the US, retail payment data insights provider Commercial Signals has closed an additional $12m in Series B funding, which it will use to expand its products, partnerships and geographical reach. More
Local audience data specialist Eyeota has partnered with YouGov to provide clients with an extensive database of consumer opinion and behavior data spanning the US, the UK and Germany. More
UK-based retail insights firm ABA Research has announced revenue growth of 14 percent, to £7.7m, in the year to March 2017. More
Surrey, UK-based Impact Research has been restructured, with Dawn Mulvey promoted to Head of Utilities, Stuart Grant heading Consumer, Monika Swift the New Generation unit and Jamie Margerison managing Healthcare, all now led by co-founder Michael Brainch as Managing Director. More
Georgia, US-based VR shopping specialist Advanced Simulations has partnered with research firm Azure Knowledge to launch two new virtual reality research products. More
Companies' intangible assets - including the value of their brands, reputation and employee skills - should be included on balance sheets in financial reporting, according to a growing lobby of experts from both multinationals and consultancies. More
UK-based data and analytics consultancy MESH has partnered with antipodean shopper consultancy 3Feet to bring the former's Real-time Experience Tracking (RET) methodology and experience metrics to Australia and New Zealand. More
Nielsen has launched Target Group Performance Analysis, a framework helping FMCG manufacturers to predict an innovation's overall viability and growth potential in specific segments. Also this week, the firm has extended its alliance with ingredient data firm Label Insight. More
Nielsen has unveiled a 'Connected System' promising FMCG and retail decision-makers analysis of 'what's happening in the market from every angle', and designed to 'foster collaboration and align organizations'. The System integrates Nielsen data with data from partner companies. More
Fishbowl, a customer engagement platform provider for the restaurant sector and now a part of Symphony Technology Group (STG), has named Jim Soss as CEO. More
In the US, Nielsen has partnered with retail vision technology specialist Trax to jointly create a new tool called the Shelf Intelligence Suite. The firms aim to help FMCG companies better understand how shelf performance directly impacts product sales. More
WPP-owned PR consultancy Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K) has launched a service called 'The Shanghai Addition', promising a new way to connect Chinese brands with audiences, cultures and markets around the world. More
Informa subsidiary Agribusiness intelligence has launched an agricultural insight platform, IEG Vu, focused on the processed food and soft commodity markets; and has recently added more than twenty new analysts to its team. More
The US research industry maintained a strong annual growth rate in 2016, despite 'tepid' overall economic growth, according to this year's AMA Gold Top 50 Report. Total revenue generated for the 202 companies surveyed was $11.584bn, up 5.7%. More
IRI has enhanced its core business of providing big data and predictive analytics for FMCG manufacturers and retailers, with the launch of a Growth Solutions practice. Former Premier Foods exec Daniel Hunt joins to help lead the practice. More
London and Leeds-based Trinity McQueen has announced year-on-year growth of around ten percent, with sales up to £4.92m in the 12 months ending September 2016. More
UK-based market intelligence firm The Business Research Company has relocated its Hyderabad, India team to a larger office in the city, where it plans to increase staff numbers from 70 to 150 in the coming months. More
In the US, Kantar Health has partnered with tech giant Nokia to develop a longitudinal cohort study, to improve understanding of the impact of 'lifestyle therapy' on diabetes treatment and patient outcomes. More
In London, consumer specialist Razor Research has set up a kids-focused business unit called Razor Kids, and appointed Leslie Salem to lead it. The firm has also hired Kenny Fox as Associate Director. More
In the US, two former Apple engineers have launched a foot traffic counting and analytics firm called Dor, with $3.8m in seed funding. More
Business information and events group Informa has expanded and restructured its Business Intelligence division, as it combines with the brands and businesses acquired from New York-based Penton Information Services last November. More
In New York, Ipsos Marketing has appointed Alison Chaltas, the co-founder of shopper marketing consultancy Interscope, as Global President, Path to Purchase. More
London-based insights and planning agency kubi kalloo has outgrown its former premises in Old Street and relocated to a larger space, a stone's throw away in Scrutton Street. More
WPP-owned growth and business strategy consulting firm Kantar Futures is launching a programme focusing all its analytical efforts on the topic of 'the future of consumption'. More
New York-based Geopath, which was formerly known as the Traffic Audit Bureau for Media Measurement, has partnered with marketing tech firm Ayuda[x] to power its new OOH (out-of-home) audience measurement solution. More
GfK has reported a 2.4% drop in first quarter group sales to EUR 352m, while the profit measure EBITDA fell 34.3% to EUR 29.4m. More
Less than two months after joining UK-based consumer and cultural insight agency Flamingo, Desirée Lopez has been named Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder Kirsty Fuller who is leaving the business. Seven of the company's eight global offices are being closed by parent Omnicom. More
GfK has extended its partnership with local audience specialist Eyeota, to help clients improve the accuracy of their consumer targeting initiatives using the global agency's 'Purchasing Power' data. More
In the US, MR consulting and training provider CourtLynn Enterprises has launched a customer behavior insights division called Griffin Wilds. More
Quadrangle Group's data collection arm RED has partnered with Research Now to launch a solution called STOREWORKS, which promises retailers 'quick, quality feedback' from different groups of consumers. More
Omnicom-owned brand and communications research consultancy Hall & Partners has promoted Soumya Roy to Chief Executive Officer of its New York operation. More
M&C Saatchi's qual/quant research agency The Source has opened a first Australian office, in Melbourne, to be led by former London MD Matt Swinson. More
Ipsos has recorded first quarter revenue of EUR 390.1m, representing organic growth of 1%, and says sales activity indicates this will increase in subsequent quarters. The group plans to announce a new programme of transformation at its June 6th Investor Day. More
Nielsen has reported first quarter revenues of $1.5 billion, up 3.2% after excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations. The result was driven by a strong performance in the Watch media research division, while the Buy side saw a decline. More
IBM business The Weather Company has partnered with customer data 'onboarding' specialist LiveRamp, to help marketers integrate real-time weather data into their omnichannel campaigns and target consumers at relevant moments. More
Omnicom is closing seven of the eight global offices of its consumer and cultural insight agency Flamingo, citing 'underperformance' and its need to now focus on growth opportunities in London. More
GfK has appointed three new members to its Supervisory Board: Thomas Ebeling, Johannes P. Huth and Philipp Freise, following its agreement with investment group KKR which is now its partner in running the global group. They replace Peter Goldschmidt, Aliza Knox and Bruno Piace. More
The UK's supermarkets watchdog is reportedly looking into claims of inappropriate 'favouritism' shown by Tesco towards customers of its dunnhumby data business. More
Tesco-owned customer data business dunnhumby has a new Chief Executive Officer, current Google exec Guillaume Bacuvier. He takes up his new position in May, replacing Simon Hay who left the business in February. More
Nielsen has launched an eCommerce measurement solution, delivering a 'total consumer view' of 90% of online FMCG sales in the US market. The firm has also introduced Nielsen Artificial Intelligence; a technology that automates audience optimization using patent-pending AI methods. More
Kantar Media and local audience data provider Eyeota have extended their TGI-based segmentation partnership to Germany and France. More
Transaction technology giant NCR has integrated its point-of-sale (POS) platform with the systems of cinema data specialist Showtime Analytics, promising cinema clients a better understanding of customer needs and experience. More
In the US, Kantar Worldpanel's ad analytics and insight division Shopcom has teamed up with consumer purchasing analyst Affinity Solutions, to help clients predict spend predictions, measure overall sales lift and gauge revenue impact in-store and through online channels. More
YouGov has reported a revenue rise of 24% to £51.4m for the six months to 31st January 2017 - equivalent to 8% on a constant currency basis. The rise was driven by 'strong growth' in the firm's subscription-based Data Products and Services business. More
Interpublic innovation arm IPG Mediabrands has appointed Arun Kumar as its first Chief Data & Marketing Technology Officer. He takes up the new position alongside his existing role managing global operations at sister company Cadreon, which focuses on data, tech, insights and activation. More
In the US, retail information firm The NPD Group has promoted President and Chief Operating Officer Karyn Schoenbart to the role of CEO, succeeding Tod Johnson who will continue full time as Executive Chairman. More
In Japan, online specialist Macromill has completed its listing on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). More
In London, ethical product industry specialist Ecovia Intelligence has been renamed 'Organic Monitor', reflecting the broader range of activities the firm is now involved with. More
In Australia, The Lab Insight & Strategy has opened an office in Brisbane, where it has appointed Amanda Windus as Strategy Planner. More
In the US, retail and healthcare data specialist IRI has partnered with information solutions giant Experian, to help marketers identify customers who will drive a better return on advertising spend. More
GfK has appointed consumer goods industry exec Peter Feld as its new Chief Executive Officer. His predecessor Matthias Hartmann resigned last August due to 'differing views' on the long-term direction of the business between himself and majority shareholder GfK Verein. More
In the UK, brand building specialist Andrew Marsden has launched a brand activation agency called Pilgrim Marketing, offering clients business strategy and brand positioning services combined with creativity and access to in-house research. More
In Africa, mobile-first messaging platform mSurvey and comms company Safaricom have partnered to launch a solution called Consumer Wallet, which quantifies Kenyan consumers' off-line spending, habits and trends. More
Manchester, UK-based Join the Dots has reported revenue growth of 26%, to £9.8m for 2016, matching its growth rate for each of the two previous years. More
Marcoms giant WPP has reported like-for-like falls in revenue for its Data Investment Management (DIM) arm Kantar, of 1.6% in the fourth quarter and 0.9% for the full year. However like-for-like net sales, which WPP has long said are a better indicator, rose 1.5% and 0.9% respectively. More
In New York, health marketing group Evoke has launched a multicultural insight agency called Fabric, which will help clients use insights to help create more 'culturally inspired' brands, and will be led by Managing Director Roger Salazar. More
Ipsos has reported 2016 revenue of EUR 1,782.7m, virtually the same as in 2015 but representing 3 percent organic growth - currency effects cancelled out the growth in the Euros figure. More
Business information firm GlobalData Plc (previously PDM) has announced final results for the calendar year 2016, including group revenues passing £100m - including organic growth of 24% and the effect of major acquisitions. Adjusted EBITDA increased by 71% to £20.6m. More
UK-based insight agency BrainJuicer aims to rebrand as System1 Research, forming System1 Group together with its recently-launched creative house, System1 Agency. More
Australian boutique MR and strategic planning consultancy Ruby Cha Cha has relocated from its central Sydney office to the city's affluent inner city suburb, Surry Hills. More
Toronto-based data collection specialist Delvinia has opened a new office in Quebec, led by former TNS exec Daniel Brousseau. More
Reading, UK-based point of sale consumer targeting specialist Ecrebo has raised £12m in an investment led by Air Miles and Nectar founder Sir Keith Mills, and former Warburg Pincus Head of Europe, Joseph Schull. Both will join the firm's Board of Directors. More
In London, WPP insight arm Kantar has appointed former SABMiller Global Insights Director Julie Kollman as Chief Research Officer. She takes up her new post on 27th February. More
Nielsen has announced the impending departure from its board of Directors of former CEO David L. Calhoun. More
Retail data giant IRI has announced a strategic alliance with 'performance television' company Simulmedia, allowing CPG marketers to target ads to consumers based on actual purchase behavior, using IRI's ProScores. More
Eye-tracking tech firm Tobii AB has reported results for the fourth quarter and full year 2016, with SEK 1,053m ($119m) in annual sales, and increasing cash reserves for investment in VR and smartphones. More
GfK shareholders have accepted an offer from US-based private equity firm KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) for 18.54 percent of the business. The buy is part of an agreement with majority shareholder GfK Verein to support the group's long-term growth strategy. More
In the UK, dunnhumby CEO Simon Hay is leaving at the end of the month to 'pursue new challenges', after 25 years with the business. More
UK-based BrainJuicer says it will rebrand, unifying its MR business with its recently-launched ad agency and sharpening its focus on behavioural science. The new name, 'though it may not be hard to fathom, has not yet been officially revealed. More
Nielsen has reported 2 percent growth in fourth quarter revenues to $1,656m, similar to the growth figure for the whole of 2016. Q4 revenue in the Buy consumer purchase behaviour segment fell 1.3% to $868m, while Watch media research revenue rose 5.8% to $788m. More
Mobile ad analytics company Marchex has integrated Facebook data into its Omnichannel Analytics Cloud platform, promising marketers the ability to optimize spend across all paid media channels based insight into which drove off-line actions. More
Ipsos has made changes to its Asia Pacific operations, with the news that its business in China will operate as a separate region, led by Lifeng Liu as Chairman and Chief Executive. More
Mobile audience data and targeting specialist adsquare is to make GfK's region-based consumer insights available through its platform. More
Brand strategy and insight agency BrainJuicer has promoted Alex Hunt to the role of President, Research Business, in charge of running its market research offering worldwide, and with a seat on the company's Board of Directors. More
Shareholders in UK-based insight and big data business Beyond Analysis have bought back Visa Europe's stake in the business for an undisclosed sum. The firm says the move will allow it to generate insight from across the financial services industry. More
US-based media, event and information company Winsight has received an undisclosed amount of equity and debt funding from investment firm Pamlico Capital, in partnership with the firm's existing management team. More
WPP's Data Alliance has partnered with South African marketing services provider P:Cubed, giving access to the latter's 2700 fields of data on more than 42.8m consumers to operating companies across the group. More
In the US, cookie-less audience measurement specialist Tru Optik has partnered with Kantar Millward Brown, to help advertisers attribute brand sales to OTT ad campaigns. More
In the US, Nielsen has announced plans to expand its in-market consumer insights service Nielsen Scarborough, to local markets nationwide. More
Chime Insight & Engagement Group has appointed nine new members of staff, including former Northstar Research exec Jack Miles as Insight Director, heading qual and quant projects across a range of sectors. More
In a trading statement issued today, GfK said that both sales and adjusted income had fallen in 2016, in part as a result of negative currency effects. More
Nielsen is proposing to issue $500m in senior notes in a private offering, which it will use for 'general corporate purposes', and possibly to fund a proportion of its acquisition of media and entertainment data provider Gracenote. More
Pricing and strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners has detailed another year of rapid growth, with revenue up sixteen percent to EUR 241m, and says it plans to grow both headcount and revenue in double figures in the coming year. US growth led the way with turnover up 30 percent. More
Retail technology company Cloverleaf has launched a tool called shelfPoint, which tracks customers' emotional reactions to products while they shop, and enables brands and retailers to capture engagement and sentiment data at the moment of an in-store purchase decision. More
Scientists at University College London (UCL) and consumer data giant dunnhumby have developed a model which they claim predicts when people are most likely to try switching to different products. More
US market research associations CASRO and MRA have completed their merger, forming the Insights Association. More
Asset management firm The Carlyle Group has joined up with former leaders of Nielsen Catalina Solutions to buy consumer segmentation division Claritas from Nielsen, for an undisclosed sum. More
Californian retail marketing and b2b firm BDS Marketing has launched a new team and solution, BDS Research, whose offer will include analysis of sales impact and performance, visual merchandising and retail experience. More
This is the last edition of Daily Research News for 2016. We wish all our readers, clients, contributors and friends around the world a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. More
Commodities giant Cargill has opened two food research, innovation and product development facilities - one in China and the other in North America. More
Helsinki-based retail Internet of Things analytics and marketing platform Walkbase has opened an office in Dubai. More
In New York, Nielsen has partnered with location-based app and data marketing specialist Foursquare, to help marketers better understand how online ads drive consumers into brick-and-mortar stores. More
WPP AUNZ has rolled out the group's integrated retail practice The Store to the Australia and New Zealand market, and named Rob Draper as its CEO. With existing offices in the UK and US, The Store brings together shopper marketing resources from WPP companies around the world. More
UK-based convenience retail strategy firm Insight Research has announced a strategic alliance with US-based retail strategy and design consultant Joseph Bona, MD of MoseleyBona Retail. The two firms will share a new office in Mayfair, London. More
US private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) is launching an offer for a substantial minority stake in GfK, and has entered an agreement with its majority shareholder GfK Verein to support the group's long-term growth strategy. More
Anders Bengtsson, the CEO of US-based boutique insights and strategy consultancy Protobrand, has acquired a majority stake in the company, after recently buying out co-founder Phil Granof's share. The firm has also secured new investors and strengthened its management team. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI has announced a partnership with digital shelf analysis specialist Clavis Insight, to help CPG marketers track and assess a brands' holistic online and off-line performance. More
US retail giant Kroger has announced that its Chief Digital Officer (CDO) Kevin Dougherty is to retire at the end of January, when he will be succeeded by Yael Cosset, who currently serves as Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Information Officer of the company's analytics business 84.51 degrees. More
Kantar TNS was one of the big winners at last night's MRS Awards, taking home the Grand Prix for Greatest Impact; the MRS/BIG Award for B2B Research, alongside digital data collection arm Lightspeed; and the awards for New Consumer Insights and Social Media Research (the latter with Unilever). More
In Australia, digital out-of-home business Shopper Media Group has launched a new research data division making use of its network of 'Smartlite' digital panels installed in more than 150 shopping centres across the country. More
Nielsen has partnered with product data specialist Label Insight to help CPG clients understand the influence of labels that provide data about nutrients and other content, on what consumers buy, what manufacturers make, and how government organizations regulate. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI is to add information from SSI's seven million US panelists to its eCommerce and millennial consumer and shopper segmentation approaches, to enhance its insight into consumer purchasing behaviour. More
Barbara Katz, President of US-based health and nutrition trends MR company HealthFocus International (HFI), is stepping down from the role at the end of the year, to be succeeded by General Manager Steve Walton. More
TV rating body BARC India has issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for firms able to provide TV viewing related consultancy services to its subscribers. More
Qual consumer insights consulting firm RealityCheck has opened an office in Miami, from where it will support clients in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru. More
GfK has appointed Dale Drerup as Automotive lead, June McPherson as Consumer team lead for North America, and Tom Neri - currently head of its Financial Services team in North America - as Technology Industry leader. More
Former BBC Sport Digital Development Editor Chris Hurst is joining Nielsen Sports as Head of Digital for the UK. More
UK-based sister companies Green 4 Solutions and 4Sight Sport & Leisure are merging their offers, bringing together CRM and ticketing software with strategic insight services. More
In the US, pricing intelligence specialist Market Track has combined its feature ad data with Nielsen product sales data to form a new product called Feature Sales Advisor (FSA), tracking the success of this kind of promotion. More
US firm HCD Research has formed a new market research practice dedicated to chain and fast food restaurants, employing a mix of traditional and applied neuroscience methods. More
Ipsos has announced changes in its ownership structure, designed to simplify it and ensure the company's independence over the long term - following the death in December 2014 of co-founder Jean-Marc Lech. More
A sharp fall in income for GfK's Consumer Experiences segment (-7.4%) more than balanced growth in Consumer Choices (+5.4%) in the first nine months of 2016, giving GfK as a whole a 1.7% organic decline in sales. Third quarter sales fell to EUR 355.3m while EBITDA dropped by around a quarter to EUR 43.3m. More
Finland-based retail IoT analytics and marketing platform Walkbase has expanded to the US, and has appointed location intelligence specialist Kevin Hunter as President of the Americas. More
GfK has appointed Gary Schanzer to lead its Point-of-Sale (POS) teams in North America - including retail panels for the pet, optics and tire markets - as well as the Group's Value-Added Services in e-commerce content, discount ad tracking, and technology research for investment firms. More
WPP's Data Investment Management arm has reported a 12.1% increase in third quarter revenue to £655m, reflecting the lower value of the pound. On a like-for-like basis, DIM revenue fell 2%, while other divisions averaged more than 4% growth. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI and digital data collection specialist Research Now have expanded their relationship to create what the firms describe as the CPG industry's 'most robust and unique data set'. More
Ipsos has reported a 0.9% increase in third quarter revenue to EUR 431.7m, with organic growth a 'satisfactory' 3.2% during the period. More
Chicago-based 3-D virtual store research specialist InContext Solutions has closed a $15.2m round of funding, which it will use to accelerate its sales and marketing efforts, expand its geographical footprint, and improve its virtual reality (VR) product portfolio. More
Nielsen has reported a 2.5% rise in third quarter revenue to $1.57bn (3.6% on a constant currency basis) compared to Q3 2015. The 'Watch' segment grew rapidly (up 6.7% at constant currency), while restructuring in 'Buy' held back its revenue and drove an 8.3% fall in Nielsen's overall net income to $132m. More
Consumer and media research specialist GfK MRI has partnered with customer profiling and trend measurement software developer Cubeyou, to help clients understand the relation between social media and product usage. More
Automated MR platform ZappiStore has raised £12m from Amsterdam-based venture capital firm Prime Ventures, which specialises in European tech companies. More
In the US, Nielsen Sports has appointed former Repucom execs Danny Townsend and Glenn Lovett as Co-Managing Directors, following its acquisition of the business earlier in the year. In addition, Repucom founder Paul Smith has announced he will leave the business at the end of the year. More
In the US, sparkling flavoured water brand the Talking Rain Beverage Company has appointed CPG industry exec Brian Kuz as Chief Marketing Officer. More
From today, DRNO will be adding a new section focusing on more news of actual surveys - from project wins to interesting fieldwork and results. See the link above for 'Survey Briefs'. We're also, for the first time, offering advertisers a chance to sit at the very top of the news email, for one day. More
In Australia, The Lab Insight & Strategy has opened an office in Sydney, where it has hired former GfK director Andrew Therkelsen as Managing Director. More
Detroit, USA-based agency Morpace has appointed Helen Armstrong to lead its growing European Consumer and Retail business. More
Insight and brand strategy consultancy Flamingo has launched a new division dedicated to healthcare and pharmaceutical clients, and appointed former Hall and Partners exec Lee Gazey to lead it. More
In New York, consumer insights firm Simmons Research has strengthened its leadership team, adding former comScore SVP Steven Millman as Chief Scientist, Alan Resneck as CFO and Pyeush Gurha as CTO. More
Consumer data giant dunnhumby has moved around 800 staff into a new global HQ building in Shepherds Bush Road, Hammersmith, London. More
Researcher and information provider The NPD Group has announced a partnership with real-time analytics pioneer Neustar MarketShare, combining NPD's data with Neustar's modeling, planning and resource allocation solutions. More
Shopper insight specialist Kantar Retail has partnered with eye tracking firm SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI), to create a virtual shopping experience that provides shopper data via a controlled environment. More
UK-based location intelligence specialist Purple has raised $7m in a round of funding, which it will use to recruit an additional 100 new staff in the UK, Spain, the US, Singapore and Australia, as well as at new international locations as they open. More
Montreal, Canada-based SweetIQ, a provider of retail measurement and marketing software, has acquired part of Californian direct-to-business local marketing firm Connectivity, in an all-cash transaction; and has opened a new office in Irvine, CA. More
Northumberland, UK-based success story Dipsticks Research has rebranded, bringing together no fewer than seven group companies under the new umbrella brand of DRG. More
Technology and communities business MARU/VCR&C has launched a new Qualitative Insights arm, which will make use of a broad range of online technologies to probe deeper into consumer behavior. More
Nielsen has partnered with i2C - the joint venture between Sainsbury's and Nectar card owner Aimia - to combine the latter's shopping data with Nielsen Marketing Cloud's consumer and media data, and provide brands with an omnichannel view of customers. More
Los Angeles-based consumer insights specialist Kelton Global has relocated its headquarters from Culver City to LA's tech hub Playa Vista, to accommodate expansion and the diversification of its services. More
WPP's data investment management division Kantar has re-branded its twelve operating businesses with a unifying prefix, for example 'Kantar TNS' and 'Kantar Millward Brown'. The exception is digital data collection specialist Lightspeed GMI, which now reverts to its original name Lightspeed. More
Consumer and cultural insight agency Flamingo has promoted Sam Gomez to the role of London co-CEO, alongside current agency head Ednyfed Tappy. The firm has also hired former Kantar exec Robert Nagadowski as its first Group Chief Operating Officer. More
In the US, retail sales, marketing and services company Acosta has appointed former Nielsen leader Steve Matthesen as President and CEO. He succeeds Robert Hill, who has become Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. More
Family-owned agricultural and industrial commodities giant Cargill has appointed CPG veteran Chuck Gitkin in the newly created role of CMO of its North America protein business - with a remit to help shift its focus to a customer-centric, insight-based strategy. More
In the US, retail merchandising and marketing services provider SPAR Group has appointed R. Scott Popaditch as President and CEO, replacing Jill Blanchard who left last month. More
GfK's majority owner GfK Verein has dismissed a report published in German weekly magazine WirtschaftsWoche, which claimed the company may be considering putting itself up for sale. More
Indoor positioning solutions specialist sensewhere has received a £1.4m grant from Scottish Enterprise, which it will use to add staff and further develop its location software. More
GfK may be considering putting itself up for sale, alongside other options, according to reports in German weekly magazine, WirtschaftsWoche. More
Newly rebranded US agency AMC Global has appointed former MarketQuest Global CEO Mary Beth Lake as EVP, Corporate Strategy & Innovation, leading the product design and development practice. More
Software giant SAP has invested in Vivanda, which provides a context-sensitive personalization platform for the food and beverage industry based on a digitized 'food and flavor genome'. More
In-store shopper analytics firm RetailNext Inc. has continued its growth in the Asia-Pacific region with a partnership in Singapore; and announced further investment, also from a company headquartered in the island state. More
Ipsos has partnered with two centers at Yale University and senior insight figures in a number of top consumer companies to launch a new behavioral economics body, The YCCI-Ipsos Think Tank. More
WPP has reported Q2 revenue of £3.46bn, up 3.5% in like-for-like (LFL) terms. Net sales, the group's preferred measure, rose 4.3% on the same basis. As in previous quarters data investment management (DIM) lagged other divisions, with LFL revenue down -0.4% and net sales up 2.0%. More
Bluebell, PA-based MR and consulting firm Attitude Measurement Corporation is rebranding as AMC Global, reflecting its wider ambition. More
In the US, retail information firm the NPD Group is combining its luxury tracking services with its 'Softlines' unit, following the departure of luxury tracking President Fred Levin. More
Nielsen and the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) have formed a partnership, to help retailers and manufacturers better understand the change driven by digital technologies within the food marketplace. More
GfK has announced that its results for the first six months of the year are 'below prior year's financials for the same reporting period', and warns it is no longer likely that group sales growth will outperform the market. More
New York-based location intelligence firm PlaceIQ has enhanced its technology with the addition of location-based spending data from MasterCard's insights arm MasterCard Advisors. More
Nielsen has reported a 2.4% increase in second quarter revenues to $1.596bn, with both its Buy and Watch businesses providing a 'solid performance'. On a constant currency basis, revenues were up 4.5%. More
Ipsos has reported first half 2016 revenue of EUR 833.6m, equivalent to 3 percent organic growth once currency effects are excluded. The result is an improvement after a flat 2015. More
UK online retailer Shop Direct has appointed has appointed McKinsey & Company junior partner Assi Gol to lead its customer intelligence teams. He replaces Dene Jones, who left the company earlier this year. More
In the UK, branding and retail design consultancy Portland Design has launched a standalone unit, offering consumer insights and trends for the retail, travel and leisure industries. More
US portfolio company Eagle Holdings has named Path to Purchase Institute founder Peter Hoyt President and CEO, following its recent acquisition of his former company and publishing firms Stagnito Business Information and Edgell Communications. More
Research Now has partnered with category management and shopper insight specialist Lucros Partners, and will sell its Shopper Intelligence platform in the US. More
Nielsen firm Brandbank has launched in the US, where it will provide CPG and retail clients with product and brand image content via digital means. More
Retail data giant IRI has extended its long-running partnership with natural, organic, and specialty products insight provider SPINS, to launch a new Shopper Intelligence solution for natural retailers. More
BrainJuicer has officially launched its 'System1 - Feel More: Buy More' creative agency, which taps the group's work in behavioural science and its belief that the emotional, instinctive 'System 1' brain trumps the rational, evaluative 'System 2' brain when consumers make brand choices. More
In Minneapolis, WPP's GroupM has set up Team Arrow Partners, an agency combining analytics with creative media thinking and focused on servicing retailer Target. Jason Harrison moves across from Gain Theory to take the CEO role, while Nicole Pomerleau becomes Chief Client Officer. More
UK agency Future Thinking has launched a new approach called Skin Deep, using the technique of galvanic skin response to gauge consumer emotions. More
In the UK, two veteran sports researchers have set up a new full service agency focused on the sector. Jack Murray was most recently Head of MR at Kantar Sport, while Michael Stone led research at Sports Marketing Surveys. More
The new Chief Executive of British high street legend Marks & Spencer has promoted head of marketing Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne and halved the size of the company's operating committee as the retailer looks to speed up decision-making and put the customer 'at the heart of everything it does'. More
According to German-language sports industry news site SPONSORS, Nielsen is planning to buy sports broadcast measurement specialist Repucom for more than $100m. More
GfK has achieved 'moderate' organic growth of 0.9% during the first quarter of the year. Currency effects meant the reported sales figure declined 0.6% to EUR 360.5m versus Q1 2015. The firm's Consumer Choices sector grew strongly while 'Consumer Experiences' revenue fell. More
Research technology provider Interactive Video Productions (IVP) has unveiled a 'Neuro Omnibus for Video Testing', allowing researchers to put their video in front of an audience of consumers and track their subconscious response. The Omnibus is supported by HCD Research. More
Kantar Retail has transferred Cédric Guyot to the CEO role in its Virtual Reality unit, replacing Jeremy Cohen who moves into the role of CEO Kantar Retail Europe. More
Palo Alto, California-based promotion-testing specialist Eversight has raised $14.5m in funding, with which to scale up its cloud-based predictive analytics software. More
WPP has reported first quarter revenue of £3.076bn, up 5.1% in like-for-like terms. Net sales - its preferred measure - rose 3.2%. As in recent quarters however, insight division Kantar performed less well than other units, with like-for-like revenue and net sales figures flat (up 0.5% and down 0.1% respectively). More
Ipsos has announced organic growth of 3.7 percent for the first quarter of 2016, with revenue rising to EUR 386.9m, its best result for some time. The rise 'concerns all regions', with revenue up 4.6% in emerging economies and up 3.3% in developed markets. More
Dublin based agency RED C Research & Marketing Ltd has opened a UK office, in Soho, London. RED C Research UK Ltd is a joint venture between the agency and Richard Barton and Charlotte Butterworth, both of whom left MD roles at Future Thinking in February. More
Fast food leader McDonald's is in buoyant mood, pushing a growth agenda by 'applying forensic analytics across all aspects of the business', according to CEO Steve Easterbrook. More
US researcher Gongos has formed a strategic partnership with Minneapolis-based consumer trends specialist Panoramix Global. The firms aim to provide corporate clients with a holistic understanding of the forces shaping their business including cultural context, business environment and consumer insights. More
Mobile audience targeting platform Go2mobi has partnered with location-based ad targeting firm Placed, to provide insight into 'mobile moments' that drive engagement, foot traffic and in-store revenue. More
Nielsen has reported a 2.0% rise in first quarter revenue to $1,487m, equivalent to growth of 5.2% on a constant currency basis. Growth reflects what it describes as 'solid performance' in both its Buy and Watch businesses. More
London-based full service agency Basis Research has opened its first US office, in Los Angeles, led by former Hall & Partners exec Kate Hartzell. More
Nielsen and eCommerce analytics company Profitero have partnered to incorporate the latter's Digital Shelf 360 suite into the former's eCommerce offering, allowing FMCG manufacturers to correlate digital shelf analytics with actual sales data. More
Media services division Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has unveiled a new data-driven marketing agency network, Hearts & Science; and appointed Scott Hagedorn - formerly Chief Executive of its analytics division Annalect - as its CEO. More
In the US, TapInfluence and Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) have announced they are working together to help CPG brands measure the in-store sales impact of their influencer marketing campaigns. More
In the US, online pregnancy and parenting resource BabyCenter, a division of Johnson & Johnson, has appointed Laurie Dewan as Vice President of Research, Insights and Data. More
US data collection and fieldwork services firm Opinions Ltd has opened a new facility at the Coral Square Mall in Miami, led by Matt Wilson. More
Four former Hall & Partners execs have launched a new London-based qualitative agency called Compton+Dean, focusing on brand and communications research. More
Online specialist InSites Consulting has reported a 20% increase in revenues so far in this fiscal year, and says it is anticipating revenues of EUR 23m - representing 30% organic growth - by the year end on 30th June. More
St Louis-based multinational agrochemical and agricultural biotech corporation Monsanto has appointed Nielsen CEO Mitch Barns to its Board of Directors. More
US full service agency Resolution Research has opened a new focus group facility in Denver, including facilities for one-on-one interviews, product tests and training. More
Israel-based customer insight and personalization software provider ciValue has closed a $2.4m seed round from a group of investors including Nielsen Innovate. The funding will be used to roll out a new self-service solution for grocery, health and beauty retailers. More
London-based brand consultancy Morar has named co-founder Roger Perowne as MD, and Julian Dailly as Head of Consulting. The firm has also hired former Redshift Research Director Jane Hall, and Paddy Sutton, founder of The Nautilus branding consultancy. More
Winchester-based Marketing Sciences Unlimited has opened a London office, at the HQ of parent company Creston, in Soho. More
GfK has partnered with local audience data specialist Eyeota, to make its regional purchasing power data available to advertisers in the UK and Europe, and help them tailor their online ads to specific income target groups by region. More
Shopper insights specialist Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) and media giant Time Inc. have teamed up to launch a cross-platform ad measurement tool, tracking the quantifiable in-store sales impact of campaigns across print, digital and TV. More
The UK's 'professional research and evidence market' has grown massively in the last three and a half years to an annual turnover of £4.8bn - up 62% - and a workforce of 73,000 professionals, according to a report by PwC for the MRS. More
US-based direct marketing and targeting giant Harte Hanks has acquired strategy, business analytics and operations consultancy Aleutian Consulting for an undisclosed sum. In addition, Harte Hanks has opened new offices in Denver, Colorado to accommodate both firms' teams in the city. More
In the US, neuroscience research specialist HCD Research has partnered with testing lab provider IVP to offer integrated sensory research and user experience (UX) services. More
Seattle-based customer intelligence specialist AreaMetrics has raised $2m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to expand the reach of its product, and add new staff to its executive team. More
In the UK, retail and healthcare data giant IRI has partnered with retail media agency Capture, to enable supermarkets and brands to track the real-time effects of their in-store marketing material. More
WPP has reported total 2015 revenue up 5.3% on a like-for-like basis, with headline EBITDA of £2.002bn, up 7.7% at constant currency. Revenue in pounds was up 6.1% to £12.235 bn. The insight-focused 'data investment management' division (DIM) remained flat for the year, although slightly improved in Q4. More
Sagaci Research has opened an office in Luanda, Angola - its second base in Portuguese speaking Africa after the opening of the Maputo, Mozambique office in 2014. More
GfK is bringing its Consumer Choices and Consumer Experiences divisions closer together in North America, and has appointed Gary Cofer as Managing Director responsible for both sectors in the region. More
Brand insight agency BrandHook has open an office in Sydney and appointed Leading Edge co-founder Tim Biddlecombe as Head of Strategy. More
Former P&G and Walmart exec Andy Murray is to join the latter's UK subsidiary Asda next week as its Chief Customer Officer, taking a seat on the executive board and replacing Barry Williams who is leaving the company. More
Kantar has moved Adrian Gonzalez into a broader group role in charge of its Consumer Insights businesses - he was previously CEO of Millward Brown's Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific (AMAP) region. TNS APAC CEO Chris Riquier is among those leaving the business in the restructure. More
In Australia, insights consultancy fiftyfive5 has expanded into retail strategy, category management and shopper insights, appointing Sue Temple as Director Shopper and Category, and Peter Firth as a Consultant. More
GfK returned to organic growth (up 1.1%) during the 2015 financial year, after a decline of 2.0% the previous year. Reported sales increased by 6.3% to EUR 1.54bn (from EUR 1.45bn). More
African agency Sagaci Research has expanded with the opening of three new offices, in Ivory Coast, Chad and Algeria. More
ThinkNow Research, which until now focused purely on the US Hispanic consumer segment, has expanded its coverage to include African-American and Asian demographics. More
In the US, location-based retail data specialist Euclid Analytics has closed a $20m Series C funding round, with which to continue its rapid growth. More
Mobile location data platform UberRetail has teamed up with geospatial business intelligence consultancy B.I. Spatial and US shopping center data source Directory of Major Malls (DMM), to analyze shopping centers and malls using mobile device GPS data. More
Canadian retail analytics software provider Askuity has closed a $2m Series A round of funding, led by existing investor dunnhumby Ventures. More
Nielsen has partnered with alcohol industry analytics specialist BARTRENDr to launch a real-time mobile insights tool called Nielsen Bar Moments, which will analyse conversations taking place among alcohol consumers at bars and social gatherings in real-time. More
Millward Brown and comScore have teamed up to connect validated ad viewing with changes in consumer behaviour, helping brands assess the performance of their digital advertising. The service will cover 'all markets outside the US, Canada and Taiwan'. More
In New York, Nielsen is promoting Steve Hasker to the position of Global President and Chief Operating Officer from January 1st. He takes over the COO role from Brian West, who announced his resignation last month. More
Information services giant Experian has sold two high profile consumer insights businesses, Hitwise and Simmons, to Symphony Technology Group for $US 47m plus up to $5m in earnout. More
US consumer data giant IRI has partnered with location intelligence firm PlaceIQ to provide marketers with insights into shopping journeys, and to examine how information about off-line purchases can be used to target advertising. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has published its Annual League Table, with data drawn from 86 eligible organisations generating a combined turnover of more than £2.7 billion. The figure represents overall year-on-year growth of 4%. More
Manchester, UK-based research agency Join the Dots has taken on eight new graduates, the third wave of its annual Graduate Development Programme. It has also hired former TBWA exec Hollie Clark, who will design creative strategies for global brands. More
This item was posted twice in error! See the original story from last Thursday... More
New York-based mobile ad targeting specialist 4INFO has partnered with WPP's Kantar Shopcom to enable SKU-level targeting for retailers across more than fifteen categories. More
Cincinnati-based restaurant industry consumer analytics specialist Zipscene has received an undisclosed amount of growth funding from Fifth Third Bancorp. More
GfK has reported 0.7% organic growth for the third quarter, with sales in Euros up 4% to EUR 371.4m. For the first nine months of the year, the group saw sales rise 6.0% to EUR 1.118bn - up just 0.4% in organic terms. More
UK-based research / business intelligence firm Future Thinking has streamlined its company structure with a simplified offer. More
WPP division Mindshare is rolling out its Shop+ real-time retail data unit globally. The unit works with a range of methods from beacons in physical stores to real-time response technologies used by online retailers. More
Product research and sensory testing company Contract Testing Inc. (CTI) is moving to a new location in Grand Rapids, Michigan. More
STW Group-owned brand development and insight consultancy Added Value has promoted Dennis Wong to the position of Managing Director, Australia, replacing James Pike who has moved to sister agency Bohemia. More
In a London museum, cultural and semiotic insight specialist Space Doctors has launched an installation called Choco-Phonica, consisting of a series of booths which explore consumers' relationship with chocolate through sound and taste. More
Chief Operating Officer Brian J. West has resigned from Nielsen, effective at the end of the year when his responsibilities 'will be divided among existing company executives'. More
In-store marketing analytics provider NOMi has been awarded a patent for the tracking and analysis technologies available in its Brickstream LIVE sensor device. More
In the US, shopping center operator Westfield Corporation has appointed Raghav Lal as its first Chief Data and Analytics Officer, responsible for overseeing a newly formed Big Data and Analytics division. More
WPP has reported like-for-like revenue up 4.6% for Q3 2015. The insight division, known as 'Data Investment Management', was among those 'improving versus the second quarter' but once again was the only one to report a slight decline in revenue. More
Nielsen has reported a 5.0% constant currency increase in third quarter revenue to $1.53bn on a basis, and adjusted EBITDA up 6.9% to $479m on the same basis. More
Ipsos has reported a 3.7% increase in revenue to EUR 428m for the period from July to September, but at constant scope and exchange rates this equates to a fall of 2.2%. The decline cancels out a small real-terms rise in the first half of the year. More
Tesco data firm dunnhumby has renamed its price modeling and customer insight firm KSS Retail 'dunnhumby Price and Promotion'. More
Business intelligence solutions firm Prosper Insights & Analytics has formed a strategic alliance with Hong Kong-based Fung Business Intelligence Centre (FBIC), to provide insights and analysis on retail and technology trends among US and Chinese consumers. More
San Francisco-based Quri, which provides retail intelligence based on reports from mystery shoppers, has raised $17m in a Series C round of funding. Plans for the money include expansion into markets in seven other major US cities. More
In the US, retail and healthcare data giant IRI has tagged a million of Research Now's consumer panelists using its 'propensity-to-purchase' ProScores models, enhancing its ability to select consumers and shoppers based on their predicted purchase behaviour. More
Three founders of US full service agency Dialogue have renamed the company Alter Agents, and launched a CPG research platform called Shopper STAT. The fourth partner, Patrick O'Neal, will continue to deliver qual research and strategic planning under the Dialogue company name. More
Luxury department store Harrods is investing in audience measurement technology, to help understand which customer types are watching its in-store advertising screens. More
In the UK, Research Now co-founder Andrew Cooper and the firm's former Chairman Geoff Westmore have led a $1.5m investment in mobile video MR specialist Voxpopme. More
UK supermarket Tesco has decided to abandon the sale of its customer data business dunnhumby, after its price tag dropped from an initial £2bn to around £700m. More
UK supermarket Tesco is reportedly close to giving up on the sale of its customer data business dunnhumby, which has seen bidders withdraw and its potential price plummet in recent weeks. Instead it is said to be discussing the sale of its businesses in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. More
In New York, Ipsos Marketing has appointed Nagisa Manabe in the new role of Global President of the Path to Purchase & Shopper service line. More
According to reports in the press, WPP is the last remaining bidder for Tesco's data business dunnhumby. More
In the US, grocery giant The Kroger Co. has added to the responsibilities of its CIO Chris Hjelm, naming him EVP and putting him in overall charge of its recently launched data division, 84.51 degrees. More
YouGov-owned sports and sponsorship specialist SMG Insight has appointed Richard Brinkman as Director of Strategy and Growth in the UK; Tracy Schoenadel as Senior Vice President, North America; and Joseph Eapen as Senior Vice President, India. More
In the US, former Greenfield Online CEO Dean Wiltse has become Chief Executive Officer of food traceability specialist FoodLogiQ. More
In the US, audience measurement specialist Rentrak has partnered with retail and healthcare data giant IRI, to expand the delivery of TV insights data. More
US-based direct marketing and targeting giant Harte Hanks has appointed Karen Puckett as its President and Chief Executive Officer, replacing former Synovate CEO Robert Philpott who left in July to 'pursue other interests'. More
As part of a senior reshuffle, UK retailer John Lewis has promoted its Head of Marketing Craig Inglis to the role of Customer Director, with a seat on the Board. He retains responsibility for marketing and customer insight. More
In the UK, two major brands have underlined their focus on customer experience - British Airways with an appointment and Morrisons via an announcement by the CEO; while a third, publisher Trinity Mirror, has raised eyebrows with a new analytics-led business approach. More
Swedish-based affluent sample Provider Red Carpet Research now has a presence in Switzerland, following the appointment of former OnePoint and Annik exec Gary Stocks. More
A number of firms previously hoping to buy Tesco data firm dunnhumby have pulled out of the race amidst fears about future funding, according to a report broadcast on Sky News. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI has partnered with workforce management specialist Gigwalk to provide retail intelligence to CPG brands. More
Brand and comms research specialist Hall & Partners has announced the opening of an office in Dubai, led by Managing Director Ziad Skaff, who previously served as Regional Executive Director of Research and Insights at sister company Omnicom Media Group MENA. More
Tesco customer data business dunnhumby has set up a joint venture with Chinese supermarket chain China Resources Vanguard (CRV), through which the latter will provide the former with data from its shoppers and twenty million loyalty card users. More
In the US, retail and healthcare data giant IRI has launched a point-of-sale (POS) tracking service for the 'on-premise' marketplace, which includes outlets where food and drink are consumed such as bars and restaurants. More
Brand tracking researcher Nepa UK has partnered with qualitative social media intelligence specialist Bakamo Social, promising their shared clients a holistic understanding of consumer behaviour. More
In India, retail big data specialist IntelligenceNODE has raised $4m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand to the US and hire more engineers / data scientists to build out its platform. More
In the US, audience measurement specialist Rentrak has partnered with advance ticketing firm MovieTickets.com to produce a suite of marketing, planning and ROI measurement tools for the movie and TV industries. More
'Tis only a rumour at this stage, but an Indian online publication suggests that long-time rating agency and Nielsen / Kantar joint venture TAM Media Research is talking to new audience body BARC about a 'merger' - which considering their previous relations would be some turnaround. More
GfK has reported organic growth of just 0.3% in the first half of 2015. Reported sales climbed 7.1% to EUR 747.2m, but almost all this increase resulted from the weak Euro. Adjusted operating income rose 3.7% to EUR 71.2m, and CEO Matthias Hartmann sales should pick up in the second half. More
Lower than expected earnings and difficulties financing a deal are pushing down the potential price of Tesco customer data business dunnhumby to around £700m, according to reports. Earlier rumours had talked the price up to around £2bn, and a large number of potential bidders have been involved. More
London-based consumer agency Firefish has expanded to South East Asia with the opening of a Singapore office. The venture will be led by former ABN Impact Director Angela Cross, while company Board Director Bob Cook becomes Regional MD to help kick-start the business. More
In the UK, retail and healthcare data giant IRI has appointed Stephen Lampard as Head of Convenience and Stuart Byron as Head of Impulse for its recently launched Convenience Market Place initiative. More
In the US, data collection and fieldwork services firm Opinions Ltd has opened a new facility in the Northeast Mall in Hurst, Texas - its 28th mall-based facility to date. More
Ipsos has reported half-year revenues up 10.2% in Euros to EUR 832.9m. Given that the Euro has lost around 20% of its value against the dollar and 10% against the pound in the last 12 months, this equates to a real-terms decline of -0.4%. Profit measures showed a slight improvement. More
Alibaba Group and Unilever China have announced a comprehensive strategic partnership giving the global consumer goods giant access to Alibaba's data-driven ecosystem to target customers across China. More
Potential buyers for Tesco's consumer data company dunnhumby will have to negotiate a new contract with the supermarket group within five years, according to reports from Sky News. More than half dunnhumby's current revenue comes from the deal with its parent. More
US-based marketing and communications specialist HCD Research has struck an agreement with sensory research specialist SENSANALYSIS, to co-develop and market products and services integrating neuroscience methods and qualitative 'multi-sensorial' research tools. More
Former Synovate CEO Robert Philpott has left his most recent role as Chief Executive Officer of direct marketing and targeting giant Harte Hanks, in order to 'pursue other interests'. The firm expects to incur a pre-tax severance charge of around $2.0m to $2.5m. More
Japanese research and online panel provider GMO Research has partnered with lifestyle and brand-focused loyalty card provider BCARD, adding more than three million Malaysian consumers to its platform. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI has partnered with e-mail analytics specialist Return Path, to offer FMCG clients insights from eCommerce receipt and transaction data. More
US-based retail tracking provider The NPD Group has appointed John Bremer as Senior Vice President, Research Science, to lead the team that designs, maintains and enhances its methodologies. More
UK-based RS Consulting, part of the Cello Group, has rebranded as Bright Blue. The new brand unites and replaces the four separate identities which have until now made up the RS Group - Consensus Research, Leapfrog, mruk and RS Consulting. More
According to reports in the press, dunnhumby founders Edwina Dunn and Clive Humby are 'considering involvement' in a bid to buy back the company from Tesco. More
London-based research and planning agency ruby cha cha UK has been renamed kubi kalloo; and has moved into new offices in Shoreditch. More
Google is exploring the possibility of a joint bid for Tesco loyalty data firm dunnhumby, partnered by UK-based investment firm Permira, reports Sky News. More
Mark Pejic, the CEO of Australia's second largest media agency MediaCom has left after four years leading the WPP firm, which was recently embroiled in a controversy over faked campaign reports for three major clients. The departure adds to a number of key roles already vacant at the company. More
In the US, mobile data tools provider SessionM and MR firm Phoenix Marketing International (PMI) have announced a partnership giving access to a 'mobile-first' panel of more than twelve million consumers. More
In the UK John Browett, a former Tesco executive who also ran high street retailer Dixons, is in talks with private equity firm Apax Partners over a potential bid for dunnhumby, according to Sky News. Separately, the Sunday Times says US equity company Hellman & Friedman are also interested. More
The American Marketing Association has teamed up with research body CASRO to produce this year's AMA Gold Top 50 report, ranking US research suppliers. The report suggests total US research revenue for 192 surveyed firms grew in real terms by 1.6% in 2014. Four companies grew revenue by more than 40 percent. More
Marcoms group Creston has reported a 5% increase in annual revenue for its Communications & Insight businesses, to £56.2m. However, headline profits before interest fell slightly to £8.1m from £8.3m last year, due in part to the weakening Euro. More
Tesco's price tag for analytics pioneer dunnhumby may be reduced from around £2bn to something like half that following the dissolution of the firm's JV with US supermarket chain Kroger a month ago, reports Sky News. More
Marcoms network MDC Partners and its digital strategy agency Doner have launched a specialist multicultural business called Cultura United Agency, offering full-service ad and PR expertise driven by insights across Hispanic, African American and Asian audiences. More
German beer manufacturer Astra Bierre is using facial recognition technology embedded in an outdoor digital advertising board, to target potential female beer drinkers. More
WPP has acquired a majority stake in London-based and data-driven sports marketing agency Two Circles Ltd, and will immediately incorporate it into ESP, a new global agency within GroupM serving rightsholders from the worlds of sports and entertainment. More
In the US, data-driven CRM agency Merkle has announced a strategic partnership with booming audience measurement specialist Rentrak, combining the former's consumer segmentation expertise with the latter's 'massive and passive' viewing data. More
US cinema ad network National CineMedia has changed its name to NCM and launched two new audience-targeting tools, Cinema Audience Targeting Optimizer (CATO) and Cinema Accelerator. More
GfK has reported first quarter sales of EUR 362.5m, an 8.2% rise of which 6.8% is the result of currency effects, and just 1.3% is organic growth. However, operating income and margins were up. More
In the US, sports entertainment media firm ESPN has announced plans for closer integration of its marketing, data, research and sales functions; and accordingly has added consumer marketing and research responsibility to the role of sales and marketing leader Ed Erhardt. More
Ipsos has appointed Millward Brown Vermeer founding partner Oscar Yuan as President of its insights-based brand and marketing advisory unit Strategy3. More
In Silicon Valley, USA, location-based marketing company Kiana Analytics has secured more than $1 million in venture capital financing. More
UK-based companies Creston Group and Future Foundation have partnered to combine the former's market research and neuroscience services from its ICM Unlimited, Marketing Sciences Unlimited, and Walnut Unlimited companies, with the latter's consumer trends and insight offer. More
In Cincinatti, staff from dunnhumbyUSA, the joint venture between retail analytics pioneer dunnhumby and grocery giant The Kroger Co., are being moved into a new agency. To be known as 84.51°, this will be wholly owned by Kroger, will use dunnhumby's tools under licence, and will employ around 500 people. More
WPP has reported like-for-like first quarter revenue growth across all its business sectors except for the Data Investment Management (DIM) division, where revenue fell 1.4% to £558m from £566m in the prior year period. More
Ipsos has reported 0.8% organic growth in revenue for the first quarter of 2015 - though measured in Euros revenue was up 10.6% to EUR 379.6m. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI has partnered with digital research specialist comScore and audience analysis firm Rentrak to launch a solution linking cross-media advertising to actual shopping behavior. More
US consultancy Guidance is launching a Retail Strategy Solutions practice and has named eCommerce veteran Brian Beck to lead it. More
In the UK, consumer and sensory research specialist Product Perceptions has changed its name to PPL Insights. More
Retail data giant IRI has appointed former Hovis category exec Tim Dummer as UK Head of Grocery and Health & Beauty. More
Nielsen has announced a strategic alliance with RetailNext, which provides in-store analytics for bricks-and-mortar retailers. Nielsen becomes RetailNext's preferred channel for its service, which uses cameras and mobile tech to track shopper activities. More
Software and services provider NeoGrid has partnered with Nielsen to launch two new products for the Latin American supply chain market. More
In the US, point-of-sale data giant Catalina has promoted Dak Liyanearachchi to the role of Chief Data Officer, overseeing its Insights and Analytics division and the use of its database of shopper purchase history for behavioral insight. More
UK-based health and consumer marketing group Cello has reported a 9.9% rise in 2014 headline operating profit before tax to £81.0m, on revenues up 6.4% to £169.9m. The group has also appointed a new COO. More
Japanese-based online specialist Macromill has appointed IBM veteran Kuniko Ogawa as Chief Technology Officer and former General Electric exec Teruaki Kido as Chief Financial Officer. More
China-based brand consultancy Labbrand is expanding into Europe with the launch of an office in Paris. More
Research and technology provider Instantly has announced partnerships with location-based mobile advertising specialist xAd and Vistar Media, which it says will expand its Ad Effectiveness offering. More
Reports say WPP has now made a bid for a majority stake in retail data powerhouse dunnhumby, with current owner Tesco apparently keen to retain a minority share. Separately, the media giant's CEO Sir Martin Sorrell is said to be 'in line for a £36m bonus'. More
In the US, Kantar Shopcom has teamed up with retail data giant IRI to create a portfolio of solutions for all-outlet, multi-channel media planning, targeting and measurement, based on a traceable view of more than 95% of total US consumer packaged goods spending. More
UK-based BDRC Group has reported a 17.8% increase in turnover to £24.5m for the twelve months ended 30th September 2014, compared with £20.8m the previous year. Gross profits climbed 19.4%. More
Oxfordshire-based consumer insight and sensory specialist MMR Research Worldwide (MMR) has opened a new office in Mumbai, India and another in Durban, South Africa. More
Ipsos has reported a 2.2% increase in fourth quarter revenue to EUR 500.7m - a rise it describes as a 'timid return to growth' reflecting more favourable foreign exchange trends - and 'slight' organic growth of 0.8%. More
Cardlytics - whose technology tracks consumers' buying and rewards individuals according to their purchase behaviour - has moved its corporate headquarters to midtown Atlanta, following a recent $70m round of investment financing. More
US research consultancy RDA Group has announced 2014 revenue of $23.8 million, up 14% year-on-year and up 60% over the last five years. More
Nielsen has reported Q4 revenue up 1.4% to $1.6 billion. Excluding the impact of the Arbitron and Harris Interactive acquisitions, the increase was just 0.1%. However the firm notes that this was its 34th consecutive quarter of revenue growth. More
LA-based research technology company Instantly (formerly known as uSamp) has introduced a new crowd-sourced insights tool called Product Watch, which alerts brands about newly launched consumer products and tracks their performance across key metrics nationwide. More
In the UK, Sainsbury's veteran Kirstin Knight has joined Kantar Worldpanel, to manage the Grocery Retail division. More
GfK has reported a 2.9% drop in annual sales to EUR 1.451 billion from EUR 1.495 billion the previous year. Currency effects accounted for a 0.9% reduction: in organic terms, sales were down by 2.1%. More
Consumer product and media intelligence provider Mintel has opened an office in Munich, Germany. The new location will be led by Frank Weibelzahl, who has returned to the company after a stint at concept testing and forecasting software specialist Affinova. More
Sports marketing research group Repucom has commenced a restructure of its business operations in Europe, including the departure by mutual consent of President Europe Marcel Cordes. Meanwhile Alexandre Callay has joined as Global Director Media Research and Content. More
UK-based health and consumer marketing group Cello has reported 'strong trading' in an update for the year to 31st December 2014. The Health division reports double digit revenue growth and a strong business pipeline for 2015, while growth in the Signal consumer division is slower. More
Retail tracking specialist The NPD Group has expanded Michel Maury's role as Group President for Europe, to include management of its Asia Pacific operations; meanwhile former Ipsos exec Philippe Cabin Saint Marcel joins as General Manager of Commercial Activities for Europe. More
Supermarket giant Tesco has confirmed it has appointed investment bank Goldman Sachs to explore options for its data analytics business dunnhumby - language which usually indicates a forthcoming sale. More
US-based marketing and communications specialist HCD Research is introducing its integrated cognitive and applied neuroscience market research services across China. More
US retailer Target Corporation is creating a 'center of excellence' to strengthen its data, analytics and business intelligence capabilities. The initiative will be led by Paritosh Desai in the new role of Senior Vice President, Enterprise Data, Analytics and Business Intelligence. More
In Edinburgh, Queen Margaret University (QMU) has opened the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation, which will use a range of nutritional analysis, shelf life testing, consumer focus groups and taste panels to help businesses develop healthier products. More
In the UK, Tesco has promoted Robin Terrell to the position of Head of Customer, replacing Jill Easterbrook who is transferring to head the retailer's Business Transformation programme from 1st January. More
UK-based mobile video MR specialist VoxPopMe has expanded to Singapore with the appointment of Robert Fry as Managing Director, Asia Pacific. The firm has also launched an app for iPhone, with an Android version available early in 2015. More
Ipsos has announced that its Co-President Jean-Marc Lech died this morning in Paris, after suffering from a 'serious health issue' since the summer. More
MMR Research Worldwide (MMR) has launched a new Sensory Science Centre in Singapore, with a panel of thirteen sensory assessors led by newly appointed Sensory Director Antonella Scarabelli. More
In London, Kantar Media has appointed Alex Kuhnel as Chief Operating Officer of its TGI global online / off-line consumer behaviour and media consumption study. More
Doug Schorr has returned to his full service consumer research and strategic advisory agency Schorr Creative Solutions as Chief Insight Officer, after three years serving as Head of Consumer Research at in-home fitness and weight loss firm Beachbody. More
Nielsen has reported third quarter revenue of $1.57 bn, a 13.3% increase year-on-year but reduced to 2.5% once the effects of acquiring Harris and Arbitron are removed. Similarly, profits fell nearly 30% - to $91m - but adjusted EBITDA was up 19.8% to $477m. More
Ipsos has reported third quarter revenue of EUR 412.7m, representing marginal organic growth (0.2%) year-on-year. The decline in reported figures slowed to 1.4%. More
In the UK, marketing budgets were revised up for the eighth consecutive quarter, reflecting continued confidence in the business outlook, according to the Q3 2014 Bellwether report from ad association the IPA. More
GfK MRI has teamed up with modeling and analytics provider Santiago Solutions Group to launch a health and wellness-based segmentation and solution, SSG Wellness Spectrum. More
Film and television measurement specialist Rentrak is to acquire the US TV measurement business of WPP's Kantar Media for $98m in Rentrak common stock. WPP will then spend a further $56m to bring its overall share of the US-based firm to 16.7%. The deal gives WPP's GroupM agencies full access to Rentrak audience data. More
Sky News has reported that venture capital firm TPG has approached Tesco with a c.£2bn bid to buy its data gathering and analysis subsidiary dunnhumby, the firm behind the Clubcard loyalty scheme. More
In the US, the Board of the Media Rating Council has voted to remove accreditation for Simmons Research's National Consumer Study (NCS), following an independent audit which uncovered 'declines in service performance metrics'. More
Insight and marketing services group Cello has had what it describes as 'an excellent half year', with revenue up 9.4% to £78.3m, and a 14.8% rise in gross profits to £39.5m. More
Chicago-based 3-D virtual store research specialist InContext Solutions has opened an office in the UK, led by Alki Manias, with the title of Group Vice President Europe, Shopper & Retail Solutions. More
Tel Aviv-based algorithmic pricing and business intelligence platform Feedvisor has raised $6m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to further develop its service. More
In Chicago, web based 3-D virtual store research specialist InContext Solutions has received $12m in Series D funding, which it will use to fuel its expansion plans. More
Retail analytics giant dunnhumbyUSA says it will make the move to its new corporate headquarters in downtown Cincinnati in the first quarter of 2015. More
In the US, customer retention specialist Windsor Circle has raised $5.25m in a Series B round of financing, which it will use to extend its technology, launch into new verticals, and expand both its team and marketing efforts. More
Nielsen has promoted John Lewis to the role of Global President, in charge of its worldwide business in the FMCG vertical. Company veteran Karen Fichuk replaces him as President, North America. More
Retail analytics giant dunnhumby has acquired a 50% stake in consumer behaviour modelling firm Sandtable, and will create a joint venture through which to develop new ways of predicting and understanding consumer behaviour. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK has reported a 1.6% organic decline in sales for the first half of 2014, to EUR 697.9m, magnified to 4.2% by currency effects - but says that it is now seeing the positive effects of the 'strategic realignment' plan it has been pursuing. More
Two announcements from Ipsos: the Loyalty division has a new syndicated study providing benchmark data on consumers' views across 23 sectors in 30 countries; while Canada's Ipsos Reid will work with the country's Sporting Goods Association (CSGA) to track trends in equipment, clothing and participation. More
Manchester, UK-based research agency Join the Dots has reported revenue growth of 16% in the first half of the year, compared with H1 2013. More
In Cold Spring, KY, USA, former Procter and Gamble exec Sarah Faulkner has launched her own consultancy providing insight-driven innovation and brand building services for consumer goods and services companies. More
San Jose, CA-based in-store big data analytics specialist RetailNext has completed a $30m round of financing, which it will use to expand operations in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and other, emerging markets. More
Nielsen has reported a 15% increase in second quarter 2014 revenue to $1.59bn - excluding acquisitions the figure was still a very respectable 4.4%. Q2 profit fell to $76m from $426m due to fees for re-financing long-term debt, but Adjusted EBITDA was up 16.2% to $460m. More
In the US, shopper insight specialist Nielsen Catalina is planning to hire new sales people, analysts and consultants at its Vine Street headquarters in Cincinnati. More
Nielsen has expanded its coverage to two new countries, Bolivia and Paraguay, and now has operations in nineteen Latin American states. More
Ipsos has reported a 5.9% drop in first half revenue to EUR 756m, with currency effects responsible for most of the fall (5.1%). In organic terms, second quarter decline all but wiped out the modest gains of the first quarter, giving overall H1 organic growth of 0.1%. More
London-based insight consultancy Firefish has revealed impressive revenue figures for the first year of operation of its US office - $1.9m - and says it will be further expanding its team 'in the coming months' to cope with demand. More
Nielsen has opened an office in Qingdao, in Eastern China, to support clients based in the coastal cities of eastern Shandong Province. More
Shopper research specialist PRS (Perception Research Services) has opened offices in Shanghai and Chicago. More
Brighton, UK-based global insight consultancy Space Doctors has appointed former Added Value semiotics specialist Cato Hunt to lead its London office. The firm has also announced plans to establish teams in Asia Pacific and the Americas. More
Bruce Shandler, a former President and CEO of North America for TNS and CEO of TNS Custom Research, has been named as the new President - CEO of Leger USA, based in Philadelphia. More
ITWP, the parent company of online community and survey technology provider Toluna, has acquired Harris Interactive's European arm from Nielsen. As part of the deal, Nielsen will take a minority share in ITWP. More
UK firm Product Perceptions has been acquired by one of its Directors, Yvonne Taylor. Founders Dominic Buck and Keith Greenhoff will retain a financial interest in the business following the buy-out, but have also set up a new firm called Sensometrica. More
In Sydney, Australia, ethnography and qual specialist Charlie Cochrane has set up a new research consultancy called Jump the Fence, which he says will 'challenge the notion' that consumer psychology determines brand and buying motivation. More
UK-based agency business intelligence firm SPA Future Thinking has appointed Tom Meyritz, formerly of QuestBack, Lightspeed and Ciao, as Commercial Director, responsible for leading business development across all areas of the company. More
Retail data giant Information Resources Inc. (IRI) has appointed P&G veteran José Carlos González-Hurtado as President of International, responsible for strategy and execution of all services across Europe, Asia Pacific, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. More
Millward Brown has acquired global marketing strategy consultancy EffectiveBrands, and will merge it with its Optimor brand strategy division to form a new business called Millward Brown Vermeer. More
In Australia, marketing and sales services company Crossmark has launched Shopper Republic, a specialist shopper marketing division focused on global insights and 'deep retailer collaboration'. More
Employee-owned MR provider Illuminas has reported a 27% revenue rise to £10m for the year ended February 2014. The firm has also appointed Steven Maskell as Senior Vice President in its New York office. More
UK-based Brass Insight has changed its name to Trinity McQueen, as part of a management buyout by its Joint MDs Anna Cliffe and Robin Horsfield. The rebrand will move it away from its former parent firm, marcoms agency Brass. More
In the US, consumer data management specialist Krux has raised $35m in Series B funding, which it will use to expand its global sales and support teams, and for research and development initiatives. More
Creston's insight division - which comprises Marketing Sciences and ICM - has reported a 7% increase in annual revenue to £12.9m. The remainder of the Group by contrast saw a slight decline in revenue and profit. More
Apple has hinted that its forthcoming iOS 8 operating system may make it impossible for analytics companies to track iPhone and iPad users in (real-world) retail stores. More
Nielsen is once again the 'official market research supplier' for an Olympic Games, adding Rio 2016 to London 2012 and Beijing 2008. More
Consumer products specialist MMR Research Worldwide has appointed Suzanne Hernandez as US Head of Business, based in New York and overseeing its Stateside strategy development and expansion. More
US-based online / off-line purchasing data firm Datalogix has closed a $45m round of funding, which it will use to finance the expansion of its suite of audience and measurement products. More
US marketing and communications specialist HCD Research has partnered with kids and families research, brand and product innovation firm PlayCollective, to provide a specialist service for clients targeting flavour and fragrance products at children and parents. More
Retail analytics specialist Askuity has closed a $1.8m seed round of funding from a group of investors including investment division dunnhumby Ventures. More
Mystery shopping and retail audit specialist Helion Research has opened an African regional HQ in Johannesburg, led by Customer Experience Agency founders Ian Jeffrey and Ronelle Van Rensburg. More
Cello-owned consumer specialist 2CV has relocated to new premises in Singapore, double the size of its previous office. More
Ditto Labs, which mines photos on social media sites to help brands understand target audiences, has raised $2.2m in new funding. More
GfK has announced results for the first quarter, with an organic decline of 0.7% in sales, reported as EUR 334.9m, a decline of 3.5% due to currency effects. However the Group said it achieved 'a significant increase in all profit indicators', and has confirmed its forecast for the year. More
US researcher Michael Kassab has announced the launch of a new MR firm, ConsumerDNA, following the acquisition of the assets of Savitz Research Solutions, the firm he has led for sixteen of the last 30 years. Savitz' office in Richardson, Texas will form the headquarters of the new company. More
Kantar has completed its upgrade of the Indian MarketPulse consumer panel, first announced last year, and have rebranded it as Kantar Worldpanel. The panel is operated jointly by the Kantar Worldpanel division and sister agency IMRB International. More
Cheshire, UK-based agency DJS Research has announced its twelfth consecutive year of growth, with revenue up 32% to £2.9m. More
UK-based consumer and cultural insight agency Flamingo is opening an office in São Paulo, in September, to serve as a hub for research throughout Brazil and the wider Latam region. More
Consumer specialist The NPD Group has promoted Jim Kelley to the role of President of its newly combined Sports and Leisure Trends business. More
In the US, full service consumer product testing agency Q Research Solutions (QRS) has appointed four new members of staff at its Old Bridge, New Jersey office. Each has two decades or more of research experience. More
In the UK, youth brand and marketing specialist Steve Reece has launched a consumer research agency called Kids Brand Insight, offering qualitative research for the toy, gaming and children's entertainment sectors. More
Nielsen has reported a 12.9% rise in first quarter 2014 revenues to $1.49 billion, driven by 28% growth in its media research business following the acquisition of Arbitron. More
Ipsos has reported a 4.5% drop in revenue to EUR 343.3m in the first quarter of 2014, compared with EUR 359.6m a year previously. However organic growth - at constant scope and exchange rates - was 1.5%, in line with the performances recorded in the third and fourth quarters of 2013. More
UK insight and communications group Creston says it is expecting a drop in revenue to £74.8m for the year ended 31st March 2014, compared with £75.2m a year earlier. More
Six companies including researcher / analysts IRI and Rentrak have formed a consortium running a cross-industry study to drive thought leadership and best practice in marketing to Hispanics. More
Retail data giant IRI has formed a partnership with point-of-sale (POS) data specialist GuestMetrics, and acquired an undisclosed stake in the company. More
In the UK, Tesco has rolled out PriceStrat software created by US company KSS Retail, across the organisation, offering buyers and category planners analytical tools to help plan consumer offers and assess their likely impact. More
UK-based behavioural insights firm Beyond Analysis has appointed Sophie Neary as Group Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for taking the business from a consultancy-led to a product-focused enterprise with the launch of its new DIY 'Quick & Easy' insight platform. More
In Mumbai, full service agency MRSS India and Frankfurt-based Scent Analysis have formed a joint venture called SA#M, which will provide a multi-sensory research platform for projects in all areas of product and concept development. More
US-based hyper-local digital ad targeting specialist MaxPoint has established European headquarters in London, and appointed Jeanette Taylor as UK Country Manager. More
In the US, shopper insight specialist Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) has teamed up with Nielsen Audio (formerly Arbitron) to launch what the firms describe as the first single-source measurement approach built for the radio industry. More
Manchester-based consumer research agency Join the Dots has announced a 23% increase in annual revenue to £4.9m in 2013, driven by a mix of existing and new clients, and 35% growth in international revenues. More
UK-based independent agency firefish has announced an annual revenue increase of 18%, to £9.55m in its full financial year 2014. More
In the UK, the Market Research Benevolent Organisation (MRBA) is hosting its annual online charity auction, to raise funds for industry personnel who are in need of financial help. More
GfK has merged its existing retail tracking and media business with full service agency PT Primera Indonesia, in order to offer its Consumer Experiences portfolio to clients across Southeast Asia. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
San Mateo, CA-based online retail analytics firm Reflektion has raised $8m in a Series B round of funding. Money will be used to roll out eCommerce and business intelligence solutions, while supporting existing clients and expanding sales and marketing activities. More
Retail data giant IRI has appointed former Nielsen France MD Olivier Humeau as Managing Director of IRI France, from 31st March. He will replace Philippe Cabin Saint Marcel, who left at the end of last year to become MD of Ipsos Marketing in the country. More
Nielsen has announced that a group of its shareholders is planning to sell 30 million shares of common stock, with a possible value of around $1.4bn. More
In the US, marcoms agency Pavone has spun off its 'Food Trends' report into a separate food and beverage industry business called quench, focused on changes in consumer preferences, shopper marketing insights, and developments in technology and media consumption. More
WPP's Data Investment Management Division (DIM) has reported a 3.6% increase in annual revenue for 2013. More
Ipsos has reported a 4.3% decline in annual revenue to EUR 1.71bn, from EUR 1.79bn in 2012. The company blames the fall on exchange rates, its partial withdrawal from Eurozone countries like Greece and Portugal, and the sale of its Los Angeles-based film testing arm. Organic growth was 0.8%. More
In the US, Ipsos MediaCT and comScore have introduced a new cross-media planning tool which combines the Ipsos Affluent Survey with comScore Media Metrix data, in order to understand how affluent audiences access media across channels. More
Canadian firm Leger Metrics has partnered with Dublin-based Red C Research, in order to extend its reach to Europe. More
US-based online community specialist Passenger has expanded to China through a partnership with Asia Market Development (AMD). More
Retail data giant IRI and foodservice industry consultant Technomic have announced a new joint offering, Restaurant to Retail (R2R) Insights, which combines consumers' retail point-of-sale (POS) data with their habits eating at major chain restaurants. More
Stockholm-based brand tracking specialist Nepa has opened a subsidiary company in Helsinki, and appointed Minna Mehtälä to lead it. More
Nielsen has reported a 5.5% increase in annual revenue to $5.7 billion. Media measurement arm 'Watch', enlarged by the Arbitron buy, saw revenue rise 11.2%, compared with 1.9% growth in the consumer research 'Buy' division. More
UK-based footfall counting and analysis specialist Ipsos Retail Performance has opened an office in Toronto, Canada, with the aim of servicing retailers across North America. More
GfK's sales have dipped back below the EUR 1.5 billion mark, not helped by a strengthening of the currency: the 2013 figure fell by 1.3%, from EUR 1.514bn in 2012 to EUR 1.495bn in 2013 despite modest organic growth of 0.8%. Adjusted operating income crept up by 1.5% to EUR 190m. More
Insight and marketing group Cello has recorded double-digit 2013 revenue growth in its Health and Consumer divisions, according to a trading update. More
Consumer product and media intelligence provider Mintel has expanded to Poland, appointing former Euromonitor execs Honorata Jarocka and Regina Maiseviciute as Analysts in its Global Food and Drink Analyst team. More
US marketing and communications specialist HCD Research has opened a Flavor and Fragrance market research division, which will combine neuroscience tools with traditional methods to provide a view of both respondents' subconscious and cognitive response to stimuli. More
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) and SPINS LLC have expanded their existing relationship to provide enhanced data and solutions for the natural / organic and specialty products market. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston Plc has announced the retirement of CEO and founder Don Elgie, with effect from 31st March 2014. Elgie will 'pursue a career of non-executive roles', and will be succeeded by current COO and CFO Barrie Brien, who has been with the Group since 2004. More
Peter Rigby has retired as CEO of London-based business information and events group Informa Plc - whose subsidiaries include research firm Datamonitor - to be replaced by Stephen A. Carter. Group Finance Director Adam Walker has also left the company with effect 31st December. More
WPP-owned Kantar is to combine the resources of Kantar Retail with its TNS Retailer & Shopper practice, to form a new organisation offering a single source of retail and shopper expertise. More
UK-based insight and communications group Creston plc has announced that Keith Bates is to step down from the role of Head of Creston Insight, seeking 'new challenges' outside the Group. More
Ipsos has reached an agreement with WPP-owned behavioural targeting services firm I-Behavior, Inc. to help marketers manage and assess campaigns among affluent US consumers. More
Former OECD Ambassador Karen Kornbluh has joined Nielsen as Executive Vice President of External Affairs, leading the firm's government and public affairs services, and overseeing privacy strategy, corporate social responsibility and multicultural market development. More
Retail data giant Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has formed an agreement with Japanese research no.1 INTAGE, giving the former's clients access to Japanese POS data and the latter use of IRI's data and services from other markets. More
UK-based Marketing Sciences has hired Andy Grout, former European Head of Quantitative Research at The Leading Edge, as a board member; and has also promoted Laura Ablett to its board. The company also reports strong first-half results. More
WPP brand development and insight consultancy Added Value has appointed Kenneth Lee as Managing Director for China. More
Former Millward Brown Ireland CEO Richard Waring has joined customer satisfaction and mystery shopping firm Catalyst Marketing Research as a Partner and Director. More
Hard to believe, but on Friday 29th November, DRNO's publisher MrWeb is celebrating 15 years in business. More
WPP-owned marcoms network Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) has opened a 'Marketing Analytics Centre of Excellence' in Singapore, which it says will turn Pan-Asian consumer insights into customised, targeted and measurable marketing strategies. More
Three analytics and insight providers - Martini, Acxiom and Ipsos Mendelsohn - have partnered to provide information about the media habits and lifestyles of affluent households in the US. More
GfK has reported a 4% drop in sales to EUR 361.4m during the third quarter 2013, from EUR 376.7m in Q3 2012, driven by what the firm describes as the 'considerable impact' of negative currency exchange effects. Like-for-like, sales were down by around 1.5%. More
Helsinki-based in-store behaviour analyst Walkbase has raised EUR 3m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to strengthen its sales, marketing and customer insights teams. More
Cardlytics - which offers technology to track consumer purchases and reward individuals according to their purchasing behavior - has opened a base in Manhattan and begun building a team there to support its agency clients. More
Manchester-based consumer research agency Join the Dots has moved to a new head office in the city, reporting £1 million of new client business and 20% growth in 2013. More
Nielsen has reported a 2.7% increase in third quarter revenue to $1.39 billion, the result of a 2.2% rise in the 'Buy' consumer research arm to $871m, and a 3.4% rise in the 'Watch' media research arm to $516m. More
In the US, retail data giant IRI and health and wellness consumer insights agency SPINS have introduced a segmentation model called SPINS NaturalLink, which focuses on how shoppers think about, purchase and use natural, organic and eco-friendly products. More
US retail analytics provider Prism Skylabs has secured a $15m Series B round of funding, which it says it will use to drive continued adoption of its products. More
Mobile-focused retail market research provider InfoScout has raised $5m in a Series A round of funding from dunnhumby Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures and Founder Collective. The company has also launched the public beta of its 'freemium' consumer shopping analytics service. More
YouGov's Middle Eastern subsidiary has expanded its team in Dubai with five new staff, including Ali Draycott who joins as Commercial Director MENA. Also joining are quallies Milos Bugarcic and Hend Abdel Sattar, and quant researchers Isaac Thiga and Nidhi Sharma. More
Consumer specialist The NPD Group is to acquire the retail sales tracking and consumer research business of Boulder, Colorado-based sports and recreation researcher Leisure Trends. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
WPP firms Kantar Worldpanel and IMRB have formed a partnership to run a joint consumer panel service across India, providing insight on purchasing habits across a broad range of products. More
Digital ad intelligence specialist Exponential Interactive has teamed up with WPP-owned behavioural targeting services firm I-Behavior, to help advertisers target consumers online based on their high street purchasing habits. More
San Francisco-based retail intelligence specialist Quri has raised $10m in a Series B round of funding, which it plans to use to meet growing demand for its in-store analytics. More
DVR and TV viewing data pioneer TiVo Research and Analytics, Inc. (TRA) has extended its two-year relationship with dunnhumbyUSA, signing an exclusive partnership agreement further integrating the firms' grocery purchasing and television audience data. More
Retail analytics giant dunnhumby has launched a seed-stage investment fund, dunnhumby Ventures, focusing on innovations in retail technology. The fund will support those 'embracing data for innovations along the consumer's path to purchase'. More
US-based in-store analytics firm ShopperTrak Corporation has appointed Bill McCarthy, previously CTO at the company's Chicago headquarters, as CEO of its EMEA operations. Current EMEA head Todd Starcevich returns to Chicago for the newly created role of head of the global mall division. More
David Jones, a former Head of Communications at First Direct, has launched a new UK-based market research agency called Habit5, which will focus on providing mutual understanding between brands and their customers. More
Former Nielsen colleagues Jeff Stewart and Christophe Cazes have launched a new firm called Asia Market Development (AMD), offering alternative approaches to the larger global firms which they say offer 'inflexible solutions' not designed for the Asian market. More
European consumer and luxury goods research specialist Stratégir has appointed Jackie Tarran as Managing Director in its UK office, replacing Dorte Torpe Hansen, who is moving into the role of International Business Development Director. More
Anna Noonan, formerly Qualitative Field Manager at ICM Direct, has launched her own face-to-face field agency called Strawberry Field, named after the London suburb where she lives. More
In Africa, Kantar has teamed up with fellow WPP agency TNS RMS to form a joint consumer panel, for use in shopper and product research studies. More
Netherlands-based agency SKIM has expanded to Latin America with the opening of new offices in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and San José, Costa Rica. More
GfK has announced organic revenue growth of 1.7% in the first half of 2013, with sales totalling EUR 728.6m, and a 'particularly profitable' Q2, with adjusted operating income up 15.7 percent. More
The world's 25 largest research firms reported a 'better than expected' 2012, thanks in large part to syndicated services and global acquisitions, according to industry authority Jack Honomichl. More
London-based full service agency IFF Research has launched a Health & Wellbeing (H&W) division, to provide a range of services from patient satisfaction tracking surveys and health and lifestyle studies, to more niche studies involving hard-to-reach audiences. More
In India, WPP-owned IMRB has expanded its household consumer panel to reflect changes taking place across the country. More
Retail data giant Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has announced a deal with cloud-based predictive analytics software company Applied Predictive Technologies (APT), adding the former's POS data into the latter's Test & Learn software suite. More
In the UK, retail data specialist dunnhumby is planning to relocate 1,000 staff from its two Ealing offices to a newly refurbished, 115,000 sq ft building in Hammersmith, in 2016. More
Chicago-based full service agency Peryam & Kroll Research (P&K) has promoted Richard Popper to the position of Chief Executive Officer, replacing Beverley Kroll, who will continue in the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors. Eric Maddux meanwhile becomes President. More
Retail data giant Information Resources Inc. (IRI) has hired Diageo veteran Richard Hurst for the newly created role of Practice Leader of its Beer, Wine, Spirits and Tobacco vertical. More
Following a 2.7% fall in first quarter revenue, Ipsos has reported a 0.4% rise in its second quarter figures. However, negative currency effects meant that total first half 2013 revenues fell by 4% to EUR 803.7m. More
Ipsos has filed a lawsuit in London's High Court against Aegis, claiming that the marcoms giant failed to disclose tax and fraud probes at Synovate, before it sold the company for £525m ($792m). As a result, Ipsos is seeking up to £65.8m ($100m) in compensation from Aegis. More
Tokyo-based panel operator AIP Corporation has opened an office in Jakarta, Indonesia, and made an unspecified investment in local MR firm Pixel Research to enhance its market knowledge and services in the country. More
While turnover in the UK market research industry is still 'fragile', the sector has reported a slower decline in the past twelve months according to research conducted by the Market Research Society (MRS). A majority of firms expect growth in 2013. More
UK-based consumer and cultural insight agency Flamingo is opening a sixth international office next month in Mumbai, adding to bases in London, New York, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. More
Retails analytics firm Ugam Solutions has announced four appointments, aimed at 'significantly enhancing capabilities to provide clients with smarter and sharper analytical solutions.' The four are Sudhir Holla, Navin Dhananjaya, Sridhar Sharma and Vinayak Hegde. More
Analysis conducted by industry authority Jack Honomichl points to a 'weak downward trend' in the research sector in 2012. A total of $9.5 billion was spent in the US on the sector, which is defined as including marketing, advertising and public opinion research services. More
Lakewood, CO-based qualitative and sensory testing specialist Ingather Research has opened new facilities in downtown Denver. More
Consumer research and analytics firm Blueocean Market Intelligence has expanded its North American team with the appointment of three industry veterans as Vice Presidents - Client Development, while also opening offices in Chicago, Dallas and Cincinnati. More
Australian consultancy InfoReady has launched a Marketing Intelligence practice, specialising in multi-channel marketing and analytics, and appointed James Forbes to establish and lead it. More
UK-based consumer agency Firefish has appointed former Flamingo director Liz Seok as Group Qualitative Director. More
US shopper analytics specialist Euclid has appointed ShopperTrak co-founder Tad Shepperd as Senior Vice President, responsible for driving sales and overseeing New York-based teams of sales execs, client services managers and analysts. More
Former Molson Coors MD of Brands Chris McDonough has joined Asda as Marketing Director, as the Walmart-owned UK retail giant restructures its marketing department. More
April Jeffries has been promoted to the role of President of Ipsos UU, Ipsos Marketing's qualitative research arm in the US. She is based in the firm's office in Mahwah, NJ. More
Millward Brown has appointed Travyn Rhall as Global CEO, succeeding Eileen Campbell who is stepping down in mid-July for personal reasons. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI has partnered with health and wellness consumer insights agency SPINS, to create a new segmentation offer in the natural/organic sector. More
GfK has issued an ad hoc statement on preliminary figures for the first quarter, showing organic sales growth of only 0.6 percent, and adjusted operating income and margin down on Q1 2012. However the global group says order levels are good and it should meet annual forecasts of 3-4 percent sales growth. More
Minneapolis-based custom qual provider Gordon Weiss Research has rebranded as Sivo Insights with immediate effect. More
In Australia, supermarket giant Woolworths has taken a 50% non-controlling stake in customer data analytics firm Quantium, which in return will gain access to Woolworth's customer data and provide insights to the retailer's packaged goods suppliers. More
In the US, RetailNext has completed a $15m Series C round of financing, which it will use to expand its engineering team, deliver new detection and predictive analytics capabilities, and grow its operations in Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. More
US-based online / off-line purchasing data firm Datalogix has closed a $25m Series B round of funding, and says it will help to accelerate the adoption of its audience and measurement solutions across display, mobile, video, social media and search channels. More
In the US, Silicon Valley-based social media intelligence platform Swipp has raised $2m in investment funding, while also launching a product called Swipp Plus to provide real-time customer insight around products, brands and offers. More
In the UK, shopper and leisure sector research consultancy Touchstone Partners has appointed former Johnson & Jonson director Sarah Lacey as Head of its Shopper Consultancy division. More
In the US, the company known for the last three years as SymphonyIRI is now once again just IRI (Information Resources Inc.). More
Retail and healthcare specialist SymphonyIRI has added the title of Chief Client Strategy Officer to former P&G exec Beverly Grant's existing role as President of Retail Solutions. More
UK-based consumer insight and strategic consulting firm The Future Foundation has expanded to the US with the opening of an office in New York, where it has relocated Heather Corker in the role of VP, Consumer Trends, North America. More
Shopper marketing specialists Jim Cusson and Jared Meisel have set up a new agency called Theory House in Charlotte, North Carolina. More
WPP's media investment management group GroupM has expanded its line-up of multicultural insights services and brought them together in one until called GroupM Multicultural, led by Hispanic media specialist Gonzalo Del Fa. More
UK consumer specialist Incite has launched a dedicated Behaviour Change practice, which will use multiple disciplines - including behavioural economics, neuroscience, health psychology and CRM - to help brands influence the behaviour of consumers. More
GfK has fully integrated its custom research division GfK Blue Moon into its global structure, and renamed it GfK Australia, Consumer Experiences. More
Online research and polling firm YouGov has reported strong results for the 6 months ending January 31st, the first half of its financial year, with like-for-like revenue growth of 5% and adjusted profit before tax up by 16% to £2.6m. More
London-based Realeyes, which measures facial expressions and quantifies people's emotional reactions through standard video devices such as webcams and in-store cameras, has completed a $3.2m round of investment. More
GfK has confirmed a 10.2% increase in 2012 sales to EUR 1.5 billion, exceeding its target of 9%. 'Strong' organic growth of 3.1% is cited as a key reason for beating the target. More
Ipsos Marketing has announced a strategic partnership with Bounty, the UK's largest parenting club. The deal gives Ipsos clients access to Bounty's 37,000 strong Word of Mum Panel, comprising mums-to-be, new mums and those with pre-school age children. More
Ipsos has reported 2012 revenues of EUR 1.8bn, up from EUR 1.4bn in 2011, but disappointing given the addition of Synovate. Accustomed to rapid growth, the group blamed the stall on politicians, the integration process and competitor poaching of senior staff. Profits however remained solid. More
Aimia, owner of the Nectar loyalty scheme, has promoted David Johnston to the newly created role of Group Chief Operating Officer, with a remit to further develop its global operating model. Separately, the firm has reported a flat year, propped up by strong EMEA performance based around Nectar UK. More
Lauren Demar has been promoted to the role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, with responsibility for two Ipsos Marketing divisions: InnoQuest and MarketQuest. More
Consumer specialist The NPD Group has reorganized its senior management team as part of its strategy to 'accelerate growth and innovation'. More
US provider Strategy Analytics, which focuses on clients in the technology sector, has opened a new Consumer Insights Practice (CIP) led by Motorola Mobility's former Head of Consumer Insights Joy Ganvik. More
Shopper analytics specialist Euclid has closed a $17.3m round of financing, which it will use to further service its growing customer base. More
Central London-based qual/quant agency Vision One has opened an office in Liverpool from which it will service clients in northern England and Scotland. More
Here are the best set of mean salary stats for the UK MR industry you're ever likely to see. Best as in good, solid bases and careful compilation; and the average rise is not bad either. But there's one shocker, and it doesn't take a great analyst to spot it. MrWeb's Nick Thomas continues our celebrations for job no. 100,000. More
In Dubai, Yahoo! has confirmed that from 1 April, its online research business Yahoo! Maktoob Research will no longer offer external support to clients, but instead focus on providing research services to the group's own advertising clients. More
Millward Brown has developed a model which it claims 'cracks the code' for how brands drive financial growth for their organisations. More
Nielsen has reported a 1% rise in revenue to $5.6 billion for the full year 2012, compared with the 8% increase it posted the previous year. Revenue in the firm's Buy retail measurement division was flat while the Watch media analytics arm saw a 3% increase. More
Market research was once said to be 'recession-proof', but we don't hear that quite so often these days. Are we in a 'double-dip'? And in our new, more cautious mode, who are we recruiting and how many of them? Nick Thomas looks at the stats for 2005-12 as we celebrate our 100,000th job ad this week. More
MasterCard's insights arm MasterCard Advisors has acquired a stake in decision science and data analytics firm Mu Sigma, and will work to combine its anonymous purchase behavior data with Mu Sigma's advanced analytics. More
GfK has named four senior leaders for its operations in the CEE-META (Central and Eastern Europe Middle East, Turkey and Africa) and APAC (Asia and the Pacific) regions. More
US-based online video ad targeting specialist Videology has extended its partnership with Kantar Shopcom, which helps clients link consumer purchases with campaign exposure. More
Bob Shullman, the former President of affluent consumer measurement business Ipsos Mendelsohn, has set up his own consultancy called the Shullman Research Center, which offers a 'Luxury and Affluence Monthly Pulse' of future purchasing intentions of the US marketplace. More
US-based product innovation specialist InsightsNow has appointed former NPD Group LatAm President Mark Turim as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer. More
Preliminary results indicate that GfK's full-year revenue rose 10.2% in 2012, to approximately EUR 1.5bn, with organic growth of 3.1%. More
London-based Purple Market Research has announced a partnership with US consumer insights specialist Kelton, as part of the latter's Global Group alliance of international partner firms. More
Heineken UK is restructuring its London/Edinburgh-based marketing team to reflect what it describes as the increasing importance of 'innovation, media, and digital communications'. DRNO sources say that up to 60 posts will be affected by the changes, including some in the Insights team. More
Consumer, retail and healthcare specialist SymphonyIRI has promoted Piyush Chaudhari to the newly created role of President of the Americas, with a focus on driving performance and growth for domestic and select global clients. More
Millward Brown has announced a major expansion of its Link and Facial Coding technology, and says two of its biggest clients, Unilever and The Coca-Cola Company, will use the technique for all their ad testing in 2013. More
Consumer insights specialists Cristina de Balanzó, Siemon Scamell-Katz and Rafal Ohme have set up a new London-based neuroscience consultancy called The Walnut Group. More
Miami-based sales performance agency The Retail Outsource Companies has launched a new sister company called 'The Consumer Insight' (TCI), which will offer a range of mystery shopping, customer surveys, compliance audits and competitive intelligence services. More
UK supermarket chain Morrisons has promoted Marketing and Operations Director Nick Collard to the new role of Group Marketing and Customer Director. He will join the management board in June. More
Japanese researcher INTAGE Inc. and Cairo-based ConField MENA have announced a non-exclusive alliance agreement to provide customized research services in their respective regions. More
GfK NOP, ABA and Research Bods scooped three of the major categories at this year's MRS Awards ceremony held in London last night, while mobile crowdsourcing innovator Nathan Eagle received the inaugural MRS President's Medal. More
Global wine and spirit brand Pernod Ricard has launched an internal social network called Chatter, through which employees will be encouraged to generate and share new ideas for the business. More
London-based consumer agency Firefish has expanded its quant team with four new appointments, including Paul Harvey as a Director, plus Jen Culby, Tom Birch and Louise Dinesen. More
Chicago-based Insights in Marketing (IIM) has launched a new division called 'i on Women', dedicated to understanding female consumers. More
UK-based agency MMR Research Worldwide, which focuses on the food, drink, personal and household care sectors, has announced seven new appointments including Client Services Director Janine Gamon and ADs Dan Hibbs, Tim Button and Tom Pile. More
UK store group The John Lewis Partnership has announced that current Lloyds Banking Group Customer Value chief Paul de Laat will move to the retailer in January to become its first Customer Insight Director. More
In the UK, former AQR Chair Peter Lovett has announced the closure of Consumer Profile Ltd, the Oxfordshire based full-service agency he founded in 1986. He will remain in the industry via a new consultancy, Bespoke Qualitative Research. More
GfK has reported 'a significant sales increase' of 9.8% to EUR 1,096.8m in the first nine months of 2012, with much of the rise however due to currency effects and acquisitions. Q3 revenue was up 11.3% to EUR 376.7m. EBITDA fell 18.5% to EUR 50.6m. More
Local market specialist Scarborough Research has formally announced its entry into Puerto Rico with a new insights service combining extensive attitudinal data and consumer behavior-based measures. More
In the UK, Lloyds Banking Group Head of Retail Strategy Alex Owens is leaving to take up the role of Head of Insight at supermarket chain Sainsbury's. He starts the new job in January. More
Ipsos has reported 9-month revenues of just under EUR 1.28bn, up 45.1% on a constant currency basis since gobbling up Synovate a year ago. The firm says now that the integration is complete, it will 'resume its focus on growth' and on meeting its service quality and profitability targets. More
Consumer and retail specialist The NPD Group has restructured its European management team in response to what it describes as the 'changing needs' of clients and retail partners. As part of the reshuffle, David Pritchard has been named General Manager of Commercial Activity. More
Nielsen has announced third quarter revenue up 5% year-on-year, on a constant currency basis, to $1.423bn, with its Buy (4%) and Watch (5%) segments both contributing. Adjusted EBITDA rose 7% on the same basis to $424m. More
Kantar Retail is to open its first South American office, in Brazil, where it will team up with WPP sister company TNS to use the latter's primary shopper research capabilities. Former Mars and LVMH executive Eric Debarnot will head up the new office as MD. More
Retail data specialist dunnhumbyUSA is to extend its presence in Chicago by taking the entire twenty-second floor of the city's Merchandise Mart, where it has plans to add 30 or more new members of staff in the next eighteen months. More
Broadband and telecoms giant Telefónica has partnered with GfK to open a big data business unit called Telefónica Dynamic Insights, which will sell anonymised and aggregated mobile network data to companies and public sector organisations worldwide. More
UK-based agency 2CV has promoted Mark Bagnall to Managing Director of its UK office, following Doug Edmonds' relocation to San Francisco, where he now serves as Group CEO. More
A year after returning to TNS Jan Hofmeyr has refined his ConversionModel, to help clients identify how people feel about their brand and determine how external barriers like price and availability affect consumer spending. More
UK-based supermarket giant Tesco is planning a new Clubcard scheme which will provide consumers with products and games offering 'simple, useful, and fun' personalised access to their own shopping data. More
In the UK, marketing services and print group St. Ives Plc has invested around £1m in additional staff to support future growth plans at its recently acquired market research agency Incite and consumer consultancy Pragma; and says it has plans to finance these businesses further. More
Ad intelligence provider Exponential Interactive has partnered with MasterCard's analytics arm to incorporate retail-level consumer spending behavior data into its online audience targeting services. More
Point-of-sale data giant Catalina is planning to triple the size of its Boston,US-based team and relocate it to a 75,000 square foot office in the city's 'Innovation District' in November. More
GfK has appointed seven leaders in China, Korea, Malaysia and Japan, as part of a strategy to expand its global research solutions across the Asia Pacific region. More
Online specialist BrainJuicer has opened a 'client-facing' practice in India, where it has appointed Pooja Haldea as Managing Director – India, based in New Delhi, and Sarah Cowell-Thomas as Head of Juice Generation – India, based in Mumbai. More
London-based communications research agency MESH Planning has expanded to the US with the opening of an office in Manhattan, New York, led by Experience Director Nathan Evans. More
Consumer research agency rdsi has promoted ten members of staff, including Research Directors Emma O'Connell and Tim Gowing (pictured) who join the Senior Management team. More
Asian agency ABN Research has opened an office in Hong Kong, from which it plans to expand beyond the FMCG and white good sectors to supporting service industries such as finance and telecoms. The firm has also been re-named as 'ABN Impact'. More
New York-based consumer behavior research and consulting firm Envirosell has opened an office in Istanbul, Turkey, led by recently appointed telecoms specialists Melik Karabiyikoglu and Burc Tutanc. More
Digital agency XM Asia Pacific has opened a Consumer Experience Lab in Singapore. The facility will use Tobii eye-tracking technology, heuristic techniques and usability metrics to examine how Asian consumers absorb the information they see in digital ads and traditional media. More
GfK has reported a 9.1% increase in sales to EUR 720.1m for the first half of 2012, most of which comes from currency effects and acquisitions. Organic growth of just 1.7% results from a healthy 4.2% rise in the Consumer Choices business combined with flat performance from Consumer Experiences. More
In the US, former MarketQuest CEO Mary Beth Lake and Chief Research Officer Paul Holtzman have joined Chicago-based full service marketing and sensory research firm Peryam & Kroll Research (P&K) as Senior Vice Presidents. More
Multi-screen measurement specialist Rentrak has partnered with product placement analysis firm iTVX, to help brands and programmers understand the impact on audiences when a TV show uses a brand in a story line. More
In South Africa two former employees of RI and GlobalEDGE Marketing Consultants, Andrew Johnson and Catherine Read-Fletcher, have set up a new agency, Beyond Insights. More
US-based predictive analytics and consulting services firm Intalytics has announced an exclusive partnership with forecasting and analytics expert Jim Stone, principal consultant of Chain Store Advisors. More
Nielsen/Arbitron joint venture Scarborough Research has hooked up with GfK MRI to offer a service exploring the links between the attitudes of American consumers and their shopping and media consumption patterns. More
Ipsos has reported a 53.4% increase in first half revenues to EUR 837.0m, reflecting the integration of Synovate into its financial statements. More
Nielsen has reported a 1% fall in second quarter revenue to $1.39 billion as a result of weak foreign currency exchange rates - but on a constant currency basis, revenue was up 4%. More
Shopper research specialist PRS (Perception Research Services) has opened a new office in Rome, Italy, led by Account Manager Roberto Fois and Project Director Gianluca Sacchet. More
Finnish shopper and visitor analytics specialist RapidBlue Solutions has been granted an EU-wide patent for profiling consumers based on their historical and current movements, gathered anonymously using radio frequency technologies. More
In the US, Georgetown University has established a new Institute for Consumer Research, centred around technology-focused consumers and how to market to them. More
US-based agency Food Insights has been re-named 'Research Between the Lines' (RBTL), reflecting a shift in the company towards more integrated qual/quant methodologies. More
Research group Cello has revealed that it has spent £600k in the last year on consolidating operations and reducing headcount in its Research and Consulting division; and is now splitting its business into two new divisions. More
New York-based Affinity Solutions - which analyzes consumer spending data to help clients with their targeted marketing initiatives - has completed a $14.5m round of funding, which it will use to finance product and technology innovation, and business development. More
Nielsen has promoted Mathias Bernhardt to Managing Director in Germany, responsible for developing the firm's Buy consumer purchase behavior segment. More
The fifty largest research firms reported a 5.1% increase in US-based aggregated revenues to $9.2 billion in 2011, according to the 39th annual report by industry authority Jack Honomichl. More
Kantar Media TGI and Nielsen have teamed up to launch a new media analysis tool in Ireland, combining Nielsen's TV data with the TGI survey of consumers' brand and product use, attitudes and media habits. More
In the UK, consumer specialist Leapfrog Research has closed its Windsor-based headquarters and moved into sister agency RS Consulting's offices in London. Parent company Cello says the move follows an agreement between the two agencies to form an 'alliance'. More
UK-based behavioral insights firm Beyond Analysis has opened an office in the US, led by Hunter Albright, who has been appointed CEO for North America and Global Head of Consulting. More
In the US, Scarborough Research is adding nationwide voter data from political data provider TargetSmart Communications to its own consumer database, to enable agencies, politicians and lobbyists to examine consumer behavior relevant to specific election issues. More
Research consultancy Kadence India has appointed former Hansa Research General Manager Maninder Khurana as Vice President - Consumer Insights. More
Retail analysis giant SymphonyIRI Group has appointed former Aon COO Andrew Appel as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding John Freeland who plans to retire later in the year. More
US-based kiosk firm smartDIGITAL has raised $2.7m in Series A funding, which it plans to use to expand its presence in Chicago with the launch of a new product line. The company makes interactive display units that store and analyse consumer behavioral data. More
In the US, the Missouri School of Journalism has partnered with HCD Research to conduct studies combining biometric and eye tracking measures to further understanding of consumer choices. More
Multi-screen measurement firm Rentrak Corporation has agreed a deal with MasterCard, combining the former's TV Essentials viewing data from US homes with the latter's consumer trends insights derived from billions of payment transactions. More
Swedish firm EyeTrackShop has closed a $3m funding round, which it will use to accelerate its international expansion plans. More
GfK has reported an 11.3% increase in sales to EUR 345.1m for the first three months of 2012, with organic growth of 4.9%. Adjusted operating income rose 10.2% to EUR 33.5m. The firm says its new 'Own the Future' corporate strategy has contributed to the healthy figures. More
US-based sports broadcast measurement specialist Repucom has hooked up with Grupo IBOPE and Kantar Media joint venture IBOPE Media, to launch a sports research business in Latin America, excluding Brazil. More
In Australia, Roy Morgan Research has announced a partnership with local trade body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) with an eye to using their complementary experience to provide clients with insight on the retail process. More
In Singapore, Nielsen has launched an Asian 'innovation hub' incorporating divisions for neuroscience (NeuroLAB), virtual, mobile and eye-tracking technologies (ShopperLAB) and market measurement and consumer information (MSciLAB). More
UK-based qual and quant agency Marketing Sciences has promoted Jane Rudling to the position of Managing Director, replacing Keith Bates who takes on the role of Executive Chairman. More
In the US, full service food testing company Northland Laboratories has launched a sensory insights division, to offer sensory research services to manufacturers, developers and marketers of food and beverage products. More
Ipsos has reported a 46% increase in first quarter revenues to EUR 379.9m, reflecting the addition of Synovate's business. However, it admits the need to integrate the two businesses has slowed expansion: volume of sales was down slightly on Q1 2011, and organic growth of just 2% is expected this year. More
Nielsen has reported a 3% rise in revenue to $1.3 billion for the first quarter ended March 31. Growth was fairly even in its Buy consumer purchase behavior segment (up 2.7% to $800m)and its Watch media research division (up 2.6% to $480m). More
Web-based consumer researcher BuzzBack has partnered with Swedish eye tracking solutions firm MRC international, to offer new ways for marketers to evaluate their packaging and communications. More
Quratulain Ibrahim has been promoted from COO to Chief Executive Officer of full service agency TNS-Aftab, the global agency's affiliate company in Pakistan and Afghanistan. More
Nielsen has partnered with The University of Chicago Booth School of Business to offer a historical perspective on consumer purchases to all US-based academic researchers. More
In Canada, research firm Hotspex has partnered with strategy specialist LEVEL5 to design BrandMap, an online tool that quantifies and links the emotional and rational drivers of brand usage. More
Consumer specialist The NPD Group has appointed Mike Leahy President in Canada, overseeing all aspects of its technology, home, fashion, food and custom market research business in the country. More
Online sampling and panel exchange firm Cint has announced a new partnership with UK online parenting community Netmums Ltd, giving its clients access to an 'unrivalled' number of individuals in the 'Mothers of Babies' category in the UK. More
In the UK, the Market Research Society (MRS) has announced that former GfK NOP Head Phyllis Macfarlane will become its new Chairman in April, following the completion of Vanella Jackson's two-year term. More
UK firm Progressive Digital Media (PDM) has reported 'disappointing' 2011 results in its B2C division, revenues falling to £6.2m from £8.5m and contribution from £2.3m to £1.4m. However, the group said research agencies The iD Factor and ICD Research, which sit within the division, stood up well. More
In the US, research software and services firm MarketTools has partnered with new product forecasting specialist Top Box Associates, to provide a 'one-stop approach' to forecasting for new product launches, line extensions and re-launched products. More
Manchester, UK-based B2B International is gearing up for the April launch of a new consumer-focused agency called 'deep see', which aims to 'get to the bottom of what customers really think'. More
Bertram ('Bert') Russick, the former owner of Minneapolis-based polling specialist Mid-Continent Surveys, died on Thursday January 26th at the age of 90. More
In the US, consumer research company the NPD Group has decided to stay in its current headquarters in Port Washington, NY and expand the premises rather than move to a bigger alternative location. The company will also site its expanded data center at its headquarters and create ten new jobs. More
Nielsen has reported good growth and profit with full year 2011 revenues up 8% (6% at constant currencies) to $5.53bn and adjusted EBITDA up 10% (8%) to $1.546 bn. More
In the US, NPD Group has announced an agreement with Walmart to process its point of sale data. The firm has also appointed four new analysts, plus Raj Misra as Director of Marketing. More
Retail and mall foot-traffic counting specialist ShopperTrak Corporation has boosted its planned expansion in Europe with the appointment of a European CEO. Former company COO Todd Starcevich moves from the Chicago headquarters. More
In the US, retail performance consultancy Claris Solutions has joined forces with data analytics start-up Euclid Elements, to offer a solution that uses mobile sensors to map shopper traffic patterns in retail spaces. More
North of England-based Dipsticks Research has opened two new divisions - travel and tourism specialist 'explore research', and bespoke consumer solutions unit 'fmcg insights'; and appointed Katie Bryan-Brown and John Vincent to lead them. More
GfK has announced revenue up 6.2% to EUR 1.374 billion in 2011, in preliminary figures released today. Almost all (5.8%) was organic growth. Operating income grew relatively little due to specific items including write-downs and recruitment of a new CEO. More
Millward Brown has partnered with emotional measurement company Affectiva to offer clients deeper insight into the emotional impact of their TV advertising. Affectiva's facial expression analysis technology Affdex will be integrated with MB's LINK copy testing and optimization solution. More
In Germany, Bernd Wachter has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer of qual specialist The Psyma Group, succeeding Fargel Matthias who is retiring after ten years in the role. More
Retail analysis giant SymphonyIRI has partnered with UK independent grocery comparison web site mySupermarket, to provide what the firms describe as 'the first' multi-channel view of shoppers' behaviour in the UK - both online and in-store. More
UK supermarket Sainsbury's has finally filled the vacant role of Marketing Director, appointing Heineken's UK Marketing Director and former Innovation Director Sarah Warby. More
In the UK, former JRA Research Associate Director Stuart Green has launched a new consultancy, fresh research. The company will specialize in integrated qual-quant projects. More
In the US, e-commerce media solutions firm HookLogic has appointed Jeff Griffin, the co-founder of Interpublic's Shopper Sciences arm, as President of Retail. More
UK-based insight and research consultancy The Behavioural Architects (TBA) has expanded into China by merging with Shanghai-based agency Research Essentials, which will now be known as The Behavioural Architects, China. More
In the US, dunnhumby - the data firm behind the Tesco Clubcard loyalty scheme - has appointed Yael Cosset as Global Chief Information Officer (CIO), alongside his existing role as CEO of the company's price modeling and customer insight firm KSS Retail. More
Consumer and sensory specialist MMR Research is expanding into Asia, with the opening of an office in Singapore, where it has appointed former TNS sector CEO Clive Little to lead the operation; and a Sensory Science Centre in Shanghai. More
In Chicago, web based 3-D virtual store research specialist InContext Solutions has received $1.5m in venture capital investment from a consortium co-led by newly launched Hyde Park Venture Partners (HPVP) and Hyde Park Angels, and including graphics and computing company AMD. More
UK agency Holden Pearmain has appointed former TNS MD Dr Tacis Gavoyannis as head of its Consumer Division. Also joining the firm are FMCG specialist David Beech, methodologist Svetlana Gogolina and qual researcher Wei Wei Yang. More
In the US, research veterans Sanjay Vrudhula, Lyle Durbin and Tod Higginbotham have set up a new firm, Reconnaissance Market Research (ReconMR), targeting Texas-based companies with $1 billion or more in revenue. More
The team at MrWeb would like to wish all our readers and friends around the world a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. More
In the US, data and analytics company InsightExpress has followed up last week's deal with SymphonyIRI by announcing a partnership with Kantar Shopcom, further expanding its Ignite CPG product. More
In the US, InsightExpress has partnered with SymphonyIRI to launch a tool which combines digital ad measurement capabilities with off-line consumer data, helping to link online ad exposure and in-store buying behavior. More
In the US, digital specialist Specific Media has partnered with ad performance specialist Nielsen Catalina Solutions to launch 'Shopper Access', a service which combines off-line purchase behavior with online ad data to provide insights into how advertising influences consumer purchases. More
German market research agency Dialego has launched a new social media division, and appointed Unilever research veteran Annette Stucken to lead it. More
New York-based Insight Research Group has changed its name to Insight Strategy Group, reflecting its 'evolution and expanding scope of services'. More
Following its acquisition of Synovate, Ipsos has promoted Grant Bertoli to the position of CEO for South East Asia (SEA), and confirmed the appointment of Synovate's Singapore MD Miranda Cheung as MD of Ipsos in Singapore and SEA. Senior European and US roles have also been finalised. More
IBM veteran Matthias Hartmann has officially taken up the post of Chief Executive Officer of GfK, replacing Professor Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst who has stepped down. More
US-based Objective Logistics - whose software analyses all the data produced during a restaurant's daily trading - has raised $1.5m for further development and commercialisation of its MUSE product. More
In the UK, full service consultancy FreshMinds Research has expanded in London with ten new staff appointments. More
Synovate Retail Performance (SRP) has partnered with Norwegian shopper tracking specialist Track & Trace, to provide retailers and brand owners with a behavioural solution for monitoring customer experience and satisfaction. More
In Italy, sports research specialist Immagine & Sport has re-organised, with Nevio Devidè assuming the role of CEO, replacing Marco Nazzari who becomes Managing Director. More
In New York, trade organization the Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau (CAB) has partnered with BigInsight parent firm Prosper Business Development, to launch a new resource to provide advertisers and publishers with insights on African-American consumers. More
Retail research firm The NPD Group has moved Mark Turim, previously President and General Manager for its Asia Pacific business, to the same role in Latin America as part of a drive to expand its business in the latter region. More
US social media research firm Feedback has launched in the UK, with the opening of an office in Islington, London, led by co-founders President and CEO Jeff Thompson and Executive Vice President Dean Browell. More
In the UK, Visa Europe has taken a minority stake in customer insight group Beyond Analysis, with the aim of strengthening its data analytics capabilities. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK has reported a good performance for the third quarter and first nine months of 2011. Q3 organic sales growth was 5.2% and the adjusted margin was up slightly on Q3 the previous year to 15.7%. Sales in the first 9 months of the year totalled EUR 999m - up 7.1% (7.0% organic). More
Sensory and consumer specialist product perceptions has announced a partnership with qual brand developer Deep Blue Research, promising clients richer concept insights and FMCG brand development. More
In the US, a team including Google Analytics co-founder Scott Crosby has launched a new analytics platform called Euclid Elements, with a $5.8m Series A round of financing. More
Following its recent acquisition of Synovate and in line with plans to withdraw the Synovate brand in January, Ipsos has restructured its team in China. Five 'Combined Country Managers' will ready the businesses for integration while ensuring they run separately until the end of the year. More
Brand and communications research specialist Hall & Partners has opened a mobile market research lab in the back of a London taxi cab. More
In the US, retail analysis giant SymphonyIRI has partnered with online ad marketplace Legolas Media to enable marketers to buy online ads based on user-level in-store purchase behavior, and then use actual product sales data for ongoing ROI measurement. More
Ipsos - now the world's third largest market research company - has reported organic growth of 6.0% for the first nine months of the year, with revenue rising to EUR 845.8m. Growth slowed slightly in the third quarter and the firm is hunkering down for tough economic times ahead. More
UK supermarket Waitrose is to introduce a loyalty card, almost two decades after rival Tesco. The up-market grocer will send cards to members of its myWaitrose online club, which has been gathering insights for around two years; and will also offer them in stores. More
In New York, Ipsos Loyalty Research has introduced the 'Wallet Allocation Rule' (WAR); a new research model to help businesses track their share of consumer spending. More
Synovate Retail Performance (SRP) has partnered with face recognition specialist Firs Technology in Greater China, to provide retailers and brand owners in the region with access to technology and data reporting for stores. More
In the UK, consumer insight specialist Engage Research has reported a 13% increase in sales for the year ended 31 March 2011, with turnover up to £2.7m. More
Maritz Research has moved into its new offices in High Wycombe, UK, making room as it continues rapid European growth. More
Japanese consulting services specialist Nomura Research Institute (NRI) has acquired a 25.1% stake in New Delhi-based Market Xcel Data Matrix, through which it plans to expand its research and consulting business activities to India. More
US-based customer intelligence firm Market Force Information has raised $15m, which it plans to use to grow both organically and through acquisitions. This follows last week's acquisition of UK-based mystery shopping specialist Retail Eyes. More
In the US, six shopper research specialists have formed an alliance to offer marketers an integrated resource for shopper insights. The new organization will be called Mindtap Insight Network. More
Gloucestershire-based medical data collection specialist Gillian Kenny Associates (GKA) has branched into consumer and b2b research with the launch of a new company, Angelfish. More
The market research industry has returned to growth following two 'very challenging years', according to ESOMAR's Global Market Research 2011 report. Global turnover rose to US $31.2 billion in 2010, representing a total year-on-year growth of 5.2%, or 2.8% allowing for inflation. More
Australian-based agency The Leading Edge has moved Andrew Povolny, formerly MD of its Sydney-based Digital Edge division, to New York in the role of Managing Partner. He will also serve as the firm's first 'Global Client Partner' for a key client, in this case KFC-owner Yum! Restaurants. More
Ipsos is planning to issue around EUR 200m worth of new shares, to part-fund its acquisition of Synovate. More
US-based merchandising and marketing services company SPAR Group, Inc. is to launch a Mexican subsidiary, SPAR Todopromo. More
In the US, CPG, retail and healthcare specialist SymphonyIRI has promoted Rob Holston as Executive Vice President, leading its Analytics practice in North America. More
The UK's largest mutual retailer, the Co-operative Group, has appointed former MasterCard Advisors chief Neil Carden to the new role of Director of Insight and Planning. More
US-based packaging research and eye-tracking specialist Perception Research Services International (PRS) has announced a strategic partnership with Latin American firm Provokers, which has offices in Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Mexico City. More
Synovate has reported an 8.4% rise in revenue to £269.7m for the first half of the year, ahead of its forthcoming sale to Ipsos for an agreed £525m. Organic gross revenue growth was 6.6% and operating profit rose 14.9% to £5.4m despite a ten percent rise in headcount. More
In the UK, international specialist River Research has reported a £1m increase in sales to c.£2.5m for the last 12 months. The firm says it is also considering expanding overseas, with the US being the most likely location. More
The world's 25 largest research firms had revenues of $18.8 billion in 2010, up 4.9% on the previous 'dismal' year - a 'very healthy turnaround' according to industry authority Jack Honomichl. However, 'real' revenues were not quite back to their 2008 levels, and some companies continued to shrink. More
GfK has reported sales of EUR 660.1m in sales for the first half of 2011, reflecting 8.0% organic growth year-on-year. Adjusted operating income rose 16.8% (organic 18.0%) to EUR 83.9m. The Group has also announced the acquisition of a 25% stake in US firm MBI. More
WPP agency MediaCom Worldwide has launched a new division focused on global sports sponsorship, MediaCom Sport, and appointed former IMG Consulting exec Marcus John to lead it. More
In the US, in-store monitoring specialist BVI Networks has closed an $8m funding round, which it will use to support further development of its analytics technology. More
The co-founders of North of England-based Dipsticks Research, John and Fiona Raglan, have announced they are stepping back from the day-to-day management of the business, which will now be run by their former Operations Director Ivor Knox. More
Consumer and retail tracking provider The NPD Group has promoted Tim Bush to the post of Group President for the Asia Pacific region, working out of its offices in Hong Kong. More
US-based agency Zpryme Research & Consulting has opened a China Insights Practice, a market research division focused on the Chinese consumer and business market. More
Ipsos has agreed to acquire Synovate for £525m (EUR 595m), creating the world's third largest market research company. The deal is to be funded with cash, new debt financing, and a rights offering to Ipsos shareholders. More
Retail market intelligence provider SymphonyIRI Group is to work with Wal-Mart to introduce an online shopper insights and collaborative planning platform called 'Customer Advantage'. More
Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has agreed to resume sharing consumer data from its Walmart and Sam's Club stores with Nielsen, after a ten-year break. More
In the UK, it has been revealed that Doughty Hanson - which owns the Vue cinema chain - is the mystery company interested in buying Aegis' market research arm Synovate. More
Whisky producer William Grant & Sons has appointed Damien Heary as Global Planning and Innovation Director in its Dublin office, with responsibility for generating and applying consumer insights to drive brand marketing activity for the firm's entire portfolio. More
UK insight and marketing group Cello has reported that its research and consulting division has continued to 'show good like-for-like revenue growth' despite the loss of two significant retail research contracts, but has meanwhile made a number of staff redundancies. More
Oxfordshire-based consumer insight and sensory specialist MMR Research Worldwide is planning to open a new office in London in September. More
GfK is to restructure its business following a major review, and from next January will operate through two new divisions, 'Consumer Choices' and 'Customer Experiences', under the new tagline: 'Own the Future'. More
Nielsen has launched a new approach to helping companies with their product innovation strategies, which it claims will increase the likelihood of new products succeeding to 75%. More
In the US, Nielsen has formed an alliance with grocery media network and software firm MyWebGrocer, to develop what it says is the 'First Comprehensive View of US Online Supermarket Purchases.' More
Publicis-owned agency MediaVest has opened a 'Human Experience' practice in New York, through which it will aim to explore the drivers of human behavior to create 'greater consumer experiences' for clients' brands. More
US joint venture company Nielsen Catalina Solutions has appointed advertising analytics veteran Leslie Wood for the newly created position of Chief Research Officer, based near New York and reporting to CEO Mike Nazzaro. More
Neuromarketing firm EmSense has partnered with store-based shopper research specialist Fifth Dimension, to measure shoppers' emotional and cognitive engagement when making buying decisions. More
In the UK, foods giant Nestlé has opened a £1m extension to its Insight and Learning Centre in York, featuring an Imax cinema, replica living room and working kitchen, full size convenience store, and digital media area. More
London-based qual agency Firefish has launched a specialist children and families research consultancy, 'The Pineapple Lounge'. The service will be led by Emma Worrollo, who specialises in kids, teens and mother-and-baby research. More
In Germany, Heiko Leipold and Peter Mahn have set up a new agency called mafowerk, based in Nuremberg, which will offer on-demand market research services, trend studies and consumer behavioural analysis. Both men have worked for GfK and for Information Resources (IRI). More
UK retail stalwart Marks & Spencer is reportedly working on a radical redesign of stores based on analysis of its customer base in each locality, including affluence and demographics. More
UK-based consumer understanding specialist Spring Research has hired John Griffiths as Creative Director and Catalina Cernica as Managing Director. More
GfK has reported a strong first quarter in its 2011 financial year, with consolidated sales up 10.4% to EUR 310.2 million and organic growth of 8.0%. More
Consumer and retail tracking provider The NPD Group has opened a new facility in Athlone, Ireland, for development as a Global IT/Operations Centre. Over the next three years, the firm plans to add another 80 employees to the twenty already based there. More
In the UK, full service agency FreshMinds has made nine new appointments on the back of what it describes as 'record results' with turnover growing by more than 20% in the past six months. More
Mark Stevens, formerly Research Director at Australian agency SensoMetrics, has set up his own sensory research agency, Sensory Insights, based in New South Wales. More
In the UK, take-away brand Domino's Pizza is the first to use Arena Media's newly launched 'Architect' tool, which uses the principles of behavioural economics to identify the social, cognitive and emotional factors behind individual purchasing decisions. More
In the US, Scarborough Research has partnered with multicultural consumer intelligence provider Geoscape to offer in-depth information about Hispanic consumers' buying power, brand loyalty and media preferences. More
In the UK, herb and spice firm McCormick has invested £1.5m in a new Technical Innovation Centre (TIC), which will feature a sensory lab for product evaluation. More
In the US, former ARF leader Joel Rubinson has partnered with product development specialist InsightsNow to develop research tools to help consumer packaged goods (CPG) clients with product innovation. More
In the UK, Leapfrog Research & Planning has hired former GlaxoSmithKline marketer Tim Brooks for the new role of Managing Director, with responsibility for helping drive the firm through a period of anticipated growth and expansion. More
Shopper marketing consultancy DCActiv has launched a new division in Dubai and named Hugo Mills, previously Diageo's GTME General Manager for the Gulf, as MD of its Global Travel Retail division (DCActiv GTR). More
For the financial year 2010, GfK has reported an 11.1% rise in income to a record EUR 1.29 billion. Adjusted operating income climbed from EUR 147.2m to EUR 185.0m with operating margin also at a historical high, 14.3%. More
TNS has appointed Ivan Browne as Head of its Retail & Shopper Sector, based in London. He leaves GfK NOP, where he served as Business Development Director for the consumer products and retail division. More
French financier Vincent Bolloré has indicated that he may be willing to sell his 26.5% stake in Synovate's parent firm Aegis, according to a report in the UK's Guardian newspaper. More
In the UK, consumer insight and sensory specialist MMR Research Worldwide has promoted Mark Sismey to the newly created role of Innovation Director, tasked with identifying, evaluating and delivering the latest technology and data collection tools. More
US-based Omnicom has integrated its Whybin TBWA Tequila ad agency into its shopper marketing agency brand Integer, which it has launched in Australia with branches in both Sydney and Melbourne. More
Supermarket giant Tesco has refused to pass on its Clubcard data to the UK Government, which is requesting companies hand over their customer data as part of a plan to help compile the national census. More
In the US, consumer research specialist Experian Simmons has partnered with the Latinum Network to tap its understanding of Hispanic consumers. More
In the US, media measurement and analytics firm TRA has hired former Arbitron sales leader Pierre Bouvard as SVP of Media Sales. The company has also appointed Kelly Mead and Susan Cuccinello as Vice Presidents. More
Manhattan-based quant market research specialist Eric Marder Associates (EMA) is to close after more than 50 years in business. Founder Eric Marder, who is now in his 80s, has decided it's time to 'pursue other interests'. More
German-based customer insight firm Emnos has opened a new office in Chicago, led by Adam Holyk who was previously Vice President Client Solutions at dunnhumbyUSA. More
US retail giant Wal-Mart Stores has promoted Cindy Davis to the position of Executive Vice President of Global Consumer Insights, leading a newly created team which will analyze broad consumer trends and provide insight into customer needs. More
Market Probe has announced a major push into key developing countries with the launch of strategic partnerships around the globe; a new office in Hong Kong; senior hires for brand equity and customer research; and development of a new customer advocacy model. More
GfK CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) has expanded its use of shopper specific technology by investing in Tobii Technology's entire range of eye tracking tools to perform projection, on-screen and real world studies in lab and shopping environments. More
In the US, retail specialist SymphonyIRI has partnered with Synovate to create HispanicLink - a report that provides a view of Hispanic shoppers and their current $950 billion spending power. More
Kantar Media has launched an Irish sponsorship division, complementing existing offerings in the UK, France, Spain and China. More
Consumer insight and sensory specialist MMR Research Worldwide has appointed nine new recruits for its UK and US operations, since the start of the year. More
In France, WPP's brand development and marketing insight consultancy Added Value has appointed Thomas Fratacci Managing Director, as CEO Jonathan Hall leaves to become Executive Vice President, Managing Director of Cheskin Added Value (USA). More
In the US, fast food giant McDonald's has promoted Kevin Newell to the new position of Executive Vice President - Global Chief Brand Officer, responsible for marketing, consumer insights, menu innovation and restaurant design. More
Manufacturing giant Kraft Foods has partnered with chip maker Intel to develop a self-service kiosk housing digital signage, which scans shoppers' faces and then (wait for it...) recommends what they should cook for dinner. More
Kantar-owned global trend research consultancy The Futures Company (TFC) has partnered with sister firm TNS to serve multinational and local clients in India. More
Synovate has opened an office in Geneva, Switzerland to house a team of twelve. They include existing sales and account management staff based in the city, as well as staff who have relocated from the firm's offices in France and the Netherlands. More
Retail behaviour research specialist Shoppercentric has appointed former Marks & Spencer Head of Customer Insight Susie Spencer as a Director. More
Database marketing solutions firm MBS, a subsidiary of GSI Commerce, is partnering with luxury market research and consulting group the Luxury Institute to help clients with enterprise-wide cultural CRM initiatives in the sector. More
In the UK, branding specialists Simon Coker and Nick Burrows have launched Brand Spirit - a new agency which will connect internal and external brand building, while profiling customers' attitudes, motivations and behaviours. More
US confectionery giant Hershey's is joining forces with the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology to develop a sensory science and consumer research program including a consumer taste test laboratory. More
Ipsos MORI has appointed Lindsay Cowan, formerly TNS Research International's Global Director of Shopper Insight, as Head of UK Retail and Shopper. More
In the US comScore, dunnhumbyUSA and Accenture have partnered to study the link between consumers' usage of brand web sites and their in-store brand buying behavior. More
In the UK, sponsorship research specialist IFM Sports Marketing Surveys has sold its sports goods business to one of its directors - John Bushell - and the firm's original founder Stephen Proctor. Terms were not disclosed. More
In the UK, former TNS Healthcare colleagues Steve Lowery and Philippa Hammerton have launched Red Leaf Research - a full service MR consultancy with specialist expertise in the healthcare and consumer sectors. More
UK consultancy Simpson Carpenter has launched a new healthcare and pharmaceutical research division, headed by Anna Sawka who joins from Aequus Research. Further appointments are planned for early 2011. More
In Japan, online research firm Macromill has partnered with ad and marketing services agencies Hakuhodo and Tokyu to form a new subsidiary which will collect and sell data on consumer commodity buying in Tokyo. More
Consumer specialist Knowledge Networks (KN) is to more than double the number of young adults (ages 18 to 24) on its online KnowledgePanel, and increase its representation of Hispanics by more than 40% during the year. More
In the US, Synovate has partnered with Duke University to create the 'Duke/Synovate Shopper Insights Center for Leadership and Innovation', which will focus on advancing research into shopper insights and marketing. More
In the US, media strategy and measurement agency Geomentum has appointed former Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) leader Sean Finnegan as CEO, and Tony Bombacino as President/Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). More
In the US, the NPD Group has launched a suite of advanced analytics products which tap into its proprietary item-level tracking information. It has also hired former SymphonyIRI exec John Deputato for the newly created role of Senior Vice President for Advanced Analytics. More
In Australia, shopper activation agencies Evocatif and iCRE8 have joined forces to expand parent firm STW Group's retail capabilities. More
In the US, Coca-Cola has created an integrated business intelligence data warehouse, to provide its marketing, sales and supply chain execs with immediate access to point-of-sale (POS) and scanner data. More
In the US, Nielsen/Arbitron joint venture Scarborough Research has hired Nielsen veteran Tom Drouillard as President and CEO, succeeding Gregg Lindner who has moved to Arbitron as Chief Research Officer. More
Kantar has increased the size of its Worldpanel in the UK by 20%, to include data from 30,000 households by the end of 2011. The firm has also announced other enhancements to the overall Worldpanel service. More
In the US, Management Science Associates (MSA) and Paradigm Sample have launched the Convenience Consumer Insights Panel (cci Panel), which gathers consumer information from convenience store (C-store) shoppers. More
GfK has announced third quarter organic sales growth of 9.2%, up from an already strong 8.0% in the second quarter and 5.3% in the first quarter; and adjusted operating income up 27% to EUR 48.5m. More
Customer engagement technology specialist Alterian has announced a multi-year partnership with Experian Marketing Services to provide clients with a solution integrating data from multiple channels into a centralized database. More
In Windsor, UK, Leapfrog Research & Planning has announced 11% revenue growth over the past year, and says it aims for another ten percent over the next 12 months by extending its research programmes in the UK, the US and across Europe and Asia Pacific. More
Ahead of its official financial report which will be published on 15th November, GfK has announced a 10.8% revenue increase to EUR 931m for the first nine months of 2010 (prior year: EUR 840.2m), of which 7.4% is attributable to organic sales growth. More
In the UK, dunnhumby founders Edwina Dunn and Clive Humby are to step down as Chairman and CEO and take on non-exec roles, as company veteran Simon Hay takes on leadership of the firm next March. More
In the UK, Peter Luff has been appointed as Managing Director of Synovate Retail Performance (formerly SPSL), whose founders Paul Tombs and Dominic McGuiness will be leaving at the end of the year to 'pursue their entrepreneurial careers'. More
In the UK, consumer insight and market research specialist Engage Research has doubled its sales for the year ending 31 March 2010, with turnover up from £1.2m in 2008 to £2.5m in 2009. More
Research Panel Asia (RPA) has opened its first office in the US in Los Angeles, to support clients based in North America. More
Newly merged agencies SPA and Future Thinking have expanded in Europe with the appointment of Adeline Baret to head a new Paris office. More
In the UK, full service agency JRA Research has appointed Andy Grout and Matt Coggan as Joint Managing Partners, joining Terry Wagstaff and Paul Summers on the Board. More
UK-based supermarket Tesco is Thailand's biggest grocery chain and is now one of four companies bidding for the Thai assets of Carrefour, after the French giant took the tough decision to pull out of a number of Asian markets. In part, Tesco's success is a victory for market research. More
Minneapolis, USA-based consumer research and consultancy firm Iconoculture has launched an Indian advisory service. More
In New York, global brand and communications research agency Hall & Partners has launched a Shopper Insights and Shopper Engager division, headed by industry specialist Vanessa Hartnoll. More
Harris Interactive has introduced the Body Mass Index (BMI) Speciality Panel, to provide clients with information about underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese US adults. More
UK-based consultancy Nunwood has hired former Asda consumer specialist Craig Ryder as Global Head of Shopper Insight, Analytics and Activation. More
Retail analytics solutions provider Manthan Systems has opened a new office in Melbourne, which will support demand for the firm's ARC Retail Business Intelligence products in Australia and New Zealand. More
Fast food giant McDonald's has promoted UK President and CEO Steve Easterbrook to the newly-created position of Executive Vice President and Global Chief Brand Officer, responsible for marketing, menu innovation, consumer insights and other global brand assets. More
WPP's insight division Kantar has appointed panel specialist Renee Smith as Chief Research Officer in the US, and has moved Tim Kelsall to the role of SVP, Client Strategy, Innovation and Delivery at its brand research division Millward Brown, in the UK. More
Market Insight Corporation - which captures real-time shopper preferences through its consumer web site MyProductAdvisor.com - has formed an Asian-based company, Market Insight (Asia) Limited, through which it plans to extend its services in the region. More
Communispace - which creates online customer insight communities - has reported a 29% increase in revenue for the first half of 2010, with sales up to $22.5m from $17.4m in the prior year period. The company has also added several new tools to its product portfolio. More
UK-based Dunnhumby - the data firm behind the Tesco Clubcard loyalty scheme - has paid a £17.5m dividend to Edwina Dunn and Clive Humby, the husband and wife team who founded the business back in 1989. More
GfK has raised its 2010 sales and income expectations following a 12.3% rise in second quarter sales to EUR 328.7m, and a 9.4% rise in first half sales to EUR 609.6m. The firm now expects a 6% rise in sales for the year, which is double its original projection. More
Caroline Osborne has been appointed Director of GfK NOP Consumer Products & Retail, with a particular remit to enhance the company's shopper insight, customer satisfaction, segmentation and U&A offers. More
Two former employees of UK agency Holden Pearmain have launched their own company, Impact Research. Darryl Swift and Michael Brainch will focus initially on clients in the utilities, retail and FMCG sectors. More
UK-based firm The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has changed its name to Future Thinking and opened its first office in the US under the leadership of George Ciardi, who becomes US President and Global Head of Volumetric Forecasting. More
Global research group Ipsos has reported a very strong performance for the first six months of 2010, with revenue up 18.1% to EUR 528.8m (organic growth 7.7%) and adjusted net profit up 33.7% to EUR 32.0m. More
Oregon, US-based CPG research firm InsightsNow, Inc. has promoted Jason McKerr to the role of Vice President of Information Services. Earlier this month, the firm announced revenue growth of 54% in 2009. More
Events and publishing group Informa, the parent of Datamonitor, has released results for the first half of 2010, including pre-tax profit more than doubled despite a slight drop in revenue. In the PCI division, which includes Datamonitor, revenues fell 3.8% to £178.5m but margins held up. More
In the UK, Cello's Research and Consulting division has returned like-for-like income growth for the first half of the year, driven by 'continued robustness' in client activity levels, most notably in pharma and health-related sectors, as well as international work. More
GfK has promoted Julia Beaver to the position of Head of GfK NOP Research Panels, which specialises in continuous or longitudinal consumer panels. Most recently, Beaver was Deputy MD at GfK Financial. More
In India, a team of entrepreneurs have launched High Beam Global - a market research data collection and marketing consulting firm specialising in the healthcare, FMCG and technology sectors. More
In the US, Vovici's former Chairman and CEO Dean Wiltse has set up a mobile measurement agency called Thumbspeak, to enable businesses to reach mobile audiences and gain insights from hard-to-reach consumers. More
London-based marcoms agency Engine has launched a new insight and research unit to provide clients with an analysis of why and how consumers make choices. More
GfK Consumer has rolled out its first 'Future Buy' annual study of US shopping behaviors based on a mix of research methodologies, through which it has identified a new breed of consumer known as 'XTreme Shoppers'. More
GfK has become the first foreign market research company to be granted a license to open a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia. The firm has also opened a branch in Kenya, acquired the outstanding shares of GfK Mode in India and GfK Kynetec in the UK, and increased its stake in Shopping Brasil. More
US-based neuromarketing agency NeuroFocus has developed the Luxury Perceptual Framework (LPF), to detect consumers' perception of what constitutes 'luxury' in terms of clients' brands, products, packaging, in-store marketing, advertising and customer service. More
Mediabrands, part of marketing services giant Interpublic Group, is launching a specialist shopper marketing agency, ShelfLife, to be headed by John Ross, currently President of the IPG Emerging Media Lab. More
Just as you thought the World Cup was 'so last week' here we go again with (among other things) call centre productivity; social media match predictions; and the disturbing prospect of Diego Maradona running round Buenos Aires naked. More
In New York, media measurement firm TRA has signed an agreement to license technology from marketing ROI specialist Media Trust, in order to enhance its Media TRAnalytics system, which matches household TV consumption and purchase data. More
UK FMCG and customer experience researcher The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has moved to larger premises in the city, while appointing former Ipsos MORI AD Emma Baret and promoting three of its team to the UK Board. More
In the US, Louis Pappalardo - the founder and President of consumer market research agency Trendata - has died at the age of 78, following a battle with cancer. More
In Russia, FMCG research specialist Business Analytica is discontinuing its retail audit subscription-based service, which has provided consumer marketers and business analysts with data for more than 15 years. The firm is refocusing on more economical alternatives. More
Millward Brown has moved Tim Wragg into the new position of CEO - Europe, following last year's integration of its UK and Ireland business with mainland European operations, and the formation of a pan-European Board. More
Industry association IAB Europe has partnered with Google to launch a new tool which provides agencies and advertisers with consumer information across 27 countries and 36 product categories. More
Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble (P&G) has partnered with eye tracking technology firm Tobii Technology to collaborate on product innovations and conduct package and shelf testing on a global basis. More
US-based media measurement firm TRA has received a $10m injection of funds from Intel Capital, the global investment wing of the giant chip maker. The series-C round also includes $8.2m from other companies including existing investors Arbitron and WPP. More
In the US, GfK subsidiary Mediamark Research & Intelligence (MRI) has re-branded as GfK MRI, in a move which it says reinforces its connection with its parent company. More
UK researchers James Lovett and Mark Pugh have launched Immerse, an agency promising a 'refreshing & rejuvenated approach to the traditional client-agency relationship'. More
GfK claims to be back on track with an increase in both Q1 sales and income. During the first quarter of 2010, the global group reported a 6.1% sales increase to EUR 280.9m from Q1 2009, up 5.2% in organic terms. Income rose 71.2% to EUR 25.3m during the period. More
In the US, Burger King Corporation has appointed former Coca-Cola marketer Natalia Franco as Global Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for overseeing consumer insights, product innovation and the development and communication of the brand's global marketing and ad strategies. More
Individuals' exposure to media matching their unconscious 'visual desires' triggers something akin to love at first sight and stirs a 'buying instinct' within them, according to results published by specialist consultancy Visual Targeting. More
The founders of US-based market research agency Iconoculture have left to launch a new firm which will study consumer trends in those countries that make up the G-20. More
The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has revealed plans to expand beyond its UK home with new offices in North America and mainland Europe in the summer; and has shuffled its senior management to ready itself for the move. More
TNS and Research and Marketing Services (RMS) have formed an agreement to provide customized research in West Africa. More
Australian insights consultancy The Leading Edge has restructured its Sydney-based business with the return of overseas executives, internal promotions and the appointment of a new senior specialist. More
Information Resources, Inc. is changing its name to SymphonyIRI Group, Inc. The company says the move reflects its expansion into new types of solution including predictive, automated analytics; technology platforms; and strategic consulting services. More
Research Panel Asia's newly established Korean subsidiary is up and running, with the official launch of its 'Panel Now' service site. More
Aegis, Synovate's parent company, is raising funds through the issue of a convertible bond for c.£190m, which it plans to use to make acquisitions in the US and China. More
London-based consumer research agency rdsi has moved its Leeds office to larger premises, and promoted Jenni Welling and John Horgan to SRE positions. More
In Germany, Thomas Andresen and Ulrich Hertfelder have launched Mark Metrics, a consultancy which will analyse how successful brands differ from unsuccessful brands. More
Kenya-based marketing firm Scangroup Limited and South Africa's Smollan Group have launched a joint venture to serve the East Africa region of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi. More
River Research has expanded to new custom-designed premises in Soho, London, following its launch in Autumn 2008 and subsequent increase in headcount to 10 staff. More
In London, Howdo Research, a new consultancy established in the autumn by former NOP and JRA exec Simon Cheshire, is reporting a buoyant start to business. More
In the US, marketer Penny Redlin has launched Insights Discovered, a consulting company focusing exclusively on the children's products market. More
In New York, marketing services firm Omnicom Group has launched a new agency to offer strategy, activation and metrics services to retail marketers at a local level. More
The Nielsen Company has announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2009. Revenue was almost exactly level with the previous year ($4,806m) but up 4% if currency fluctuations are excluded. More
GfK has reported a 4.6% decline in 2009 sales to EUR 1,164m, taking into account acquisitions and currency effects. However, for the fourth quarter, the group recorded sales of EUR 324m, compared with EUR 282m in Q3. More
TNS has formalised its partnership with qual and quant agency Aftab Associates, to offer services in Pakistan and Afghanistan under the brand name of TNS-Aftab. More
Two former global agency execs have founded abn Research, a consultancy focused on market research among Asian consumers and based in Bangkok, Thailand. More
Analytics firm Metrics Marketing has opened a 'one-of-a-kind' 2,100 square-foot research lab in Ohio, providing observers with a variety of hidden camera angles, real-time audiovisual monitoring and camera views on projected and flat-screen displays. More
In the UK, Harris Interactive has been awarded the Film Audience Measurement and Evaluation (FAME) and Film Monitor research contracts by the Cinema Advertising Association (CAA). The contracts were previous managed by TNS and BMRB. More
Global agency Illuminas has moved its China office across the Huangpu river to the new Lujiazui financial sector in Pudong, Shanghai's central business district. More
In its second rebrand of the week, Kantar has re-named the TNS Worldpanel network as Kantar Worldpanel. Earlier in the week the group rebranded its media assets. More
In London, Krish Kara, Bob Dance and Carol Ashby have joined forces to open KDA Insights; a new consumer research agency. More
UK-headquartered dmrkynetec - which specialises in market research for the crop protection, biotech and animal health industries - will now operate as GfK Kynetec, following its acquisition by GfK Group. More
Retail market intelligence giant Information Resources Inc (IRI) is integrating its existing modeling services into the model and simulation tool capabilities provided by its Hendry (IRI) Market Structure division, to provide marketers with a single source for all modeling data. More
In London, a new innovation agency has been opened by Calum Watson, Marco-Pierre White's former Executive Head Chef and Director of Operations; and marcoms specialist Greg Wixted. The Food Nursery will provide NPD and new ideas research to the food industry. More
UK customer insight and database management firm CDMS is rebranding under the name of Transactis, the transactional data provider it bought just under a year ago; and restructuring as it merges with the acquired firm. More
Sustainability specialist Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) and GfK subsidiary Mediamark Research & Intelligence (MRI) have announced the integration of the former's LOHAS consumer segmentation model with the latter's Survey of the American Consumer database. More
Retail market intelligence giant IRI (Information Resources, Inc.) has enhanced its Consumer and Shopper Insights platforms with a series of new digital media solutions. Partners including [x+1] and Dynamic Logic have already announced new offers based on the technology. More
In India, Bangalore-based Manthan Systems, which develops business intelligence and analytics for the retail and consumer packaged goods industries, has raised $15m in Series B funding. More
Nielsen's group revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2009 were down 1% to $1.25bn from the same period last year. CFO Brian West described the quarter as having been 'steady'. More
Kantar Media has expanded its Global Target Group Index (TGI) Network of syndicated single-source marketing and media studies, following parent WPP's acquisition of TNS. More
New York-based neuroscience firm Buyology has shifted its approach to help marketers tap into consumer's non-conscious decision making process. More
Harris Interactive has partnered with innovation consultancy Ideas To Go (ITG) to enable clients to explore, create concepts for, and test new products. More
In the UK, Review Centre, which provides independent product and service reviews, is to create a consumer research panel which will provide marketers and researchers with access to the opinions of its four million monthly users. More
Japanese online panel supplier Research Panel has partnered with Korean agency Trend Monitor to provide a multi-Asian country consumer research service. More
In the UK, research agency EasyInsites is to partner with online parenting club Bounty to build a young family panel with which to conduct bi-monthly research. More
In Australia, former Galaxy Research Director Chris Lonergan has launched his own full service market research agency, which he says will 'marry old school rigour' with new technology and a thorough understanding of business issues. More
The biggest new MrWeb section in nine years opens today with launch articles from five research luminaries. 'MRT' is an online home for custom panel builders, mobile researchers, data miners, neuromarketers and many others at the leading edge of what we broadly define as 'MR'. More
UK retail giant Asda plans to 'empower' consumers by enabling them to get involved in every aspect of the business - from product development to the look and feel of packaging. More
UK agency Leapfrog Research & Planning has restructured to create three distinct business areas and reorganised its senior management team to oversee the changes, which are designed to optimize growth and client service. More
Retail research and brand specialist dunnhumbyUSA has announced senior changes as it continues its rapid growth. Stuart Aitken joins as COO and will assume management of dunnhumbyUSA from CEO Simon Hay; and Gary Cofer has joined as Global EVP / Manufacturer Practice Leader. More
Synovate has expanded its Retail Performance shopper counting and analytics business across Europe, the Americas and Asia; and appointed a 'Business Development champion' for each of these three regions. More
UK agency Ci Research has formed a new retail division, which it says will provide clients with access to team members' client-side and agency-side retail market research expertise. More
A New York business school has set up a research group to develop algorithms and techniques which will classify, predict and more accurately describe the purchasing behaviour of consumers. More
US health, wellness and sustainability researcher the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) is to expand its LOHAS consumer segmentation model to provide clients with eight years of trended data. More
Business intelligence (BI) provider QuantiSense has partnered with analytics specialist Netezza to deliver intelligence and analytics applications developed exclusively for the retail industry. More
Synovate parent Aegis has reported an 86% drop in first half pre-tax profits to £6.6m despite growing revenues by 4.8%. The research agency itself made an underlying operating loss of £3.2m in the first half, compared with a £7.9m profit a year earlier. More
In the US, Nielsen and retail analytics agency Information Resources Inc (IRI) have formed a new firm which will recruit, maintain and process data from a common set of households to support the Nielsen Homescan and IRI Consumer Network panels. More
Shopper behaviour consultancy TNS Magasin has combined EEG (electroencephalography) and eye tracking technologies to capture shoppers' emotional and cognitive responses at what it describes as 'an unprecedented level of detail'. More
In the UK, Nielsen has taken a stake in CGA Strategy - which offers market intelligence for retailers in pubs and bars, and for drinks brand owners - while CGA has taken over Nielsen's sales tracking activities in the sector. Terms were not disclosed. More
German agricultural MR specialist Kleffmann Group has partnered with XS Inc - a firm which produces North American ag retailer point-of-sale data - to develop a new suite of market research and intelligence services. More
Full service firm Majestic Market Research Support Services (MMRSS) has expanded with the opening of an office in Jakarta, Indonesia. More
In the US, consumer specialist Perception Research Services International (PRS) and neuroscience firm EmSense have partnered to offer bio-sensory measures within quant packaging research studies. More
GfK Retail and Technology has upped its stake in its Indian joint venture (JV) with Nielsen from 40.0% to 50.1%. Previously known as ORG-GfK Marketing Services, the JV will now be re-branded as GfKNielsen India and will be included in the consolidated accounts of the GfK Group. More
In the UK, The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has launched a qual operation called Mimosa, which it says will address clients' needs for joined-up qual/quant thinking in the FMCG, retail and shopper insight, customer satisfaction and OTC sectors. More
In Sydney, research veterans Alex Sweeney and Alasdair Johnston have formed Clarity Strategic Research, a new agency offering qual and quant research services to the financial, B2B, telecoms, retail, FMCG and media sectors. More
Nielsen has re-organised its consumer research group into a global practice, and appointed practice expert teams across its five geographic regions. More
The Nielsen Company has agreed to acquire GfK's FMCG Retail Measurement and Consumer Panel business in Switzerland. Nielsen will take over assets related to two continuous FMCG panels: GfK's Retail Store Panel and GfK's Household Consumer Panel. More
For the first three months of the year, GfK's sales slipped 1.3% from €268.1m in Q1 2008 to €264.7m. In order to absorb further 'crisis-related losses' the firm has announced measures to reduce personnel costs including short-time work, hiring freezes, salary cuts and redundancies. More
Pert Survey Research has announced the acquisition of two companies, customer experience and public policy consultancy Pulsar Research and brand and strategy consulting firm Market Directions; and the changing of its corporate name to the Pert Group. More
US firm TodobebT, which runs a portal and social networking site for Spanish-speaking parents, is to offer access to proprietary research conducted through its panel of Hispanic Moms. More
GfK has reported an increase in income of €58.4m to €1,220.4m for the year 2008, reflecting organic growth of 5.5%. More
GfK Custom Research North America is partnering with The Hartman Group to launch a new study, Future Buy: The New Shopper Value Paradigm, which aims to find opportunities for companies looking to connect with shoppers in a changing retail marketplace. More
In Canada, Ipsos Reid has announced a deal with Tell Us About Us Inc. (TUAU) to better serve clients in the retail, restaurant, service and hospitality sectors. The deal adds TUAU's data collection and reporting engine the OnlineKMC(TM) to Ipsos' consulting expertise. More
British marcoms group Aegis - which owns market research firm Synovate - has announced plans to cut around 780 jobs across its global operations as part of a cost-saving plan to beat the downturn. Meanwhile CEO John Napier denied reports he has held merger talks with competitor Havas. More
Synovate has announced an agreement with Canadian software provider Vision Critical, to power its online community panels around the globe. More
UK-based agency 2CV, part of Cello Group, has announced the opening of an office in San Francisco. The office is its first in North America and the beginning of an international expansion plan. More
Information services giant Experian has announced a strategic alliance with Buxton, providers of site location and customer analytics. More
According to preliminary figures, GfK has achieved organic revenue growth of 5.5% to €1,220m for the financial year 2008. The firm has also implemented a new efficiency programme which it says should save €30m between now and 2012. More
In California, Alliant International University has opened an on-campus laboratory to conduct product testing for new research service Sample U. Consumers are invited to sample products and groceries in exchange for their feedback, and leave the laboratory with a bag of free goods. More
The Kantar Group is streamlining its businesses after buying TNS. The TNS Custom business will merge with Research International and will be generally known as TNS. A new social research force for the UK is established in TNS-BMRB, while Kantar has four new vertical sector operating units: Media, Health, Retail and Worldpanel. More
Tesco's pre-launch market research for its US 'Fresh & Easy' stores missed vital clues about purchasing decisions Stateside, its boss has told UK paper The Sunday Times. More
Dutch market research agency DervalResearch has claimed it has found a link between the perception of taste and an individual's job and hobbies, which it is calling the Hormonal Fingerprint. More
Ipsos has reported full-year organic growth of 7.8% with revenues up 5.6% to €979.3m from 2007. The group says that in 2009 it intends to deliver further growth, while maintaining margins - at the very least - at their 2008 level. More
In the UK, Coca Cola has hired Bhawani Singh Shekhawat for its newly created role of Director - Strategy, Planning and Insights. More
Nielsen is about to roll out its store layout and category space management solution my.spaceman, across more than 100 markets. More
Nielsen has opened a BASES office in Delhi, its second Indian location, from which it will provide new product research and forecasting services to the consumer packaged goods sector. More
In the UK, Newcastle-based Explain Market Research is to open a specialist call centre in Jesmond to provide space for additional staff at its headquarters. More
Survey software firm Vovici has partnered with UK customer experience consultancy CGA to offer clients customer experience measurement. More
Web-based consumer researcher BuzzBack has reported a 35% increase in sales in 2008, with growth in profits following expansion of the business. More
Swedish eye tracking firm Tobii Technology has signed a global agreement with Ipsos Marketing for its Eye Tracking hardware and software to be integrated into Ipsos' Pack Evaluation packaged testing system and other Ipsos solutions. More
In the US, Nielsen has announced the indefinite suspension of its P.R.I.S.M. initiative, which it set up with the In-Store Marketing Institute in 2006. P.R.I.S.M. aimed to establish a common industry metric to measure audiences and gauge the effectiveness of in-store marketing. More
In London, full-service research agency SPA has restructured its business into three divisions, each with its own Managing Director. It has also promoted Jo Lockett from Marketing Director to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer to oversee non-research functions. More
In the UK, confectionery giant Nestlé has opened an Insight and Learning Centre, to help its retail clients understand how the layout of shelves in their stores can be tailored to shoppers' needs. More
In the UK Ed Mayo, the CEO of government watchdog Consumer Focus, has co-authored a book which criticizes firms that use young children to conduct market research into their products. Mayo describes the system as 'insidious and downright creepy'. More
Andrew Mann is to join UK supermarket chain Sainbury's next month from rival Tesco, to take up the post of Director of Customer Insight and Loyalty. The move comes as Sainsbury's restructures its London head office as part of a cost-saving exercise. More
Computer giant IBM has unveiled a portfolio of solutions designed to help retailers analyze data and apply it to business processes. More
US firms Planalytics and Revionics have partnered to incorporate the former's weather intelligence into the latter's price optimization solution, to help clients adjust pricing decisions to match localized consumer buying behavior. More
Health and sustainability specialist Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) has announced the expansion of its services to Canada, and the appointment of Jorge Santos as Vice President of Strategic Consulting, based in Ontario. More
Retail behemoth Wal-mart has pulled out of the P.R.I.S.M. initiative, which was set up by Nielsen and the In-Store Marketing Institute in 2006 to establish a global metric for evaluating the in-store environment. More
GfK has acquired a 74% majority stake in Egyptian consumer research company Market Insight; and has formed a joint venture with the Median Group under the name of GfK Custom Research Middle East Holding, in which GfK holds a 51% share. More
Dean Blythe, President and CEO of US-based direct marketing giant Harte-Hanks, is to leave the firm to 'pursue other professional opportunities'. He will be replaced by company veteran and current Chairman of the Board, Larry Franklin. More
In the US, behavioral targeting and analytic services firm I-Behavior has partnered with database development specialist CMS Direct to integrate the latter's 'Prefer Network' co-operative database into its consumer purchase data products. More
Web site usability researcher JuxtConsult has created an online panel of more than 115,000 consumers in India, which the firm says are representative of 86% of the country's total urban population of 337 million people. More
Two US-based retail chains are in dispute over a subpoena which would require one to hand over to its much larger competitor business information including two years' worth of weekly store sales figures. More
In the US, Ipsos Mendelsohn has formed an advisory council – made up of representatives from ad agencies, publications, cable TV networks and digital media worlds – to expand the scope and size of its annual Affluent Survey. More
Former Synovate Hungary Researcher Brúnó Bitter has set up a market research and brand consultancy called Next Wave Research, which uses a technique he dubs 'visual ethnography' to view consumers' actual in-store behaviour. More
UK-based Munro Global has expanded teams at two of its subsidiaries, FDS International and acefieldwork, with five appointments in the last few weeks. More
Groupe Aeroplan, owner of the Nectar loyalty scheme, is to launch its UK-based customer-driven insight and communication business in North America, with offices based in Toronto and Chicago. More
Marketing services group Creston has announced good interim results for the six months to September 2008, with revenue up 5% to £41.3m. The Insight Division saw revenues fall from £9.0m a year ago to £8.5m with smaller MR firms suffering, although its margins remain good. More
UK research pioneer Harry Henry, the last survivor of the 23 founders of the Market Research Society (MRS), has died aged 92 after a stroke. More
CPG, retail and healthcare information provider Information Resources Inc (IRI) has announced a three-year-plus contract, starting on 1st January 2009, as the sole supplier of retail data to Nestlé in the UK. More
Ipsos MORI has launched a new shopper research solution, Checkout, which promises to increase the chances of success at launch by optimising manufacturers' in-store strategy in the competitive environment. More
London-based agency SPA is diversifying into the B2B, public and transport/travel sectors with the appointment of Janet Wright as Research Director, responsible for developing new revenue streams and building up a specialist team. More
Thwarted in its TNS marriage plans, GfK appears to be enjoying the single life. Revenue for the first nine months of the year rose to €883.8m, representing organic growth of 7.2% (up from 5.5% the previous year); and adjusted operating income up 1.7% to €104.3m. The firm described the results as 'satisfactory' in the current economic climate. More
In the US, web analytics unit TNS Compete, now part of Kantar, has launched a Retail and Consumer Products practice to provide retailers with insights into shoppers' online activities across rival sites, portals, search engines and aggregators. More
Ground-breaking US-based media ROI measurement firm TRA has announced a database of 370,000 US homes, and the signing up of Discovery Communications as a client. More
Mall media specialist EYE has signed an agreement with Arbitron Custom Research to measure the effectiveness of mall-based advertisements and the psychographics of its shoppers. More
Consumer insight firm DunnhumbyUSA has outgrown its existing Cincinnati headquarters and is moving to a 150,000 square-foot space that can accommodate more than 500 employees. More
UK-based Nunwood has developed Bioshopping, a new way of combining traditional shopper research with biometric technology to probe the emotions behind what engages/disengages consumers and what prompts them to buy. More
Mintel and Information Resources Inc (IRI) have enhanced their joint product development support solution, GNPD IRIS, with additional trend analysis. More
In the UK, quant specialist Buckingham Research has appointed Tim Sheard as Research Director and Justin Porter and Craig Strudley as Associate Directors. All three have previously worked at GfK NOP. More
Frances Grubb, President of marketing and sensory research firm J. Reckner Associates (JRA), will be stepping down from her role next January after sixteen years in the role. She will be replaced by SVP Steve Aukers who joined the firm last October from TNS. More
In the UK, Buckingham Research Associates founder Maggie Drye has launched a new company, Insitas. Former Buckingham execs Sandra Halstead and Duncan Fergusson join the start-up team, along with Acritas CEO Lisa Hart who becomes a Non-Executive Director. More
Experian is to combine its FootFall system – which counts the numbers of people visiting retailers and shopping centres – with Path Intelligence's shopper behaviour technology, to understand the movement of shoppers as they flow through retail centres. More
204 weeks separate the Beijing Olympics and the start of the next games in London – precisely one week for each country that took part in the events in China. MrWeb will be following a trail across the world for the next four years, each week profiling one country and its research industry, linking also to news, jobs and suppliers. More
In the US, Proclivity Systems – which develops consumer shopping and purchasing behavior analytics – has raised $5.5m in Series B financing, led by Fung Capital USA Fund, with co-investment from WPP Digital and Pilot Group, as well as investors from the firm's Series A funding. More
MMR Research Worldwide has announced a new suite of research methods for clients in the food, drink and CPG sectors; and has rebranded, and relaunched its web site. More
UK supermarket giant ASDA has launched a new quarterly consumer confidence survey, with a panel of 10,000 of its shoppers who will provide feedback on topics such as personal finance, job security, the economy, and safety from crime. More
European market research company Stratégir has opened a new office in Covent Garden, London and appointed Dorte Torpe Hansen as UK MD. More
In the UK, The University of Reading and MMR Research Worldwide have opened a Sensory Science Centre, which will provide sensory evaluation data for MMR's food, drink and healthcare clients, as well as for the University's research and teaching programmes. More
Consumer specialist Information Resources Inc (IRI) has appointed Hans Jessen as Executive Vice President and Managing Director of European Services and Global Analytics Delivery. More
In the UK, marketing services firm Indicia has launched an econometric modelling company, MarketingReality, to provide a 'fusion of customer behaviour analysis' across all marketing channels. More
Following yesterday's news that it had shelved plans to acquire UK rival TNS, GfK has bounced back by announcing its highest rate of sales growth since the firm's IPO in 1999. Organic sales were up 11.4% for the quarter, and 8.4% for the first six months of the year. More
UK marcoms group Aegis has posted overall organic revenue growth of 8.2% for the first half of 2008. Research arm Synovate reports healthy revenue and profit rises but has reduced expectations for 2008 organic market growth to 4.1% from 5.1%, in the light of tough trading conditions. More
In the US, population segmentation specialist Nielsen Claritas has partnered with retail buying consortium Nationwide Marketing Group, to analyze customer data from select Nationwide member retailers. More
Global marketing and advertising database TGI (Target Group Index) has been relaunched in South Africa, via a new company, TGI SA [Pty] Ltd, whose majority shareholder is Ask Afrika. More
UK-based global recruitment group Prime People plc has launched a research, insight and analysis division, Prime Insight, and has appointed Alice Glover, co-founder of recruiters NicholsonGlover Consulting, to head it up. More
In the US, Research International (RI) has appointed Tom Buehrer as SVP/General Manager West Coast, Lisa Kassem as VP, and Jake Steadman as Research Executive. More
In Europe, predictive targeting technology firm Nugg.ad is to combine Nielsen Homescan panel data with survey data it gathers from visitors to its partner web sites, to help advertisers target consumers through online marketing campaigns. More
In the US, Nielsen has partnered with Mindset Media – a firm that creates consumer profiles of web users – to add personality profile mapping to its Homescan consumer purchase panel of 125,000 US households. More
TNS has promoted Andrew Czarnowski to the post of MD of its UK and Ireland Custom business; tasked with driving growth in one the firm's largest units and exploiting capabilities in shopper, brand and communications research. More
UK retailer Boots is the latest big name to restructure in the interests of becoming more customer-focused. The changes, announced last week, include the appointment of Directors of Loyalty, CRM, Customer Communications and In-store Marketing, all reporting to Marketing Director Elizabeth Fagan. More
Maritz Research has appointed Graham Devereux as Division Vice President of its newly created Retail Research Europe unit, responsible for strategy and business development and based in Marlow, Bucks, UK. More
Just over a year since joining TNS as Global Head of Access Panels, Robert Tomei has left to become President, Consumer & Shopper Insights at consumer analytics firm Information Resources Inc (IRI). More
UK research and marketing insight consultancy McCallum Layton has expanded its services to include sensory testing, through a bespoke Sensory Testing Unit and panel in Leeds. More
In the UK, sensory panel company MSTS is being integrated with product development specialists Marketing Sciences. Both are part of the Insight Division of UK marketing services group Creston. More
Rob Stevens, co-founder of UK-based behavioural research consultancy Bunnyfoot, has moved the firm's established eye-tracking expertise into a new, separate consultancy, which will test consumers' behavioural response to offline media including TV, print and outdoor, as well as packaging. More
Consumer intelligence specialist DunnhumbyUSA has opened a third office, adding Chicago to sites in Cincinatti and Atlanta. More
Advertising, marketing and comms agency Omnicom has formed a consultancy, led by a dozen female execs, to help clients make connections with women – whether as consumers, customers, employees or other stakeholders. More
Supermarket chain Safeway has appointed Diane Dietz as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, overseeing the marketing, merchandising, manufacturing and distribution functions. More
Nationwide Insurance has partnered with the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University (OSU) to create The Nationwide Center for Advanced Customer Insights, dedicated to researching and evaluating consumer behavior in the United States. More
Both TNS and WPP have reported healthy revenue growth in the first five months of 2008 - the former doing particularly well in the UK, balancing a slight decline in the US. Meanwhile Martin Sorrell has again asked TNS for more financial information. More
Digital video recorder (DVR) pioneer TiVo has partnered with media marketing research firm TRA to develop an ad research system that gauges how consumers makes household purchasing decisions based on ad exposure. More
In the US, Information Resources Inc. (IRI) will be integrating TNS' Shades of Green methodology into its Consumer Network Household panel, to delve deeper into consumer attitudes and behavior towards environmental issues and motivation to purchase green products. More
Online research agency BrainJuicer has opened an office in Switzerland, while also announcing plans to acquire Melbourne-based market research firm The Slater Marketing Group. More
Consumer analytics firm Information Resources Inc (IRI) has added a number of new solutions to its Consumer Network household panel to enable clients to gather reactions from hard-to-reach respondents. More
TNS has agreed to open its books and give WPP the same information it gave to GfK as part of their recent merger agreement. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the GfK-TNS merger may face an EU competition probe; and may be 'sweetened' by a cash bonus for TNS shareholders. More
Air Miles operator Alliance Data Loyalty Services has formally launched a consumer analytics supplier, Precima, developed from what was previously its in-house analytics function. More
Customer satisfaction specialist CFI Group has this week launched what it describes as the first UK National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI-UK) for banks, supermarkets and mortgage lenders. More
GfK and TNS have agreed the terms for their 'merger of equals' to create GfK-TNS plc. Aside from 'significant opportunities' for revenue growth, the firms say the move will bring annual pre-tax benefits through cost reduction of at least Euros 97m (£76m) by the end of the third full year following completion. More
Nielsen and rival consumer analytics firm Information Resources Inc (IRI) have both announced major contracts with consumer giants. IRI says it has ousted Nielsen from a UK contract they formerly shared, with P&G; Nielsen says it has signed a global contract with the Coca-Cola Company. More
Synovate has announced the appointment of Zoltan Bodo as Managing Director in Hungary, replacing the recently promoted George Christodoulides. More
Experian and digital specialist MultiMedia Intelligence have announced a partnership, combining the former's in-depth data on psychographics, consumer behavior, lifestyles and attitudes with the latter's market sizing and forecasting models and databases. More
In the UK, another first for Portsmouth. Foot traffic monitoring firm Path Intelligence, based in the city, is testing patent-pending surveillance technology that continuously tracks mobile phone signals to understand the movement of shoppers as they flow through retail centres or public amenities. More
Ipsos first quarter revenues rose 6.2% to €217.3m from Q1 2007. Despite slow going in North America, global organic growth reached 9.6%, which the firm said exceeded its full-year targets. More
GfK has described its Q1 results as 'sound', with organic growth in sales up 5.1% to €268.1m and consolidated total income rising almost 21% to €12.5m. More
Groundbreaking New York-based media research firm TRA (True ROI Accountability for Media) has appointed James O'Hara as EVP of Sales. More
In the US, media communications agency Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) has partnered with online research agencies GMI and InsightExpress to conduct a tracking study which aims to uncover how ad messages influence consumer intentions to buy. More
UK consumer and media specialist Mintel has appointed Robert Santiago as Director of Thought Leadership. He was previously Head of the Financial Times Research Centre. More
UK full-service agency Market Research Partners (MRP) has launched a monthly qualitative omnibus. The new Qualbus format allows clients to buy 30-minute sections on any of the firm's four different monthly focus groups. More
Top five global MR firms TNS and GfK are in discussions about a possible 'merger of equals', which would create the world's second-largest market and information group. More
MediaVest has become the first media agency to sign up for MR firm TRA's recently launched service, which matches viewing data from digital set-top-boxes with offline shopping behaviour data provided by loyalty cards scanned at grocery checkout counters. More
UK-based retail giant Tesco is working with partner firm dunnhumby to extend its consumer insight and analysis system to match its international footprint, minus the US. The Asian and East European roll-out includes tailored versions of its pioneering Clubcard loyalty programme. More
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has appointed Nigel Howlett as President of IRI International. Previously Executive Vice President (global) and a Board Director at OgilvyOne Worldwide, he replaces and reports to Mark Parise who becomes President of IRI's global Market Information Group. More
Fast-growing UK provider The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has been bought by two of its directors, Andrew Tharme and Chris Sinclair, with the aid of venture capital. Former TRBi CEO Laurence Curtis also joins, as Chairman, with immediate effect. More
In the US, Spanish-language media giant Univision Communications Inc. has announced further collaboration with Nielsen, aimed at providing improved measurement and insight covering the Hispanic consumer segment. More
Consumer packaged goods specialist Information Resources Inc (IRI) has partnered with the GfK/TNS-owned Europanel Association to offer what the firms describe as 'the widest-reaching, single-panel research service in the world'. More
In the US, Mediamark Research & Intelligence (MRI) has launched Market-by-Market, a service providing local market versions of its studies on the media usage, lifestyle and product purchasing behavior of US consumers. More
Synovate has launched a new service called Market Barriers, which measures the obstacles that brands face – such as distribution, pricing and product configuration – and reports back on the impact that these have on customer choice and market share. More
In the US, marketing intelligence firm GOLIATH Solutions has closed a $27m investment deal. The funds will be used to roll out the firm's real-time proprietary tool which analyzes consumer reaction to store displays, signs and merchandising. More
The Nielsen Company has announced results for the year ended December 31, 2007. The research giant narrowed its loss from $368m in 2006 (pro forma) to $282m, and grew reported revenue to $4,707m, a rise of 13% from its pro forma figure for 2006, or 7% adjusting for currencies and deferred revenue. More
GfK has confirmed a record year of trading in 2007 with organic sales up 5.8% to EUR1,162m. Adjusted operating income rose 4.7% to EUR157.6m and margin crept up to 13.6%. The firm has also announced plans to change its legal form to an SE, or Societas Europaea. More
In Germany, Colibri Research will be launching a new qualitative omnibus study in June, enabling clients to ask questions in a focus group setting. More
Data collection firm Interviewing Service of America (ISA) has partnered with research and consulting agency SMS in Hawaii, to offer customer and employee satisfaction measurement to the islands' business community. More
In the US, Arbitron and Nielsen joint venture Scarborough Research says it is considering the possibilities of expanding into additional 'mid-tier' local markets. More
In the US, wine industry market analyst Barbara Insel has launched a new consultancy, Stonebridge Research, to provide data, analysis and advisory services to the wine industry. More
In the US, Gallup and healthcare support provider Healthways have forged a 25-year agreement to measure and track the well-being of communities and companies, as well as the effectiveness of programs implemented to improve health, well-being and productivity. More
US-based consumer info specialist Information Resources Inc (IRI) has appointed Thomas Peterson as President of Global Retail. More
Information Resources Inc (IRI) and The NPD Group have joined forces to launch the Beauty Cross Channel Monitor, claimed as the US beauty industry's first and only cross-channel retail tracking product. More
TNS has announced an agreement to acquire online behaviour measurement company Compete, Inc. for US$75m in cash, doubling if targets are met over two years. The company also reported full year results for 2007, with revenue of UK£1,067.7m, representing underlying growth of 5.4%. More
In the final quarter of 2007 GfK achieved organic growth of 6.5% and a margin of 16.8% – a figure the firm says is the most successful in its history. Based on preliminary data, the group also reported an organic sales increase of 5.8% to Euros 1,162m for the full year. More
In the US, health, wellness and sustainability researcher Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) has teamed up with Nielsen to provide consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers with a better understanding of its consumer segmentation model LOHAS (Lifestyles Of Health And Sustainability). More
Arbitron and Nielsen have ditched development of 'Project Apollo', their much-vaunted scheme to give a better understanding of the link between consumer exposure to advertising through multiple media and shopping / purchasing behaviour. More
UK MR psychology specialist CRAMQIQ has partnered with Chinese research agency DiagAid to undertake in-depth consumer and B2B research in the Chinese market. More
US firm TRA, Inc. has today unveiled a system for measuring and reporting 'True ROI Accountability' for advertising spend. The firm plans to match ads actually received with products actually bought for a massive 1,000,000 plus US households. More
In London, TNS is ready to launch what it claims is the UK's first one-day turnaround Omnibus, aiming to provide clients with an 'instant snapshot of consumer opinion and behaviour'. More
In the UK, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has appointed Philip Cullum as Chair of its new Advisory Committee on Consumer Engagement, alongside eight new committee members from a wide range of backgrounds. More
TNS has merged its own continuous research service in China with that of its joint venture CTR Market Research, under the Worldpanel brand. Jason Yu is appointed to lead the newly merged unit as General Manager, TNS Worldpanel China. More
Coffee giant Starbucks is hoping to steer out of troubled waters with the help of newly promoted Senior VP Marketing Terry Davenport and Senior VP, Global Strategy Michelle Gass. Former Marketing Exec Harry Roberts also returns to the firm as Senior VP/Chief Creative Officer. More
US-based health, wellness and sustainability researcher the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) has hired Patti Marshman-Goldblatt as SVP, and Diane Ray as VP Strategic Consulting. Kurt Wagner, Dave Montgomery, La-Vie Borde-Perry, Gail Sayer and Deb Morang have also joined, as Project Directors. More
As Toluna announces its agreement with Incisive, UK-based rival The iD Factor has announced the availability of 22 specialist panels covering 'a comprehensive range of niche markets', based on pre-profiling of 145,000 UK consumer members of its Home of Research panel. More
In the US, J. Reckner Associates, Inc. (JRA) has added two Senior Vice Presidents, Cindy Ward and Steven M. Aukers, to lead the development of its global sensory and market research practices. Former Kraft researcher Beth Logan also joins, as an Account Director. More
GfK has announced organic sales growth of 6.7%., and a sales increase of 5.5% to €833.9m for the first nine months of the year. Meanwhile Dr Derek Allen is joining the group in the US as EVP of the GfK Research Center for Excellence. More
UK consultancy dunnhumby is to use the ultimate consumer panel – data from the Loyalty Clubcards of 13 million households visiting its key client, Tesco – to offer evaluation of the impact of marketing activity on shopper behaviour. More
Online competitive intelligence provider Hitwise has launched an updated version of its Hitwise Lifestyle online tool, containing a new approach which provides marketers with attitudinal and behavioural customer segmentation data on more than 30,000 web sites. More
Arbitron and Nielsen are to extend the pilot period for their joint venture Project Apollo into the first quarter of 2008, to allow more time to demonstrate its benefits and to develop data delivery procedures. It was previously scheduled to complete this year. More
Arbitron / Nielsen joint venture Project Apollo has reached agreement with four major US radio industry firms, to add audience data for commercials broadcast on their network and syndicated programs to its offer. More
Retail info giant IRI has appointed John Freeland, an Accenture veteran most recently President-Worldwide Operations for salesforce.com, as its new President and CEO. He succeeds Scott W. Klein, in the roles since January 2004, who moves up to IRI's parent, Symphony Technology Group. More
Nielsen and its partners have announced 'substantial progress' in their P.R.I.S.M. project, which aims to establish a global metric for evaluating the in-store environment. Initial results shed light on the relationship between traffic and purchases, and the level of in-store communuications with shoppers. More
Swedish company Simstore International AB has received $2m in venture capital to develop SIMSTORE360®, an Internet based tool for the analysis of consumer decision-making at the point of purchase, using virtual store environments. More
Papers at today's ESOMAR Congress looked at 60 years of the development of research within electronics manfacturer Philips; and at the successful repositioning of the sagging SlimFast brand. More
In the US, financial trading intelligence firm Alphacution has teamed up with sports marketing firm rEvolution. The pair have adapted Alphacution's financial sector marketing intelligence platform into a solution for optimising marketing and sponsorship spend. More
Nielsen's FMCG analytics unit Decisions Made Easy (DME) has partnered with France's first online supermarket Telemarket. The retailer's consumer profile data will be used to help suppliers gain an insight into the online supermarket sector. More
New York-based consumer research firm The NPD Group has linked up with LA consultancy Fusion Marketing to offer consumer information and marketing insights into the food and drink perishables industry. More
TNS has today released unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2007. The firm says underlying revenue growth of 5.9% and operating profit up 8.9% to £45.4m show the successful implementation of a strategy commenced last year. More
Clear Seas Research, the MR company within family owned US b-to-b group BNP Media, is expanding into the food, beverage and packaging sectors, as well as the gaming market. The move follows BMP's acquisition of part of publisher and conference organiser Ascend Media. More
In Canada, the Institute for Sport Marketing (ISM) has announced the on-campus launch of its new research centre at Laurentian University, and appointed Xiaoyan Xing as Associate Director of International Research and Ann Pegoraro as Associate Director. More
Papua New Guinea (PNG) is to get its 'first' annual syndicated research study, courtesy of Starfish Research (Asia-Pacific). More
MrWeb has announced a partnership with the US-based association MRA (Marketing Research Association). The deal aims to give MRA members access to daily updates of global news and job vacancies while promoting MRA's services and programs to readers of Daily Research News. More
Ipsos and Nielsen have reported results for the first half of the year. Ipsos increased revenue by 8.7% over the year earlier period to €443.1m, while Nielsen's grew from $2,019m to $2,241m. More
German fragrance and flavourings manufacturer Symrise has opened a Sensory and Consumer Science Centre in Singapore, which includes rooms for focus groups, panel-training rooms and individual sensory-test booths. More
GfK has reported first half results which are 'moderate compared with the highly successful prior year'. Business in two divisions, Custom Research and HealthCare, fell short of expectations, although others forged ahead giving respectable overall organic growth of 4.9%. More
Retail analysis specialist Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has announced an extension to its relationship with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., creating a range of consumer panel services based on the consumer giant's customer segments. More
UK convenience store chain Co-op Group is to conduct customer satisfaction surveys at the point of sale using its EPOS system. More
Lightspeed Research has announced the launch of a new GB Sports Panel. The panel pre-identifies consumers on the basis of sports watched and participated in. More
Texas-based direct marketing giant Harte-Hanks, which targets promotions based on information gathered at the point of sale, has promoted Dean Blythe to President, replacing CEO Richard Hochhauser who is retiring after 32 years with the company. More
Dallas-based Spectrum Solutions has announced the launch of a new company, ZeeProbe, providing market intelligence for franchise, food and retail establishments. More
Dunkin' Brands' head of Insight Regina Lewis has left to join IHG, the group which owns hotel brands including InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, as part of its newly formed worldwide brand management leadership team. More
GfK Consumer has launched a new regular survey of 'unacculturated' Hispanic Americans, whom it defines as 'not yet assimilated completely to their adopted country'. Around two fifths of the 42 million Hispanics living in the US are said to meet the definition. More
TNS has issued a trading update, ahead of reporting interim results on 3 September. The group says its previously troubled US custom business has returned to growth and expects underlying organic revenue growth of over 5% for the first six months of 2007. More
ASDA, the UK supermarket owned by US giant Wal-Mart, has announced the launch of a new food nutrition labelling system after extensive customer research. The approach combines the features of the alternative 'traffic light' and GDA systems used by its rivals. More
In the USA, MarketTools, Inc. has announced the availability of a research solution for marketers targeting mothers, the 'Moms Insight Network'. The system combines input from the online conversations of millions of 'moms', an online community and a quarterly survey of 500 respondents. More
Following a two-year research programme which has seen Tesco's US CEO Tim Mason and his team invest thousands of hours investigating the needs of the American consumer, the supermarket giant will be launching its Fresh & Easy stores in the US by the autumn. More
Denmark-based Anis Panduro Zouzou has been appointed Nielsen's European In-Store Manager, charged with leading the roll-out of its In-Store initiative across Europe. More
UK-based agency Nunwood has added in-store video observation to its shopper insight offer, with the aim of more effectively evaluating subconscious behaviour traits. More
Nielsen has introduced Homescan® Total ShopperView, billed as 'the industry's largest panel created to capture feedback on non-bar-coded items'. The service covers 15 categories of perishables such as bakery items, meat, vegetables and coffee. More
US retailer Target has pulled an e-mail survey which made some respondents feel 'uncomfortable'. The questionnaire, which was designed by New York firm Mindset Media and distributed to Target customers on Friday by Nielsen, was canceled by Saturday morning. More
Following the recent departure of Robert Tomei, Mitch Barns has been named Global President of Nielsen's consumer segmentation tools, Homescan, Spectra and Loyalty. The move continues the firm's reorganisation of its Consumer Product Leadership team. More
Synovate has introduced a suite of market potential models and simulators known as MVP – Market Value Potential; and has renamed its specialist Product Design & Development division 'MarketQuest'. More
The Nielsen Company has reported revenues for the first quarter of 2007 up 5% over the same period last year, helped by a strong performance (up 7%) from its Media Research division. More
Online agency Research Now has launched a proprietary research panel to gather consumer opinion in New Zealand. More
London-based FMCG specialist, MASMI, has opened a full service MR firm in Warsaw, Poland, and appointed Tomasz Jakubowski, formerly of Synovate, to lead the team. More
Wal-Mart has partially lifted its six-year ban on providing sales data to MR firms, to support Nielsen's effort to create an industry standard for in-store marketing measurement. More
Fort Worth-based customer analytics specialist Buxton is following a doubling of its headcount in 2006 by moving to new offices which have room to double it again, with a further 100+ new research and technical staff. More
The Nielsen Group has launched Brand3 – 'Brand Cubed' – linking retail market measurement data, household panel information and customised survey results to provide clients with a holistic perspective of a firm or product's brand equity. More
Ipsos has announced a strong first quarter with revenues up 8.9% to Euros 204.7m. Organic growth was 10.3%, the highest for a first quarter since Ipsos' IPO in 1999. More
The GfK Group has announced healthy first quarter results with sales up 5.2% to Euros 261.3m, with organic growth of 6.8%. Margin was up from 8.5% a year previously to 9.5%, and adjusted operating income rose by 17.3% to Euros 24.8m. More
Nielsen has launched the first suite of products under its much-heralded NielsenConnect banner, integrating information from dozens of its collection, analysis and reporting services. More
Nielsen and Experian Marketing Services have announced a new CRM solution to help consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies understand consumer purchasing behaviour and measure response to campaigns. More
Brian Cornell, Exec VP and Chief Marketing Officer of Safeway is leaving to look for a top role elsewhere. During his three year tenure, Cornell revamped market research and insight functions at the $40.5bn grocery chain. More
In the US, the Nielsen Company and the In-Store Marketing Institute have begun the expansion of their in-store measurement service, known as P.R.I.S.M. (Pioneering Research for an In-Store Metric), to encompass all forms of merchandising activity. More
Consultancy firm Strategic Vision has added a Canadian unit to its existing teams in the USA and Russia. StrategicVision Canada will be led by new hire Margo Jay, whose association with the firm began more than 15 years ago as a client. More
US-based online tips and advice publisher Modern Mom has formed an Insights & Action division to delve into the key drivers of the 'mom market'. Its products have been developed with the help of MR consultancy, Noesis. More
Consumer, shopper and retail market intelligence agency IRI has opened its new BehaviorScan media testing studio in Colorado, USA, where retailers and manufacturers will be able to test the impact of their TV ad strategies. More
A week of headlines for Google. On Friday the search giant announced first quarter revenue up 63% to $3.66bn, and rocketed to the top of Millward Brown's BRANDZ(TM) index with a worth dwarfing current figures - $66.4bn. Google also made headline deals and gained search share against rivals Yahoo! and Microsoft. More
South African firm WDB Investment Holdings, the finance arm of the WDB Charitable Trust, has acquired a 25.1% stake in MR intelligence firm Kaufman Levin Associates (KLA). More
Consumer products giant Unilever plans to increase the use of the Internet as an MR tool in the UK, following the success of its web-based research programmes in the States. More
Hi-tech researcher OTX (Online Testing eXchange) has added five senior executives, apparently the prelude to a major offensive. The hires include Bruce Grey Tedesco as Chief Research Officer and four others at VP level or above. More
Retail and consumer information firm, NPD Group, has bought TNS's foodservice tracking businesses in the UK and Spain, and integrated them into its CREST® food purchase information service. More
Birmingham, UK-based Select Research has launched the initial phase of a study which it hopes will lead to the creation of a new computer-based system for measuring obesity. The system is designed to improve on Body Mass Index (BMI) which doctors have used since 1830. More
The Nielsen Company has announced a new category management solution for suppliers of Wal-Mart, for whom it is the sole provider of consumer panel services. The new package combines Nielsen's Spectra consumer segmentation and targeting with its Decisions Made Easy sales tracking software. More
Major shareholder ValueAct Capital is on course to take consumer behavior and direct marketing firm Catalina Marketing Corporation private, in an all-cash transaction valued at $1.7 billion. More
US chain Dunkin' Donuts has deposed coffee giant Starbucks in customer loyalty ratings for the first time. NYC-based Brand Keys Inc. said Dunkin', whose insight head Regina Lewis featured last year in MRWho, had given its brands 'the right values and the right sense of community'. More
TNS has released full year results for 2006, showing revenue almost flat at £1,004.2m (up 0.5% from £999m in 2005). However the firm, whose US custom business has been restructuring since reporting problems a year ago, said results in other divisions were good. More
Healthy preliminary figures indicate that GfK Group's 2006 organic growth of 5.4% was again ahead of the estimated industry average of 4-5%. Declining sales in Japan meant overall Asia Pacific growth was nil, but the firm's operations in Central and Eastern Europe continue to boom. More
Retail analysis giant Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has partnered with comScore Networks to create an Internet tracking panel, along with support solutions to provide Internet media buying and planning tools for CPG clients. More
In the US, Kraft Foods Inc. will invest $300-400 million on 'marketing, research and development' this year in a plan to turn around a series of disappointing results. The consumer giant aims to make its product categories 'more relevant to consumers'. More
TNS has acquired US shopping behaviour specialist Sorensen Associates for an undisclosed sum, and created a global practice, TNS Retail and Shopper Insights. More
In the USA, Ellen Schutt, a former editor of Nutraceuticals World magazine has launched an independent consulting firm whose offer will include trends analysis and MR. Schutt Solutions LLC will focus on the nutraceuticals and functional foods industries. More
Just as Gap's MR champion leaves the helm, even-bigger retailer Wal-Mart has promoted a senior research advocate. CMO John Fleming, a leading light in the firm's strategy of tailoring stores to different customer segments, becomes Chief Merchant in charge of apparel, entertainment, grocery and home. More
UK retailer Waitrose has created a new position of Customer Development Director, putting customer requirements at the heart of its ambitious development plans. Board member Tony Solomons, currently Supply Chain Director, steps into the role from next week. More
VNU today continued its radical overhaul following its return to the private sector, by changing its name to 'The Nielsen Company'. The firm says the move 'emphasizes its best-known brand name and underscores its commitment to create an integrated, streamlined global organization'. More
Consumer research and consulting firm, OTX (Online Testing eXchange), has hired Dave Kaye from Flamingo International, to head its newly launched qualitative arm in Europe and Asia. More
ACNielsen has signed a new five-year agreement expanding its partnership with Dollar General, which operates more than 8,000 dollar stores. ACN will provide Account Level Services for the US retailer, including a Census level trade area which will be available to the vendor community. More
VNU has begun what it calls a 'major corporate transformation' including the phasing out of its existing group structure and the cutting of up to 4,000 jobs in 2007. NMR CEO Susan Whiting is promoted to a new group-wide EVP role while Frank Martell and Steve Schmidt will leave the company. More
VNU and partner the In-Store Marketing Institute are to launch a global service measuring customers' in-store influences and purchasing decisions. The service will be offered by Nielsen In-Store, a new unit within the recently announced NielsenConnect, which aims to 'follow the consumer'. More
TNS has appointed two Executive Vice Presidents for its North America Custom Research leadership under Kimberly Till. Michael O'Keeffe joins to lead Operations and MCP, and Larry Levin to head up U.S. Consumer Goods & Services. More
Farmers in Iowa have helped establish a new online market research company, AgSpeak. The launch was led by a group of agri-business professionals aiming to improve information flow to agricultural suppliers, while 'fairly compensating' farmers for the information they share. More
In the US, ACNielsen has announced a long-term alliance with NACS (the National Association of Convenience Stores), designed to provide comprehensive analysis of sales data for the convenience and petroleum market. More
GfK Mystery Shopping and disability consulting firm Butler New Media this week announced a joint venture giving GfK clients access to Butler's ABILITY Mystery Shopping Panel. The result is claimed to be 'America's first national panel for individuals with disabilities'. More
US shopping, media and lifestyle analyst Scarborough Research has announced the full accreditation of its core syndicated services by the MRC (Media Rating Council). These include its 75 Top-Tier Local Market Studies and its Multi-Market Study, beginning with the 2006 product year. More
TNS has announced its unaudited interim results for the six months to 30 June. Unspectacular overall revenue growth of 4.5% (underlying growth 3.0%) reflects a decline in US custom business, while the rest of the group achieved organic revenue growth of almost 6%. More
GfK's first half sales rose 54.6% to Euros 534.4m and adjusted operating income was up 76.3% to Euros 63.8m. Organic sales growth was a healthy 6.2%, ahead of the industry as a whole. The company has also extended the contract of its CEO Professor Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst to 2012, ahead of schedule. More
BMRB has launched TGI Europa Elite, a survey identifying upmarket European consumers, using a sample of 40,000 adults across France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain. Separately, the firm has also announced a new version of its Compose channel planning tool. More
Michigan-based custom MR firm Gongos Research has moved into a custom-built office in Auburn Hills, reflecting rapid growth this year. At the same time, it has changed its name from Gongos and Associates, Inc. More
Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer, has signed an agreement designating ACNielsen as its sole provider of consumer panel services, with the aim of tailoring its offer at an individual store level. ACNielsen already provides Wal-Mart with Spectra segmentation and targeting applications and insight. More
US provider OTX (Online Testing eXchange) has appointed David Shanker, previously of IRI, as its new COO and promoted Bruce Friend to President of Media and Entertainment Insights. The company is growing rapidly, rising to 22nd in the Honomichl Top 50 in just 6 years of operation. More
KPMG has this week joined forces with research group SPSL to launch the 'Retail Think Tank' (RTT) aimed at establishing 'the true health and status' of the UK's retail sector. More
ACNielsen US has announced an expanded relationship with natural products sales data firm SPINS Inc. The two will share expertise, collaborate and optimize existing SPINS solutions, and jointly develop new products and services for clients in the health & wellness and natural & organic products industries. More
Outdoor advertising group JCDecaux has launched what it describes as the first ever coverage and frequency system for retail media, developed in conjunction with TNS Worldpanel. More
MR is at the heart of the transformation of Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer, according to a speech by President and CEO Lee Scott at a shareholders' meeting last Friday. The 'Wal-Mart Out Front' initiative rests on five 'pillars' of which the first is an MR-based broadening of its customer appeal. More
Synovate is planning further acquisitions, with Internet panel companies and analytics & modelling specialists among the possible targets. Global CEO Adrian Chedore talks exclusively to DRNO about buying companies, keeping people, and how a fast-growing top ten agency can stay 'small'. More
TNS has released market size figures for British consumption of sandwiches, based on innovative methodology. Panellists text the bar codes of their purchases to the company, allowing it to track their snacking in real-time. More
Surprise - researchers at the drinks 'n' donuts giant are not obsessed with coffee wars and dietary health. They set their own agenda, and it's creative to say the least. Paying loyal customers not to use your stores? Regina Lewis, Ph.D, VP of the Consumer and Brand Insights Group, talks in the latest MRWho. More
VNU, parent of ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research, has announced that it has agreed to a public offer from a private-equity consortium including AlpInvest Partners, valuing the company's equity at approximately EUR 7.5 bn in cash, or EUR 28.75 per common share. The option of breaking the company up has been rejected. More
TNS has announced results for the year ended 31 December 2005. Revenue is up 5.7% (adjusted 4.1%) to £999.0m and adjusted operating profit up 9.5% to £112.6m. Strong growth across syndicated services and in custom business in continental Europe and emerging markets contrasted with 'challenging conditions' in the US and UK. More
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) and comScore Networks have announced they will work together to offer clients improved product and advertising testing. The offer will combine IRI's BehaviorScan(R) in-market testing solution and comScore's advanced MR and targeting capabilities. More
GfK's preliminary results, published today, confirm the company's upbeat forecast from a week ago and reveal what the group calls 'a year of extraordinary success'. Total sales of 935.4m euros, up 39%, include 198.0m euros for NOP World companies and 737.4m euros for the rest of the group. Organic growth was 6.5%. More
The GfK Group has a majority share in a new joint venture in Israel, and has announced several other recent moves to expand its global presence. They include an increased stake in Swiss agency Research Matters, the establishment of a branch for its HealthCare division in Thailand and the integration of New York's Audits and Surveys. More
US agency Simmons Research, part of Experian, has announced the accreditation of its flagship survey, the National Consumer Study (NCS), by the Media Rating Council (MRC). More
The membership of the British Market Research Association (BMRA) has voted in favour of proposals to integrate its services into the Market Research Society (MRS), with effect from April 2006. The BMRA will cease to exist as of April Fools' Day. More
Canadian NRG Research Group has opened two new offices in Alberta, to be led by Derek Blair, formerly of Ipsos North America. Other new members of staff include food and drink specialist Greg Turner and consultant Rod Love, an expert on politics and the media. More
The UK's Product of the Year awards ceremony took place last night. The 26 winners - who include Häagen-Dazs Cream Crisp, Gillette M3Power Razor, Flash Car Wash and Elastoplast's silver healing plasters - were chosen following a TNS survey of 12,500 consumers throughout the UK. More
TNS is renaming its various continuous consumer panels in Asia Pacific and the Middle East 'Worldpanel', in line with the panels used in 50 countries worldwide. The rebranding is designed to provide clearer and more co-ordinated services to international clients. More
A new study from US agency Information Resources, Inc (IRI) recommends that retailers should look at the state of the economy as a whole to help them forecast trends and plan new product developments in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) and healthcare markets. More
ACNielsen U.S. has this week announced the completion of the major program to expand its Homescan(R) consumer panel. In two years, the panel's size has more than doubled to 125,000 households providing insights and information for the CPG industry. More
The GfK Group has announced results for the third quarter of 2005. The integration of NOP World is said to be proceeding according to plan, and the group has already achieved 95.6% of its order volume forecast for 2005. Sales for the first 9 months are up 28.8% vs Q1-3 2004 to EUR 627.5m. More
European online research agency MetrixLab added another 1 million Euros to its turnover in the third quarter of this year, representing a 71% increase compared with the same period last year. The company's net profits grew by 44% over the same period. More
Ian Rowlands and Damien Flannagan, former employees of the UK's Quaestor Research, have launched a new consumer agency, Gusto Research, based in Leeds. Gusto will provide qual and online quant surveys, and aims to help clients drive their action plans by offering free post-debrief workshops. More
Russian company Nextep Promotion is the latest addition to the International Mystery Shopping Alliance (IMSA). Nextep's field force includes more than 1,000 mystery shoppers covering the whole of Russia, as well as the Ukraine and Kazakhstan. More
The cost of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology remains a stumbling block in the consumer goods market, according to AMR Research. Only 8% of companies surveyed are currently using the new technology but another 23% are piloting it and 12% have plans to implement it this year. More
The MR landscape is to undergo a seismic shift as VNU, the world's biggest research provider, buys IMS Health, the next biggest in the US, in a transaction valued at 5.8 billion Euros ($7.0 billion). VNU's CEO is confident that the deal will quickly lead to major cost savings and new revenues. More
TNS today announced 'weaker than anticipated' growth in UK and US custom research. It expects overall revenue growth for this year to be line with the market at about 4% - a more cautious prediction than earlier in the year, when the company said it hoped to outpace rivals. More
Daily Research News has appointed a full-time News Editor, who will start in June. Tessa Russell joins from Which? magazine where she has worked for the last eight years, most recently as an Assistant Editor leading the food and health team. More
An influx of news in the UK retail sector. NOPWorld has today announced the winning of a contract for mystery shopping for Kwik Save supermarkets, and ESA has this week retained its mystery shopping contract for Tesco Ireland. Meanwhile MINTEL reports Britain's tea-drinking on the wane and IGD says convenience store takings are set to grow. More
The BMRA has published its league table of UK research agencies for 2004. Whilst we remain cautious given problems in previous years with interpretation, there are some notable highlights. Total turnover for the sector was just under £1.3bn (up 5.4%), with international business in particular recovering strongly. More
UK retail and trade research specialist ESA has announced turnover growth of 8% in its 25th anniversary year, 2004. Although well below the 35% achieved in 2003, when it was the fastest growing large research agency in the UK, the 2004 figure is still well above the industry average. More
Harris Interactive® has added another member to its Global Network. Market Team is an independent MR and retail audit firm based in Bogota, Colombia. The company was established in 1994 and conducts research in Ecuador, Central America and the Caribbean region as well as in its home country. More
GfK has announced 'a year of extraordinary success' with sales up 12.8% to EUR 671.7m and a margin of 13.6%, putting the Group 'top of the market research sector in terms of profitability'. EBIT including income from participations increased by 31.2% to EUR 91.1m and the dividend by around 43% to EUR 0.30. More
Greenfield Online has announced the completed acquisition of fellow online survey specialist Ciao AG for cash plus shares to a total value of c.$150 million. The move creates a major new global force in Internet panel research. More
Nielsen Monitor-Plus has announced an enhancement to its outdoor advertising measurement service, increasing the number of co-operating outdoor companies and bringing the total number of US markets measured to over 150. More
Three UK-based Directors of Research International are leaving to found a new agency, Engage Research. Deborah Sleep, Marie Sutton and Lyndsay Peck all held senior roles in what was the Consumer Division until the restructuring of Dec 2004. All three have a focus on consumer & market strategy and innovation research. More
ACNielsen US and SPINS have expanded their SPINSscan Conventional tracking service, which gives detailed coverage of sales of natural and organic products across grocery, drug, and mass merchandise retail outlets. More
TNS has today announced extensive development plans for its global consumer panel service Worldpanel, including the expansion of its UK FMCG consumer tracker, Superpanel, from 15,000 to 25,000 households. More
ACNielsen will expand its European panel coverage from approximately 45,000 to just under 70,000 households by the end of 2006, the company announced this week. The expansion includes the key markets of the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Portugal. More
Aegis Group plc has announced strong preliminary results for 2004, acknowledging a good contribution from its market research arm, Synovate, which almost doubled revenues in the EMEA region and added 24.4% to turnover worldwide. Organic growth at 8.3% is well above the estimated industry average of 4.25%. More
TNS has announced its results for the year ended 31 December 2004, the first full year since the acquisition of NFO WorldGroup, Inc. (NFO) in July 2003. Revenue increased 17.4% to £945.3m and underlying revenue up 4.1%. Operating profit is up 28% to £102.0m while operating margin increased 0.9% to 10.8%. More
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has announced an 'outstanding year' and given details of its 'ongoing transformation and aggressive plans'. The company says it signed over $110m worth of global new CPG and retailer research business over the past five quarters, along with more than $650m in renewals over the last two years. More
The NPD Group has appointed Randy Smith as Group President with responsibility for leading several NPD divisions: NPD Foodworld, NPD Automotive, NPD Canada and the firm's interests in Latin America. The Group says it is preparing for further expansion in the US and abroad. More
The UK business of Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has announced a strategic partnership with William Morrisons, whose EpoS data will be incorporated into IRI's leading-edge continuous UK retail scanning service, InfoScan®. Morrisons have now completed the review of MR strategy which followed the acquisition of Safeway. More
Consumer researcher mmr has relaunched, with a new positioning, a new web site and a new interactive approach. The new positioning will use the phrase 'making more of research' to emphasize mmr's research capability, creativity and approachability. More
ACNielsen has completed the first phase of its US Homescan MegaPanel initiative, expanding the panel by thirty thousand households to a total of 91,500 and launching the 'Shopper Trends' segmentation service and other new features. Nearly fifty companies have signed up as MegaPanel clients and the first results are due next month. More
UK-based agency The MMR Group has announced the formation of a new company specialising in Internet research. Qubiq-Online aims to combine the research expertise of the Group, including proprietary techniques such as its Liking Segmentation® tool, with online expertise to provide 'Real research online'. More
GfK Martin Hamblin has restructured of its research divisions and made a number of senior appointments. Sue Wheeler and Reza Chady join the Board, and become General Managers respectively of the B2B and Technology Departments, within the newly formed Custom Research Division. More
After 18 months of restructuring and talent search in Australia, Millward Brown's Asia Pacific CEO Andreas Sperling has announced the completion of its new line-up, highlighting four recent senior appointments. According to Sperling, the restructure answers clients' requests for a 'mould-breaking' agency. More
ACNielsen US has announced plans to greatly extend the coverage of its Convenience Track retail measurement service, boosting the sample used for sales projections to over 2,500 convenience stores across the US and in 30 local markets. More
Millward Brown has signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with French market modelling agency Interstat to use its SAPIENS® market mix model, which offers sales volume forecasting across both packaged goods and BtoB product categories. More
Taylor Nelson Sofres plc (TNS) have announced positive interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2003, with steady growth in the market for syndicated and continuous tracking services, but continued pressure in media intelligence and ad hoc customised research. More
Millward Brown has appointed research agency MRB Hellas as its licensee in Greece. Established in 1969, MRB Hellas works across a broad range of clients including packaged goods, leisure, IT, telecoms, media, and government bodies, both Greek and European. More
MrWeb has today launched the first four of its new 'Sector Focus' pages. Each page brings together the site's news, desk research links (UK-based) and listings of suppliers for researchers working in a particular vertical sector. More
UK market research salaries have remained fairly flat in the past 12 months, according to the first statistics from MrWeb vacancies for Jan to June '03. Full details will be in this month's MRWho. The number of jobs posted (and specifying salaries) has risen by 27% in the last 6 months. More
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