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A little later than scheduled, marcoms network Stagwell, which owns the Harris Poll and Harris X brands as well as Maru Group, has opened its new EMEA headquarters in London's Blue Fin Building on the South Bank. 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
Panel company Intra Research has appointed Helle Raun Oddershede as its new CEO, taking over from Marina Moshenska who moves into the role of Chief Operating Officer. 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
Snap Inc, parent of photo sharing app Snapchat, has announced a partnership and integration with app marketplace Snowflake, promising its advertisers encrypted, privacy-safe and effective ad solutions and signal measurement. Snap also has a new measurement partnership with AppsFlyer. More
London-based marketing group Unlimited, parent of insight agency Walnut, is to join Accenture Song, the business services behemoth's 'tech-powered creative group'. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. More
Nordic and DACH-focused small and medium-sized business specialist Nalka Invest is to acquire European data collection firm Norstat from its current parent, Triton, for an undisclosed sum. More
Global consumer health company Haleon, the firm behind brands such as Sensodyne and Centrum, has appointed Geoff Painter as Global Head of Consumer Business Insights and Analytics. More
Danish neuroscience solutions firm Neurons Inc has launched an AI Copilot, promising its clients the ability to make faster creative decisions, optimise visuals and receive 'crystal-clear recommendations on what to do next'. More
Manchester, UK-based product intelligence platform Vypr has appointed Glenn Porter as Chief Commercial Officer. More
Data collection and research services firm Bilendi & respondi has extended the functionality of its BARI AI-powered research assistant to include quantitative projects. More
Ipsos has announced senior role extensions for five employees in its qualitative division Ipsos UU, in India, as it gears up for product launches and 'ambitious growth targets'. The five are Sapna Parmar, Neha Dutta, Shelly Jain, Geetika Singh and Ashwini Sirsikar. More
MCI, a tech-enabled business services conglomerate headquartered in Miami Beach, FL, has agreed to acquire Atlanta, GA-based Market Force Information, whose range of CX solutions includes customer feedback surveys, mystery shopping, operational audits and competitive benchmarking. More
Dutch insights-based consultancy SKIM has appointed Adrien Bourgeois as Relationship Director, based in Paris and responsible for driving the growth of client partnerships in France. More
Ipsos has launched an Out of Home (OOH) advertising solution promising to help users assess and optimise OOH creative in as little as 24 hours. More
US-based mobile app market intelligence and insights provider Sensor Tower has announced the acquisition of mobile marketing firm data.ai, formerly known as App Annie. Terms were not disclosed. 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
European research agency Bilendi has appointed Cecilia Glauser as the Country Manager for Sweden, replacing Björn Söderlin. More
Customer journey management and insights firm TheyDo, based in Amsterdam, has secured $34m in funding, with which to increase R&D - focused on AI and data ingestion - and build out its customer-facing team in the US. More
Former ORC and Join the Dots / InSites Consulting exec Edward Wheeler has joined BVA BDRC as Head of Business Development. 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
Former Dynata Chief Gary Laben has joined retail and consumer goods analytics and inventory optimisation firm Trax, as CEO. More
In Amsterdam, recently-acquired Ipsos I&O has appointed former Aegon Netherlands research leader Jürgen Warnecke as Team Lead Financial Services. More
Global MR and data group YouGov has announced the rebranding of its Swiss subsidiary LINK, acquired in December 2021, as YouGov Switzerland. More
Singapore-based customer experience solutions firm TDCX is to be acquired and taken private by a team led by its CEO and founder Laurent Junique, via a merger valuing the nearly 18,000-strong company at around $1.037bn. More
US-based data firm J.D. Power has completed the acquisition of Autovista Group, which provides automotive data, analytics and industry insights in Europe and Australia, from asset management firm Hayfin Capital Management. Autovista CEO Lindsey Roberts becomes President of J.D. Power Europe. More
Insight and customer analytics group STRAT7 has announced twenty-one appointments / promotions, including four senior promotions at Crowd DNA, and the creation of eight new roles. 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
Digital ads trade body IAB Europe has published a first set of European recommendation for metrics and measurement standards covering Retail Media digital advertising. 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
Marcoms group Stagwell has reported full year 2023 revenue of $2.53bn, down 6% year on year, and adjusted EBITDA of $360m, down 20%. However the company reports strong new business, good growth in EMEA and for its Marketing Cloud suite, and is forecasting a return to growth in 2024. More
Marcoms group Stagwell, the owner of the Harris Poll and Harris X brands as well as Maru Group, has launched a new global research community called Unlock Surveys, with plans to add more than 200,000 high-quality, active survey members in 2024. More
Marcoms group Stagwell has agreed to acquire What's Next Partners (WNP), a French digital brand and marketing consultancy whose offer includes consumer intelligence, CRM and data analytics as well as strategic planning, ad creative and digital content production. 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
Germany-based facility and data collection provider quotapoint has appointed Stephan Schmid, former Managing Director of Schlesinger Group Germany, as Director / Member of Management. 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
Longtime Ipsos exec and current Global Head of Audience Measurement Liz Landy is to leave the company at the end of this month. Daniel Wong-Chi-Man will step up to Lead the Audience Measurement Service Line globally, while Ipsos iris leader James Oates will add responsibility for the business in the UK. More
Packaging, NPD and shopper specialist PRS IN VIVO has appointed Richard Bordenave as global Chief Behavioral Officer. More
Ipsos India has expanded the role of Archana Gupta, adding responsibility for Shopper Research and for developing the firm's base of young talent; and has hired former NIQ exec Malavika Mani as Executive Director, servicing large accounts in the west zone. More
Northern European mystery shopping and customer service improvement specialist Dive has acquired Danish mystery shopping firm Shoptimizer. More
In the US, technology researcher Forrester has reported full year 2023 revenue of $480.8m, down 11% on 2022. Adjusted net income was $36.6m, down from $47.2m a year earlier. More
Consumer behavioral data firm Circana has launched Liquid Data Engage, which allows retailers to manage market performance, category management, loyalty, supply chain, and retail media data assets in one solution, and identify opportunities for growth. More
Technology consulting firm Gartner has reported full year revenue of $5.9bn, up 8%, and adjusted EBITDA of $1.5bn, up 2% after allowing for currency changes. Revenue growth slowed again and EBITDA fell slightly in the fourth quarter. More
Ipsos has appointed Ziad Issa as the new Media CEO in the MENA region, succeeding Elie Aoun who has decided to step down after 32 years at the company. More
Ipsos has appointed former Kantar and Mintel exec Dale Beaton as head of its Brand Health Tracking (BHT) Service Line in the UK. 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
First-party data provider Dynata has recently appointed long-time Toluna marketing leader Janice Caston as EVP of Marketing, and Rebecca Bello as VP Product. More
Food, facilities and hospitality services provider Sodexo has announced the global launch of an Accelerator Programme with categories for entrepreneurs in data analytics and customer experience. More
In the US, innovation and experience consultancy Bounteous is to merge with digital engineering, data and AI services provider Accolite Digital, creating a new end-to-end digital transformation services consultancy with a focus on 'co-innovation'. More
Berlin, Germany-based enterprise customer data solutions provider Zeotap has appointed former Deutsche Bank Group CEO Western Europe Frank Krings as a Strategic Advisor, supporting its growth in the EU banking, insurance and asset management industry. Krings has also invested in the company. More
Within the BVA-BDRC group, data collection and analysis firm Perspective Research Services has promoted Jade On to Commercial Director, and Henri Dubier to Client Services Director; while mystery shopping and auditing company ESA Retail has added Ops Director Chris Kennedy to its Board. 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
Human8 has promoted Amy Perifanos, previously VP of Commercial Solutions North America, to global Chief Portfolio Officer, with a seat on the Global Leadership Team. 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
French audience metrics company Médiamétrie has announced that its UK subsidiary TAPE Consultancy will be rebranded to operate as part of Glance, its international division. More
Australia-based insights and data business Pureprofile has announced revenue up 8% to $AUD 24m for the half year ended 31st December, and EBITDA of $AUD 2.4m, up 6% or 21% on a like-for-like basis. More
Insight agency Opinum has hired Matthew Barton as Senior Consultant, based in Amsterdam, supporting continued 'rapid growth' in Europe. More
Consumer data giant Circana, which was formed following the merger of IRI and The NPD Group, has agreed to acquire independent MR firm Golf Datatech, which tracks golf retail activity across the US, the UK, Sweden, France and Germany. More
In London, data-driven CXM company Merkle has launched a dedicated UK and Ireland Salesforce practice, promising clients the tools to optimise their use of data to enhance the customer experience. More
Swiss-German-based Customer Experience Management consultancy ISC-CX has promoted Adino Baumann to serve as its authorized representative in Germany, and Sandra Nippraschk to the role of Country Operations Manager for DACH. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital marketing group S4 Capital has issued a trading update following a 'difficult year' in which revenue declined around 4%, and says it does not expect any improvement in macro-economic conditions this year. More
Mainz, Germany-based consumer insights and research tech firm Horizon has partnered with London's Bolt Insight, promising to provide clients with 'dynamic, conversational and behavior-driven consumer data in the pre-market phase'. More
Veteran digital marketing firm Razorfish, a subsidiary of Publicis, has promoted Sisi Zhang to serve as its Chief Data and Analytics Officer, and hired Matt Lefever as COO. More
Denmark-based behaviour analytics software firm iMotions has launched version 10 of its platform, promising 'deeper research possibilities with enhancements for setting up, building and managing studies and study design'. 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
Media measurement and ad currency giant Nielsen has appointed former Buzzfeed exec Carole Robinson as Chief Communications Officer. More
New York-based customer engagement and CXM platform Emplifi, which grew out of the merger of Astute and Socialbakers, has appointed Ohad Hecht as its new CEO. More
Insights tech and panel provider Toluna has promoted Scott Axcell, formerly Head of Marketing for North America, to Chief Marketing Officer. He also joins the executive leadership team. More
Australia-based data and insights company Pureprofile is opening new offices in Germany and Portugal, its twelfth and thirteenth worldwide; and has appointed Thorsten Hardtke as Business Development Manager for DACH and Ricardo Cordova for Portugal and Spain. More
UK-based b2b services group Informa Plc is combining part of its business with US-based b2b purchase intent specialist TechTarget to create a new company in which Informa will hold a majority stake. The British firm will also pay $350m in cash. More
WPP is examining a possible sale of its remaining stake in Kantar, according to sources quoted by Bloomberg. More
Data collaboration platform InfoSum has launched a new solution called Private Path, aiming to help client organizations securely maximize the value of first-party data outside the clean room environment. More
GfK has completed the sale of its European Consumer Panel Services business (CPS GfK) to YouGov, a divestment required under competition law as part of the German-based global group's merger with retail data giant NIQ. The deal has been valued at around EUR 315m. More
Community-centered CX and insights firm Alida has a new CEO: Efrem Ainsley is promoted from COO to succeed Ross Wainwright, who recently stepped down from the role. More
European data collection firm Norstat has completed its integration of UK company Panelbase, which assumes the Norstat name as of today. More
Founder Ross McCray is stepping down as CEO of VideoAmp, with former Discovery and Fox exec Peter Liguori joining as Executive Chairman and ex-Nielsen man Peter Bradbury as Chief Commercial and Growth Officer. The company will also cut almost 20% of its staff, according to reports. More
New York-based Out-of-Home (OOH) ad services agency Billups, which offers a patented media analytics and measurement platform, is acquiring Brussels-based independent OOH agency Outsight. More
French TV measurement company Médiamétrie has expanded its services to measure viewing across four screens as well as Out-of-Home, as of this month. 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
Ipsos India has appointed former Nielsen exec Unni Hariharan as Executive Director leading its Tech and Ecommerce business. More
Sydney, Australia-based decision intelligence platform SourseAI has raised $AUD 3m in funding, earmarked for development of its AI platform for telcos, and recruitment for its UK team and Australia-based R&D team. More
Tech markets insight firm Counterpoint Research has completed the acquisition of display industry specialist Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC). 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
In Pasadena, California, behavioral and location insights specialist Near Intelligence, Inc. has announced it has entered Chapter 11 proceedings in a US Bankruptcy Court, which will supervise the attempted sale of its assets. More
Consumer research platform GWI has appointed former OAG tech leader Nick Dearden as CTO, based in its UK headquarters in London. More
Marcoms group Stagwell, the owner of the Harris Poll and Harris X brands as well as Maru Group, has announced European expansion plans with the launch of a 'global hub' office in London next month, and the promotion of James Townsend to serve as its first CEO of EMEA. More
Customer and employee experience solutions provider Medallia has appointed Nick Martin as SVP International. 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
Kantar has announced the launch in Spain of its Campaign Audience Validation solution, which helps guide strategic decision-making for ad campaigns. More
European data collection specialist Norstat has reappointed Marc Leimann as its new Managing Director in Germany, starting January 1st. He previously held the role from 2015 to 2020. 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
European omnichannel advertising company Hawk was announced a strategic partnership with audience data company Samba TV, promising more effective targeting for clients. More
European data collection specialist Norstat has appointed Birgit Aasmäe as Managing Director of its business in Estonia. More
Ipsos has launched three new syndicated studies monitoring the wider impact of anti-obesity medications. 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
Kantar has launched a proprietary attention framework, which uses facial coding and new gaze monitoring components to give advertisers measures of both active and passive attention, and uncover how well ad content captures the attention of viewers on a second-by-second basis. More
Healthcare industry insights provider Real Chemistry is expanding its European presence, with the addition of four new leaders and the opening of a second UK office, in Manchester, early next year. More
Australia-based data and insights company Pureprofile has announced strong results for the third quarter of 2023, with revenue up 16% to $AUD 12.3m and continuing adjusted EBITDA of $AUD 1.5m, up 36%. More
Mobile app measurement platform AppsFlyer has acquired devtodev, which helps developers analyze their games and apps, helping them to optimize user retention, maximize conversions and create personalized experiences. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Ipsos has made a number of senior changes, including moving Balaji Pandiaraj to lead Customer Experience for its business in India. Apeksha Jain moves up to Pandiaraj's previous role as Country Service Line Leader, Automotive and Mobility Development (AMD). More
Ben Marks, the founder and former CEO of London-based youth insight and panel business YouthSight, has set up a new MR agency called Electrify Research, aiming to improve understanding of home-owner decisions on heat pumps, EVs, rooftop solar and other green home options. More
Comscore has reported a 1.9% drop in third quarter revenue to $91.0m; but also improved EBITDA, and net income of $2.6m, compared with a net loss of $52.4m in Q3 2022. More
Marketing analytics platform Piwik PRO has merged with consent management platform (CMP) Cookie Information, promising clients 'complete insight' into the customer journey alongside compliance with regulations such as GDPR and CCPA. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Tiburon, California-based company Jon Peddie Research has launched a consulting division to be known as JPRi. The new unit will provide strategic advice on product pipeline, marketing roadmap, M&A opportunities, and internal efficiency for clients in the Game Tech market. 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
Netherlands-based full service agency DVJ Insights has appointed Dijana Justic as Global Director, Marketing Communications. Eline Witteveen, Peter van Drunen and Romeo Ramaekers have also joined the company with the title of Research Expert. 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
Tech research and consulting group Gartner has announced third quarter revenue of $1.4bn, up 5.8% or 4.9% at constant currency. Profits were flat with adjusted EBITDA of $333m. More
In London, agile consumer insights platform aytm (Ask Your Target Market) has appointed research tech veteran Johnny Caldwell as Client Director, EMEA & APAC, supporting its continuing expansion into global markets. More
Marcoms group Stagwell, which owns the Harris Poll and Harris X brands as well as Maru Group, has announced a revenue decline of 7% to $618m, for the third quarter of 2023. It has also announced the acquisition of social media marketing solutions provider Movers and Shakers LLC, for c.$15m in cash. More
Vilnius, Lithuania-based consumer data platform provider Syno International has promoted Mantas Stirbys to serve as its Chief Operating Officer. More
UK-based Ascential, the information and analytics company once known as EMAP, has announced it will sell its digital commerce and consumer research units for around £1.4bn, so as to focus on its events business. More
Tech consultancy Forrester Research has announced third quarter revenue of $113.4m, down 11.2% from $127.7m a year earlier. The Consulting division reported the biggest fall, down 24.5% to $28.2m. 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
WPP has reported third quarter revenue less pass-through costs of $2.837bn, down 0.6% on a like-for-like basis and 5.0% on a reported basis. Declines in North America and China offset growth in the UK, Western Continental Europe and the firm's 'Rest of World' region. More
Insights consultancy Verve has announced six promotions across its European team, including Lydia Martin to Research Director. More
Inight platform and sample exchange Cint has enhanced its attitudinal measurement product, Lucid Impact Measurement, with the integration of social media platform measurement. More
Ipsos has acquired Ireland's Behaviour & Attitudes (B&A), which provides opinion and social research studies, as well as market studies - and will combine it with its own operations in the country to become 'the market research leader in Ireland'. The firm will be known as Ipsos B&A. More
Northern European mystery shopping and customer service improvement specialist Dive has announced the acquisition of Swedish counterpart Custitude, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Toluna has promoted Dixit Chanana to the role of MD for India, including MetrixLab India and with full responsibility for the development of the Indian business of both brands. More
Panel provider Bilendi & respondi has added a 'Niche Sampling' offer, giving access to 'incredibly specific target groups', including those based on geolocation, transport routes used, rare medical conditions, niche product consumption, sports interest and b2b characteristics. More
In the US, AI-powered sponsorship analytics platform Relo Metrics has announced a strategic partnership with SponsorPulse to offer asset-level validation of sponsorship performance for the National Hockey League (NHL). More
Today sees the launch of Ipsos RISE, which combines the group's corporate reputation and public affairs expertise with AI to provide 'a ground-breaking platform for modern brand, risk and reputation management'. More
Streaming service Netflix has made ad measurement a 'top priority', and will build on a recent partnership with Nielsen in the US to offer similar capabilities to partners in other countries, according to co-CEO Greg Peters. More
Customer and employee experience specialist Medallia has appointed Simonetta Turek as Chief Product Officer and a member of the executive leadership team. More
Insight-based consultancy SKIM has named Jeff Haselum as Managing Director, US, based in New York. He replaces fifteen-year company veteran Jeroen Hardon, who after five years leading the US team now returns to HQ to serve as Global Lead, Methodology and Analytics. More
Dublin-based agency RED C Research and Marketing has promoted Jane Dunleavy to Director, and John Rogers to Associate Director. More
Neighborhood networking service Nextdoor has launched new solutions to help users measure and optimize ad performance, both on- and off-line. 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
In-the-moment video research platform Indeemo has upgraded its platform to allow users to import depth interview and focus group content directly from Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and to analyse them 'in minutes' using Generative AI. More
Swiss-German-based customer experience analyst ISC-CX has announced the promotion of four female employees to director-level positions: Mujinga Muyombo, Márta Jakab, Lorella Graziano and Lama al Rifai. More
DIY online research pioneer and enterprise feedback platform SurveyMonkey has added MaxDiff Analysis features, using industry standard Best-Worst scaling methodology to assess respondent's preferences. Existing customers on Advantage or higher plans get the tools for free. More
Eye tracking hardware and software specialist Tobii has launched a product called UX Explore, allowing researchers to conduct eye tracking and attention measurement studies and tests at scale via mobile phones. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition from InMoment of the New Vehicle Customer Study (NVCS), described as the largest and longest-running syndicated automotive program in North America. 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
New York-based Ipsos MMA has appointed former DDB and Kantar exec and complex analytics expert Roopa Choodamani as Vice President, Analytic Consulting. 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
Malta-based B2B iGaming software provider EveryMatrix has acquired Queensland, Australia-based data-driven betting and gaming optimisation service DeepCI. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Global insights consultancy Human8 has announced that co-founder Kristof De Wulf is to step down from the CEO role, with Camille Nicita taking over from next Monday. Katherine Ephlin, currently North America Head of Operations, will replace Nicita as MD North America. More
In Sorbiers, France, former QualWorld and SODA International employee Karolina Jasek has launched Conwalia, a full service boutique MR agency focused on on the health and wellness sector. 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
Agriculture and animal health specialist Kynetec has launched a tool which integrates crop protection market data, sourced from growers, with data sources such as macroeconomic indicators, climate data and demographic trends, to provide a multi-faceted view of the agricultural market. More
Retail media analytics platform mimbi has raised EUR 1.5m in a funding round, and says the money will help accelerate its commercial development in Europe. The firm has also added former Cdiscount CEO Emmanuel Grenier and investor Marc Menasé to its board of Directors. More
Long-time Nielsen exec Karthik Rao has been named as the company's new Chief Executive Officer, replacing David Kenny who moves to the role of Executive Chairman. More
First-party insights data company Dynata has appointed Brad Brockhaug for the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). He is based in New York. More
Nielsen's entertainment data provider Gracenote has launched a program to help content publishers and broadcasters get their 'Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV' (FAST) channels and programming distributed by major streaming platforms. More
In the US, decision intelligence company Morning Consult has appointed Joseph DeVeny as Head of Research Solutions; Ryan Bien as Head of Analytics & Data Operations; and Alex Menendez as Head of Customer Success. All are based in the firm's Commercial division. More
US-based facial analysis tech firm Affectiva has launched a new metric within its Emotion AI offering, measuring attention signals such as gazing away, speaking and drowsiness, on behalf of brands, advertisers, entertainment companies, and their market researchers. More
Ipsos has appointed former Bureau Veritas Director Caroline Ponsi Khider as Chief Communications and Brand Officer; and Dr Bonnie Bain as Global Head of Healthcare. Bain replaces Michael Spedding, who retires at the end of the year. More
Nielsen is planning to lay off 9% of its global workforce, in order to cut costs and 'realign revenue'. Employees received the news in a statement issued on Wednesday, and the cuts are expected to affect around 1,000 members of staff. More
Insights-based consulting firm SKIM has opened an office in Paris, France - its fourth location in Europe and tenth worldwide. More
Baltic States-based full-service MR firm RAIT has acquired a 70% stake in Danish research firm Wilke, creating what the firms call a 'truly Northern European network'. 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
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
US-based online news aggregation, content rating and discussion web site Reddit has launched two new tools to help advertisers measure campaign performance: Reddit Brand Lift and Reddit Conversion Lift. More
Corrected: contrary to initial statements by their agents, marcoms network Stagwell has not merged its experience and insights platform Maru into the Harris Poll. The two sister firms are merely collaborating on new tools which will go to market under The Harris Poll brand. More
Ireland-based publisher and RED C Research owner The Business Post Group has acquired research-based consultancy services provider Relish Research, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Berlin and New York-based user and brand research specialist eye square has appointed former Mondelez / Mars exec Chrissy Love as Executive Director, leading the firm's new US Shopper Insights division. More
Netherlands research-based consultancy IR-Insights has appointed long-time media, advertising and insights specialist Paul van der Veer as a Research Consultant. More
Tech analyst Gartner has reported second quarter revenue growth of 10.0%, once adjusted for currency effects. Total revenue hit $1.503 billion, with profits stable (adjusted EBITDA of $384m, down 0.3%). More
European data collection company Norstat has promoted Jacob Lagerstedt to Regional Director for International / UK / Ireland, while Janis Romanovs takes over his previous position as Managing Director for Norstat International. More
Tech research and consulting firm Forrester has announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30th, showing total revenue down 8.5% to $135.6m, and for the first half down 8.8% to $249.3m. More
Irish budget airline Ryanair is facing legal action over its use of facial recognition, which digital advocacy group NOYB says violates customers' data protection rights. More
WPP's consumer data specialist Wavemaker has announced that its Consultancy, Fast Growth and B2B Practices will be led by the three of its Global Client Presidents - Anna Hickey, Alastair Bannerman and Alex Altman, respectively. More
Ipsos has announced results for the second quarter of 2023, returning to very modest organic revenue growth thanks to a strong performance in emerging markets. The group says its business is 'returning to a more usual pattern' after Covid and is on course for a good year. More
European data collection specialist Norstat has acquired UK company Panelbase, strengthening its position in Western Europe and adding around 370,000 adults to its UK panel. Panelbase's Paul Wealleans will head up the combined company as MD for Norstat UK & Ireland. More
Ipsos has added an early-stage creative development solution to its platform - 'Creative|Spark Early' - to enable users to screen creative ideas, visuals, storyboards" and videoboards for advertisers in as little as 24 hours. More
Sweden-based eye tracking tech firm Tobii has announced results for the second quarter of the year, with organic revenue growth of 5% to SEK 185m ($US 17.8m), but EBIT still negative and little changed at SEK -48m (-50m a year earlier). More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of West African MR agency Omedia, from French audience measurement company Mediametrie. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of the Insights business of Big Village Australia, including expertise in public sector research, employee research and customer experience. More
In London, video feedback platform Discuss has hired David Bailey for the newly created role of Sales Director, tasked with building business relationships in the EMEA and APAC regions. More
Ipsos has launched a pack screening tool called FastPack, grounded in behavioural science and promising results in as little as four hours. The tool is currently available on the global group's self-service online MR platform Ipsos.Digital, in the US, the UK, Australia, India and South Africa. More
NielsenIQ (NIQ) and GfK have officially completed their merger, and the combined business will now be led by NIQ CEO, Jim Peck. More
US-based quant insights and health data analysis firm Cytel has paid an undisclosed sum for French consulting and research firm stève consultants, which specialises in market access, real-world evidence (RWE), and health economics and outcomes research (HEOR). More
Amsterdam-based big data and advisory services provider Metyis has opened an eCommerce, advanced business analytics, and technology and data hub in Gondomar, Portugal, and extended its partnership with German luxury clothing brand HUGO BOSS. 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
NielsenIQ (NIQ) and GfK have received clearance from the European Commission to merge, conditional on the divestment of GfK's Consumer Panel business to an independent third party. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close in the coming days, have not been disclosed. More
dentsu has completed the $516m acquisition of digital marketing business Tag Group from previous owner Advent International. The buy was first announced in March and among things should boost the global marcoms group's CX and personalisation offerings. More
Insights tech and panel provider Toluna has added four standalone MaxDiff solutions to its end-to-end platform, Toluna Start, allowing clients to integrate a MaxDiff question into their surveys and quickly identify which names, taglines, claims and varieties matter most to their target audiences. More
Austin, Texas-based MR software and services firm QuestionPro has acquired PathosAI, which analyses consumer emotions and motivations. More
Audio broadcasting data and measurement tech specialist Triton Digital has announced the acquisition of Paris-based Manadge, an ad intelligence platform focused on the performance of programmatic advertising. More
Ad tech company Outbrain has launched a platform called Onyx which promises to help clients optimise digital display and video ads for user attention. 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
Consumer insight consultancy BVA BDRC has promoted Lucy Watts, James Myring and James Bland to MD roles, overseeing the Financial and B2B, Media, and 'On the Move' divisions, respectively. The firm has also promoted Richard Stevenson and Kiran Kuttappa-Gold to its Board. More
Portugal-based media measurement platform Mediaprobe (previously known as MindProber) has appointed former Kynetec exec AJ Johnson as Chief Operating Officer, based in London. More
Canada-based analytics and MR solutions provider Torfac has appointed Izzy Nurdin as Director of Client Development, Europe, based in London. More
Israel-based ad optimization company Tremor International is changing its name to Nexxen, with its Amobee, Tremor Video, Unruly and Spearad brands all to be replaced. More
Kantar has announced its intention to sell its remaining specialist healthcare businesses, Kantar Profiles' Health unit and Kantar Media Healthcare Research (KMHR), to fieldwork company M3 Global Research. More
Tokyo's GMO Research has partnered with playtesting and games user research platform PlaytestCloud, to offer online user testing services for mobile games on GMO's ASIA Cloud Panel. 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
Kantar has launched an ad creative testing solution called LINK+, built on its LINK normative advertising database and integrating the firm's ad testing capabilities into one solution, with results available in as little as six hours. More
Portugal-based consumer neuroscience platform MindProber has been renamed Mediaprobe, reflecting what it says are breakthroughs in 'next-gen measurement' across all media. More
Loyalty management and customer engagement tech business Capillary Technologies has raised $45m in a Series D round of funding, which it will use to expand its footprint in North America and Europe, and to pursue 'strategic acquisitions'. More
Ghent, Belgium-based consumer insight provider Human8, until recently known as InSites Consulting, has partnered with Japan-based SevenSeas Marketing Research, to help the latter develop communities for its clients in Japan. More
London-based advertising effectiveness specialist System1 has launched a new service called Test Your Ad Digital, which it says will predict and improve the commercial impact of digital advertising. More
Customer lifecycle management platform Successeve, which provides scoring and analytics for each stage of the customer journey and has bases in Paris and in Boston, MA, has raised $2m in Seed funding. More
B2B tech purchase intent data firm TechTarget has announced that its Enterprise Strategy Group has expanded to EMEA and APAC, welcoming Brian McKenna and Aaron Tan as Regional Directors of Analyst Services for the two territories, respectively. More
Ipsos has acquired Shanghai Focus RX Research, aiming to strengthen the expertise of its Pharma Insights business and support its Healthcare Insights division. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Ghent, Belgium-based behavioural research specialist EyeSee has promoted Joris De Bruyne to the position of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding founder Olivier Tilleuil who has moved to a Board position. More
SAM Sensory and Consumer Research has appointed Pushan Tagore as Managing Director, Germany. He replaces Sebastian Graper who will focus on further developing SAM's qualitative research capabilities as International Director Qualitative and Co-Creation. More
Research software and solutions firm Forsta has added a self-serve visualization and data storytelling solution called Forsta Studio Canvas to its Human Experience (HX) Platform, combining data with imagery to illustrate the journey of customers and employees. More
Print industry insight firm Keypoint Intelligence has acquired ProPrintPerformance, which provides competitive intelligence platforms and training services to sales and marketing professionals in the digital production print industry. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
US-based tech research and consulting firm Gartner has reported an 11.6% increase in first quarter revenues to $1.4 billion, up 14.3% excluding the impact of foreign exchange. In the key Research division, revenue rose 7.1% on a reported basis to $1.2 billion (or 9.5% FX neutral). More
Sky Group's Chief Business Officer Patrick Béhar is joining Kantar Media in September as Global Chief Executive. He will take over from Chris Allen, who has led the exec team since 2022 and will now focus exclusively on his role as Global CFO. More
In Slovakia, social media analytics startup CulturePulse has secured $1m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to expand its team and into new markets. More
Ipsos exec Tasneem Ali has joined the group's AI-enabled social media intelligence business Ipsos Synthesio as its Head in the UK. More
Data collection company Norstat has launched an initiative called 'Norstat Quarterly Data', reporting on the views of consumers from fifteen countries across Europe. More
Consumer intelligence business NIQ, previously known as NielsenIQ, has launched a solution called Omnisales in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Great Britain, integrating its data assets across point-of-sale (POS) retail measurement data, and Foxintelligence's online purchase data. More
European data collection and MR agency Norstat is rolling out its TestingTime self-service user experience (UX) respondent recruitment platform to Sweden. 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
US-based cross-screen television insights and analytics provider Samba TV has partnered with European TV analytics provider Admo.tv, to bring a new measurement and attribution solution to the French market. More
WPP has acquired 'sonic branding' agency amp, which employs a 'Sonic DNA' design approach and 'Sonic Hub' creative platform to analyse, create and manage clients' music and sound assets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Paris-based social media-sampled insights firm Episto has opened an office in London, and appointed former Nielsen and Lucid employee Julie Tebeka to lead it. 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
Next15 insight subsidiary Savanta has rolled out its MillionaireVue quarterly omnibus in six European markets - France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. More
Ipsos has promoted Pedr Howard to the newly created role of Executive Vice President and Head of its Creative Excellence team in the US. More
In Ireland, RED C has hired long-time Kantar exec Robin McGhee as a Director, to focus on qual research and further developing the group's strategic planning offer. Meanwhile two other former Kantar execs, Aya Sako and Patrick McHugh, are also joining the team. 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
British-based Mediatel is to rebrand with the name of its parent group Adwanted, two years on from its acquisition by the US- and France-focused company. The firm tracks trends across digital and traditional media. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital has reported full-year revenues of £1.07bn, representing like-for-like organic growth of 25.8%. Operational EBITDA was £124m, up sharply in H2 to over £90m versus £30m in H1. More
Dublin and London-based researcher RED C has added Ciara Reilly and Bryan Cox to its Group Management Team. 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
Paris-based OpinionWay has appointed long-time BVA execs Lea König and Truong Nguyen as joint leaders of its new Mystery Shopping Luxury division, while Sophie Archambot Corbière joins from Strategir to take over the management of the Corporate & Marketing Luxury division. More
European data collection and MR agency Norstat has appointed former InSites Consulting exec Kjell Massen as Head of Quantitative and Business Development in the Netherlands, starting this Friday. More
Ipsos has launched a set of specialized, end to-end innovation solutions for Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), which it says will fuel development and optimization at any stage of the product life cycle. More
Data firm Near Intelligence, Inc. has completed its merger with special purpose acquisition company KludeIn, and commenced trading on the Nasdaq. The firm's SaaS platform provides intelligence on people, places and products. More
Comscore has launched a dedicated programmatic targeting division called 'Proximic by Comscore', which will provide end users with access to more than 2,600 predictive, ID-less audiences and content-level solutions across CTV, linear, digital, DOOH and audio. More
Ipsos has appointed Tom Juetten as Executive Vice President and Service Line Lead for its US Innovation Practice, which provides clients with insights on the entire innovation process, from ideation and concept testing to post-launch evaluation. More
In New York, data-led creative agency Formerly Knowns As (FKA) has appointed Linsey Loy as Chief Growth Officer. More
Consumer insight provider InSites Consulting has changed its name to Human8, defining itself as a 'human-driven consultancy, connecting brands with people and culture to drive positive change'. More
Kantar has launched an advanced analytics solution called Digital Mirror, using NLP and advanced graph and correspondence analysis to spot trends and map them to off-line consumer and product segmentations. More
Online panel provider Intra Research has expanded into eighteen new territories, bringing the total number of European countries it covers to 34. More
In Germany, European data collection company Norstat has appointed former Schlesinger Group exec Ivana Slukan as Head of Qualitative. More
Digital marcoms tech firm The Spotler Group has acquired Netherlands-based Sooqr, whose technology helps online retailers target product at appropriate consumers at the right time. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
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
US survey software and solutions firm QuestionPro has acquired Pundit Consultantz, a healthcare innovation and go-to-market commercialization consultancy based in Chicago. Pundit's founder and CEO Arti Bedi Pullins becomes QuestionPro's President and Chief Healthcare Officer. More
Helsinki, Finland-based eCommerce personalization platform Nosto has raised $16m in a new round of funding, which it will use to continue developing its technology and make new acquisitions. More
Next15's data, MR and advisory company Savanta has launched its first European Consumer Confidence survey, which will be run quarterly to understand a range of factors, including awareness of brands' sustainability and data privacy actions. More
In London, shopper insights specialist Behaviorally has appointed long-time PRS IN VIVO exec Aurélie Lecarpentier as Vice President, Head of Behavioral Qualitative, Europe. More
Marcoms giant Dentsu has acquired Madrid-based customer relationship management specialist Omega CRM Consulting, which it will add to its own CXM division Merkle. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Ipsos and IAB Australia have announced that the new Ipsos iris digital audience measurement currency will be launched in early March, following its official endorsement by the association's Board and Measurement Council. More
UK-based Verve, whose expertise includes community panels and culture, has announced the promotion of marketing and comms head Vicki Britton and the appointment of former Streetbees and Kantar exec Jadwiga Kozubek as a Director; as well as a raft of other promotions and hires. More
Dublin's RED C Research has strengthened its UK business with the appointment of Ettie Etela as Director and Genie Barton as Project Manager. 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
In Stockholm, audience measurement body MMS (Mediamätning / Skandinavien AB) has announced the expansion of its 'total measurement' cross-media ad currency service, operated by Nielsen. 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
Danish broadcasters DR, Bauer Media, Danske Medier and Radio 4 have renewed their agreement with Kantar for the measurement of radio audiences in the country, until at least 2028. More
US-headquartered shopper and digital marketing consultancy Behaviorally has appointed long-time Nielsen exec Delphine Ferrazzi as a Consultant, based in its Paris office. 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
Netherlands-based full-service agency MWM2 has appointed former GfK and Nielsen exec Andy Hut as Managing Director, replacing Govert van den Bos who will now focus on growing the MWM2 group. The Group also includes PR agency Hibou, Crowdtech and Innervoice. More
In the US, research and advisory firm Forrester Research has reported a loss of $1.6m for the fourth quarter of 2022, compared to a profit of $8.0m for the same period a year earlier. Q4 revenue rose 2.4% to $136.9m, and over the whole of 2022 revenue was up 9% to $537.8m. More
Conversation AI and automation specialist Uniphore has acquired Hexagone, which combines various voice, visual and text-based data to provide insights into human behavior. Terms were not disclosed. More
US-based tech research and consulting firm Gartner has reported Q4 2022 revenue of $1.5 bn - up 15% reported, or 20% on a constant currency basis. The largest division, Research, saw revenues up 9% on a reported basis to $1.18 bn, up 13% at constant currency. More
Ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo has appointed former dunnhumby exec Marc Fischli as Executive Managing Director, EMEA, while HookLogic UK founder Nicole Kivel rejoins the company as Managing Director, Northern Europe. 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
Northern European mystery shopping and client feedback collection agency Dive Group has acquired MRtec, which provides mystery shopping services in Poland. Terms were not disclosed. More
WPP's media investment wing GroupM has announced the long-awaited launch of its new agency EssenceMediacom, comprised of 10,000 people across 120 offices globally. More
Kantar has added a price sensitivity module to its Concept eValuate suite, to help brands identify the ideal price range for new products. 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
Portugal-based media research platform MindProber has appointed former Formula E media exec Sebastian Tiffert as Vice President of Client Development, charged with driving its expansion in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. He is based in London. More
In the UK, consumer insight consultancy BVA BDRC has appointed Matt Costin as Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder Cris Tarrant who takes the position of Chairman. Meanwhile Caroline Ahmed has been named Chief Commercial Officer. More
Global online communities specialist InSites Consulting has acquired Munich-based MR and innovation consultancy Happy Thinking People, for an undisclosed sum. More
Branding Science Group has promoted Jo Gryniewicz to the role of President of the company in the US. 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
Following last month's news that Nielsen is restructuring its business into three global units, and the departure of five of the firm's senior managers, the company has confirmed it is reducing total headcount to 'roughly in line with where it was a year ago'. More
In the US, J.D. Power has acquired electric vehicle (EV) data company ZappyRide for an undisclosed sum. More
Consumer data giant IRI has appointed former Amazon exec Florian Clemens as Vice President of Advertisers & Agencies EMEA, tasked with growing the company's media business across Europe. He is based in London. More
Car manufacturing conglomerate and mobility provider Stellantis, whose brands include Citroën, Fiat, Chrysler and Maserati, has announced the launch of a unit dedicated to B2B products, applications and services based on its massive data sets. More
Former MRS President and ad industry leading light Jeremy Bullmore has died aged 93, shortly after retiring from WPP after 67 years at the group and its predecessor companies. More
GfK has appointed Goodyear veteran Miguel Quiros as Vice President, Market Intelligence for the US tire industry. More
Groupe Publicis has announced the acquisition of London-based Yieldify, which will form part of the global marcoms giant's advertising and marketing technology division Epsilon. More
Alchemer, the experience management and enterprise feedback tech company once known as SurveyGizmo, has announced the acquisition of mobile CX specialist Apptentive. More
The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) has fined Facebook parent Meta EUR 390m for breaking EU privacy rules, following the $725m settlement revealed in a US lawsuit this week and with a UK case looming at the end of the month. 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
Nielsen is restructuring its business into three global business units, according to online publication AdAge: Nielsen Audience Measurement, Nielsen Analytics and Gracenote. Current COO Karthik Rao will become CEO of the first of these. More
Paris-based macroeconomic, corporate and environmental intelligence provider QuantCube Technology has raised an undisclosed amount of funding in a Series B round, for use in continued global expansion. More
InnovidXP President Jo Kinsella has announced she is leaving the company 'to explore new adventures'. She joined in March when ad tech firm Innovid paid $160m to acquire measurement and optimization firm TVSquared. 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
Amsterdam-based customer journey management platform TheyDo has raised EUR 12m in a Series A round of funding, which it will invest in enhanced tools, co-creation, and adding community content to its product. 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
Disney's Advertising division has announced an advanced integration with ad measurement, planning and optimization platform VideoAmp, using 'Clean Room' technology to offer clients ad metrics and privacy-compliant first-party data usage in the post-cookie world. More
In San Francisco, video analytics company Twelve Labs has closed a $12m seed extension funding round, for use in adding product features, continuing R&D, and for further development of its foundation model for video understanding. More
Consumer research platform Catalyx has appointed Jenny Kieras, formerly of The Insights Family, as Global Head of Accounts. More
Australian customer insights and advisory consultancy Fiftyfive5 has been acquired by professional services giant Accenture for an undisclosed sum. More
Next15's data, MR and advisory group Savanta has merged four previously acquired companies - ComRes, MSI, YouthSight and MindSpark - under the Savanta brand name. More
Insight firm MetrixLab has opened an office in the Philippines, and has appointed Bernadette Verde as Senior Client Director, based in it. More
Continuing our month-long focus on Data Visualization Sandro Kaulartz, Chief Innovation and Product Development Officer at Ipsos Social Intelligence, talks to MrWeb's Nick Thomas about Topic Modelling, data hybridization and the democratization of data science. Available to read or watch. More
Ipsos has announced the sale of its people-counting and footfall solution Retail Performance, to US-based RetailNext, in which it will take a minority stake. More
Munich, Germany-based health insights company Temedica has raised EUR 42m in Series B funding, including a new EUR 25m extension. Money will be used to expand its range of solutions providing 'holistic insights into the care realities and journeys of millions of patients'. More
Buynomics, which uses simulation technologies to digitize and predict customer purchasing behaviour, has raised EUR 13m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to grow its product and commercial teams, and expand to the US market. More
Ipsos has appointed former GfK/Nielsen exec Istvan Hajnal to lead its new dedicated Audience Measurement Data team, in the Netherlands. 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
In Canada, privacy-preserving machine learning and natural language processing tech firm Private AI has raised $8m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand operations across Europe and enhance its products, including the launch of a self-service tool. More
Customer experience management specialist Sprinklr has extended its partnership with Salesforce, promising clients a more complete view of their customers. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science specialist Nepa has appointed Sonja Thorngren as Chief Financial Officer, following the recent resignation of Ann-Christine Fick. Thorngren will join the company and the group management team on 6th February next year. More
Comscore has reported a third quarter revenue rise of just 0.3% - to $92.8m from $92.5m in last year's Q3. Adjusted EBITDA was little changed at $11.7m (up 3.5%) while one-off costs turned net income of $2m a year ago into a net loss of $52.4m. More
In the US, research and advisory firm Forrester has reported third quarter revenue of $127.7m, up 8.1%, led by the Research division which saw growth of 10.3% to $87.0m. More
MR and customer and employee experience tech firm Forsta has partnered with CX data specialist GemSeek to launch predictive net promoter scores (pNPS), through which clients can access predictions about 'silent customers' who don't respond to surveys or submit feedback. More
Insight firm MetrixLab has added a hybrid AI-powered tool called PACT Instant to its suite of packaging design testing solutions, promising in-depth evaluation of existing and new designs with results in as little as 48 hours. More
Video-based insight specialist UserTesting, Inc. is to be acquired by private equity firms Thoma Bravo - the owner of Medallia and J.D. Power - and Sunstone Partners, for around $1.3 billion in cash. The investors both have shares in UserZoom, and say they will combine the two companies. More
Australian broadcast industry body Commercial Radio & Audio will introduce a new hybrid audience measurement system for its GfK metropolitan radio surveys, from March next year, and describes it as 'the most significant investment and change to [radio measurement] in Australia since ratings began'. More
Digital promotions and media tech company Quotient has rolled out its European grocery savings app Shopmium in the US, promising clients the ability to increase brand trial and loyalty while measuring online and off-line shopper interactions. More
In Germany, digital customer experience API provider Ninetailed has raised EUR 5m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to expand its team, add new technology and solution partners to its network, and continue developing its architecture. 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
Field Agent, which provides store-level audits, shopper insights and product trial solutions, has acquired distributed workforce management platform SimpliField for an undisclosed sum. More
Ipsos has promoted twenty-year company veteran Lauren Demar to Chief Sustainability Officer and Global Head of ESG. More
Paris-based experience optimization company AB Tasty has acquired Epoq internet services GmbH, an AI-driven recommendation and smart search solution headquartered in Ettlingen, Germany. 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
Netflix has joined Disney+ in signing up with BARB, the UK's audience measurement body - a major move forward in measurement of streaming services and the first time Netflix has joined an industry-owned audience currency. More
Marcoms group Dentsu has launched new gaming data and insights capabilities across 21 markets globally, bringing together research panel data from its Consumer Connection System (CCS) with specialist gaming data from Global Web Index (GWI). More
Nielsen has announced the completion of its previously announced sale to a private equity consortium in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $16 billion, including the assumption of debt. More
Kantar has added three new brand metrics to its Link AI for Digital predictive tool - Aided Awareness, Consideration and Purchase Intent - which it says 'make it possible to forecast digital ad effectiveness and brand consideration in as little as 15 minutes'. 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
US-based media optimisation platform Measured has launched a new benchmark comparison tool, and announced its official launch in the UK. More
GfK has appointed former Hawkeye exec Mike Chung as West Coast Lead for its AutoMobility study, based in the Los Angeles area. More
Google has announced that its Surveys and Surveys 360 solutions will no longer be available after November 1st, as it believes in their current form they are no longer the best way to help businesses of all sizes run custom market research. 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
GfK has transferred Dave Melnick to a newly created role, Commercial Account Development lead for its Consumer Life trends study in North America. 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
Dublin, Ireland-based research agency Behaviour & Attitudes (B&A) has hired former RDSi director Davina O'Donoghue as a full-time Board Director. More
Dublin-based RED C Research has promoted five members of its team, including Brian Greene to the position of Head of Data Analytics. 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
On-demand insights provider Toluna has appointed Jeff Claypoole as General Manager, Americas, responsible for sales and revenue growth in the region. More
German research firms Exevia GmbH and Psyma Health & CARE have announced a merger, and with immediate effect will operate within the larger Psyma Group AG as Psyma+Exevia Health GmbH. More
Digital experience analytics firm Contentsquare has extended its partnership and integration with customer journey analyst Namogoo, adding detailed contextual information to its customer behavior data, with particular benefits in understanding first-time and unknown site visitors. More
Ipsos India has launched a new large sample, nationwide omnibus running multiple times per month and offering rapid turnaround research. 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
US- and UK-based ReedPop, known for its pop-culture events and journalism, has launched an audience targeting platform called ENGAGE, promising in-depth user insights across its community of digital and in-person customers and accurate targeting of pop-culture fans worldwide. More
AdTech and data company Big Village has added new features to its Audience Intelligence platform, allowing clients to bring in-depth first-party data into audience targeting, plan media and reach audiences in real time. The firm was formerly known as ENGINE, outside the UK. More
US-based panel and sample firm Full Circle Research has appointed former Ipsos exec Alexandrine de Montera to its leadership team as Chief Product Officer. More
Retargeting technology provider RTB House, headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, has appointed Jaysen Gillespie as Head of Analytics and Data Science. More
Marcoms giant WPP has acquired 'data-first' eCommerce consultancy Newcraft for an undisclosed sum. 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
Zurich-based mobility analysis platform Teralytics has acquired the Streetlytics mobility data business from location infrastructure software firm Bentley Systems. Bentley is investing in Teralytics, but financial details have not been disclosed. More
Agriculture and animal health specialist Kynetec has promoted Colin Siren to the role of Chief Operating Officer for Animal Health. He replaces Jeff Gaidos, who is taking a step back from the business, but will continue on a part-time consultancy basis. More
Germany and US-based MR tech provider quantilope has moved its London office to a larger space, following a one third growth in its UK-based headcount during the past six months. More
Game and content creation platform Unity Software has rejected an unsolicited '$20 billion' bid from AppLovin, the parent of measurement company Adjust; and says it will continue with its own bid to buy ad tech and analytics firm ironSource. 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
Google has agreed to pay around $AUD 60m ($US 40m) to settle claims that it misled consumers about use of their location data, back in 2017-18. More
TV tech and all-screen ads and analytics company Samba TV has entered the Spanish market via a partnership with ad tech platform Smartclip. More
Baltic States-based research firm RAIT has acquired a 51% stake in CX research technology firm Synopticom. The business will now be led by long-time Synopticom MD and founder Liutauras Daugirdas (pictured). More
WPP has reported interim results for the first half of 2022, with reported revenue up 10.2% to £6.755bn, equivalent to 8.7% growth like-for-like (LFL); and profit before tax up just over 6% to £419m. 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
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
Research software firm Forsta and local marketing platform Rio SEO, which are both owned by Press Ganey, are combining. Both will continue to serve current clients under their existing brands, while Forsta has welcomed all Rio SEO employees to its sales, ops, product and engineering teams. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Paris-based user experience analytics firm Contentsquare has closed a $600m growth investment round, doubling its valuation to around $5.6 billion. Money will be used for geographical and product expansion, M&A, and to support long-term growth in key markets. More
Nielsen has announced the launch of the methodology it will use to give media buyers reach metrics for YouTube comparable to those provided for linear TV. The measurement spans computer, mobile and connected TV devices. 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
Digital experience consultancy Bounteous has brought in former Merkle executive Michael McLaren to serve as President, North America. More
Agriculture and animal health specialist Kynetec has acquired Brazilian agribusiness market intelligence firm Spark, for an undisclosed sum. More
New York-based consumer insights tech firm Suzy has launched a solution called Global Audiences, giving users access to them alongside US audiences, on one platform. More
Shopper and product experience consultancy PRS IN VIVO has appointed Thomas Deneke as Head of the German team and Vice President of Client Development. More
US and UK-based API infrastructure platform Kevel, which is used to build custom ad platforms, has acquired Portuguese audience segmentation and customer data platform Velocidi. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In the UK, shopper and product experience consultancy PRS IN VIVO has appointed Patrick Young as Vice President of Client Development, based in its London office. More
Forsta, the company formed last year through the merger of research software firms Confirmit and FocusVision, has launched Digital Diaries, a mobile ethnography app designed to obtain qualitative insights at scale. More
NielsenIQ and GfK have announced an agreement through which the two firms will be 'combined', with NielsenIQ's owner Advent International being the majority shareholder. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Canadian trend tracking and prediction tech firm RIWI has agreed to acquire Paris and Istanbul-based business Research on Mobile (ROM). Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Ipsos has launched a user experience (UX) facility called the Ipsos Experience Lab in the Franklin Center in downtown Chicago, providing space for focus groups, interviews, device tests and simulations. More
In London, data science and consumer behaviour prediction specialist Black Swan Data has raised $18.5m in a growth funding round, part of which it will use to expand further into the US market. 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
Customer experience products and solutions company Sitel Group has agreed the acquisition for an undisclosed sum of Luxembourg-based competitor Majorel Group. The merger would form a combined entity with over 240,000 employees across 55 countries. More
WPP-owned data and measurement-driven agency Essence has promoted Barbara Blanzat Henao to the role of Senior Vice President, Analytics, EMEA, while Kate Mann has been promoted to SVP Agency Solutions and Operations, EMEA. More
Consumer data company Pureprofile has hired former Maru Group exec Shelley Barber as Business Development Director in the UK. More
Kantar has launched a cross-category search prediction tool called Emerging Trends; added a suite of products and enhancements to its creative testing portfolio on Kantar Marketplace; and opened the iLab innovation centre. More
Shopper and product experience consultancy PRS IN VIVO has appointed former Ipsos exec Stephanie Surel as Global Account Leader Switzerland & Market/Business Development, based in the company's Geneva office. More
Melbourne, Australia-based tech-driven research agency Cubery has rolled out its platform in Canada, Singapore and Ireland. More
Strategic insight agency Truth Consulting has appointed Kamaljit Kaur as a Director to support the growth of its office in Frankfurt, Germany. More
The Directors of M&C Saatchi have issued recommendations to shareholders ahead of votes on two bids for the company, advising rejection of the Next 15 offer purely on account of a drop in its share price, but preferring it to that of rival ADV, if the company is considered unable to continue as an independent. 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
Comscore has launched a platform called 'Total Digital', which combines the firm's digital and social media measurement tool and user experience (UX) data into a single dashboard. Users get a cross-platform view of how consumers are engaging with content and advertising. More
Business sustainability ratings provider EcoVadis has raised $500m in a Series C round of funding, valuing the company at $1bn. The firm will use these funds to accelerate its global expansion, deepen its artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, and make strategic acquisitions. More
US-based customer experience specialist Zendesk has announced the completion of a strategic review and will not seek a sale but continue as an independent public company. The review followed the rejection of a takeover bid and its own unsuccessful attempt to buy Momentive. More
In the US, first-party data platform Dynata has acquired online panel and audience technology company Branded Research for an undisclosed sum. More
In Sweden, gaming influencer marketing platform Lurkit has raised $2.7m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to expand operations and its business reach. More
Shopper and product experience consultancy PRS IN VIVO has launched a contextually immersive tool called Idea Screener, which combines behavioural science and market research to capture intuitive responses at the earliest stage of new product development. More
Digital research firm MetrixLab has opened its first office on the African continent, in Johannesburg, South Africa, appointing Nanzala Mwaura as Managing Director and Rentia Kraucamp as Research Director. More
European customer service specialist Dive has acquired Sweden-based agency Nordic Mystery Shopping for an undisclosed sum. More
Customer analytics platform MoEngage has raised $77 Million in Series E funding, for use in expanding to Latin America and Australia, increasing its footprint elsewhere in the world, and to explore strategic acquisitions. More
Comscore has added CTV measurement to its Video Metrix Multi-Platform product, including YouTube traffic sharing measurement, for Spain and the UK; and says Italy, France and Germany will follow in July 2022. Meanwhile CEO Bill Livek has acquired another $1.15m of shares in the firm. More
Swiss/German in-store and omnichannel customer experience analysis specialist ISC-CX is opening an office in Brazil, to support LatAm businesses and brands. More
WPP's media investment business GroupM has launched its Finecast addressable TV targeting company in Spain, at its headquarters in La Matriz. More
Digital advertising and marketing services company S4 Capital has released results for the first quarter of 2022 in a trading update, with reported revenue up 70.1% to £206.8m, a rise of 40.6% on a like-for-like, pro forma basis. More
Ipsos has appointed Dr Jessica Ozan as the new Head of Education, Children and Families (ECF) within its Public Affairs division. 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
Global marcoms group Omnicom has appointed former Conduent exec Brian Clayton as its first Chief Data Privacy Officer, responsible for driving its 'privacy-first' approach and ensuring compliance with global privacy regulation. More
dentsu-owned CX Management company Merkle has promoted Mark Atkinson, formerly VP for its Adobe EMEA alliance and enterprise sales lead, to the role of UK Chief Sales Officer. More
In Dubai the Advertising Business Group, a non-profit organisation advocating for responsible advertising and communication in the MENA region, has appointed Ipsos as its partner for its ad currency UAE Cross Media Measurement project. More
Interpublic's marketing intell company Kinesso has appointed four new Regional CEOs, Matt Ware, Andy Butters, Jorge Chavez and Sean Muzzy, all of whom are currently leaders in the group's Matterkind activation division and who will retain these roles alongside their new ones. More
Kids and family market intelligence provider The Insights Family has appointed former Kidz Global SVP Ivan Colecchia as Senior Vice President, International Development. He is based in Italy. More
US-based digital UX insights firm UserZoom has acquired its French opposite number Testapic, expanding its footprint in the European market. More
Customer lifecycle and user retention platform CleverTap has agreed to acquire San Francisco-based Leanplum, a multi-channel customer engagement platform, for an undisclosed amount. CleverTap says the move makes it 'a truly global company'. More
Kantar has launched Link AI for Digital, an artificial intelligence-powered ad testing solution designed specifically for digital ad formats. More
Netherlands-based full service agency DVJ Insights has expanded its consultancy team with the appointment of Ben van der Werf and Sonja van den Berg, based in Utrecht. More
Kantar has agreed to acquire Reading, UK-based app survey platform and fraud prevention technology provider Qmee, majority owned by private equity firm capital D. Qmee will become a part of Kantar's primary research division Profiles. More
Nielsen has announced the end of its 45-day 'go-shop' period, in which the Board has investigated the potential for alternatives to its recently-announced acquisition by a consortium of private investors; and says no proposals have been submitted. More
AdTech company smartclip has acquired TV analyst Realytics, to help measure the impact of TV campaigns on web sites. More
Tech researcher and consultancy Forrester Research has announced results for the first quarter ended March 31st, with revenue up 10% to $125.0 million. 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
Consumer insights provider Toluna has expanded to Thailand, where it has hired former Nielsen exec Chumphol (Marc) Sivawettakul as Business Development Director, Southeast Asia. He is based in Bangkok. More
Marcoms network Publicis Groupe has acquired eCommerce analytics platform Profitero, for an undisclosed sum. More
US-based real estate marketplace and intelligence provider CoStar Group has appointed Robert Stassen as Head of Analytics for Europe. More
Nielsen has reported first quarter revenue of $877m - a rise of 1.6%, but with organic real-terms growth of 3.4%. Adjusted EBITDA fell around 4% to $372m. 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 Manchester, UK, culture, community panels and smart digital research specialist Verve has appointed former InSites Consulting exec Gav Holt as Executive Director in its senior team. More
Marcoms giant WPP has launched an end-to-end eCommerce service called Everymile, which will look after the entire process from the minute a customer visits a brand's web site - having first helped the target audience to find that site - and clicks to order, through to the delivery of their purchase. More
Healthcare experience specialist Press Ganey has completed its acquisition of research technology firm Forsta with an investment, which will be used to accelerate product innovation, especially in the areas of AI, data visualization and qualitative research. More
Paris-based eCommerce automation platform Lengow has acquired Barcelona-based price and market intelligence software firm netRivals, which it says will help it shape the 'next generation of digital shelf analytics'. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In the US, former SurveyMonkey President Tom Hale has joined sleep optimization app ŌURA as Chief Executive Officer. He replaces Harpreet Singh Rai, who stepped down from the role in December to seek his 'next adventure'. More
The WindAcre Partnership LLC, now comfortably the largest Nielsen shareholder with 27.3%, says the share price could triple in the next three years and will host a webcast tomorrow arguing for a rejection of the Consortium bid. Meanwhile reports suggest the ratings firm could regain its MRC accreditation soon. More
Kantar has agreed to acquire Copenhagen, Denmark-based marketing measurement and optimisation company Blackwood Seven, for an undisclosed sum. More
Marcoms group Stagwell, owner of the Harris and Harris Poll brands, has acquired data-driven eCommerce specialist Brand New Galaxy (BNG), which offers a range of business intelligence and data engineering, analytics and strategy services. Terms were not disclosed. 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
SAM Sensory and Consumer Research has appointed long-time Happy Thinking People exec Sebastian Gräper as Managing Director, Germany. More
B2B information, analytics and eCommerce optimisation specialist Ascential (previously known as EMAP) is to acquire Sellics, which offers AI-powered B2B solutions to help sellers, vendors and agencies optimize their Amazon strategies. Terms have not been disclosed. 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
Audience relationship platform OpenWeb has acquired Paris, France-based programmatic ad platform ADYOULIKE for $100m, in a mix of cash and stock. More
In Germany, MR and innovation consultancy Happy Thinking People has appointed Kathrin Wilfong as Research Director and Veronica Freni as Project Manager in Munich, while Marta Kuszyk-Goraya joins as a Project Manager in Berlin. More
Nielsen shareholder WindAcre said this week it would block the ratings giant's latest sale agreement, requesting a $1.1bn 'sweetener' for its support, according to sources quoted by Bloomberg. SEC filings suggest WindAcre has secured millions more shares in Nielsen this week at a cost of around $0.9bn. More
Digital user experience insights specialist UserZoom has received an unspecified amount of strategic growth funding from investment firm Thoma Bravo, the owner of CX management firm Medallia. The funding values UserZoom at $800m. 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
Intrinsic in-game advertising pioneer Frameplay has launched a solution for measuring attention in the gaming sector. Intrinsic Time-in-View builds on the firm's proprietary viewability measures and has been validated by agencies Lumen and eye square, and endorsed by marcoms group dentsu. More
Cross-screen television insight and analytics provider Samba TV has partnered with media marketplace MediaSquare to provide ad retargeting and targeting for OTT (over-the-top) viewers and gamers in France. More
Major league consumer data and insights firms IRI and The NPD Group have announced they are to merge, promising clients 'a view of total retail purchasing and consumption trends powered by advanced, predictive analytics' on IRI's Liquid Data technology platform. More
YouGov has launched a dataset called Global Profiles, to help brands, agencies and media planners understand their global audience. Data comes 43 markets, with five more to be added in August. More
Automated customer experience (CX) solutions specialist Cyara has acquired Botium, which provides a platform for testing and monitoring the performance of chatbots and conversational artificial intelligence. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Shopper insights firm Behaviorally has expanded to Germany, appointing Christian Dössel as Senior Vice President based in Hamburg. More
Shares in Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising group S4 Capital have slumped after its auditors PwC this week delayed the release of its preliminary statement of results for the second time in a month. The stock remained down 1/3 tonight even after a slight Friday recovery. 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 the US, fashion, luxury and beauty (FLB) brand performance measurement specialist Launchmetrics has acquired its main competitor, luxury market media monitoring and analysis firm DMR. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Portugal-based consumer neuroscience platform MindProber has appointed former Microsoft Sports exec Stewart Mison as Vice President of Sports. He is based in the UK. More
Nielsen has entered an agreement to be acquired by a private equity consortium led by Evergreen Coast Capital Corporation and Brookfield Business Partners, together with institutional partners, for $28 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $16bn. More
The United States government and the European Commission have trailered a new Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework, addressing concerns which led to the demise of the last one in mid-2020, and allowing data to flow more freely again between the two. Critics are already clearing their diaries for 'Schrems III'. More
Africa-focused data and analytics firm Sagaci Research has appointed Paloma Orejas as Quantitative Research Director, heading its Quant Consumer Research department. More
Netherlands-based audience measurement specialist Beatgrid has emerged from stealth mode, adding to its Board of Directors former Nielsen Catalina Solutions CEO Matthew O'Grady and oOh! Media founder Brendon Cook. More
Nielsen's Board of Directors has opted 'not to proceed' with the unsolicited acquisition proposal reported last week from a private equity consortium, valuing the company at around $15bn. The decision follows major shareholder WindAcre's announcement that it would fight the deal. More
In Washington DC, decision intelligence company Morning Consult is expanding its Geopolitical Risk Analysis division with the appointment of Sonnet Frisbie as Managing Director, Geopolitical Risk Analyst for EMEA. More
Private equity firm Arsenal Capital has merged Cello Health and four of its other firms to launch Lumanity, offering medical sector product development, market access and commercialization services. Former Cello Health Insight CEO Nicola Cowland becomes the new firm's Global President, Insight. More
In the US, analytics and advisory firm Escalent has acquired consultancy Mercator Advisory Group, which serves the global payments and banking industries. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
UK-based customer experience platform Amplience has raised $100m in a Series D round of funding, which it will use for continued expansion in the US and globally, and to support the development and roll-out of its technology. More
In New York, shopper and product experience consultancy PRS IN VIVO has appointed Jennifer Engel as Senior Vice President, Client and Market Development, USA. 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
Nielsen is to launch its Identity System in Australia, Germany, India and Japan, in April, with six other economies to follow later in the year. More
Comscore and ad management platform WideOrbit have extended their partnership to create a solution called Comscore TV, powering automated TV ad buying and audience targeting across markets and demographics at scale. More
Indonesia-based customer analytics platform MoEngage, fresh from a $30m Series D funding, has announced the appointment of Jason Smith as VP of Sales for Europe, and plans to open dedicated offices in France, Spain and Italy as it doubles its team in the region. More
Ipsos India has announced the appointments of Garima Mall and Pooja Doshi as Executive Directors. Mall will service Market Strategy & Understanding (MSU) and Brand Health Tracking (BHT) Clients in Mumbai and Bengaluru, while Doshi will work on key CPG accounts and drive business development. More
Global data and analytics provider Verisk is selling its Financial Services business to information and insights company TransUnion, the owner of Neustar, for $515m. 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
Continuing our focus on 'Measuring Brains & Bodies', Pedro talks about sweat, motor racing, suppliers who always say Yes, investors who always said No, banning the bull and embracing the (one-trick) pony, and how EDA (electrodermal activity) can grow into a currency for media engagement. 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
Comscore CEO Bill Livek has announced plans to retire and move to the position of Non-Executive Vice Chairman after a successor has been found. As the news broke, the firm reported positive net income of $29m for the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to a net loss of $13.2m a year earlier. More
Behavioral insights consultancy Behaviorally has appointed Lonneke de Roo as Senior Vice President in Geneva, leading the firm's Switzerland office. More
Nielsen has reported results for the 4th quarter and full year 2021, with annual reported revenue up 4.1% to $3.5bn (up 4.9% like-for-like), and full year adjusted EBITDA up 5.4% (constant currency) to $1.49bn. More
In the Netherlands, full-service agency DVJ Insights has appointed Emily Lando as Director Research & Operations, responsible for carrying out client projects and directing the activities of the Research team. 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
Comscore is partnering with digital media measurement, data and analytics provider DoubleVerify (DV) to develop a cross-platform media quality verification and audience measurement solution. 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
Continuing our focus on 'Measuring Brains and Bodies', HCD Research's Michelle Niedziela runs through the key techniques in 'neuro', with advice on where to use them. The second part of the article, looking at Best Practices, will appear in DRNO when the pdf special issue is published early next week. 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
Marcoms group Havas has acquired UK-based digital experience agency Inviqa in what it describes as a 'substantial' eight-figure deal. More
Kantar is doubling the frequency of its Republic of Ireland TGI survey data release, which will now be issued twice a year. More
Consumer and digital shelf analytics technology firm PriceSpider has acquired Amsterdam-based MarTech company Hatch, which helps clients enhance their eCommerce capabilities. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
London-based mobile advertising platform Ogury has appointed former Criteo exec Geoffroy Martin as Chief Operating Officer, to lead the company's international expansion and oversee revenue, operations, product, technology and marketing. He is based in Paris. More
Connected TV (CTV) advertising delivery and measurement platform Innovid has agreed to acquire measurement and attribution specialist TVSquared for $100m in cash and approximately $60m in stock. 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
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has acquired French-based qual and user experience specialist MindSpark Research International, for an undisclosed sum. More
Less than a year after its formation from software firms Confirmit and FocusVision, research tech pioneer Forsta has been acquired by healthcare experience specialist Press Ganey, for an undisclosed sum. More
Shopper and product experience consultancy PRS IN VIVO has promoted Nicole Duckworth to the role of Head of Europe and Global Commercial Excellence, with a seat on the Board of Directors. 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
Online panel provider Intra Research has launched four new panels, covering Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. More
Continuing our focus on 'Measuring Brains and Bodies', MindProber's Pedro Moreira looks at the company's use of electrodermal activity (EDA) to analyse the extraordinary success of the hit TV show. What worked best, and why? [Spoiler Alert: this makes reference to surprise scenes etc.] More
Personal data management specialist Swash has hired Arbitron Mobile founder Hannu Verkasalo and research analyst Seth Ulinski to build the business and connect it with their networks of market research contacts. The firm has also raised $19m in an oversubscribed round of funding. More
Data collection company Norstat has acquired Nordic online data supplier Userneeds, for an undisclosed sum. The deal adds approximately 130,000 panelists to Norstat's existing consumer panels across the region. More
Kantar has made its Link AI ad testing solution available on the Kantar Marketplace on-demand research platform. 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
In the first feature from our forthcoming special issue on neuroscience techniques, Michelle Niedziela and Glenn Kessler from title sponsor HCD Research give an introduction to the progress and potential of the field, and cut through some of the hype and misconceptions surrounding it. More
Online communities specialist InSites Consulting has acquired US-based 'customer-centric' specialist Gongos, for an undisclosed sum. More
In Oslo, Norway, the country's MOC audience measurement body has extended Nielsen's contract for radio measurement, which was due to expire in twelve months' time. More
AT&T has agreed to sell its advertising and analytics division Xandr to Microsoft. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Location-based marketing specialist Cloud4Wi has acquired France-based location technology and data provider GeoUniq. 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
YouGov has given Özge Akçizmeci Üstün a newly created role of Strategic Account Lead for the Benelux region, aiming to increase its presence in the area. More
NielsenIQ has acquired Paris-based Foxintelligence (Foxintel), which tracks and measures eCommerce activity based on anonymized transaction data collected from consumers through dedicated apps. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Research and analytics group YouGov has acquired Zurich, Switzerland-based market and social research agency LINK Marketing Services AG. Terms were not disclosed. More
US-based insight automation specialist Heap has raised $110m in a Series D round of funding, which values the company at $960m. The investment will be used to scale the firm's global operations, and accelerate R&D for its digital analytics platform. More
In Sweden, customer experience platform Voyado has acquired Apptus, which offers retailers and eCommerce companies a way to personalize their product discovery offer with 'automated relevance' across all channels. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Comscore has promoted longtime employee Janice O'Bryan to Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Domestic for its Movies division. 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
Tesco has launched a closed loop platform, powered by its data science firm dunnhumby, to help suppliers and agencies engage with customers, and provide those customers with a more personalised and relevant shopping experience. 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
Marcoms giant WPP has opened a campus in the Czech capital Prague, where twelve of the group's agencies and 1,000 marketing, advertising, media, PR, data and research professional are now housed. More
Ipsos has launched an early stage creative development solution called Instant|Labs, providing clients with an understanding of the potential of creative and ideas within just one day. More
In Berlin, performance-based marketing platform Swaarm has added three new features to its platform, allowing advertisers to set offers dynamically, receive attribution insights, and proactively mitigate fraudulent clicks. More
Customer service improvement company Dive has acquired Finland-based mystery shopping and customer experience firm Palvelu Plus. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
US-based Behaviorally has appointed Peter Divers as Vice President of its Qualitative team in London, supporting clients across the UK and in Europe. 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
Dutch marcoms agency group Candid has agreed to acquire UK firm Brand Potential, for an undisclosed sum. More
Comscore has reported revenue up 5% to $92.5m and adjusted EBITDA of $11.3m, up 55%, for the third quarter of 2021. Net income was $2.0m, compared with a net loss of $11.1m a year earlier. More
Shopper and product experience consultancy PRS IN VIVO has launched of AI Pack Screener 2, an early-stage packaging design screening and optimization tool combining AI and human input from the firm's experts. More
European data collection company Norstat has appointed Graciella Garmann in the new role of Chief Commercial Officer, based in Oslo, Norway. More
Business data and analytics veteran Dun & Bradstreet has agreed to acquire data onboarding and audience intelligence provider Eyeota and B2B data firm NetWise - strengthening its fast-growing Audience Solutions business and its capabilities in online B2B marketing. More
Technology researcher Forrester has announced third quarter revenue of $118.1m, up around 8.7% when compared either with Q3 2020 or 2019. More
US-based customer and employee experience management firm Medallia has launched a platform combining actionable user feedback metrics with 'complete' behavioural data for real-time optimisation of digital experiences. The firm's $6.4bn acquisition by Thoma Bravo was completed last week. More
Tech consultancy Gartner has announced results for the third quarter of 2021, with revenues up 15.0% at constant currency to $1.16bn, and EBITDA of $305m, up 79.9% on the same basis. More
Data onboarding and audience intelligence provider Eyeota has expanded its partnership with Comscore, to provide cookie-free contextual targeting for a broad range of verticals, across the key global markets. More
Nielsen has reported a 5.5% increase in third quarter revenue to $882m (up 6.6% in organic terms). The figure is about 1% ahead of 2019 Q3 revenues for Nielsen Global Media, although comparisons are difficult after the company split and the sale of the Connect / NielsenIQ business. More
In a trading update, marcoms giant WPP has reported 'very strong' third quarter performance, with revenue minus pass-through costs of £2.64bn, up 6.9% LFL on pre-pandemic levels (Q3 2019). More
Germany-based insights automation platform quantilope has launched a solution for automating segmentation research. More
Swedish eye tracking technology firm Smart Eye has acquired Danish emotional response software measurement developer iMotions for $46.6m. 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
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
Real-time omni-channel attribution and measurement solutions company Kochava has appointed Arthur Novarina as Regional Vice President EMEA More
Retail data provider The NPD Group is to be acquired by private equity firm Hellman & Friedman (H&F), with NPD Executive Chairman Tod Johnson and CEO Karyn Schoenbart retaining a minority stake in the business and continuing to serve on the Board. 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
Video attention measurement and emotion analytics specialist Realeyes has appointed former Brand Networks CEO Dave Fall as Chief Product Officer. More
Data collection company Norstat has further expanded in the Netherlands, through the acquisition of Hoorn-based CG Research. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Consumer data giant and predictive analytics specialist IRI has appointed former Dentsu UK&I CEO Euan Jarvie as President for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Jarvie will also join IRI's Executive Leadership Team. More
In New York, location data firm Unacast has raised $16m in a new round of funding, which it will use to expand its offering for international clients outside the US, and to build a data buying platform. More
Data collection company Norstat has agreed to acquire Zurich-based TestingTime, which supplies test users and other study participants through a self-service platform. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Sweden's audience measurement body has extended and expanded the cross-media measurement services provided by Nielsen, which it has endorsed as the country's total measurement provider for TV and digital video from next April. More
OpenVault, which provides data and insights on worldwide broadband consumption patterns, has received an undisclosed amount of funding from three clients. Funds will be used to fuel company growth both domestically and internationally, specifically in Europe and Latin America. More
In London, programme viewing trend analyst Tape Consulting has appointed Beatrice Rossmanith as Client Service Director, tasked with looking after and developing the firm's broadcasting, content distribution and platform clients. More
Consumer intelligence business NielsenIQ has acquired two eCommerce insights firms - Data Impact and Rakuten Intelligence. Terms of the deals have not been disclosed. More
London-based holding company STRAT7 has acquired Kin + Carta's strategic consultancy Incite, in a deal valued at £18m. 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
Kantar has been selected by Origin, a joint industry initiative led by UK advertiser trade body ISBA, to supply a single source panel for cross-media measurement; adding to the recent launch of a 'Cross Media Performance' solution in Latin America, with Unilever among the early adopters. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising and marketing services company S4 Capital plc has begun the growth of a third main practice area with the acquisition of tech services company Zemoga. More
Cultural insights and strategy consultancy Crowd DNA has opened an office in Stockholm, Sweden, headed by Associate Director Sofie Brodén, who previously worked for brand development consultancy Grow as Manger Insight & Foresight. The firm has also made eighteen hires. More
Behavioural insights company Behaviorally (formerly PRS) has appointed Kai Virtanen as Vice President, Market Development, Europe, based in London. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has reported a 'very strong' first half, with like-for-like gross profit (net revenue) up 49%, and pro forma EBITDA up 36% - results described as 'more in line with the fast-growing digital platforms' than the more traditional major media groups. More
Consumer data and credit reporting agency TransUnion has agreed to acquire data firm Neustar for $3.1 billion, from an investment group led by Golden Gate Capital, with minority participation by GIC. Neustar's security business is excluded from the transaction. More
International data and research services company Schlesinger Group has launched a life-size virtual shopping aisle, which simulates an in-store shopping experience to gain in-context insights. More
Berlin-based customer data platform Zeotap has raised $11m in a Series C extension round, bringing total funds so far to $90m. 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
Accenture is to buy French-based product management consultancy BENEXT, which owns data science and big data specialist Vyve. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In Ireland, RED C Research has been acquired for an undisclosed sum by one of its clients, the Business Post Group. 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
GfK has expanded its gfknewron platform with the addition of market, consumer and brand data, along with predictive analytics. 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
Berlin, Germany-based SEO and analytics software firm Searchmetrics has opened an office in Chicago, where newly promoted Chief Marketing Officer Lillian Haase has relocated to oversee global marketing. 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
Comscore has reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30th, with revenue down 1% to $87.7m, and adjusted EBITDA of $2.6m, dropping sharply from $9.2m a year earlier. The firm says the positive results of recent partnerships and agreements will show up later in the year. More
Momentive, until recently known as SurveyMonkey, has announced an expansion of its MR targeting capabilities to meet growing demand from b2b customers, and tapping the resources of Dynata and Schlesinger Group. More
Consumer insights platform Toluna has added a range of new product development methodologies to its Start platform, including needs identification, ideation, and claims testing solutions. More
Global research and advisory company Gartner has reported a 20% increase in second quarter revenue to $1.2 billion, from $973.1m a year earlier. Research revenues rose 14.6% to $1,003.2m, while the Conferences division recovered half its Q2 2019 revenue for a total of $58.2m. More
In interim results, WPP has reported a 'strong' first half, with revenue returning to 2019 levels 'a year ahead of plan'. H1 2021 revenue of £6.13bn was up 9.8% on last year's Covid-hit figure, and the group returned to a profit before tax (£394m) after losses of £3.18bn a year earlier. More
In the US, Kantar has appointed former SurveyMonkey exec Chuck Brinker as Brand Guidance Product team Lead, starting next month; and Christoph Haschka as Group Director of Mergers and Acquisitions. More
From September, Nielsen will begin placing approximately 3,000 newly designed Portable People Meter (PPM) wearable audience measurement devices with a subset of its nearly 60,000 active PPM panelists, as part of plans to modernize its panels and improve panelist experience. 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
US-based technology specialist Forrester Research has reported second quarter revenue of $128.7m, up 13.4% on last year. Revenue from its Research division climbed to $81.0m from $75.0m in Q2 2020. More
Nielsen has announced a 6.2% increase in second quarter revenues to $861m on both a reported and organic basis (4.5% in constant currency terms), up from $811m in the prior year period, and similar to revenue for the Global Media half of the business in Q2 2019. More
New York-based real-time MR software platform Suzy has closed a $50 million Series D funding round, more than doubling the total is has raised to date. More
Nielsen has launched an approach to measure authenticated and unauthenticated web traffic and validate first-party server data with real consumer behavior. More
Marcoms giant Publicis Groupe has acquired Australia-based self-service retail ad-serving and targeting platform CitrusAd, which provides brands with access to customer intelligence based on first-party data from retailers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Northern European data collection company Norstat Group has acquired Amsterdam-based firm Respondenten.nl, giving it a first presence in the Netherlands and a full-time headcount of more than 180. More
In New York, consumer insights platform Morning Consult has added seven former Kantar executives and three from Ipsos to its Commercial team. More
Nielsen has acquired Paris, France-based TV ad measurement and monitoring company TVTY. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Telecoms company Orange has acquired a small stake in French audience measurement agency Médiamétrie, and will now be represented on its Board. More
In the UK, consumer data company Pureprofile has hired former Dynata / Kantar Profiles exec Jon Wadsworth for a newly created role, Business Development Director, working across the UK and mainland Europe. 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
Continuing our focus on insight communities, Verve's Joint Head of Research talks about setting up the world's largest community panel; the boom in exploratory digital qual; and why he's seeing research better represented in board meetings than ever before. Available in print or as a video podcast. More
Google's phasing out of third-party cookies is no longer imminent. After sending the marketing community into a frenzy with its decision 18 months ago to drop cookie support from Chrome, the firm this week put the deadline back to at least mid-2023, linking the move to pressure from UK regulators. 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
LA-based insights firm Echo MR has expanded its partnership with CXM and Insights platform Alida to Europe, just a few months after joining its partner network. More
In Berlin, performance-based marketing platform Swaarm has secured a new seven-figure round of funding, which it will use to drive product development and increase its presence in new and existing markets. More
The European Union has formally approved the 'adequacy' of the UK's data protection protocols for the transfer of personal data between the two. 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
Consumer insights platform DISQO has acquired New York and Helsinki-based cross-device measurement specialist Verto Analytics, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Belgian companies One Inch Whale and Color Navigator have launched a joint venture, Research & Visual Nudging, which will combine insight techniques with the patented Color Navigator system to enhance services including predictive intelligence and neuromarketing. 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
Mark Inskip, the CEO of Kantar's UK and Ireland Media Division, has left the business to join staffing procurement firm Matrix SCM as Chief Executive Officer. He will be replaced on a temporary basis by EMEA MD Louise Ainsworth. More
Tobii Pro, which provides eye tracking solutions and services to understand human behaviour, has launched a mobile capability for marketing and advertising research conducted through its Sticky self-service online platform. More
US-based media, events and research company International Data Group (IDG) is to be acquired by investment firm Blackstone for $1.3 billion. More
Comscore has partnered with conversation analytics specialist Spiketrap, to expand its Predictive Audiences cookieless targeting solution specifically for gamers. 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
Nielsen has announced a $1.25 billion debt refinancing initiative, and says it is allocating funds to drive its new TV ratings platform Nielsen One. More
In Sweden, audience measurement group MMS has published the first figures on online video viewing using GfK's new reach model, Audience Ascription Model (AAM), and describes this as 'a major step toward providing total video ratings' for the country. 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
Cultural insights and strategy consultancy Crowd DNA has promoted Laura Warby to Head of Agency for London/Amsterdam; Hollie Jones to the same role in New York City; and Dave Power to Senior Director of the firm's Crowd Numbers quant team. More
Baltic States research firm RAIT has announced the acquisition of Sweden's Fürst Scandinavian Research. More
Switzerland-based sports data collection and analysis provider Sportradar has acquired Australian insights and technology company InteractSport, for an undisclosed sum. More
London-based insight agency Opinium has launched an EU Barometer, to provide a snapshot of consumer sentiment across the European Union. The service promises a ten-day turnaround, from questionnaire sign-off to data delivery. More
Software giant Oracle has launched what it claims is the world's first ad measurement technology for 3D in-game environments. More
US-based customer intelligence platform InMoment has appointed Nicolas Herz as Country Sales Director, to lead its expansion into France, and to strengthen its position in Benelux and across Europe. 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
First quarter revenues at global research and advisory firm Gartner rose 8.4% to $1.1 billion, with reported profit more than doubling to $164.1m (vs $75m in Q1 2020). Adjusted EBITDA rose 50% to $320m, from $214m a year before. More
Eye tracker developer Tobii is preparing to spin off its Dynavox arm, which develops speech generating devices, eye trackers and eye gaze/eye-controlled devices for people with disabilities and special needs. Along with the spin-off, Group CEO Henrik Eskilsson says he intends to step down. 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
WPP has launched a global data company called Choreograph, which brings the specialist data units of GroupM and Wunderman Thompson into a single business, accessible to all WPP clients and companies. More
YouGov has announced the acquisition of open banking start-up Lean App, adding financial transaction data to its panel, profiling and other products and services. More
Shopper insights firm Behaviorally has expanded its EU team with the appointment of Adeline Adam as Vice President, Market Development, based in Geneva. 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
Consumer intelligence platform Toluna has announced two senior appointments: Kelly Albada Jelgersma joins the company as Vice President Global Head of Sales Operations, and Houston Itzen as Global Head of Pricing. More
Tech buyer and seller marketplace Spiceworks Ziff Davis (SWZD) has launched a division called Aberdeen Strategy & Research, delivering insights into the business technology market. Robin Peto will lead it as Managing Director. More
Kantar has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Chicago-based consumer and market intelligence company Numerator from investment firm Vista Equity Partners. Sources suggest the deal is worth about $1.5 billion. 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
In London, full-service agency DVJ Insights has appointed former Hall & Partners exec Bethan Palmer as a Client Consultant. More
Emerging markets business and point-of-interest (POI) data provider dataPlor has launched regional POI datasets across Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with the addition of more than seven million new verified records. More
Shopper intelligence specialist Catalina has appointed Joy Linsday and Kanako Takano to oversee its Human Resources (HR) in the US and Japan, respectively. 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
US-based healthcare technology provider Cerner has completed its acquisition of Kantar Health for $375m in cash, subject to adjustment. More
Data science-powered app store optimization platform AppTweak has raised $22m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to expand its global presence, especially in the APAC and EMEA regions, develop its platform, and diversify its advisory services. More
Kantar and Ipsos have been awarded contracts to deliver what they say is the 'world's first true cross-media total audience measurement solution', in the Netherlands. The contracts combine measurement of viewing, listening, browsing and reading in a single, integrated system. More
YouGov has launched a templated suite of brand research approaches called Consumer Journey Diagnostics, which it says 'blends the depth of custom research with the cost-effectiveness and speed of syndicated data'. More
Global group GfK has unveiled a new version of its gfknewron solution which gives clients instant access to the company's independent, predictive analytics for tech consumer goods across 27 countries. New features include AI-driven rolling, short-term forecasts; and price optimization tools. More
Stockholm-based insight solutions firm Inzyon has launched a CSR Monitor, helping users to analyse and measure their Corporate Social Responsibility activities, and to comply with increasingly complex regulatory requirements on the topic of sustainability. More
Full-service agency DVJ Insights has appointed Jemma Toynebee-Smith as Client Consultant in its UK team, based in London. 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
Social media analyst Meltwater is to acquire French company Linkfluence, which uses artificial intelligence to mine social media for consumer insights. The agreed price of EUR 50m comprises a combination of cash, equity and earn-out. More
Camera app Snap has acquired shopper apparel and footwear sizing technology specialist Fit Analytics, which captures customer intelligence for clothing firms. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
US-based geospatial data provider SafeGraph has raised $45m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to offer new ways for customers to buy data, and to roll out its model in the UK in April. More
WPP has reported a 9.3% fall in revenue to £12bn in 2020 from £13.2bn the previous year, while turning a 2019 profit of £1.3bn into a 2020 loss of £2.3bn. Despite this, the group says it has cut debt to its lowest level in sixteen years. 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
Customer experience management specialist Medallia is to acquire digital experience analytics firm Decibel, headquartered in London, for approximately $160m in cash. More
Comscore has reported preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2020. Q4 revenue fell some 5.5% to $90.0m, but profits rose - adjusted EBITDA was up around 70% in Q4 to $9.4m, and for the year as a whole rose dramatically. More
GfK has announced the launch of Brand Architect, a new framework which it says bridges the gap between consumer attitudes and actual behavior, to measure the strength of brands. 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
Panel provider Intra Research has announced the launch of panels in Germany, Poland and India, with expansion to the Nordic countries coming 'in the near future'. 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
In London, Kantar has hired former Neustar exec Ted Prince for a newly created role, Chief Product Officer, responsible for defining and delivering new offerings and real-time platforms. More
Hamburg, Germany-based market research platform Appinio has hired former YouGov exec Jens Brümmer-Jerkovic for the newly created role of Head of Account Management for the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). More
US-headquartered mobile ad platform Vungle has acquired Finland-based mobile gaming analytics company GameRefinery for an undisclosed sum. More
Comscore has expanded its data agreement with marcoms giant Omnicom Group, to provide privacy-safe e-commerce and audience behavioral data for its Omni media planning and personalization platform. More
UK-based kids, parents & family panels firm The Insights People has added eight new team members since the start of the year, taking its headcount to 54, with a further 16 hires planned. The firm says that so far in 2021 it has added one new client every week. More
In Denmark, human behavior analyst iMotions has launched a data collection module using a browser interface and a participant's own webcam to collect data from facial expression analysis and eye tracking, for integration with self-reported surveys. More
Global PR and marketing company Cision has agreed to acquire Brighton, UK-based social media listening and content marketing analytics firm Brandwatch, for $450 million. More
Comscore has rolled out its cookie-free targeting capability 'Predictive Audiences' to France, Spain and Italy - it already operates in the UK and Germany. The firm has also partnered with audience technology platform Eyeota to offer access to cookie-less B2B audiences. 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
Digital MR products and solutions company Borderless Access has launched its proprietary MR panel community in two new Latin American and two European markets: Ecuador, Peru, France and Italy. More
Former Body Shop CEO Jeremy Schwartz has joined Kantar as Practice Chairman for Sustainable Transformation, with a remit to increase marketplace visibility for the division, along with C-suite engagement. 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
Oslo-headquartered data collection specialist Norstat has promoted Chief Operating Officer Erling Eriksen to CEO, replacing Knut Aasrud, who has decided to retire. More
In the US, Ipsos has appointed Christie Kawada as Head of Media Development and Audience Measurement. She takes over from Manny Flores, who moves to the position of Executive Vice President in the Client Organization. More
In London, ad group M&C Saatchi has launched a data consultancy called Fluency, promising to bring greater access to data and insights across organisations. It will be led by CEO Frisco Chau, who is also the wider group's Chief Data Officer. More
Behavioural insights platform Veylinx, headquartered in Amsterdam, has raised $2m in a pre-Series A round of funding. The money will be used to expand its teams across Europe and the US, accelerate product development, and launch a new platform. 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
Tech consulting and research group Gartner has reported Q4 revenue of $1.11bn, down 9% in the quarter and down 3% in the full year 2020, but the firm's double figure profit growth (full year adjusted EBITDA +20% FX neutral, and Q4 + 10%) supports CEO Gene Hall's bullish appraisal. More
US-based tech specialist Forrester Research has reported a 3.02% drop in fourth quarter revenue to $120.5m. For the full-year, total revenues were $449.0m, down from $461.7m in 2019. More
In Belgium, Pieter Goossens has returned to Kantar as Senior Director, Technology and Digital Lead. More
James David 'Dave' Power III, the founder and retired Chairman of automotive industry research specialist J.D. Power, died on January 23rd after a long-term illness. He was 89. 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
Crispin Beale, former Group CEO of Chime Insight & Engagement, has been appointed as an Advisor to the management team of shopper insights specialist Behaviorally (previously known as PRS IN VIVO USA); supporting the company's growth strategy in the UK and across Europe. 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
Comscore has rolled out its cookie-free targeting capability 'Predictive Audiences' in the UK and Germany. 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
European customer service specialist Dive has acquired Norwegian mystery shopping and customer satisfaction agency Ukjent Kunde. Terms were not disclosed. More
Online audience measurement body UKOM (UK Online Measurement) and Ipsos have announced the official launch of Ipsos iris, the new UK industry standard for online audience measurement. More
GfK has been commissioned by Asian media group Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) to develop a new measure of the state's local media consumption, combining survey data with digitally collected data in a single-source approach. More
Data-driven marketing and CX management company Merkle has promoted Sam Taverner to the role of EMEA Chief Growth Officer of the Merkle and dentsu CXM Service Line, and Liz Rutgersson to Chief Media Officer, Merkle Americas. More
In the US, experience management company Qualtrics has confirmed the pricing of its initial public offering (IPO) of 51,695,568 shares at a price to the public of $30.00 per share. More
In France, BVA Group has promoted Karen Gombault and Olivier Blanchet to serve as Chief Executive Officers of shopper specialist PRS IN VIVO worldwide. This follows the recent sale of PRS IN VIVO USA, now known as Behaviorally and run by former PRS IN VIVO Global CEO Alex Hunt. More
Ipsos has acquired a majority stake in Czech Republic-based company MGE Data, which specialises in Out-of-Home (OOH) measurement, with capabilities in consulting, data analytics, application development and technical solutions. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Comscore has announced the launch of Movies Everywhere, which promises daily reporting of box office movie performance across all platforms. More
Digital experience management software firm Sitecore has announced a $1.2bn investment, in support of a major growth plan. More
Shopper insights agency PRS IN VIVO USA has been renamed Behaviorally, following its sale to new majority shareholder Alcentra. More
The management team of French research and consulting firm BVA Group and its main shareholder Naxicap (together known as XPage) have been given the green light to acquire the company, which went into receivership last summer. The group's US arm has been acquired by British asset management firm Alcentra. More
According to reports in UK media, Paris-headquartered marketing group Publicis has been holding talks with a private equity firm regarding the possible sale of all or a part of the group. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of Croatian firm Fistnet d.o.o., developer of the Dotmetrics digital audience measurement platform. More
Google has taken the unusual step of pronouncing its $2.1bn acquisition of wearable tech firm Fitbit a done deal, while regulatory investigations including that of the U.S. Department of Justice are still ongoing. Meanwhile Facebook's WhatsApp is mired in controversy over user data. More
In the US, market intelligence platform Premise Data has raised $85m in a Series E round of funding, which it will use to expand its platform capabilities and global network. More
Paris, France-based MR firm OpinionWay has appointed long-time Kantar exec Maurice Benguigui as Deputy Director FMCG, in its Consumer Marketing Department. The firm has also made a number of other senior appointments and promotions. More
Netherlands-based full-service agency DVJ Insights has promoted Jori van de Spijker to the role of Managing Consultant Netherlands, while Judith Lieftink has joined the firm as Research Director. More
Ipsos has appointed Vicky Abad as Country Manager for the Philippines, replacing Marie Lee, who retired in December 2020 having led the business there for the past eight years. More
UK-based firm The Insights People has rolled out its Parents Insights service across thirteen countries, surveying 130,000 parents of children between the age of one and sixteen. Also new is a trend prediction service called 'Parents Insights Future Forecast'. More
Comscore has agreed to an investment deal which it will use to pay off its debt through the issuance of new shares. As part of the deal, the firm will also receive consumer-level data sets and rights from new investor, broadband and cable company Charter Communications. More
Consumer insight consultancy BVA BDRC has promoted Paul Russell to Managing Director of its Perspective Research Services subsidiary, along with a dozen other promotions in the group's research, marketing and design functions. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has announced two 'combinations', expanding both its MediaMonks content practice, with the addition of independent marketing firm Decoded Advertising; and its MightyHive data and digital media practice with the acquisition of San Francisco firm Metric Theory. 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
Digital research firm MetrixLab has extended its ACT Instant advertising pre-test tool worldwide, and across multiple ad formats including TV and banner ads. More
In the US, Facebook has acquired customer relationship management platform Kustomer, which focuses on omnichannel enterprise customer service. The deal was valued at $1 billion according to a report in The Wall Street Journal which cited 'people familiar with the matter'. More
Ipsos has made its InnoTest idea and concept testing solution available on the Ipsos.Digital DIY platform in seven countries - Brazil and the US plus Europe's 'big 5' - with eight more due to follow shortly. More
Nielsen has appointed Jamie Moldafsky, formerly CMO at Wells Fargo Bank, as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, effective immediately. More
Luxury markets specialist Altiant has launched the 'Millionaire Media Consumption Subscription', which analyses the habits of a thousand individuals with investible assets of at least $US 1 million, spread over four markets. More
Xandr, the advertising and analytics division of AT&T, has partnered with European ad visibility analyst Meetrics to help advertisers check the validity of their metrics and fight ad fraud. More
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has launched a suite of tools called 'Savanta Essentials', promising a low-cost, fast turnaround approach to help businesses research key issues and engage with consumers. 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
Apple has confirmed plans to introduce a feature known as 'App Tracking Transparency' (ATT) next year, which will prevent apps and web sites from monitoring the way a user behaves online. 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
Berlin, Germany-based tracking and optimization platform Swaarm has raised EUR 800k in a seed funding round, and will use it to drive company growth. More
Mobile app A/B testing service Taplytics has received an undisclosed amount of growth capital financing from CIBC Innovation Banking, for use in fuelling customer acquisition and growth plans across North America and Europe. More
In the Netherlands, consumer neuroscience company Alpha.One has hired former Facebook/Nielsen exec Ingrid Nieuwenhuis as Head of Science, responsible for its product roadmap. More
In Barcelona, Spain, pricing automation and sales forecasting specialist Optimus Price has merged with price and competitor monitoring business Athena under the former company's brand name. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Kantar's former virtual reality (VR) research specialist Alki Manias has joined Sydney, Australia-headquartered shopper research business StoreLab as Vice President, charged with leading the firm's expansion into the EMEA and Americas regions. He will be based in London. More
Comscore has reported lower revenue - down 6.7% to $88.0m - but adjusted EBITDA up around 14% to $7.3m, in the third quarter. The company also announced that as a result of its strategic review it will look to recapitalize with an anchor investor, lowering debt and enhancing liquidity. More
Panel provider Intra Research has appointed Marina Moshenska as its new CEO, with incumbent Kaspar Jänes moving to the Chairman's role. More
Technology consultancy Gartner has reported results for the third quarter, with revenue down just 1% (constant currency) at $995m, and adjusted EBITDA up 19.4% on the same basis to $168m. Excluding the Conferences segment, revenue rose by around 5%. More
Former employees of GroupM and Comscore, Michael Bologna and Joanna Drews, have launched HyphaMetrics, which will use a proprietary panel of 5,000 homes to track viewing across devices. More
Digital MR products and solutions company Borderless Access has launched a sub-brand, BA Health, combining a range of technology and analytics-driven research capabilities for clients in healthcare, life-sciences and diagnostics, with a team strengthened by 24 recent appointments. More
Nielsen has found a buyer for its Global Connect business, in the shape of affiliates of private equity investor Advent and with a price tag of $2.7bn. 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
Forrester Research has reported third quarter revenue of $108.6m, a fraction down on last year's figure in like-for-like terms. However, CEO George Colony says demand for services increased during the pandemic. More
Consumer intelligence platform Toluna has secured a 'significant' round of financing, which it will use to fund planned global growth initiatives. More
In Australia, Publicis-owned marcoms agency Zenith has promoted Joshua Lee to the role of National Head of Digital & Data. 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
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
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
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
Berlin-based business Swaarm has launched a platform helping agencies, advertisers and networks to manage, track, analyze and optimize their marketing campaigns at scale. More
Data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company Merkle has promoted Michael Komasinski from EMEA President to President, Merkle Americas; while his previous role is to be taken by Margaret Wagner. These appointments will take effect January 1st, 2021. More
Marcoms group Havas Creative has launched an international customer experience (CX) network, dedicated to delivering brand experiences across the entire customer journey. More
Kicking off a week and a half of articles from our forthcoming Data Visualization special issue, Ipsos.Digital CEO Andrei Postoaca backs AI to unlock its full potential behind the scenes within ten years, allowing business needs to return to centre stage. More
Marketing and CX management company Merkle has promoted Sam Taverner to lead its newly created EMEA Technology Services division. Ben Gott takes over Taverner's previous position as SVP Marketing Solutions Europe. More
Germany-based user, brand and shopper research specialist Eye Square has launched the Amazon Ad Testing Platform, which allows advertisers to evaluate the design, content and placement of ads on the online retail giant, in their natural environment. More
Comscore and LiveRamp have partnered on a new version of the latter's TV measurement solution. Now known as 'Data Plus Math powered by Comscore', the solution integrates the latter's established TV and digital ad exposure data with LiveRamp's identity and data connectivity solutions. More
US and Canada-based patient-focused recruitment specialist Rare Patient Voice (RPV) is expanding to Europe through a partnership with research software firm Q One Tech. More
In the US, consumer data and credit reporting agency TransUnion has agreed to acquire TV audience measurement firm Tru Optik, in which it was already an investor. Terms of the buy have not been disclosed. 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
European data collection company Norstat has hired Evelin Pae as MD for its Estonia business, replacing Kaspar Küünarpuu who has left the company. More
Customer insights firm Vision Critical has changed its name to Alida, and aims to disrupt the global customer experience (CX) industry, taking on the likes of Qualtrics and Medallia. More
Fast-growing communities specialist InSites Consulting is to roll out its 'Culture + Trends' solution worldwide. More
Stockholm-based affluent fieldwork specialist Altiant has launched LuxPoll, a new 'agile' product allowing researchers to collect one hundred validated interviews among affluent people in ten or more markets and receive actionable results back in 'days, not weeks'. More
YouGov has created two new senior roles - Global Sector Heads for Travel & Tourism, and Leisure & Entertainment - and has a new South African affiliate, MR agency KLA. More
Comscore has announced a partnership with cross-screen television data and analytics provider Samba TV, expanding its TV measurement footprint in Europe. More
First-party data and insights platform Dynata has acquired UK-based digital ethnography solution CrowdLab, which captures in-the-moment consumer opinions, attitudes and trends. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Nielsen has launched a database called Compass, which taps into the company's global scale to establish syndicated normative standards for campaign outcome measurement. 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
Data collection software developer Nebu has launched a '360-degree' application called Nebu Panel Manager, covering all aspects of panel operations - including multiple recruitment channels, member management functionalities, flexible sampling, and a rewards platform. More
In the US, customer experience management (CEM) specialist Sprinklr has raised $200m at a $2.7 billion valuation from private equity firm Hellman & Friedman, and an additional $150m in convertible securities from growth investment specialist Sixth Street Growth. More
Data collection specialist Norstat has appointed Romain Barbet as Managing Director in its Paris office. He will replace Norstat France co-founder Marc-Antoine Jacoud, who is staying with the firm for the next couple of months to assist with the handover. More
French audience measurement agency Médiamétrie has acquired the daily SVoD barometer, previously operated by NPA Conseil in partnership with Harris Interactive. 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
Digital marcoms group Next15 has acquired Silicon Valley-based growth incubator Mach49, which it will use as the cornerstone of its previously announced plans to create a $100m innovation business, working alongside its data, tech and brand marketing firms. Terms were not disclosed. 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
Marcoms giant WPP has reported a first half loss before tax of £2.58bn, compared to a profit of £409m a year earlier; and reported revenue down 12.3% to £5.58bn, from £6.37bn. Like-for-like (LFL) revenue declined 11.5%. More
Eye tracking hardware and software firm Tobii AB has announced results for the second quarter of 2020, with revenue down to SEK 332 million (US $37.75m) - an organic decline of 6%. More
'Experience Intelligence' provider InMoment is expanding its training program the CX Academy across Europe, following what is says has been a successful launch in Germany in 2018. The Academy is offered in partnership with MSR Consulting Group. More
Swedish eye tracking hardware and software developer Tobii AB has appointed Magdalena Rodell Andersson as Chief Financial Officer. She starts in January and replaces Johan Wilsby, who announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down. More
Audience profiling firm Eyeota has expanded its data onboarding partnership with GfK to New Zealand and Switzerland, adding to fifteen countries already covered by the deal. More
Ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo has appointed Todd Parsons, co-founder of online metrics company BuzzLogic, as Chief Product Officer. He will be based in the firm's Paris office. More
GfK and cross-device targeting specialist Dstillery have expanded their partnership to launch 79 new segments for targeting automotive 'brand loyalists' and 'defectors', as well as those in the market to buy used cars. More
In South Africa, communities specialist InSites Consulting has promoted Heather Tluczek to Managing Director. She replaces Henk Pretorius, who moves up to Head of Consumer Connections, a global role leading consumer network strategy for the group. More
Rob Stevens, co-founder of user experience and behavioural research consultancy Bunnyfoot, and later Ipsos MORI's Group Head of UX, died suddenly on 25th July 2020 as a result of coronary heart disease. He was 49 years old. More
Comscore has reported an 8% drop in second quarter revenue to $88.6m, but also a strong move towards profitability. Net loss was $10.4m, compared to a $279m loss in Q2 2019; while adjusted EBITDA was $9.2m, against a loss of $3.2m a year ago. More
Data and insight industry association ESOMAR has launched the Insights Festival 2020, taking place online from 14th to 17th September. The event replaces the previously planned ESOMAR Congress 2020, due to take place in Toronto in October, and now postponed to 2021 because of the pandemic. 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
Regional digital ad industry association IAB Europe and the global organisation's R&D and standard-setting consortium IAB Tech Lab have extended their partnership to launch the IAB Privacy Lab, which will help members develop standards for privacy, data protection and compliance. More
Global marketing group Publicis has appointed Adrian Farouk as ANZ Chief Executive Officer of its data company Epsilon, in addition to his existing position as ANZ CEO of marketing and technology agency Digitas. More
Analytics software provider FICO (formerly the Fair Isaac Corporation) has promoted Louise Lunn to the role of Head of EMEA Analytics, leading its newly created Global Analytics Delivery organisation and overseeing the firm's teams of data scientists worldwide. 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
Kantar has launched a survey solution called Accelerated Answers, which promises to deliver 'real insights from real consumers' in as little as six hours. More
Tech industry consultancy Gartner has reported a 6% rise in second quarter revenue for its Research division - from $826.1m in Q2 2019 to $875.3m a year later. With currency effects removed, the rise was 8%. Events revenue was wiped out, but the firm says the division will bounce back. More
Research and analytics group YouGov has signalled its intent to increase market share in the media sector by bringing in US and European 'heavy-hitters' Tamara Alesi and Julian Newby. 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
Technology specialist Forrester Research has announced a 3.5% drop in Research division revenues to $73.6m, in the second quarter. Chairman and CEO George Colony said the company had performed better than expected during a challenging quarter. More
In Helsinki, Finland, behavioral analytics data company Verto Analytics has hired Surath Chatterji for a newly created role, Vice President of Technology; the first exec at Verto to directly control and oversee all R&D. The firm has also added two new members to its Board. More
In the US, Omnicom Health subsidiary Adelphi Research has promoted Ratna Wynn to the position of EVP, Head of Research, Operations and Innovation, with responsibility for all research functions and operations. More
In the US, media company NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises has promoted Mónica Gil to the position of EVP, Chief Administrative and Marketing Officer, overseeing operations, growth marketing, and strategy and insights. 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
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
Nielsen has sold its social media TV measurement and audience insights software provider Nielsen Social to Talkwalker, a specialist in social media listening and analytics. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
A new study conducted by industry trade association ESOMAR has highlighted that 7 in 10 people are concerned about sharing their personal data with businesses, while two thirds say they don't like the current privacy practices employed by data collectors. 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, investment firm Saroras Private Capital has launched a new company called Apollo Intelligence Corporation, focused on tech-driven data and insights solutions for the life sciences and healthcare sectors; and has acquired data collection company SHG as part of it. More
Kantar has announced the launch of 'Project Moonshot', described as 'a major milestone' on the road to an advanced independent platform for measuring ad effectiveness. The initiative includes deals with Google, Pandora, in-game ad platform Anzu, Dish, Pinterest, Roku, Snap, Spotify and Twitter. More
The holding company of Toluna, Harris Interactive Europe and KuRunData is adopting the Toluna name as its principal brand, replacing ITWP which will be phased out. Toluna is celebrating this change and its twenty years in business with a new corporate identity. More
In the UK, marcoms group Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) has appointed Merkle exec Nick McCarthy to lead its new EMEA Global Technology Alliances team. More
Data and marketing services company Acxiom has launched a portfolio of 'digital transformation solutions' called ConneCXions, combining its expertise in martech (including customer data platforms, identity and ethnical data use), with adtech applications. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising and marketing services investment vehicle S4Capital has raised £116m through the issue of 36.8 million shares at 315 pence each. Proceeds from the sale will be used to fund further acquisitions. More
SaaS-based customer intelligence platform (CIP) Zeotap has raised $42m in a Series C round of funding, which it will use to continue invest in its platform, and in its recently launched universal marketing identity solution, ID+. More
Online communities specialist InSites Consulting has transferred Daniel Teixeira to Singapore, where he has taken up the role of Managing Director of its Asia brand, ABN Impact | InSites Consulting. More
In the US, advertising services and software company Mediaocean is to acquire multi-screen data science and marketing technology company 4C Insights for an undisclosed sum. 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
Global market reports and analysis firm Euromonitor has launched a system for tracking product claims across 40 countries and eleven industries. More
Central and Northern European customer service feedback specialist Dive has acquired Danish mystery shopping firm Servicemind. More
Healthcare specialist Research Partnership has published two new patient syndicated reports: Living With Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Living With Crohn's Disease (CD). More
In the UK, Andrew Mitchell has returned to consumer data firm IRI as EVP of Regional Client Growth Delivery, responsible for leading and supporting the firm's commercial efforts. More
Kantar has added the newly created role of Deputy Chief Executive to the role of Chief Financial Officer Ian Griffiths. More
Tech publisher and marketing services firm IDG Communications has acquired account-based marketing (ABM) platform Triblio, for an undisclosed sum. More
Kantar has rolled out a suite of innovation and product development solutions on its Marketplace automated research platform. More
Kantar has launched Link AI, a fully-automated, artificial intelligence-powered tool to measure and predict the impact of creative. More
In the US, programmatic sample platform Lucid has launched a real time advertising insights and analytics product called the Impact Measurement Dashboard, whose self-service features can be used to measure brand lift and optimize media performance for digital campaigns. More
Shopper insights agency PRS IN VIVO has enhanced its path-to-purchase measurement tool OmniPath, with enhanced single source data, social media listening and staged qualitative behavioral analysis, tracking the same consumers in context to influence their shopping behavior. More
In New York, skin care and makeup products manufacturer The Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) has moved billionaire heiress Jane Lauder into the new role of EVP, Enterprise Marketing and Chief Data Officer. She will take up the position on July 1st. More
The contracting authority representing the main Danish TV broadcasters has given Nielsen a five-year contract to provide 'cross-media video measurement' data in the country from 1st January 2022. 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
Helsinki and New York-based behavioral and market research platform Verto Analytics has promoted Pat Brennan to CEO, replacing founder Hannu Verkasalo who moves to focus on strategic partners, customers, vendors, marketing and public image. More
Nicole Pike, former MD of Nielsen's video gaming analysis business Esports, has joined YouGov in the newly created role of Global Sector Head of Esports & Gaming. 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
Ipsos Interactive Services' (IIS) has extended its MENA online panel with a launch in Iraq. The new panel boasts 8,000 members and is fully operational in all the state's major cities, in both Arabic and Kurdish languages. More
Hamburg, Germany-based Splendid Research is expanding its panel offering with the launch of an online access panel in Serbia. More
Mobile user data specialist zeotap has launched an initiative called ID+, promising to help counter the challenges posed by the phase-out of third-party cookies and other platform identifiers, as well as the regulatory landscape, by establishing a 'universal identity'. 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
French audience measurement agency Médiamétrie has promoted Julien Rosanvallon to the position of Executive Vice President - Audience Measurements, replacing Benoît Cassaigne, who is retiring but will continue as an advisor. More
Eye tracking solutions provider Tobii has released a new wearable device, Tobii Pro Glasses 3, which it says will provide unbiased insights into human behaviour for both commercial and scientific use despite being 'exactly like putting on and wearing a standard pair of eyeglasses'. More
Fashion publisher Vogue Business has launched an index measuring the performance of the world's top 50 luxury brands, produced in partnership with research firm Phronesis Partners. More
DIY survey software company SurveyMonkey is combining its customer experience (CX) solutions from two recent acquisitions into one umbrella brand, known as the GetFeedback Suite. More
Shopper data and insights business Nielsen Global Connect has appointed Tribune Media veteran Chandler Bigelow as its first Chief Financial Officer. More
Ipsos has launched an online solution called CreativeSpark, through which clients can evaluate video creative in the US and UK, in as little as 24 hours. The tool will be rolled out in sixteen additional markets throughout the year. 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
Cultural insights and strategy consultancy Crowd DNA has expanded the role of its London Managing Director Matilda Andersson to include management of the business in Amsterdam. More
Kantar and Comscore have announced the renewal of their partnership with Italian TV audience measurement body Auditel. The contract, ongoing since August 2017, will now run until December 31st 2023. More
In the US, community intelligence specialist Fuel Cycle has launched a platform called Ignition, which it says speeds up the gathering of customer and employee insights, simplifying and automating the research process. More
Concluding our DRNO coverage of the Mobile Insights special edition, an interview with the inspirational founder and CEO of app-based feedback business Streetbees. The second half of this, along with lots more mobile-focused content, can be found in the supplement itself. More
Kantar Media's Global CEO Andy Brown has left the business, less than a year after WPP agreed to sell 60% of Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital. Brown's next career move is not yet known, and his previous role has been filled on an interim basis by former Bain exec Serge Lupas. More
Netherlands-based data collection firm GDCC has consolidated its US-based call centers into an entirely work-from-home enterprise, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The firm has also promoted Lisa Mancini to the role of Vice President of Operations, North America. More
Continuing our excerpts from the recently published 'Mobile Age' special issue, Reach3 Insights CEO & founder Matt Kleinschmit looks at the rise of the mobile messaging-based Survey - with case studies from work for Jagermeister, Hyundai and Kimberly-Clark. More
Hamburg, Germany-based Splendid Research has launched new online access panels in Japan and Israel. More
Global shopper insights agency PRS IN VIVO has expanded its LAB suite of qualitative services (Leverage Authentic Behavior) with the addition of two new modules - LivingLAB and ListenLAB. 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
Nielsen Global Connect has launched Retail Pricing Analytics, an app which use artificial intelligence modules to help retailers set up, adjust and track pricing and promotion strategies. More
Online opinion and behavioral data specialist Netquest has added new online panels in Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland and Switzerland. More
Ipsos has partnered with mobile research tech firm RealityMine to create a cross-device panel measuring digital behaviour on smartphones, tablets and desktop computers. The panel will form part of Ipsos' contract to supply the UK's online audience measurement standard. More
Technology researcher Forrester Research has reported a 5.4% rise in first quarter revenue to $106.3m, equivalent to a 2% rise pro forma. Reported revenue for the research division increased 6% to $72.7m, and for advisory services and events 5% to $33.5m. More
Audience measurement firm Comscore has reported results for the quarter ended March 31st, including a 12.5% decline in revenue to $89.5m. However, the firm also turned a $2.5m adjusted EBITDA loss into a $6.4m profit. More
Technology advisory firm Gartner has announced first quarter revenue up 6.1% (at constant currency) to $1.02bn. Adjusted EBITDA jumped 52.8% on the same basis, to $214m. Results would have looked still better but for a pandemic-related slump in its small Conferences division. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's marcoms business S4 Capital has reported a 17% like-for-like increase in first quarter revenue to £71m, while on the same basis gross profit was up 19% to £60.7m. More
New York-based AI-driven ad personalization platform Clinch has announced expansion to Europe, where it is opening offices in Barcelona and Hamburg. More
Measure Protocol, a blockchain-based marketplace for person-based data, has launched a solution to help data buyers and market researchers gain a more 'holistic view' of their consumer audiences through passive mobile device data collection. More
Continuing our focus on mobile insights, Brandwatch founder & CEO Giles Palmer talks sifting through 1.5 trillion pages of data; pulling apart the Model-T Ford; and why our industry could grow fivefold in 5 years. Excerpts from a podcast interview by Jamin Brazil of Happy Market Research. More
Canada-based online sample and research technology specialist WiseWorks has appointed former Dynata ops exec Todd Baughman as Director, Integration and Insights, based in the US; while former Kantar exec Peter Gaal joins in Germany as Director of Sales. More
Pharma and healthcare data giant IQVIA has reported Q1 revenue up 3.7% at constant currency, to $2.754bn, and adjusted EBITDA down slightly to $562m from $587m a year earlier. The firm says the pandemic has affected business but it expects 'a strong recovery' by the end of 2020. More
In Munich, Germany, recently renamed customer experience and research company ISC-CX has launched a system called Covid-19 Feedback, allowing retail customers to give real-time feedback to management after purchase, pick-up or curbside delivery. 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
Marcoms giant WPP has reported a 4.9% fall in first quarter revenue, reflecting the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and has introduced further cost-saving measures. The group has also applied for a £600m government-backed loan. 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
Shopper insights agency PRS IN VIVO has launched a solution called PackFlash eCommerce, for use in testing product images presented in online shopping platforms. More
Audience tech platform Eyeota and research and data firm YouGov have expanded their existing partnership, allowing activation of audiences based on the latter's data in seven new markets. More
In Germany, former McKinsey execs Ingo Lange and Tobias Roelen-Blasberg have joined with researcher Maximilian Lüders to launch a company called MARA | Market Research Automation with a EUR 147k pre-seed funding round of investment. More
Continuing our focus on 'Insights in the Mobile Age' Mario Paic, Global Head of Data Science, looks at the rise of the smartphone and discusses its central role today at Ipsos Audience Measurement. 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
TV ad impact measurement company 605 has made a 'strategic' but unspecified investment' in London and Dublin-based advertising technology, measurement and services business Adscribe. More
Swedish eye tracking developer Tobii AB has announced that Chief Financial Officer Johan Wilsby has decided to leave his position to move to a new company. Wilsby has a six-month notice period and will leave Tobii in the autumn. 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
Continuing this week's focus on 'Insights in the Mobile Age' Andy Chandler, General Manager, UK & Ireland at mobile measurement and fraud prevention specialist Adjust, debunks three fashionable but misplaced ideas from this booming market. More
'You've Missed the Boat - but they're Every 30 Minutes'. The concluding part of RealityMine CEO Chris Havemann's upbeat look at the impact of mobile tech on market research. Today: Why MR firms are 'fundamentally well-positioned', and where the immediate opportunities lie. More
... but they're Every 30 Minutes. Kicking off a week of coverage from our 'Insight in the Mobile Age' supplement, RealityMine CEO Chris Havemann looks at the continuing opportunity for market researchers in a world of consumers and media changed almost out of recognition by the mobile revolution. Part 1 of 2. More
British engineering legend Rolls-Royce has announced the launch of Emer²gent, an alliance of data experts aiming to support global businesses and governments recovering from the economic impacts of Covid-19. Members include IBM and Google Cloud. More
In Brussels, ad industry association IAB Europe has launched the first version of a framework of definitions and standards to support those who invest in digital media research. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has launched an online data collection solution in China, to analyze cross-device consumer behavioral data in real time. More
Kantar has launched its Audiences service in Europe, with an initial roll-out in the UK, France and Germany. More
Industry association ESOMAR has called on national government and business leaders who commission research to regard data as an 'essential source' in understanding citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic; and has launched two related data-sharing initiatives. More
Private equity firm Bain Capital has sold Kantar's SRDS (Standard Rate & Data Service) to French ad tech company Adwanted Group. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
DIY research software firm SurveyMonkey has launched a suite of tools called Expert Solutions, through which customers can test product and marketing concepts with a global audience. More
Last year, Facebook agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit over the alleged inflation of its video audience metrics by anything up to 900%. An amended filing now claims the firm's execs were aware of its overestimating the number of people advertisers could reach, as far back as 2015. 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
Stockholm, Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science specialist Nepa has reported net sales up 10.7% (constant currency) in the fourth quarter of 2019 and 7.5% in the full year; but also an increased loss (EBIT) for both periods - a statistic its new CEO is determined to change. More
Tech-based market research company AudienceProject has replaced Comscore as the official measurement partner for Media Metrics Finland, the measurement body for the country's web sites and apps. More
Comscore has completed a second round of discussions with potential buyers including Symphony Technology, according to reports. More
Audience measurement firm Comscore has announced a partnership with multiplayer entertainment platform Twitch, adding tagless audience reporting of the latter's livestreaming, including gaming and esports insights, to the former's digital audience solutions. More
Retail and consumer goods analytics firm Trax has acquired on-demand retail services platform Survey.com, which provides full-service research solutions, survey programming, data management and analysis, and reporting services. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Paris-based ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo is being investigated by French data protection watchdog the CNIL, following a complaint made by campaigning group Privacy International. More
Munich, Germany-based enterprise loyalty specialist Loyalty Prime has raised EUR 5m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to drive the development of its software, based on artificial intelligence. More
In the US, Kantar has launched a service called 'Entertainment On Demand', to help the music industry and investors understand the consumer journey for digital video and music subscription services. The service will be rolled out in the UK, Germany, Australia and Japan in H2 2020. More
New Delhi, India-based consumer intelligence platform Affle has expanded to Europe, with the acquisition of mobile programmatic and proximity measurement firm Mediasmart, which is headquartered in Spain. More
Paris, France-based MR firm OpinionWay has expanded to Poland, opening offices in Krakow and Warsaw. More
International data collection group Schlesinger Associates has acquired tech-led sample, survey and quantitative research specialist Market Cube, for an undisclosed sum. More
WPP has reported results for the fourth quarter and full year 2019. Improvements from Q3 were not maintained to the end of the year and shares tumbled around 14% on the news. Nevertheless CEO Mark Read said 'substantial progress' was made in the year the group sold a majority stake in Kantar. 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
Oslo, Norway-based data collection specialist Norstat has appointed Mats Beck as Head of its newly established Strategy and M&A unit. More
AsiaPac-headquartered retail and consumer goods image recognition and analytics firm Trax has acquired Paris, France-based AI-driven, in-store, shelf monitoring solution Qopius for an undisclosed sum. More
In Indonesia, customer analytics platform MoEngage has raised $25m in a Series C round of funding, which it will use to expand in Asia, integrate advanced capabilities into its product mix, and scale operations in the USA and Europe. More
Adam Crozier, former CEO of broadcaster ITV, the Football Association and Royal Mail, has been named Non-Executive Chairman of Kantar. More
Audience intelligence and consent management company Quantcast has partnered with mobile data solutions firm Kochava to help clients comply with the new CCPA legislation (California Consumer Privacy Act). More
Research, media and events provider Informa Tech is bringing together its analysis and research units into a single entity. Ovum, Heavy Reading, Tractica and most of what was previously IHS Markit's TMT research business will be unified under the new brand, Omdia. More
Consulting group Gartner has reported fourth quarter adjusted revenue up 11% at constant currency, to $1.2bn, with profits also increased. Full year revenue was up 11% on the same basis to $4.2bn. More
In London, full-service insights consultancy Simpson Carpenter has added three new members to its Automotive team. More
Ipsos has acquired Maritz group's Mystery Shopping business in North America, for an undisclosed sum. More
UK-based media and marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has acquired the remaining 49% stake it its Italian subsidiary Ebiquity Italy Media Advisorys, with the total consideration expected to be EUR 3.4m. More
Dentsu Aegis has acquired people-based identification and data tech company 4Cite Marketing, and will add it to the fast-growing Merkle data-driven marketing business. More
Mobile measurement, fraud prevention and cybersecurity specialist Adjust has added two senior salespeople, Bill Kiriakis in San Francisco and Silvia Buermann in Berlin. 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
New York and Helsinki-based cross-media measurement specialist Verto Analytics has completed a $16m round of funding, which it will use to fuel the commercial roll out of its behavioral analytics research platform in the US and Europe. More
Nielsen has launched what it claims is the world's first passive in-car measurement system, using a combination of proprietary algorithms and the 'accelerometer' built into its Portable People Meter, which can identify and report when a panellist is inside a vehicle. 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
Adam Crozier, former CEO of broadcaster ITV, the Football Association and Royal Mail, is said to be discussing the role of Chairman at Kantar. More
Research and data group YouGov has completed its acquisition of SMG Insight earlier than scheduled, after the sports specialist outperformed its revenue targets. The company has been rebranded as YouGov Sport and fully integrated into the wider Group. More
Qual research, innovation and strategy agency The Sound has appointed Elizabeth Lockwood, a former Head of Europe for Ipsos Strategy3, to lead its UK office. She is tasked with expanding the firm's offer into new markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. More
Matt Michaud has rejoined global shopper insights agency PRS IN VIVO as Senior Vice President, Head of Behavioral Qualitative, based in London as part of the Innovation Team. More
US-based usability testing specialist Userlytics has added a card sorting and tree testing capability to its existing user testing platform, enabling clients to analyze the 'mental map models' their users and customers employ when searching for products and services. 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
Comscore's interim Chief Executive Dale Fuller has resigned as a Director of the company to 'pursue other ventures', following the recent promotion of Bill Livek to the CEO role. More
Panel firm Bilendi has announced four senior hires for its UK sales team: Ian Roberts joins as Sales Director, Sarah Hillis as Senior Sales Manager, Daniel Paraschiv as Senior Business Development Manager and Charlene Adamah as Senior Key Accounts Manager. More
Kantar has appointed former ITV plc COO and CFO Ian Griffiths as its new Chief Financial Officer. He will join the company on January 16th. More
Nielsen's entertainment data subsidiary Gracenote is expanding its Electronic Program Guide services into Europe - including Unique IDs and Deep Descriptive Metadata. 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
Netherlands-based full service agency DVJ Insights has brought in long-time GfK exec Michèle van Waterschoot to support the integration of its International Consulting teams, which operate in the Netherlands and the UK. More
Entertainment technology and TV data provider TiVo is to merge with audio, imaging and computing technology products firm Xperi Corp., in an all-stock deal with an enterprise value of $3bn. The TiVo name will remain on its products but the combined company will be known as Xperi. More
Nielsen has named Laurie Lovett as its new Chief Human Resources Officer, starting January 13th; and Christopher Taft as SVP Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer. In addition, former Microsoft and CBS exec Nancy Tellem joins the Board. More
Mobile measurement and fraud prevention specialist Adjust has expanded its operations in Latin America, with the opening of an office in Mexico City. More
Automotive industry research specialist J.D. Power is to merge with sister company Autodata Solutions, a provider of data and software solutions for the sector. More
Ipsos has partnered with recently formed marketing agency Alchemy-RX in a deal which will bring each company's expertise to existing and potential clients, and expand client access to experts. More
Venture capital backed sports marketing firm Bruin Sports Capital has agreed to acquire the majority of consumer data analytics, sports marketing and technology practice Two Circles from WPP. Terms were not disclosed. More
Retail data firm The NPD Group has appointed Darren Person as Global Chief Information Officer, and Robert Taylor as SVP, Enterprise Systems. More
Wealth information and insight business Wealth-X has expanded its global database with the addition of 130,000 wealthy individuals in Europe, increasing coverage in the region by 350%. 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
WPP says it has completed the sale of 60% of Kantar to Bain Capital Private Equity, 'with respect to approximately 90% of the Kantar business', with the proceeds received; and says it will complete the remainder in the first half of 2020. More
Ipsos has rolled out its behavioral science-based Duel screening solution in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, through its Ipsos.Digital self-service research platform. More
Enterprise data and analytics provider LiveRamp has launched a preference and consent management platform (CMP) called Privacy Manager, to help clients comply with laws such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (the California Consumer Privacy Act). More
In the first of 21 articles to celebrate our anniversary, we look at the events of a year in the life of the MR industry, as seen through articles in Daily Research News. Quanties among you will work out that the last article will involve a bit of speculation, but we start with a look way back, at the Millennium year. 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
UK-based marketing automation and audience understanding specialist BlueVenn has partnered with French database marketing agency Avanci, to deliver its customer data platform (CDP) across France, Switzerland and Belgium. More
Animal health and agriculture researcher Kynetec and agricultural MR specialist the Kleffmann Group have completed a transaction to merge. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Data collection company Norstat has a new owner, investment firm Triton having completed its acquisition today from former owners Foinco and Verdane. More
Nielsen TV data is to be integrated into YouTube's audience planning tool, Google Reach Planner. Roll-out is initially in the US, with plans to go global next year. More
Marcoms group Interpublic has created a new practice focused on 'digital responsibility', within its recently formed Kinesso targeting and optimisation company. Acxiom / LiveRamp executive Sheila Colclasure has been hired to head it up. 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, data-driven marketing and loyalty solutions provider Alliance Data has appointed Ralph Andretta as President and Chief Executive, effective from next February. He will succeed Melisa Miller, who has served in the role since the June 2019 retirement of Ed Heffernan. More
Nielsen has announced a major expansion of its relationship with US-based food giant General Mills Inc. More
WPP is once again considering acquisitions, in 'faster growing segments such as technology and commerce', according to CEO Mark Read in a call with investors on Thursday. More
In Madrid, WPP Chief Exec Mark Read has opened the marcoms group's latest co-location campus, La Matriz, which is its largest in Europe to date. More
In the UK, online research supplier Panelbase has hired research veteran Johnny Caldwell in the newly created role of Innovation Consultant. He is based in London 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
Irish Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon has confirmed her office is working on 21 major investigations, of which no fewer than eleven concern Facebook or its subsidiaries WhatsApp and Instagram. More
Leuven, Belgium-based multisensory researcher Haystack International is changing its name to Haystack Consulting, stressing its focus on evidence-based consulting, as opposed to 'pure data delivery'. The move follows 'a thorough reflection and transformation process' over the past few months. 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
Omni-channel TV advertising and analytics platform Innovid has appointed former IgnitionOne MD Wolfgang Kirschner to head its expansion efforts across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The firm has also hired Jeremy Straight as SVP of Business Development, based out of New York. More
In the US, Sony Pictures has promoted Chris Liberge and Kate Donnelly, both taking the title of Senior Vice President of Global Strategic Marketing and Research. The pair will co-run Sony's new group of film-specific 'strategy pods'. More
Digital research agency MetrixLab has launched a tool called 'ACT Instant', which uses machine and deep learning elements of artificial intelligence (AI) to predict advertising performance, without the need for surveys or respondents. More
Google has acquired wearable fitness / wellness tracker Fitbit in a deal valued at approximately $2.1 billion. Fitbit has issued an assurance that it will continue to put users in control of their data and that its health and wellness data will not be used for Google ads. More
Mobile measurement and fraud prevention specialist Adjust has expanded its UK team with the appointment of Andy Chandler as General Manager UK & Ireland, and Isabel Ferreira as Sales Director. Both will be based in the firm's London office. More
Audience measurement firm Comscore has made two major announcements: a five-year deal with global film exhibitor Cinemex to provide an enterprise data platform and analytics software solutions; and an expansion of its partnership with global entertainment network Discovery, Inc. 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
Technology researcher Forrester has announced results for the third quarter, with total revenue up 28% to $108.6m, reflecting the acquisition of SiriusDecisions. More
Harris Interactive has launch two new products, hi brands Express and ad post-test Express, which it says deliver 'faster, more cost-effective brand and communications insights' for FMCG, financial services, technology, media and entertainment sectors. More
Customer experience and analytics specialist Accenture Interactive is planning to acquire French marketing analytics and consultancy firm Sutter Mills. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
In the US, online community and survey tech provider Toluna has launched a specialized practice focused on the needs of the Media & Entertainment industry, led by long-time company exec Patricia Chapin-Bayley. More
Kantar has been awarded the contract to deliver national radio ratings currency in Sweden for the four years commencing on 1st August 2020. More
YouGov has reported a 17% increase in revenue to £136.5m for the full year ended 31st July. The UK led the way with revenue growing by 31%, while the US also fared well with a 17% rise. More
Marcoms giant Interpublic Group has formed a new division, Kinesso, building on its recent acquisition of Acxiom to create data-based marketing applications focused on trust and security, campaign optimization and precision audiences. More
ESOMAR held its annual Congress in Edinburgh last month. Here its Director General Finn Raben chooses his top 3 (or 4) presentations. More
Nielsen Sports has launched an online platform to provide a view of fans' interests, media consumption, brand attitudes and purchasing habits from around the world. More
Panel provider Borderless Access has appointed former Dynata exec Max Czycholl as Vice President - Europe. He is based in Hamburg, Germany. More
Sweden-based holding company Modern Times Group MTG AB (MTG) has announced a partnership with Nielsen, providing sponsorship valuation and media measurement for its esports portfolio companies ESL Gaming GmbH and DreamHack. More
Netherlands-based HR data firm AnalitiQs has announced the acquisition of opinion and market researcher No Ties, an existing partner company which will continue to operate under its own name. Terms were not disclosed. More
Ipsos has launched a new syndicated Medical Aesthetics Monitor, beginning in South Korea and with plans to expand to Europe and North America. More
Our month-long focus on online communities continues with another podcast. Samsung's Director of European Countries CMI on work-life and other kinds of balance; the extremes of 'agile'; working on communities with Verve; backing up insights; and why brands should 'get out more'. More
Comscore has promoted Arturo Guillén to the role of SVP & Global Managing Director of its movie division, taking the reins from SVPs Steve Buck and Jim Zak. More
Insights partnership RealityCheck Consulting has launched HXi, a new service for CX and decision journey mapping More
Our month-long focus on online communities goes client-side today. Hannah Downs, Head of Insight at UK agency ResearchBods, explains how the firm uses a community to help British broadcasting group ITV get closer to viewers. More
GfK has teamed up with digital measurement firm BrandTotal to allow marketers to track social campaigns that target custom segments. GfK says this includes 'dark marketing', highly targeted campaigns invisible to the general public but making up 88% of social media spend. 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
Brand tracking and consumer science firm Nepa AB has appointed Erik Enecker as MD of its US subsidiary, starting this Friday and taking over from Ken Peterson, who leaves the company. More
Credit scoring and consumer analytics company Equifax has announced a global partnership with utility data aggregator Urjanet, allowing consumers and businesses to share payment data from thousands of utility, telecom and cable providers worldwide. More
Paris-based qual and UX specialist MindSpark Research International is moving offices to make space for new two members of staff, design anthropologists Alicia Dornadic and Elvin Tuygan. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's recently formed marcoms business S4Capital has reported revenue of £87.97m for the first six months of 2019 - up an estimated 42%, or 38% in constant currency terms. According to the firm, it is on track to double in size organically by 2021. 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
Steve Buck, Comscore's SVP of Business Relations and Jim Zak, SVP of International Theatrical are among those to depart the company as it cuts 8% of its workforce, according to reports. More
US-based Further&Further, which combines qual research methods with immersive documentary film-making, has opened a European office, based in London. Former CrowdDNA director Kelvin Amos joins the office as European Managing Director. More
US-based online ad intelligence firm Pathmatics has rolled out its flagship 'Pathmatics Explorer' product to the UK and Germany, giving publishers and agencies access to previously unavailable panel-based Facebook advertising data. More
In London, online community specialist C Space has launched a suite of solutions called 'Customer as a Service' (CaaS), which combines multiple sources of data, technology and commercial consultancy to understand the customer and place them at the heart of the organisation. More
In London, Neil Frackiewicz has been promoted to Head of Retail UK, effective from 1st September. He takes over from Michael McLaughlin, who moves up to Head of Retail Europe. More
In Australia, Publicis Media-owned Zenith has appointed Kim Xavier as National Head of Insights. Her appointment follows the departure of Tim Beveridge, who spent the previous four and a half years as Chief Strategy, Data & Insights Officer. More
Eye tracking hardware and software pioneer Tobii AB must fully divest recently acquired Smartbox Assistive Technology Ltd, after a ruling by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). More
Comscore Board member Paul J. Reilly has resigned, citing a lack of confidence in its operating strategy and innovation. In the last few days, the company's share price has dropped further to record lows around the $US 1.50 mark. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's investment vehicle S4Capital has merged its content arm MediaMonks with Amsterdam-headquartered influencer marketing company IMA. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
GfK and Segment of One (SO1) have jointly developed an artificial intelligence-based solution called Attribution+, to enable grocery and drugstore retailers to gain intelligence on shoppers. More
Automotive industry research specialist J.D. Power is to be acquired by private equity investment firm Thoma Bravo. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Digital media analytics specialist Quotient has launched a solution giving consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands consumer purchase history and intent data, from which to build targetable shopper segments for use in digital advertising. More
Tech markets consultancy Gartner has posted a 7% increase in second quarter revenue to $1.1bn (up 9% on a foreign currency-neutral basis). CEO Gene Hall says the company is well-positioned for sustained long-term, double digit growth. More
Ipsos has launched an 'Innovation Testing' service, founded on behavioural science and promising to help users 'successfully compete in today's omnichannel world'. More
Consumer insights firm PRS IN VIVO has launched the BEQual Toolkit, which applies behavioral science to projective qualitative research techniques using tablets and real-time feedback. More
In the US, TV content demand measurement platform Parrot Analytics has partnered with Spanish television-industry consultancy GECA to gauge content demand and trends across emerging markets, particularly those in Asia. 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
Microsoft has tapped its experience of helping business to test the impact of IT changes, to develop a campaign testing service called Experiments, to be offered shortly to users of its ad platform. More
Media and analytics firm Crossmedia Inc. has announced a partnership with former MDC Partners CMO Bob Kantor to launch a collaborative marketing services network called Dawn, with four members agencies already included and more to be added soon. More
Following Friday's announcement that WPP is to sell 60% of Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital, more details are emerging of the firm's plans, including possible eCommerce acquisitions and expansion of services like Kantar Marketplace. More
Automated MR platform Zappi and insight marketplace and MR tech provider Cint have announced a partnership to provide 'an integrated technology solution' giving Zappi customers results 'even faster than before, within hours', at much-reduced cost and with 'total control of their data'. 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
WPP-owned Kantar has launched a number of services to help marketers directly integrate their own datasets with data from its TGI consumer survey, to give enhanced audience profiling for campaign planning and digital media activation. More
The partners at pricing and strategy consultant Simon-Kucher have elected Mark Billige, from the UK, and Andreas von der Gathen, from Germany, as co-CEOs for the next five years. They will take up their new positions on January 1st 2020. More
Automated consumer insights platform Zappi has launched a tool called Optimize Reach, which uses TURF analysis to understand the combined reach of text-based stimuli, eliminating the need to manually re-run possible scenarios. 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
Global consumer agency InSites Consulting has acquired UK-based insight community specialist Join the Dots, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Consumer intelligence and measurement company Cuebiq has launched a solution allowing clients to provide verifiable proof of their compliance with the EU's GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in their use of its products and services. More
Digital data collection specialist Dynata has launched a multi-supplier, automated research platform called Dynata Marketplace, through which researchers can combine the firm's first-party consumer data with that of multiple third-party providers. More
Mobile measurement and fraud prevention specialist Adjust has raised $227m in a new round of funding, which it will use to further develop its product suite and to expand its presence in new and existing regions. More
Alison Lewis is leaving her post as Chief Marketing Officer of consumer manufacturing giant Johnson & Johnson, as part of a business shake-up which will see the role scrapped altogether. More
Enterprise data and analytics provider LiveRamp has agreed to acquire Boston, MA-based media measurement company Data Plus Math. The deal promises clients 'a more effective way to buy, sell and measure data-driven television'. More
Brand tracking and consumer science firm Nepa has named Esha Nagar Managing Director of Sales for India, based in Mumbai and overseeing its research and client development efforts across a range of vertical industries. More
Leuven, Belgium-based multisensory research firm Haystack International has announced the acquisition of shopper intelligence specialist Shopting, for an undisclosed sum. More
UK-based Insights People has created eight new jobs, after receiving backing from business support agency, GC Business Growth Hub. The company is also seeking to finalise another round of investment to further scale its US and European businesses, and to launch into Asia. More
Ycor, a French company owned by Publicis chairman Maurice Lévy, says it has put in its own bid for the Ad Server and DCO units of struggling tech firm Sizmek, higher than that of retail giant Amazon, and with the aim of maintaining an independent option for the industry. More
Global market reports and analysis firm Euromonitor International has launched an office in Dusseldorf, servicing the DACH region - Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More
Google is to acquire business intelligence, data applications and embedded analytics provider Looker, in a deal valued at $2.6 billion in cash. More
In the US, Facebook-owned photo and video-sharing service Instagram has promoted Tamar Shapiro to the role of Head of Analytics, leading a team of more than 150 data scientists and data engineers. More
Marketing and MR Agency System 1 has reported flat constant currency revenue of £26.90m for the twelve month period ended 31st March 2019, and says it continues to invest heavily in its new AdRatings product. More
Comscore has rolled out its Brand Survey Lift ad impact evaluation solution to six international markets - Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, Spain and the UK. More
In the US, Comscore's recently appointed Chief Operating Officer Kathryn Bachmann has resigned a month after taking up the position. More
Location intelligence provider Foursquare is acquiring rival technology Placed from Snapchat owner Snap Inc. Funding for the deal will come from a $150m investment in Foursquare by merchant bank The Raine Group. More
Amazon has agreed to acquire the Ad Server and DCO personalization tools of bankrupt ad tech company Sizmek. The buy, whose terms were not disclosed, boosts the online retail giant's rapidly growing advertising business. More
Ipsos has named Michele Booth, previously of consultancy firms Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte, as Head of Advisory for Customer Experience (CX). More
Vista Equity Partners, a firm co-founded by Robert F. Smith, the richest African-American in the United States, has joined the list of bidders competing to buy a majority stake in WPP's insight and analytics arm Kantar. More
In Paris, France, ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo has appointed Geoffroy Martin as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Retail Media. More
Netherlands-based full service agency DVJ Insights has launched an automated test for measuring the strength of a visual design or logo, within its Easy2survey platform. More
Reports from several sources suggest that WPP has shortlisted private equity investors Bain Capital, Apollo, Platinum and a fourth undisclosed company to submit bids to buy a majority stake in its insight and analytics arm Kantar. More
Experiential, rewards and promotional business The CI Group has acquired Rozovest Business Analytics for an undisclosed sum, and renamed it Pearl Analytics. More
Organisations from India, Japan, France and Canada have teamed up to launch GAMMA, the Global Alliance for the Measurement of Media Audiences. The new body, headed by Global MD Brad Bedford, aims to align operational processes and technical standards in the sector. More
Purchase intelligence platform Cardlytics has appointed former Facebook and Google employee Nate Bucholz as VP of eCommerce advertising partnerships. More
The NPD Group has named 25-year GfK veteran François Klipfel as President of its Europe Toys business. More
Dynata has partnered with local audience data specialist Eyeota to offer access to hard-to-reach global B2B and consumer audiences at scale. More
Marketing and media consultancy Ebiquity has hired Jed Meyer as MD of its North American offices, while promoting Nick Pugh to MD, UK & Ireland; Laetitia Zinetti to MD of Continental Europe; and Christian Zimmer to MD for its German, Austrian and Swiss (DACH) business. More
Tech research and advisory firm Gartner has reported an 8% increase in revenue in its Research segment, to $825m for the three months ended March 31st - equivalent to an 11% rise on a constant currency basis. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's recently launched marcoms business S4 Capital has reported a 38% increase in revenue to £40.9m for the three-month period ending 31st March, with gross profit up more than 37% to £32.8m. More
US-based Forrester Research has reported a 33% increase in first quarter Research Services revenue to $72.4m, reflecting the acquisition of b2b researcher SiriusDecisions. 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 $415m. More
Ipsos has appointed long-time J.D. Power exec Jacob George as Executive Vice President and Leader of its US Automotive Quality Practice. More
Bain Capital and Apollo Global Management LLC are among those moving into the next stage of bidding for Kantar, according to sources, quoted on Bloomberg; while private equity firms CVC Capital Partners and Apax Partners have dropped out. More
Eye-tracking hardware and software firm Tobii AB has reported results for the first quarter of 2019, with net sales up 20% in constant currency terms, to SEK 393m ($US 41.3m). With continuing high investment in R&D division Tobii Tech, operating loss was SEK -37m ($US 3.9m). 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
First quarter revenue less pass-through costs in WPP's Kantar (DIM) division was flat (up 0.1% like-for-like), while the rest of the marcoms group saw declines. Kantar, whose sale process is said to be 'progressing well', saw particularly strong growth in Asia Pacific, LatAm and the Middle East. More
Automated consumer insights platform Zappi has opened a new office in Hamburg, Germany to support clients across Central Europe. More
French audience measurement agency Médiamétrie has launched a solution called Data Profiling, using AI to allow targeting of ad campaigns on catch-up TV through a box or online. 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
Outdoor advertising company JCDecaux has introduced an international solution for the airport industry called AAM (Airport Audience Measurement). More
In the US, Ipsos has acquired GfK's probability-based online panel, for an undisclosed sum, and added it to the Ipsos Public Affairs division. More
YouGov has announced an 18% rise in revenue to £66.5m for the half year period ending 31st January 2019, compared with £56.3m in the prior year period. The firm says US demand for data products and services has enabled it to withstand the political uncertainty hitting business in Europe. More
Ipsos has launched Simstore, a suite of automated virtual shopper and packaging solutions to help clients understand how shoppers make decisions, improve navigation and optimize retail conditions and package designs. More
Nielsen has launched a Behavioral Sciences Institute, with the aim of educating leaders across industries on 'the power of conscious and nonconscious decision making'. The Institute will sit within, and tap the data library of the company's Consumer Neuroscience division. 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
Ipsos has announced the Asia Pacific launch of its Creative|Labs, which use early communication research to encourage and guide 'bold and effective' creativity in advertising. More
Decision-making behaviour specialist SKIM has launched Price Explorer, to help clients make 'quick and confident' decisions on pricing new products. More
GfK has appointed long-time Procter & Gamble insights exec Richard Boyko as Country Lead for Consumer Insights and Marketing Effectiveness in Belgium. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's new group S4 Capital has presented its inaugural results for the period ending 31st December 2018. Pro forma revenue for the company and predecessors was £135.9m, up 58% on 2017; while pro-forma operational EBITDA was £22.4m, up 99%. More
Oracle is phasing out its offer of AddThis audience data in Europe, as a result of the post-GDPR regulatory environment. More
Stockholm-based affluent fieldwork specialist Altiant has launched, GLAM - the Global Luxury and Asset Management monitor, as well as an open interactive platform hosting ranges of data points from its in-house HNW panel LuxuryOpinions. 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
Online video analytics tech developer Innovid has hired Seamus Whittingham to lead its EMEA team as Managing Director, based in London. More
UK-based agency The Insights People has expanded its services to Europe following a raft of client wins, and has appointed three new members of staff to support this growth. More
Kantar has officially launched its 'Marketplace' on-demand research store, which combines a sample reaching 80 million consumers worldwide with the ability to deliver quick turnaround self-serve custom surveys, insight solutions and expert consulting. Will Galgey will lead it as CEO. More
GfK has introduced a mobile app called 'GfK Performance Pulse', which combines POS data with its experience of working with manufacturers, to help sales teams optimise ROI during launches and promotions. 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
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
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
Dynata - until recently known as Research Now SSI - has received a US patent for its automated graphing system, which will improve both the accuracy of profiling data and the quality of the respondent experience. More
Digital research agency MetrixLab has continued a recent spate of launches with the announcement of Campaign Monitor, a 'fast, focused and detailed' multi-media campaign effectiveness solution analyzing the impact of individual campaign channels. More
Facebook must answer questions from Congress about failures over the data security of users of its 'closed' health groups; and has also withdrawn its controversial Onavo VPN app. Rival Google is under fire over a hidden microphone in its 'Nest' security devices. More
In London, automated online MR platform Fastuna has hired corporate researcher Maria Soroka as Managing Director for Europe. More
US-based research and advisory firm Forrester has reported an 11% rise in research revenues to $62.0m for the fourth quarter of 2018, compared with $56.9m in the prior year period. Full year research revenues were up 6% to $228.3m. 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
Online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has launched a DIY eCommerce insights platform called Storefront. More
In New York, WPP's media investment arm GroupM has appointed research analyst Brian Wieser as Global President, Business Intelligence (BI). More
Tech industry consultancy Gartner has reported a 7% rise in revenues to $1.1bn for the fourth quarter of 2018 (+12% in constant currency terms), while EBITDA, excluding divested operations, rose 6% to $211m. More
Israel-based digital ad platform Taptica has acquired RhythmOne in a $US 176m all-stock deal, creating a powerful combination with another recent acquisition, Tremor Video DSP. Tremor Executive Chairman Ofer Druker will become CEO of the enlarged group. More
Audience measurement agency Médiamétrie has launched a study called 'Global Audio', looking at the development and consumption of audio services in France. More
Consumer goods giant Unilever has partnered with Kantar Media, Nielsen, Facebook, Google and Twitter to build a standardised cross-media brand measurement model. More
Nielsen has begun the process for a possible sale of the business following interest from private equity firm Blackstone Group, according to an article in the New York Post. Blackstone may make a bid for Nielsen tomorrow, in a deal which could value the business at around $10 billion. More
WPP's Kantar is launching an on-demand research and insights store called Kantar Marketplace, providing access to the company's portfolio of quick turnaround solutions. More
Kantar CEO Eric Salama is said to be recovering well in hospital, his injuries 'neither life-changing nor life-threatening', after being stabbed 'near the heart' with an 'enormous knife' by a man attempting to steal his car in Kew, London on Sunday. More
Thirty-year company veteran Crawford Del Prete has been promoted from COO to President of tech intelligence and events firm IDC, effective 1st February. He succeeds Kirk Campbell, who is retiring after leading IDC for more than 27 years. More
UK-based marcoms network the Unlimited Group has hooked up with Japanese agency group Hakuhodo and owner-managed German group Serviceplan, promising clients a global offering based on locally rooted insight. More
In Germany, retail analytics and shopper insights firm emnos has launched a diagnostic solution called emnosNavigator, to help retail category managers uncover the root cause of unusual category movements. More
Belgium-based customer data platform NGDATA has raised just over $19m in a Series C round of funding, which it will use to accelerate global growth. More
YouGov has given Ben Glanville the task of replicating the growth of its UK Data Services offering - including its omnibus - across a number of key markets, including Germany, France and the Nordics. More
Animal health and agriculture researcher Kynetec has appointed Stéphanie Richez as Senior Research Director, based in France. More
Internet giant eBay has acquired Canadian eCommerce research specialist Terapeak for an undisclosed sum. More
comScore CFO Gregory Fink has been appointed as the company's Principal Accounting Officer Elect, replacing Michelle Spencer, who had only served in the role since last January. No explanation has yet been given. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has announced a social media data partnership with customer intelligence platform FullContact, to deliver '360-degree' person, customer, and relationship insights. More
Netherlands-based influencer marketing platform Join has raised an undisclosed amount of funding, which it will use to expand across Europe, while continuing to develop its AI-based software. More
British luxury car and aero engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce has launched a system of innovation hubs called R2 Data Labs, which will use analytics, AI and machine learning technologies to drive design, manufacturing and operational efficiencies. More
Rupert Murdoch's media group News Corp has launched an audience targeting platform called News IQ, combining first-party data from across its media properties, with data science tools. More
UK-based Zoopla Property Group (ZPG) has acquired Netherlands-based residential property market analyst Calcasa for an initial EUR 30.0m (£26.5m). More
In London, data-driven performance marketing agency Merkle has promoted Michael Komasinski to the role of President of EMEA, tasked with driving the firm's growth strategy across the region. He replaces Tim Berry, who has returned to the US. More
In the US, retail analytics and shopper insight specialist emnos has hired former Symphony EYC and dunnhumby exec Brian Murphy, to lead its global initiatives and develop new business segments. 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
French media research agency Médiamétrie is to launch a service to measure and understand the impact TV programmes are having on social media activity across the country. 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
US-based automotive specialist Ipsos RDA has launched its inaugural Electric Vehicle Sales Experience and Best Practice Study, to examine the sales process across automotive brands currently offering battery electric vehicles (EV). More
Harris Interactive has launched a product called PackTest Express, the latest tool in its digital new product development research suite. More
Edinburgh-based ad measurement and optimization firm TVSquared has acquired German television ad tracking specialist wywy. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Influencer marketplace Octoly has raised $10m in a Series A round of funding, from marcoms giant Havas Group, venture capital firm Otium Venture, marketing business Twin Partners, and the EU's SME Instrument programme. More
Prague-based response:now, which provides AI-powered market research, has launched in the USA and appointed Dr. Frederick Barber as Managing Director of North America. More
Nielsen has rolled out a web-based forecasting solution called Marketing Budget Explorer, helping marketers evaluate thousands of combinations of marketing allocations and budget options to make better media planning decisions. More
Sweden's audience measurement body MMS has extended its digital ad ratings, produced by GfK, to a 'Total Video' service designed to measure the ROI of cross-platform video ads. This includes linear TV, smart TV, PC, smartphone and tablet devices. More
Borderless Access, known as a specialist in emerging markets, has introduced proprietary panels in three distinctly developed economies - Germany, the UK and the US - as well as Egypt. More
SKO, the industry body responsible for the reporting and monitoring of viewing behaviour in the Netherlands, has renewed GfK's television audience measurement (TAM) contract until 31st December 2018. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has launched a tool called SmartTracker, allowing clients to connect existing tracker survey data directly to a range of other information sources. 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
Technology research and advisory company Gartner has reported Research revenue of $653.4m for the third quarter of 2017, a rise of 38% at constant currencies - reflecting its acquisition of CEB. For the group, Gartner reported a Q3 loss of $48.2m, compared with a profit a year earlier. More
Community and survey tech provider Toluna has launched a DIY tool called PowerPack, to help marketers understand the overall strengths and weaknesses of their package concepts - at a speed the firm claims is 'ten times faster' than traditional methods. 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
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported third quarter revenue up 3% for its Research division and 6% in its Advisory Services and Events wing, for a total of $80.4m (Q3 2016 $77.4m). Pro forma net income fell slightly to $5.6m on substantially increased operating expenses. More
Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) has extended GfK's radio audience measurement contract by a further five years. The new deal includes investigation of a new multi-million-dollar Measurement Innovation Program (MIP), to explore the potential for a hybrid future for radio measurement. 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
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has integrated passive data-based Digital Tracking within its end-to-end real-time insights platform. More
Oslo-based data collection company Norstat has partnered with German agency dp2research to develop the Destination Satisfaction Index (DSI), which evaluates travel destinations on twenty factors to produce an overall attractiveness rating. 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
Media group Dentsu Aegis Network has signed a two-year licence to use YouGov's segmentation and media planning tool Profiles for its audience understanding, strategy and activation needs. The group previously used Kantar TGI. More
Tech consultancy Gartner is 'exploring and evaluating strategic alternatives', including a possible sale, for its CEB Talent Assessment business, formerly SHL. More
UK-based agency System1 has upgraded its award-winning Predictive Markets idea testing technique. Next Generation Predictive Markets draws on learnings from over 40,000 tests and promises clients 'improved accuracy and greater speed at a lower cost'. More
Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) has launched a new online access panel in Kuwait, its eighth in the MENA region. 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
comScore has given Wesley Nichols, Paul Reilly and Bryan Wiener seats on its Board of Directors, as part of its settlement agreement with one of its largest shareholders Starboard Value. More
US research and advisory firm Forrester has launched an app called Tap, allowing consumers to suggest how brands can improve their customer experience. More
Nielsen has agreed to acquire multi-touch attribution and marketing mix modelling specialist Visual IQ, which measures ROI at both the individual person and store level. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
comScore has launched an ad targeting product suite called 'Activation', using a combination of big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning assets. More
Marcoms group Next15 has reported a 16% rise in half-year revenue to £93.5m (with organic growth accounting for 2%). The firm's data and insights division now accounts for 6% of group revenue, compared to less than 2% two years ago. More
DRNO's Nick Thomas wraps up his review of the 70th Congress with a general verdict - and as you may have guessed after the first three reviews, it's a good one. Not by any means unqualified however - whisper it low, he'll even have a go at the clients. Part 4 of 4. More
Marketing personalization tech firm Qubit has promoted Joe Smith to Chief Revenue Officer and appointed Leah Anathan as CMO, and says it is hiring across multiple locations across three continents. More
New York-based SIS International Research has promoted Cédric Marin to Director of Operations in the EMEA region. He moves to London from NYC where he has worked for more than three years. 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
Sweden's audience measurement body MMS has extended Nielsen's contract for TV and video viewing data by five years. More
Former MetrixLab and Harris exec Caroline Bastide has joined European consumer and luxury goods researcher Strategir as Digital & Services Director, with a remit to strengthen the firm's existing digital approaches and consolidate its offer in the services sector. More
In New York, Ipsos has announced that academic Jesse Itzkowitz is joining its Behavioral Science Center. 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
The Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) has elected Jill Spencer, Director of UK-based customer experience research specialist ReactCX, as its President for the next two years. She replaces Yvonne Kinzel of German CEM firm Multi-Value. 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
US research agency Phoenix Marketing International (PMI) has appointed former MaritzCX exec Andrew Grant as President of its European Operations. More
WPP-owned ideas and innovation company AKQA has acquired Denmark-based digital strategy, creativity and technology specialist DIS/PLAY for an undisclosed sum. More
The UK government has set out its aims for data protection and international data flow after Brexit, in the last of its current round of positional papers. Britain will seek a close alignment with EU laws, including adherence to the GDPR from next May. 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
Nielsen has launched a new video gaming analysis business called Nielsen Esports, which will provide sponsorship valuation, fan insights, custom industry research and consulting services to rights holders, media platforms and brands. More
Kantar has announced that Richard Ingleton will take over the role of Chief Executive Officer of its Insights Division, from Travyn Rhall who will be leaving the business in November. A spokesperson for the company declined to comment about Rhall's next career move. More
US research and advisory company Gartner has reported a 34% rise in second quarter Research division revenue (33% at constant currencies), to $613.7m. The result follows the acquisition of talent management insights firm CEB. 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 Singapore, customer insights agency SKIM has appointed Lester Sualog as Client Solutions Director, Asia, while transferring Paul Janssen from its New York office to take up the role of Vice President. 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
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
The Stagwell Group has signed a 13-year lease for two floors in One World Trade Center, where it says it will bring together its portfolio of companies including Harris Insights & Analytics and former Nielsen company National Research Group. 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
WPP communications agency Grey has acquired Paris-based full service creative, technology, data and media agency Extrême-Sensio (Sensio) for an undisclosed sum. 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
Kantar Media has expanded its cross-platform ad intelligence capabilities with the addition of programmatic advertising data, initially available in the US and with roll-out planned for other key markets. More
Nielsen has partnered with podcasting company Panoply Media to introduce audience targeting to podcasting for what the firms claim is the first time. More
Kantar has launched a new service integrating consumer insights and behavioral data from across its portfolio with shopper and media data, allowing clients to 'fully leverage the studies they run with Kantar for targeting purposes'. 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
Senior GfK Leader Dr. Gerhard Hausruckinger has resigned from the company after seven years on the Management Board. Meanwhile Christoph D. Erbenich has been appointed as Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer. More
WPP has merged its digital ad agency POSSIBLE with the older and larger Wunderman. POSSIBLE, formed only in 2011, will continue to operate as a standalone brand within its new home. More
UK metals and minerals research specialist The Roskill Group has acquired Xanten, Germany-based Heinz H. Pariser | Alloy Metals and Steel Market Research, and renamed the combined firm 'Roskill Pariser'. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Berlin-based JustWatch, which collects anonymous user data about the movie taste and purchasing behavior of more than 75 million movie fans, has hired former Sony Pictures SVP Aaron Wahle to lead its Los Angeles office. More
Apple has acquired German eye tracking company SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) for an undisclosed sum. More
Sales and marketing outsourcing provider Advantage Smollan has acquired Netherlands and Belgium-based Hamilton Bright Group, a specialist in shopper purchasing behaviour and marketing. Terms were not disclosed. More
Research consultancy BDRC has launched a rating service called Brand Advantage, giving insights into the impact of hotel brands on consumers' willingness to pay a premium. 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
Social media ad targeting firm RadiumOne has been acquired by San Francisco ad tech firm RhythmOne, for a reported $22m of which three quarters will be paid in shares at a future date. RhythmOne has also announced a change of CEO. More
WPP agencies POSSIBLE and Mindshare have linked up to launch an integrated marketing and commerce offer to help companies optimise their investments across the various platforms of online shopping giant Amazon. 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
Swedish firm Tobii Pro has launched a tool which extends eye tracking research to non-game virtual environments. More
Toronto, Canada-based employee-owned research firm Hotspex has promoted Michael Dorr to the position of MD of its UK business, responsible for establishing an office and building the company's brand in the UK and Europe. He takes up the new role next month. More
France-based market intelligence solutions provider Ubiquick Group has acquired Australian telecoms industry research firm Paul Budde Communications (BuddeComm), for an undisclosed sum. More
In New York, former Ipsos Connect exec Lakshmi Madabhushi has re-joined the group in its Ipsos Marketing division, in the newly created role of Chief Innovation Officer. More
Snap Inc., the parent company of photo and video-sharing app Snapchat, has acquired location-based ad targeting firm Placed in a deal reported to be worth more than $200m. More
Eye-tracking tech firm Tobii has acquired Sticky, which uses webcam-based eye tracking technology to measure ad effectiveness. The deal will be financed with an undisclosed amount of cash, with an option to provide part of the consideration in Tobii shares. More
Former shareholders of Rentrak could receive around $19m to settle claims relating to the effect on share price of comScore's accounting investigation last year. The proposed settlement is currently seeking preliminary approval from a judge in Oregon. 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
In New York, Ipsos Marketing has appointed Alison Chaltas, the co-founder of shopper marketing consultancy Interscope, as Global President, Path to Purchase. 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
Nielsen has expanded its measure of Twitter mobile campaigns to 23 new markets, adding to the US where it was launched last year. More
US-based online physician community SERMO has launched a 'Drug Ratings' tool, which it says is the first global peer-to-peer prescription drug review system sourced exclusively from verified licensed physicians. More
Paris-based mass media conglomerate Vivendi has made an offer to buy a EUR 2.36 billion stake in ad group Havas from Chairman Vincent Bolloré, valuing Havas at EUR 9.25 per share. More
Former dunnhumby CEO Simon Hay has joined the Board of Stockholm-based brand tracking researcher Nepa. More
comScore has launched a syndicated service called OTT Intelligence, to measure US household viewing of over-the-top (OTT) content on television screens. More
Havas Group's OOH and geolocation-based communications division Adcity has launched a cross-device audience planning solution called mOOHbile. 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
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's pay for 2017 will fall by around £22m in 2017, with further drops scheduled for 2018 and 2021. The firm, whose high-paying 'Leap' scheme had in any case expired this year, notes that it 'understands share owners' increasing discomfort' with levels of 'reward opportunities'. 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
Sweden-based eye-tracking technology firm Tobii AB has reported a slight real terms decline in revenue for the first quarter of 2017. 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
comScore is to offer a free viewability measurement service, with data for display video, and mobile inventory compatible with metrics from its flagship vCE service. More
Nielsen has begun working with Audiweb, the Italian Online Joint Industry Committee, on the terms of an agreement for further development of the country's audience measurement system. More
GfK has launched a panel covering the US independent tire channel, capturing data representing more than 34,000 individual retail outlets nationwide. 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
Ipsos has promoted Frank Forkin to the role of President of its RDA division, which provides motor industry quality tracking and customer satisfaction measurement. More
Global media giant Viacom has promoted Colleen Fahey Rush to EVP, Insights & Audience Science, and Chief Research Officer of its Viacom Media Networks subsidiary, effective immediately. 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 four founders of Stockholm-based brand tracking researcher Nepa have sold 14.7% of the business to a range of Swedish institutional investors. More
Vienna-based community platform Talk Online Panel has appointed former Lightspeed GMI and Cint exec Arjen van Duijvenbode as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Managing Partner Klaus Oberecker who remains active as a company owner. More
Kantar TNS has launched a new concept test product called eValuateNow, on the ZappiStore research automation platform. More
Kantar Media and local audience data provider Eyeota have extended their TGI-based segmentation partnership to Germany and France. More
GfK has appointed three execs to lead a new Customer and Audience Activation service, which creates segments using local audience data from partner firm Eyeota. Existing employee Niko Waesche will lead the unit while Cornelia Reitinger and Lauren Coppin join as Directors. More
Interpublic's New York-based digital agency R/GA has opened its first office in Germany, where it has appointed former Razorfish CEO Sascha Martini as Managing Director, with responsibility for long-term growth and business development. More
London-based polling and research specialist ComRes has launched a new division, which will focus exclusively on supporting organisations following the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. 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
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 Japan, online specialist Macromill has completed its listing on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). More
UK-based agency Future Thinking has appointed Jessica Herridge as Research Director within its Communicate team. More
Marketing resource management (MRM) platform Aprimo, formerly owned by Teradata, has acquired Ghent, Belgium-based digital asset management firm ADAM Software. Terms were not disclosed. More
Spanish multinational broadband and telecoms provider Telefonica is to acquire UK-based geolocation footfall data specialist Statiq. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but sources value it at £3.5m. More
IBM and Salesforce have entered a global strategic partnership to deliver joint solutions using artificial intelligence. A new practice within IBM Global Business Services will help clients rapidly deploy tools combining IBM Watson's big data with Salesforce Einstein's customer insights. 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
Westport, CT-based company Critical Mix is launching panels across five major European markets, under the OneOpinion brand. 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
Link, the long-established ad copy testing solution developed by Kantar Millward Brown, has completed an audit by the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB), recognised in the industry for assessing connections between marketing activities, metrics and financial performance. 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
Nielsen's recently acquired entertainment data provider Gracenote is connecting its video, music and sports databases, allowing clients to use its data and IDs to drive voice and text search, intuitive user experiences, and more personalized media recommendations. 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
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
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
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
comScore has announced that it is unable to meet the February 23rd deadline to file late financial reports and regain compliance with Nasdaq's listing requirements, and warns that this may result in its stock being delisted from the exchange. More
Technology research and advisory company Gartner has reported a 9% increase in fourth quarter 2016 group revenue, to $703.2m, driven by Research revenue which was up 15% at constant currencies, to $478.8m. More
WPP digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has extended its AmplifyR Appends data service to the UK, France, Germany and The Netherlands. 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
WPP-owned marcoms network Ogilvy is setting up a Center for Behavioral Science, aiming to establish a new system for defining how audiences think, feel and behave; and to help clients improve their marketing and communications. More
Berlin-based online and mobile game developer platform Simplaex has opened up direct access to more than 150 million players, to enable users to target individuals according to their specific gaming habits and profiles. More
Digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics has launched a solution called SmartPoll, combining survey data with cross-device consumer behavioural data collected through passive metering, to compare opinions with actual behavior. More
Retail information firm The NPD Group has acquired the US portion of Nielsen's information services for the book industry, including US-based BookScan, Books & Consumers, PubEasy and PubNet; plus the three PubTrack services - Digital, Higher Education and Christian. More
Software veteran Oracle has partnered with audience profiling firm Eyeota, offering the latter's data via the Oracle Data Management Platform and Marketing Cloud. Users will be able to target and personalize campaigns outside the US - in Europe, APAC, and elsewhere in the Americas. 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
Shopper behavior specialist Kantar Worldpanel has extended its out-of-home food and drink purchase and consumption panels to France, Brazil, Mexico and Thailand. 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
Technology research and advisory company Gartner has agreed to acquire best practice and talent management insights firm CEB, in a cash and stock transaction valued at around $2.6bn. More
Nielsen has appointed Nancy Ramsey Phillips as Chief Human Resources Officer, effective next week. She joins from Broadcom Corporation where she was EVP and CHRO; and replaces Mary Liz Finn, who announced her retirement from Nielsen in September. 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
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
Swedish eye tracking technology firm Smart Eye has begun listing its shares on the Nasdaq First North stock exchange in Stockholm. 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
comScore co-founder Magid Abraham has resigned from the company's Board of Directors, to concentrate on his role as Executive Chairman of wearable technology developer APX Labs. More
GfK has partnered with audience data firm Eyeota to offer a new range of financial segments, the first to be based on information from its Financial Research Survey (FRS). FRS data is also being added to GfK's Crossmedia Visualizer platform. More
WPP has announced the formation of a global multi-year partnership between its Data Alliance organisation and music streaming service Spotify. 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
German eye tracking technology provider SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) has launched 'a whole new generation' of products, aimed at researchers with high quality data needs and based around the 'SMI iView 2K platform'. 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
US-based full service researcher Lieberman Inc. has acquired New York-based custom CPG specialist FRC Research, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Netherlands online publisher group VINEX has awarded Kantar Media a contract to deliver a new 5,000-strong panel for Internet audience measurement, replacing a previous service operated by GfK. More
Technology analyst Gartner has reported a 16% rise in third quarter Research division revenue to $461.5m - or a 17% increase excluding the impact of foreign exchange. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI has appointed former L'Oreal exec Fernando Zaldivar Kunz as Managing Director in Spain. 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
Google has acquired California-based eye-tracking technology firm Eyefluence. Terms have not been disclosed. 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
Marketing intelligence firm Visual IQ has acquired German attribution and customer journey analytics specialist Refined Labs. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Consumer and media intelligence specialist Neustar Marketshare has appointed Luis Chaves and Sven Bagemihl as Managing Directors in the UK and Germany respectively. 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
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
Kantar Media has unveiled a new cross-platform ad intelligence offering, including significantly enhanced digital monitoring to help advertising buyers and sellers analyze opportunities across channels in a more 'integrated and holistic manner'. 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
YouGov has announced strong preliminary results for the year ended 31st July, with group revenue up 12% on a constant currency basis to £88.2m, and adjusted profit before tax up 46% to £13.3m. More
Ipsos Marketing has launched a new tool called 'LIFE Path', providing a modular approach to path-to-purchase understanding that uses social media intelligence, passive metering, and qual and quant research. More
In London, Harris Interactive has launched a 'rapid concept testing service' called Concept Express, with one option offering results within a day. More
US media conglomerate Viacom has promoted Christian Kurz to the new global role of SVP, Global Consumer Insights, overseeing corporate and consumer research, with a focus on exploring new technologies and consumer behavior. More
Netherlands-based online specialist Blauw Research has launched a new solution called SPRINT, to help teams and organisations access the right consumer insights at any time during the product and service development process. 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
Nielsen has partnered with research and technology firm Vision Critical, promising clients the ability to extract additional value from their insight communities and better understand their customers. More
Ipsos has launched its first syndicated Global Business Influencers (GBI) survey, looking at the media, business, financial, luxury and travel habits of senior executives across the US and fifteen countries in Europe and Asia. More
Toluna has added a concept testing tool, PowerConcept, to the Automated Insights suite within its QuickSurveys platform More
In the UK, outdoor advertising audience research body Route has commissioned Ipsos Connect UK to undertake an expanded and renewed six-year research project, providing data to the outdoor industry until 2023. The new contract, funded by an injection of £20m, begins on 1st April 2017. 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
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has acquired Israel-based digital tracking specialist Crossense from incubator firm Nielsen Innovate. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Ipsos division ProductQuest has launched a consumer-centric approach called Sense*Suite, to help guide clients' early stage product development initiatives. More
Oslo, Norway-based fieldwork group Norstat has opened an office in Paris, where it has appointed former Research Now MD Marc-Antoine Jacoud as Managing Director. More
Audience measurement firm comScore says it will request a hearing to discuss a return to compliance with NASDAQ requirements, after a notification from the exchange's Listing Qualifications Department that its shares will otherwise be suspended in a week's time. 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
GfK may be considering putting itself up for sale, alongside other options, according to reports in German weekly magazine, WirtschaftsWoche. More
Henrik Åquist has joined panels and research fieldwork provider Norstat as MD for Sweden, from geo-data acquisition and provisioning firm Blom Sweden AB where he was also MD. He replaces Marie Sommar, who is leaving the company after almost ten years. More
Instant messaging service WhatsApp has announced it will share user information with its parent company Facebook, whose corporate advertising clients can use it to improve their ad targeting. More
Kantar's TNS Gallup team will continue to provide TV ratings for Norway for at least another seven years, after the firm won a competitive pitch against Ipsos. The new contract, running initially from 2018 to 2023, is billed by the partners as 'the most advanced hybrid model for TV and video measurement yet seen in the world'. 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
Marcoms network Dentsu Aegis is to acquire Düsseldorf-based brand and lifestyle marketing agency Markenloft, which specialises in what it calls 'emotional brand selling'. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Marcomms giant WPP has resumed its buying of comScore stock, with the purchase of a further 120,000 at c.$26 apiece last week. The measurement firm's share price has dropped by a third since January this year. 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
Mobile marketing platform Pulsate has closed a $1.5m round of funding from dunnhumby Ventures and PayPal, along with Enterprise Ireland and other private investors. The firm has also launched a suite of tools for mobile app engagement, analytics and location-based targeting. More
Stockholm-based eyetracking technology firm Tobii has reported first half 2016 sales of SEK 493m ($US 57.5m), up 11 percent at constant currency. Continuing high investment in the Tobii Tech division outweighed profits elsewhere to leave an operating loss of SEK -46m. More
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has appointed former Kraft Foods insight exec Jen Acerra as Vice President, Global Brand Research and Insights, leading the group's global MR team. More
Panels and research fieldwork provider Norstat has appointed Michal Junik as its MD in Poland, replacing Mariusz Mroczek, who is leaving the company. 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
comScore co-founder Magid Abraham has resigned as Executive Chairman of the Board, to focus on his new role as Executive Chairman of wearable technology developer APX Labs. He will remain on the comScore Board for the remainder of his term, which expires in 2018. More
Mystery shopping and performance improvement firm Grass Roots has teamed up with Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) specialist QuestBack to launch a packaged survey solution called Tune, to enable brands to listen to and act on customer feedback. More
WPP Chief Executive Sir Martin Sorrell, 71, and his wife Cristiana are expecting their first child together in November. More
Gamer behaviour analyst GameAnalytics has been acquired by mobile ad platform Mobvista for an undisclosed sum. More
Research Now has launched an eye care panel covering the US, Canada, UK, Spain, Italy, France and Germany. It comprises more than 450,000 patients who suffer from eye diseases or complications such as dry eye syndrome, glaucoma, cataracts, and other visual impairments. More
US Democratic Senator Al Franken has written to the CEO of Niantic, the company behind smartphone game Pokémon Go, demanding information regarding the record-breaking app's privacy settings. More
GfK has promoted James Kennedy to the role of Business Group Director for POS Tracking (Optics), overseeing data gathering and reporting from point-of-sale systems in contact lens outlets, as well as report collection on lens fittings from optician's offices throughout the US. More
WPP-owned ad network Grey Group has acquired a majority stake in the holding company of Brussels-based creative agency Famous, whose big data services include web analytics, customer segmentation, A/B testing and social media measurement. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In Germany, computer vision technology developer SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) has launched its ASGM analysis solution for mobile eye tracking out of private beta. More
US business app developer Infor has acquired retail big data predictive analytics and data science firm Predictix for an undisclosed sum. Infor has also expanded its retail business unit to Europe, with the appointment of Jason Berry as Vice President, EMEA. More
Global airline alliance SkyTeam has launched a customer feedback tool called the SkyPriority Audit App, through which passengers can rate their travel experience. More
In Sweden, store security specialist Axis Communications has spent an undisclosed sum to acquire Cognimatics, whose services include people counting, queue measurement and occupancy estimation. More
GfK has appointed Stacy Bereck as Managing Director of its Market Opportunities and Innovation team in North America. More
Amsterdam-based passive metering technology firm Wakoopa - now a subsidiary of GfK - has launched a marketplace giving researchers access to behavioral data on a global scale. More
Beacon technology and proximity data provider Unacast has raised $5m in a Series A round of financing, which will be used to grow the company globally. 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
Ipsos innovation and forecasting business InnoQuest has launched a concept development tool, InnoConstruct, which promises to optimize products, simulate and compare scenarios, and help differentiate new offerings. 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
IMS Health and healthcare consultancy Quintiles are planning to merge in an all-stock transaction which will value the combined company - Quintiles IMS Holdings - at $17.6 billion. Combined 2015 revenue for the two firms was around $7.2 billion. More
There may be no timescale set, but WPP has confirmed that it is beginning to think about who may eventually replace CEO Sir Martin Sorrell, including internal and external candidates. More
Personalized entertainment and audience discovery specialist Rovi Corporation is spending around $1.1bn to buy 'next generation TV' and audience analytics firm TiVo. The TiVo name will be retained for the combined corporation. 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
Nielsen has launched a new service, the Total Channel Solution, promising its clients the ability to 'unify' all their data sets - proprietary and third party, across multiple platforms - and get 'a full picture view of all factors affecting their business '. 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
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
The Media Rating Council (MRC) has accredited the Audience module in comScore's vCE 2.0 tool. Now, with both its Audience and its Validation modules accredited, the firm claims to be the first to offer an MRC-accredited viewable GRP for desktop display and video campaigns. More
Automotive research pioneer J.D. Power & Associates is moving on from McGraw Hill Financial after eleven years with the group. The new owners are London-based XIO Group, and the price is $1.1bn in cash. More
Kantar Media has today announced a partnership with local audience data provider Eyeota. Beginning in the UK, the deal will give advertisers and media buyers access to pre-defined segments built from the research firm's TGI consumer and media study, for use in online ad targeting. 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
London-based communications research agency MESH Experience has appointed Kahren Kersten as Experience Director for the EMEA region, responsible for leading its London-based team. 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
US-based DIY research company SurveyMonkey has launched a mobile app insights platform, providing app publishers with data on more than a thousand mobile apps ad well as the overall app economy. The launch follows the acquisition of app data start-up firm Renzu. More
Music industry web site Mediabase, which offers airplay charts and analysis, has announced a partnership with music recognition and content sharing app Shazam, and will offer weekly analysis of the latter's top songs in the US, Canada and Europe. More
Chinese investment and research firm XIO Group is considering a bid to acquire US-based auto research specialist JD Power and Associates, according to a report published by Reuters. 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
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
UK-based online research agency YouGov plc has announced interim results for the six months ended 31st January 2016, showing revenue of £41.5m, up 13% at constant currencies, and adjusted profit before tax up by 42% to £5.0m. More
WPP is linking the panels and other data sources of its Kantar / DIM division with the expertise and planning tools of its GroupM media investment management division, to launch LIVE Panel. The new consumer and media insight solution will help advertisers develop and measure 'precise and targeted' media plans. More
UK-based BrainJuicer Group has announced 'modest' revenue growth of 3% (constant currency) in the calendar year 2015, to £25.18m. This is the second year of slower growth for the pioneering company, which nevertheless increased profits and cash at hand. More
WPP Chief Executive Sir Martin Sorrell has received shares worth £60m, according to reports. With salary and annual bonuses the figure is 'likely to approach £70m'. The share award is triggered by the group's success in outperforming both its peers and the FTSE 100 over five years. More
Berlin-based reviews, ratings and CEM company eKomi has acquired online reputation manager Reputami, for an undisclosed sum. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has added a tool called PowerAttitudes to its QuickSurveys DIY survey platform, to enable marketers to generate 'immediate insights' on the consumer attitudes driving usage and purchase behavior. More
Shares in audience measurement specialist comScore plunged 35% to $26.52 yesterday, after the firm disclosed that its Audit Committee has not finalized an ongoing review of 'certain potential accounting matters'. 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
Janet Oak has joined Ipsos as Senior Vice President of the Millennials, Kids & Family Center of Excellence, based in New York. 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
Millward Brown has partnered with on-demand online community specialist GutCheck to launch a qualitative tool called Pre-LinkNow, which offers a copy-testing framework to help marketers better understand ad performance. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI has appointed former Reckitt Benckiser exec Caspar Netscher as Executive Vice President of Regional Client Growth Development (CGD), based in its Netherlands office. More
Nielsen has reported constant currency revenue rises of 5.6% for the fourth quarter of 2015 and 5.0% for the year as a whole. Reported revenue dipped 0.6% in Q4 to $1.624bn, and 1.8% for the full year to $6.172bn. More
GfK has acquired Iberian and Latin American online panel specialist Netquest, and its subsidiary Wakoopa which provides cross-device passive measurement technology. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
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
Shareholders have approved comScore's bid to buy film and TV measurement firm Rentrak, and the acquisition is expected to close by end of business today. More
Research data solutions and technology firm SSI has acquired LA-based Instantly - whose services include panels and product concept testing - for an undisclosed sum. More
In New Zealand, the Radio Broadcasters Association (RBA) has commissioned GfK to provide official radio research services for the country. The contract sees New Zealand's commercial networks, public broadcaster and independent stations join the same radio ratings system for the first time. More
Utrecht, Netherlands-based research firm DVJ Insights has appointed Simon McDonald as Managing Director in the UK, where he will work alongside existing Commercial Director Roy Patel to increase the firm's presence in the market. More
WPP-owned digital agency POSSIBLE has acquired German full-service digital agency Conrad Caine. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
IBM has acquired Koblenz, Germany-based anti-fraud software firm IRIS Analytics, for an undisclosed sum; and simultaneously announced the launch of a cloud-based service for retailers, IBM Dynamic Pricing. More
In Europe, Nielsen has launched a Customer Experience practice, building on its alliance with CEM software firm ResponseTek and centred around the Nielsen Listening Platform, a real-time customer feedback platform the two announced a year ago. More
Ipsos has rolled out its suite of location-based tools, powered by Google Consumer Surveys, in the Asia Pacific region. The initial launch covers Japan and Australia. More
In Germany, Kantar-owned media research specialist TNS Infratest has moved former MD Dirk Steffen to the newly created position of Chief Digital Officer, and promoted company veteran Oliver Ecke to replace him. More
In New York, GfK has appointed fashion retail specialist Dave Melnick to lead its Fashion and Lifestyle practices in North America. More
Kantar has acquired a majority stake in its partner in Denmark and Sweden, Millward Brown Denmark ApS, which has been a Millward Brown licensee since 1997. More
Shopper research specialists PRS (Perception Research Services) and IN VIVO have merged under the new name PRS IN VIVO. Terms were not disclosed. More
Nielsen has appointed James A. Attwood, Jr. as non-executive Chairman of its Board of Directors, effective January 1st and succeeding David L. Calhoun. More
First Insight, which helps brands incorporate the voice of the customer into the design of new products, has launched a new process called ForeSight, to help users measure their own product success rates and benchmark them against industry peers. More
Dublin, Ireland-based online store analytics provider Clavis Insight has launched a new service, Advanced Amazon Analytics (AAA), which includes technology to track activity, pricing and availability for client and competitor brands on the retail giant's one hour delivery app, Amazon Prime Now. More
GfK has added 360-degree product view capabilities to its Spex Access suite of services, to provide shoppers with a more detailed look at items before making a purchase. More
French digital media group Webedia has acquired US-based cinema data syndication specialist West World Media. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Technology firm Tobii is claiming a world first with the launch of a large-scale survey panel providing continuous online attention data from eye trackers. The data will come from 1,000 homes representing the Swedish population. More
Consumer tracking firm The NPD Group has launched a new analytic service integrating clients' own segmentation schemes with sales and market share 'data of record' for every industry and country covered by its survey-based trackers. More
GfK has appointed former Disney and MTV exec Laura E. Wendt as EVP, Media for both its Consumer Experiences and Consumer Choices divisions in North America. More
GfK has agreed to sell its global Animal and Crop Health division to a consortium comprising private equity investor Inflexion and the current management team led by Stephen Hearn. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
GfK has introduced a new brand and communications tracking platform, providing real-time access to data, dynamic 'hot alerts' based on a variety of KPIs, and data visualization tools. More
Czech Republic ratings body the Association of TV Organisations (ATO) has chosen Kantar Media and comScore to deliver a cross-platform measurement pilot of TV and video content. More
UK-based research / business intelligence firm Future Thinking has streamlined its company structure with a simplified offer. More
Focusing in on its role as an all-round audience measurement firm, comScore is selling its BI service Digital Analytix to Adobe; entering a strategic partnership with streaming service Spotify; and launching a household media measure called the 'Total Home Panel'. More
Real-time information services provider Neustar, Inc. has agreed to acquire analytics technology provider MarketShare Partners, LLC for $450m - although the resulting tax benefits mean it will effectively pay $390m. 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
comScore has reported third quarter results for 2015, with revenue up 13% to $92.4m vs Q3 2014, and a slightly larger rise in the profit measure adjusted EBITDA, which rose 16% to $23.4m. More
Multi-screen audience measurement specialist Rentrak has reported a 30% rise in second quarter revenue to $32.8m. The result was driven by a 53% increase for the TV Everywhere product line, up from $13.3m to $20.4m in the prior year period. 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
McGraw Hill Financial is considering selling its US-based auto research specialist JD Power and Associates for up to $1 billion, according to an exclusive report published by Reuters. More
Technology consulting specialist Forrester Research has reported a 3% increase in Research revenue to $52.2m for the third quarter, compared with $50.6m in Q3 2014. However, on a constant currency basis, Research revenue rose 7%. 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
Computer vision technology developer SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) has introduced an automated analysis solution for mobile eye tracking data. 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 and GfK have announced a partnership for future co-operation within the book sector, with the aim of helping clients identify multinational trends and giving them more detail on market developments. More
Digital TV and DVR pioneer TiVo has announced that its TiVo Research audience measurement division will provide free TV ratings from the first quarter of 2016, in order to 'celebrate' comScore's forthcoming acquisition of Rentrak. 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
Italian TV audience measurement body Auditel has suspended publication of viewing figures after the identities of families on its panel were accidentally disclosed, reportedly as a result of human error in a mail sent by supplier company Nielsen. More
Eye tracking technology pioneer Tobii has released two new products, the Tobii IS4 eye tracking platform and Tobii EyeChip, geared towards integrating eye tracking features into a wide range of consumer devices. More
YouGov has reported a 13 percent revenue rise - including organic growth of 11% - in preliminary results for the year ended 31st July. The year saw strong growth in new markets France and Asia Pacific; and a higher proportion of revenue from favoured product lines. More
US-based customer service platform Zendesk has introduced a machine learning and predictive analytics feature called Satisfaction Prediction, which uses historical customer survey results to predict which individuals are likely to provide negative feedback. More
French-based marketing services company Havas has announced the acquisition of MR group CSA and the Intervalles agency, from Bolloré Group, which is the majority shareholder in Havas itself. More
GfK has announced it now has all the assets needed to fully evaluate ads across media - including at a brand impact level. This involves the actual measurement of individual exposure to ads, as well as attribution of those exposures across multiple devices and different ecosystems. More
Former Procter & Gamble and L'Oreal exec Ignacio Marinas Monsalve has joined retail and healthcare data giant IRI as Vice President of Strategy International, based in the firm's Paris office. More
US-based Civicom Marketing Research Services has opened an office in London, to support client qual research needs across the UK and EU. More
European auto industry information provider Deutsche Automobil Treuhand (DAT) has partnered with GfK to create a range of new products for car dealerships, manufacturers, importers and end consumers. The pair will also develop joint services covering the entire life cycle of a vehicle. 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
Nielsen and multicultural consumer MR specialist Culturati have partnered to launch a new segmentation model, to help clients market to the Hispanic demographic in-store and elsewhere. More
The Publishers Audience Measurement Company (PAMCo) - the replacement for the UK's NRS - has appointed Ipsos MORI to provide the published media industry's new audience measurement service; and has named Aviva Group Brand Director Jan Gooding as its new Chair. 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
WPP has reported that revenue in its Data Investment Management (DIM) arm fell slightly (0.3%) to £1.173bn during the first half of the year, from £1.176bn in last year's first six months; while DIM headline profit before tax rose 11.7% to £100.6m from £88.1m a year earlier. 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
GfK has acquired a Swedish software company, NORM Research & Consulting AB, whose core product simulates environments for virtual shopper research. More
German-based agricultural MR specialist Kleffmann Group has boosted its North American operations with the acquisition of US firm MarketSense, Inc., another agricultural research agency and a specialist in the animal health sector. More
Multi-screen measurement specialist Rentrak has reported a 23% rise in fiscal 2016 first quarter revenue to $27.5m ($22.3m in the prior year period), driven by a 49% revenue increase in its TV Everywhere division. More
In New York, GfK has promoted Maria Lange to the position of Business Group Director for its Pet POS Tracking team. More
Finnish information technology giant Nokia has sold its HERE digital mapping and location analytics business to a consortium of automotive companies, with a price tag of around EUR 2.8 billion. More
Nielsen has reported second quarter revenues of $1,559m, down 2.2% in dollars but up 4.8% on a constant currency basis, compared with the second quarter of 2014. 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
Information solutions giant Experian has sold its retail intelligence business FootFall for £38.5m ($60m) to Tyco, a provider of retail performance and security solutions. More
Sports marketing firm Repucom has appointed Shane Mattiske as Joint Managing Director, with a remit to drive the consulting and strategy side of the business. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of US-based RDA Group, which specialises in quality tracking and customer satisfaction studies for auto manufacturers and other corporate clients. More
Kantar Media has launched an app called 'TGI Target Snapshot', to enable agency execs to access and understand insights into a range of consumer behaviour, including brand usage, consumption levels, shopper type, demographics and media consumption. More
Travel industry technology firm Amadeus has launched a suite of intelligence tools giving travel agents worldwide access to data and insights for business growth and strategic decision-making. More
Nielsen is to launch two new analytical services within its Buy consumer purchase data unit: Marketing ROI Snapshot and Revenue Management & Optimization (RMO). The company says the tools will help mid-sized businesses with marketing and sales effectiveness. 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
Technology veteran James Powell is to join Nielsen as Global Chief Technology Officer, from July 6th, from Thomson Reuters where he is EVP and CTO. More
Ipsos' product testing wing ProductQuest has integrated the neuroscience technique known as Implicit Reaction Time (IRT) into its evaluations, to help clients probe consumers' non-conscious perceptions of their products. More
Nielsen has announced a further secondary share offering by its Valcon holding company, aiming to raise in the region of $400m. More
Oxfordshire-based consumer insight and sensory specialist MMR Research Worldwide (MMR) has appointed Doug Findlay and Jan Worsley as Directors in its EMEA team. More
FEPE, the worldwide association of outdoor advertising companies, has partnered with a consortium of firms to develop what it claims will be the first standardised industry approach to measuring digital out-of-home (OOH) audiences. More
Ipsos innovation and forecasting business InnoQuest has introduced a new approach combining overnight concept testing with optimization - helping to identify high potential concepts and then providing guidance on how to make them more likely to succeed in-market. 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
In Cologne, sports broadcast measurement specialist Repucom has appointed Lars Stegelmann as EVP Commercial Operations, in charge of the new business teams in the German-speaking region, Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Portugal and Turkey. 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
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
Ipsos has appointed Millward Brown Vermeer founding partner Oscar Yuan as President of its insights-based brand and marketing advisory unit Strategy3. More
Technology specialist Gartner has reported a 5% increase in first quarter revenue to $471.2m, with the profit measure normalized EBITDA falling 5% to $80.7m. Separately, the Board has authorized $1.2bn for share repurchase. More
Ipsos Healthcare has introduced its syndicated services to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), to help drug companies better understand region-specific disease dynamics and physician prescribing habits, and plan for the launch of pharmaceutical drugs. More
Paper-based packaging firm Smurfit Kappa has launched a service called 'Shelf Smart', to help retail clients improve product performance at the point-of-purchase. More
Online fashion retailer Zalando has opened a 'Fashion Insights Centre' in Dublin's Silicon Docks, and plans to recruit up to 200 new staff for it over the next three years, including specialists in big data, data science and engineering. More
Tech specialist Forrester Research has reported first quarter revenue up to $75.2m from $73.1m in Q1 2014. Revenues from the Research division were up 2% to $51.9m from $50.8m, while Advisory Services and Events revenues rose 5% to $23.3m from $22.2m a year earlier. More
Manchester, UK-based mobile research tech firm RealityMine is expanding its syndicated TouchPoints and passive measurement business to 20 new markets worldwide; simultaneously securing rights to the TouchPoints name and the services of the co-founders of USA TouchPoints. More
Nielsen has announced the sale of another 20-23m of its shares with another underwritten secondary offering. Shares were trading last week above $46 - a considerable rise since the last offer, in December. 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
Marcoms network Publicis Worldwide has acquired London-based shopper marketing agency Vivid Brand. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Nielsen has reported a 2.1% drop in first quarter 2015 revenue to $1.46 billion, caused by the impact of foreign exchange - at constant currency, revenue was up 4.4%. Profits rose 8.6% to $63m from $58m in Q1 2014. More
The European Commission has awarded EUR 3.6m to Imperial College London and emotion measurement specialist Realeyes, to develop their technology. More
IBM is to invest $3 billion over the next four years to establish an Internet of Things (IoT) unit, which will capitalize on the company's expertise in gathering, combining and making sense of real-time data gathered from a variety of sources. More
UK-based agency SPA Future Thinking has dropped the first part of its name, as it prepares for 'aggressive' expansion. More
GfK is planning to expand its point-of-sale (POS) pet retail outlet panel to Canada, targeting regional retailers and manufacturers across the category. More
Today we're launching a new recruitment site, 1potato, dedicated to opportunities for data and analytics professionals. Many readers and users of MrWeb / DRNO have been asking for something like it for years, and with the big data / data science boom, the time should be ripe. More
UK-based online research firm YouGov has announced interim results for the six months ended 31st January, with revenue up 11% year-on-year to £36.2m - up 10% in organic terms - and adjusted profit before tax up from £3.0m to £3.5m. More
Location-based marketing specialist xAd has announced four senior hires: former Twitter exec Paul Gelb; former Facebook Director Lissette Fernandez; Reagan Nunnally, previously of Google; and James Davies, currently Chief Strategy Officer at outdoor ad firm Posterscope. More
Laurence (Larry) Gold, the former publisher of market research industry journal Inside Research, has died at the age of 80 after a battle with cancer. More
UK-based online specialist BrainJuicer has decided to close its office in Italy, which has made a 'significant' loss. The group as a whole published its formal results yesterday, confirming it had grown revenue just 1% in 2014, to £24.65m. 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
Sports marketing research specialist Repucom has appointed former SAP exec Claude Ringuet as its Head of Consulting for Asia. He will be based in Singapore, where he has lived for the past thirteen years. More
Swedish firm Generation Research, a pioneer in MR in the travel retail sector established in the late 1970s, has been acquired by financial advisor and consultant Fredrik Lindh. More
China-based brand consultancy Labbrand is expanding into Europe with the launch of an office in Paris. More
WPP has announced preliminary results for 2014 including like-for-like revenue up 8.2%, like-for-like net sales up 3.3%, and good profits - EBITDA grew 7.5% at constant currency. However like-for-like revenue in the firm's insight or 'Data Investment Management' division (DIM) was up just 0.6%. More
Berlin-based zeotap, a technology company that helps mobile network operators make use of their data assets, has launched a US office and hired former Sprint exec Serge Bushman to lead it. More
GfK has partnered with travel intelligence specialist ForwardKeys, to offer clients a more 'holistic' view of the travel supply chain. More
Nielsen is planning to move its legal domicile from the Netherlands to the UK in the third quarter of the year, in a bid to attract a broader group of investors from around the world. This change is not expected to significantly alter the firm's worldwide corporate tax rate. More
Ipsos has brought together its brand communication, advertising and media businesses under a new division called Ipsos Connect, which has replaced legacy brands Ipsos ASI and Ipsos MediaCT. 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
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
In Chicago, Ipsos Loyalty has opened a Customer Experience practice, and transferred John Carroll to head it up. More
In Brisbane, Australia, Ipsos has appointed Kathy Benson as Strategy & Research Director, and Kylie Brosnan as Director of Ipsos Public Affairs, while Anna Eden moves from the Perth office to take up the role of Senior Client Services Director. More
Hispanic MR firm ThinkNow Research has announced the launch of MovieLink, which it describes as 'the first agile movie trailer test for the Hispanic Community'. 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
The year 2015 is starting with marketers in buoyant mood, according to the Global Marketing Index (GMI) compiled by WARC sister company World Economics. Individual ratings for trading conditions, marketing budgets and staffing levels all showed positive movement. 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
WPP-owned brand and media specialist Millward Brown has appointed Karen Rivoire as Chief Human Resources Officer, to lead the firm's strategy for attracting, retaining, and developing 'top talent'. More
Marketing services conglomerate Havas has partnered with Universal Music Group (UMG) to develop targeting based on individuals' musical taste. More
From all of us at MrWeb and Daily Research News to all of you, our readers and friends around the world, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks for your support in 2014! More
Stockholm, Sweden-based High Net Worth Individuals specialist Red Carpet Research (RCR) has launched an access panel, LuxuryOpinions.com, billed as the first of its kind in Europe. More
Nielsen has announced the forthcoming sale of 20m shares of its common stock, priced recently at $43.77 per share. 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
In Turkey, full service agency Barem and retail panel specialist OPR Research have signed an agreement to provide mutual clients with a combined range of 'new generation' information services. Separately, OPR exec Ali Levent Orhun will join Barem in January as CEO. More
Business information and events group Informa has agreed to buy US trade show operator Hanley Wood Exhibitions for £237m; and is consequently considering 'alternatives' for its Consumer Information and Forecasting businesses. More
Oslo-based Schibsted Media Group has hired former Google and Twitter exec Adam Kinney as Head of Data Science, tasked with creating insights and data-driven products for the group's companies and brands. More
Millward Brown has expanded its team in Indonesia with eight appointments, including former Diageo exec Chris Thomas as Director of strategic consulting arm Millward Brown Vermeer. More
GfK has launched a methodology called FutureWave, to help companies predict the potential future direction of their category and determine which new product or service benefits will appeal to their consumers. More
Nielsen has acquired concept testing and forecasting software specialist Affinnova, and will integrate the latter's team into its Innovation Practice division. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Kantar Retail has invested an undisclosed sum in Paris-based image recognition tech company Planorama Group. More
US-based information and analytics firm IHS is to acquire two subsidiary firms from retail researcher the NPD Group: flat-panel display specialist DisplaySearch and solar energy MR business Solarbuzz. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Search giant Google has expanded its Consumer Barometer, to provide additional insights into online shopper behaviour and digital media consumption. 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
Amsterdam-based games market specialist Newzoo has opened its first international office, in Shanghai, China; and announced the launch of new research covering six SE Asian countries. More
Online research specialist YouGov has reported preliminary results for the year ended 31st July 2014, with revenue up 10% in constant currency terms, to £67.4m, and adjusted profit before tax rising 12%. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher is opening an office in Barcelona. More
Vidya Sen has been promoted to the role of Head of innovation and forecasting business Ipsos InnoQuest in India. More
In London, sports marketing researcher Repucom has promoted Jon Stainer for the new role of Managing Director of the UK and Ireland. More
MR technology and services firm 20|20 Research has launched a virtual reality (VR) platform which simulates 'a multitude of consumer products and sensory experiences'. Participants don VR headsets to enter in-store environments or other locations such as restaurants, cruise ships, hotels or events. More
SKO, the industry body responsible for the reporting and monitoring of viewing behaviour in the Netherlands, has extended GfK's television audience measurement (TAM) contract by a further two years to 2017. 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
Recently formed strategic consultancy Millward Brown Vermeer has launched in Australia, and appointed Caspar Wright as Managing Partner there. More
WPP's data investment management division (DIM) has reported Q2 net sales of £436m and revenue of £611m, the latter up 2.6% in like-for-like terms but well below the overall group growth of 10.2%. More
US-based network customer behaviour analyst Empirix has acquired Dublin, Ireland-based Verios Software & Systems, adding to its ability to analyse customer experience of mobile devices. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Shopper insights specialists Nielsen Catalina Solutions (NCS) is combining its data on what consumers watch and buy, with set-top-box (STB) data from FourthWall Media, in order to extend its single-source panel for CPG marketers. More
Dutch games marketing firm iQU is to acquire Munich-based game analytics company HoneyTracks for an undisclosed sum. 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
German-based consulting firm Simon-Kucher & Partners has reported first half revenue growth of 14 percent to EUR 82.5m, and says it made 80 new hires, raising its headcount to 720. More
Maritz Research Europe has appointed Grass Roots Group veteran Nigel Cover as Vice President for Business Services, tasked with growing business within the financial services, telecoms, industrial, retail and healthcare sectors across Europe. More
GfK has added three more African countries to its annual 'GfK Roper Reports Worldwide' consumer trends study, allowing businesses to tailor their offerings to specific target markets, geographies and 'psychographic segments' within the continent. 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
Ipsos' MediaCT division has launched an approach it calls PLSme!, to help media and content clients better understand audience behaviour, engagement and monetisation opportunities. More
Pharma research giant IMS Health has reported a 6.1% increase in second quarter revenue to $662m. However, due to a number of one-off charges and expenses the firm suffered a Q2 net loss of $200m, compared with net income of $8m in the prior year period. More
Professional services firm Ernst & Young (EY) is to acquire Australian full service agency Sweeney Research. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Yahoo! has acquired US app measurement and advertising platform Flurry, in line with its declared intention to build and support 'useful, inspiring, and beautiful' mobile apps and monetization solutions. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
In Germany, four former senior GfK execs have founded Exevia, a new healthcare market research agency based in Nuremberg. The four are Norbert Schell, Ulrik Scheuermann, Andrea Gock and Roland Herterich. More
In New York, former GfK MRI exec Ashley Hoskinson has joined Ipsos MediaCT's Audience Measurement Group as Vice President of Business Development. 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
TNS has launched an 'express' screening tool, to enable businesses to determine in less than 24 hours whether a new product idea will drive business growth. More
Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble is to restructure its marketing function under the name 'brand management', with marketing directors worldwide becoming 'brand directors' with 'single-point responsibility for the strategies, plans and results for the brands'. 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
Kantar Health has launched PINNAKLE, billed as an integrated, holistic brand marketing solution helping pharma companies maximise the success of their brands and tap into 'unrealized brand opportunity'. 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
GfK has launched a tool called MarketBuilder, which it says puts actual consumer behavior - as opposed to stated intentions - at the center of measuring innovation performance. More
Ipsos and Warsaw-based consumer neuroscience specialist NEUROHM have announced an upgrade of the IRT system, which probes unconscious consumer associations and perceptions, and assesses their impact. NEUROHM will also now act as Ipsos' primary partner for IRT roll out. More
Multi-screen audience measurement specialist Rentrak has reported a 40% rise in Q4 revenue to $21.6m, mainly driven by its TV Everywhere measurement segment, where revenue nearly doubled to $10m. For the full year 2014, revenue was up 33% to $75.6m. More
UK-based Swift Research and Ireland's Amárach Research have joined forces to create a new research tool for food and drink producers. More
Following weeks of speculation, Apple has paid $3 billion to acquire audio specialist Beats Electronics, and its subscription-based online music streaming service Beats Music, which combines algorithm-based personalization with expert music suggestions. More
Millward Brown has appointed Jérome Simulin to the new position of SVP, Strategic Client Growth, Europe, based in Paris. Simulin was previously SVP of Europe for marketing tech firm Affinnova, helping to launch and grow its European business. 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
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
Enterprise data and analytics company Acxiom has agreed to acquire privately held customer data 'onboarding' specialist LiveRamp for around $310m in cash. It has also announced flat fiscal year 2014 revenue, at c.$1.1bn, and forecasts a 5% drop in fiscal 2015 as it exits its analog paper survey business in Europe. More
The Omnicom-Publicis merger has been called off. Unforeseen complexities had slowed the progress of the $35bn deal (£20.65bn) to the point where the two parties apparently felt it was distracting and unsettling their businesses. Publicis CEO Maurice Lévy has also suggested it was becoming an Omnicom takeover. More
In the US, former Ford Motor Co. Market Research Analyst Mark Fields is to become the company's ninth President and Chief Executive Officer, when Alan Mulally retires in July. More
Tech sector researcher and analyst Gartner has reported a 12% increase in its first quarter Research revenue to $348.1m, compared with Q1 2013. 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
Research and brand intelligence specialist Digital Luxury Group (DLG) has acquired Luxury Society, an online community of more than 30,000 'luxury professionals' in 150 countries. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Food, drink and consumer goods specialist MMR is launching a DIY packaging research tool called Impackt Lite, via the online research 'app store' platform, ZappiStore. 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
US-based 'influencer' research specialist MSS has opened an office in London, led by Susan Luebke, who has been promoted to Director, Global Research and Analytics. More
WPP's shopper data and analytics consultancy Kantar Retail has acquired sales automation software company XTEL, in Italy. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna is integrating BrainJuicer's proprietary emotion measure FaceTrace into its global survey platform. The upgrade will allow clients to gauge emotional reactions to stimuli such as products, web sites, packaging and ads. 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
Paris-based mobile ad platform MobPartner has launched a new service to enable retailers to measure how mobile communications influence in-store sales and traffic. More
London-based emotional analytics specialist Realeyes has signed an agreement to provide Ipsos with facial coding and body gesture response metrics, to help measure how people feel while they view advertising and communications content. More
WPP's Data Alliance practice has partnered with publisher eMarketer, to provide all WPP operating companies with access to the latter's global database of digital marketing research data. More
Innovation and forecasting business Ipsos InnoQuest has launched a new methodology called the 'Insight Accelerator', allowing marketers to test innovations and ideas through a process that takes just two days. More
Kantar and Twitter have strengthened their global partnership with a five-year agreement under the program name 'Data of Now', and will collaborate on new research products. In addition, the firms' 'social TV' ratings and analytics will be extended to new regions in Asia, Africa and Europe. More
UK-based independent agency firefish has announced an annual revenue increase of 18%, to £9.55m in its full financial year 2014. More
Online research pioneer YouGov has appointed Bianca Bruhn as CEO of its Nordic business, based in its Copenhagen office and with responsibility for the firm's operations in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. More
Retail analytics giant dunnhumby is reportedly close to buying Berlin-based ad targeting and retail retargeting firm Sociomantic Labs for an estimated $175 - 200m. 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
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
UK-based researcher Vision One has launched an 'ultra-quick' mobile phone survey service called Lightning. More
Neuroscience firms Sands Research and Neurons Inc ApS, based respectively in The US and Denmark, have announced a merger, forming 'one of the largest applied neuroscience services firms serving clients around the world'. 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
Nielsen has acquired Madrid-based shopper marketing and sales intelligence specialist Nexium Customer Solutions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Canadian firm Leger Metrics has partnered with Dublin-based Red C Research, in order to extend its reach to Europe. More
Nielsen has promoted CFO Brian West to Chief Operating Officer, replacing Mitchell Habib; and has appointed Jamere Jackson, who joins from General Electric, to fill the vacant finance role. More
GfK has launched an approach it calls 'FutureScape', which identifies and sizes a range of opportunities within a market, prioritizes those with most potential, and then use segmentation to pinpoint the highest-value consumers to target. 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
Nielsen has today announced today that it has completed its tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Harris Interactive, and that the acquisition should close today. 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
GfK has signed a five-year contract with Saudi Media Measurement Company (SMCC) to introduce the 'first ever' electronic television audience measurement (TAM) service to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. More
Ipsos is facing a legal challenge from a number of broadcasters in Egypt, who accuse it of bias in reporting audience ratings, according to reports in the Egyptian press. A statement from the global group says it is committed to quality and transparency and will prosecute those making unfounded claims. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher has reported a 5% 2013 revenue increase to £125m, driven by double-digit growth in the banking, consumer goods/retail and industrial / machinery sectors. More
Millward Brown has signed a multi-year deal with emotion measurement specialist Affectiva to integrate the latter's Affdex automated facial coding as a standard feature in all MB's 'Link' ad copy testing services. More
Ipsos MediaCT has launched a real-time content monitor called MediaMoments, allowing clients to understand how, when and where their content is consumed, and how experience of consumption differs according to platform. More
Former Paddy Power Insight Director Danny Russell has joined mobile phone giant Telefónica O2 as General Manager of Business Intelligence. The firm has also made two other senior appointments in its marketing team, which is led by Marketing & Consumer Director Nina Bibby. More
Full service agency FieldGlobal has opened a research facility in London, where it has appointed Illitch Real as Associate Vice President - Business Development. More
In New York, GfK has appointed Pat Pellegrini as Executive Vice President of both its Media & Entertainment and Digital Market Intelligence teams. More
GfK has finalised its $100m plus five-year contract with four of Brazil's broadcasters, bringing its TV audience measurement service to the country, and says it plans to hire approximately 100 new employees to support the project. 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
Sports marketing researcher Repucom has appointed media measurement and consumer behaviour expert Joseph Eapen as Senior Vice President, South Asia, based in Mumbai, India. More
WPP research and ad agencies Millward Brown and Ogilvy & Mather have partnered to launch a syndicated tool called The Brand Cross-Cultural Index (BCCI), designed to help understand a brand's value across racial or ethnic segments. 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
European banking group Santander has appointed its first UK Chief Marketing Officer, Keith Moor, responsible for all UK marketing activity across the company. More
Hard to believe, but on Friday 29th November, DRNO's publisher MrWeb is celebrating 15 years in business. More
Antwerp, Belgium-based Survey Anyplace has launched a made-for-mobile survey tool whose respondents are not required to load an app or join a panel, but can scan a QR code or type in a shortened URL to take part. More
Nielsen is to buy Harris Interactive for around $116.6m, or $2 a share. The deal was unanimously approved on Monday by the Board of Directors of Harris, which has recently improved profits despite a continuing slide in its revenues. More
GfK has appointed Craig Griffin as Managing Director for the Consumer Choices division at its office in Thailand. 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
GfK has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with four Brazilian television broadcasters: Band TV, Record, RedeTV! and SBT, to bring its audience measurement services to the country. The planned initial contract will have a five-year timespan and a value of more than $100m. 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
Google is testing a system which will track a user's location on the high street, in order to serve them targeted ads relating to the shops they have visited. More
GfK has introduced an 'end-to-end' strategic innovation process called the Innovation Roadmap, which it says will guide an organization's product launch journey from strategy to creation, and evaluation to forecasting. More
Pharma and CPG giant Johnson & Johnson is moving to a more global approach to market research for some of its major brands. More
Sports broadcast measurement specialist Repucom has acquired Italian sports research agency Immagine & Sport for an undisclosed sum. More
Technology research and analysis specialist Gartner has reported an 11% Q3 revenue rise in its Research arm - to $316.5m. For the group as a whole, revenue increased 10% year-on-year to $410.7m. More
Nielsen is to promote Mitch Barns to the role of Chief Executive Officer from January 1st 2014, replacing David Calhoun who takes on the role of Executive Chairman. More
The US government will not be challenging the ad world's mega-merger, between global groups Omnicom and Publicis, following the expiry of a deadline this week. More
In the UK, loyalty platform Quidco has teamed up with consumer data specialist Pureprofile, to launch an online market research panel called Quidco Opinions, combining transactional-level information with attitudinal, social media, and behavioural data. More
In the UK, retail property developer Hammerson has introduced a shopper insight app called Kudos, which uses geowave technology to track shopping behaviour and deliver real-time updates and offers to consumers as they enter a shopping centre. More
In the UK, Ipsos Retail Performance has introduced new facial analysis technology called 'Shopper Profile', promising retailers a better understanding of the demographics and behaviour of their customers. More
Millward Brown Digital has introduced a suite of behavior-based mobile intelligence solutions, to provide new insights on how people use their mobile devices while shopping. More
WPP has reported third quarter revenue growth of 3.2% in its 'Data Investment Management' (DIM) businesses, to £617m, and growth of 2.6% to £1.8 billion for the first nine months of the year. More
App store analytics firm Distimo has launched a tool to enable users to check the performance of their own and competing apps across any store. More
Ipsos has announced a 5% drop in third quarter revenues to EUR 418m (Q2 2012: EUR 440m) - the result of a 6.8% negative currency effect. The decline was partly offset by 1.8% organic growth during the period. 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
TNS has launched an 'express' version of its flagship ConversionModel brand equity tool, which it says will enable businesses to identify growth opportunities and build brand equity in a matter of hours. More
Online research and polling firm YouGov has reported an 8% rise in group revenue to £62.6m for the year ended 31 July 2013. UK, US and Middle East companies all saw substantial growth. More
In the US, Ipsos Loyalty has appointed Trish Dorsey as Senior Vice President and leader of its Technology and Telecommunications team. More
IBM is to acquire Dublin-based company The Now Factory, which offers telecoms providers insights into how people use and interact with mobile services. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Millward Brown Digital has launched Conversion Tracker, which it says allows marketers to see competitors' onsite activity 'like never before', as well as learning from top performers and isolating key issues affecting their own performance. More
Nielsen has announced that Vice Chair Susan D. Whiting has decided to retire at the end of 2013, after thirty-five years with the company. More
Millward Brown has appointed two Regional Managing Directors in Europe: Benoît Tranzer takes responsibility for France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands; and Jean-Michel Janoueix for Central / Eastern Europe and the Nordics. More
TNS has made a further substantial investment in automotive customer experience specialist Enprecis Inc., which will now become the key technology provider underpinning its own automotive data management. 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
The FTC has announced it has reached an agreement with Nielsen, allowing the latter's acquisition of Arbitron to go through, with a condition safeguarding Arbitron's September 2012 cross-platform project with comScore and broadcaster ESPN. More
Leading edge UK-based agency BrainJuicer has announced Interim Results for the six months ended 30th June, with revenue up 4% to £10.8m, and operating profit up 81% to £1.3m. More
Speculation in the papers suggests that Nielsen's $1.3bn merger with Arbitron could finally get approval today from the FTC, perhaps with an agreement to license technology to comScore. However, at time of going to press, nothing further has been announced. More
Ipsos Healthcare has launched a range of 'syndicated patient journey studies', giving a holistic view of the end-to-end patient experience including the whole buying process. The first to launch is 'OncoJourney'. More
Facebook has launched a tool to help telecoms carriers and operators to measure the success of their advertising on the social network. The product links sales, including those in stores, with ad impressions served. More
Sampling and data collection firm SSI has rolled out its QuickThoughts mobile app in France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and the UK, and says 'at least ten' more countries will follow before the end of the year. More
WPP-owned Xaxis - which links the group's ad buying technologies with a proprietary database containing 'the world's largest pool of audience profiles' - has appointed former Microsoft leader Christian Wilkens as Managing Director for Germany. More
Global MR industry turnover grew by 3.2% to $39.1 billion in 2012, according to ESOMAR's latest Global Market Research Report. During the year, strong performance was seen in Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America, countering 'sluggish' performances elsewhere. More
Kantar Media has teamed up with audience targeting specialist I-Behavior to develop a service called Ad-Vantage, allowing advertisers to reach specifically defined consumer groups online. More
Canadian polling firm Leger has acquired healthcare and consumer insights specialist IFOP North America. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
TNS has been retained for The European Commission's $85m framework contract to deliver the Standard Eurobarometer studies for the next four years, seeing off competition from Ipsos, Gallup and GfK. More
Nielsen has once agreed to extend the period for regulatory review of the Arbitron transaction, into September - but continues to stress that it is 'confident in the ultimate outcome'. More
US-based Cardlytics - which offers technology to track consumer purchases and reward individuals accordingly - has launched in Europe through a partnership with the UK's Lloyds Banking Group. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has introduced an enhanced service to track US mobile commerce (m-commerce) sales - whether via smartphones or tablets - and analyse by product category and leading individual retailer. 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
WPP is to accelerate its move towards digital sources and fast-growth markets, raising longstanding targets for the proportion of business from each, according to a LinkedIn post by CEO Sir Martin Sorrell. He also appears to be phasing out the words 'research' and 'insight' in favour of a catchy new expression... More
Ipsos Healthcare has announced the global launch of a new research framework, EquityVision, which builds on its BrandVision product to 'link the major sources of commercial equity in the multi-channel healthcare marketing environment.' More
WPP-owned brand and media specialist Millward Brown has bought a 'majority stake' in Brazilian consultancy BrandAnalytics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Nielsen has reported a 3% rise in second quarter revenue to $1.38 billion, driven by a 2% increase in its Buy retail measurement division and 5% in its Watch media analytics arm. More
Publicis and Omnicom are to merge to form the world's largest marcoms network, with a combined staff of 130,000 and a market value of $35.1 billion. The move pushes WPP to second place in the ranking. 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
Ipsos Retail Performance has launched a new Shopper Insights suite which it says will enable managers and other store staff to understand and interpret both their traffic and transactional data. More
US-based retail price comparison service Shopzilla is to launch its 'Aisle A' audience targeting division in Europe, offering marketers access to proprietary shopping intent data across the region. More
Toluna has launched an app, TolunaMobile Diary, which gathers feedback on consumer activities in real-time. More
In France, market and opinion research company BVA has acquired mystery shopping specialist Masters Consultants. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In Germany, former Ebiquity MD Mathias Giloth has joined media control GfK International as Managing Director, replacing Ulrike Altig who is leaving the company next month. More
GfK has introduced a communications tracker to measure the social and emotional reaction of consumers to the various 'touch points' for a particular brand, and identify those the individual finds most memorable. More
In New York, Ipsos has appointed Stephane Goldsand and Jasper Snyder as Vice Presidents in its Strategy Partner Group. More
US information and analytics firm IHS Inc is to acquire automotive research specialist R.L. Polk & Co. for $1.4bn. The deal will be funded 10% by equity and the remainder in cash. More
US-based footfall analyst ShopperTrak has acquired retail data and analytics firm RapidBlue Solutions Oy, based in Helsinki. More
Ipsos MarketQuest has unveiled the 'next generation' of its suite of brand growth solutions, Censydiam, which it says helps users to identify and prioritise category and cross category opportunities for growth, analyse brand choice and measure brand equity. More
Millward Brown has promoted Maureen Van Wijk to the position of Managing Director in Ireland, replacing Richard Waring who has left to 'pursue other interests'. More
Millward Brown has appointed Travyn Rhall as Global CEO, succeeding Eileen Campbell who is stepping down in mid-July for personal reasons. 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
Radio ratings giant Arbitron has reported a 5.1% increase in Q1 revenue to $111.8m, compared with $106.4m in the prior year period. Earnings are slightly down - Q1 EBITDA was to $34.7m vs $36.6m a year earlier - due the firm says to the costs associated with the planned Nielsen merger. More
Bart Michels, UK MD of WPP's brand development and insight consultancy Added Value, will take on the role of Global Chief Executive Officer from 1st July, replacing Janine Hawkins who is leaving the company. More
Havas Media Group has acquired London-based marketing insights consultancy SCB Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Nielsen has reported a 3% increase in Q1 revenues to $1.38 billion, despite performance in Europe which CFO Brian West said in a conference call continues to be a 'pretty big drag' on the company. More
In the US, GfK is to increase the size of its KnowledgePanel by a third in 2013, in a bid to provide greater access to those populations that are often difficult to reach using traditional survey methods. More
Ipsos has been awarded a further year's contract to track Italian radio audiences, using its mobile radio audience measurement system MediaCell. More
US-based research consultancy THREE has opened an Asia Pacific division, and appointed Jeff Lee for the newly created position of Research Director, working from the Los Angeles area. The firm says that it is also planning to open South American and European units in the coming year. More
Shuttered media measurement firm Affinity LLC has brought a $20m antitrust action against GfK's magazine audience ratings arm GfK MRI, reiterating its claim that the latter used stolen trade secrets about Affinity's competing product to drive it out of business. More
GfK has fully integrated its custom research division GfK Blue Moon into its global structure, and renamed it GfK Australia, Consumer Experiences. More
Ipsos has sold its theatrical research division the Motion Picture Group (MPG) to a private investment company led by former MPG President Vincent Bruzzese. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK has launched its Brand and Customer Experience practice (BaCE) in the UK, and promoted Iain Stanfield to lead it. More
Facial imaging specialist nViso and US-based neuroscience firm Sands Research are to combine their software on a single platform and service offering. Terms of the partnership were not disclosed. 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
In the US, consumer insights group Pure Moxie has bought what it describes as a 'significant stake' in technology firm aSi Media, with the aim of enhancing its own digital insight services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Lauren Demar has been promoted to the role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, with responsibility for two Ipsos Marketing divisions: InnoQuest and MarketQuest. More
GfK has integrated its 'EMO Scan' facial expression measure into its existing ad testing system, to help clients understand consumers' spontaneous emotional response to advertising. More
Swedish eye tracking technology firm Smart Eye has secured a SEK 25m investment (c.EUR 2.9m), which it will use for further product development and market expansion. More
Ipsos Loyalty is to roll out its WAO! share-of-wallet tool in Poland. The service measures share of wallet dynamics within a given category, then assess which aspects of satisfaction and loyalty are driving this. 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
WPP's brand development and insight consultancy Added Value has appointed Sandrine McClure as a Director in its Paris office. 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
Reports from the US say Twitter has acquired Bluefin Labs - which tracks social media conversations about TV programs - in a deal worth between $50m and $100m. More
Nielsen and Arbitron have voluntarily agreed to provide the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with additional time to review Nielsen's proposed takeover of the radio ratings giant. 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
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher is moving to larger premises in London, after reporting 20% growth in 2012 global revenue to EUR 145m. 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
Finnish off-line shopper analytics company RapidBlue Solutions has announced an app providing its analytics direct to mobiles. Mobile Retail Store Analytics promises store owners and managers the ability to collect data and view analysis without the need for extra in-store hardware. More
Helsinki, Finland-based RapidBlue Solutions has announced a new metric, 'Gross Shopping Hours' (GSH), which it says is based on the discovery of 'a significant relationship between the brick-and-mortar shopping behaviour of shoppers and retail sales.' More
Data collection group Schlesinger Associates has launched new viewing facilities at Passerelles Bastille in Paris. More
German TV station partnership the Arbeits-gemeinschaft Fernsehforschung (AGF), has re-commissioned GfK to monitor TV viewing in Germany, initially until 2018. GfK has been providing the service since 1985, and the new contract is valued at around EUR 130m. More
New York-based media services company Horizon Media has appointed former Ipsos exec Kirk Olson as Director of TrendSights, to create, develop and manage a global trendspotting team with its new division, The WHY Group. More
Nielsen has announced it is to acquire Arbitron for around $1.26 bn, or $48 per share of common stock. The transaction has been approved by both Boards and is subject to customary closing conditions. More
Holding group RSMG Insights is bringing its sports broadcast measurement specialists Sport+Markt AG and IFM Sports GmbH under its Repucom brand, consolidating its global businesses in the sector. Meanwhile Andrew Milnes has joined to head up Repucom's marketing in the UK and Ireland. More
Nielsen has announced a reduction in the size of its Board of Directors to eleven members, with one director each from its six controlling partners. More
German consultancy Simon-Kucher, which advises on product, pricing and marketing strategy, has announced the appointment of six new partners, all based outside its home country. The firm has recently opened offices in Dubai and Istanbul, and will soon add Sao Paulo and Santiago de Chile. More
Facial recognition in a retail environment, previously conducted by digital signage and kiosks, has just received a slightly scary makeover courtesy of Italian company Almax, whose EyeSee mannequin videos shoppers and categorises them for marketing purposes. More
LatAm and Iberian online panel specialist Netquest has launched a service called AdTracking, using feedback from its 450,000 panellists to measure their reactions to specific online adverts. 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
Ipsos innovation and forecasting division InnoQuest has unveiled a new Framework, centred around 'nine drivers critical to innovation success'. More
Nielsen and its McKinsey joint venture NM Incite have announced the acquisition of SocialGuide, which provides analysis of social media conversations about TV programs. Terms were not disclosed. More
UK research provider BDRC Continental has launched a Sports & Sponsorship division and appointed Director Mark Long to lead it. More
Finnish shopper and visitor analytics specialist RapidBlue Solutions has launched a new product which converts existing location data collected and owned by cell phone networks, WiFi-operators and others into metrics on consumer movements and actions. 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
GfK has strengthened its Hong Kong team with the appointment of research veterans Karen Khao, as Head of Consumer Experiences, and Roland Leung as Head of Innovation Research. More
GfK has introduced a 'human relationship' model, to uncover consumers' emotional and social connections with brands. More
Kantar Media TGI has launched a new initiative called 'The WHY Code', which offers to help clients understand every stage of the consumer decision-making journey, both conscious and subconscious. More
In Germany, full service agency Dr Grieger & Cie has launched online panels in Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Turkey. 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
Finnish shopper and visitor analytics specialist RapidBlue Solutions has launched a 3D visualisation tool for mapping shopper movements, to enable retailers to understand the performance of their retail space across different floors and trading areas. 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
Qureshi Market Research MD Bob Qureshi has opened a new facility in London's West End, offering eye tracking, dial testing and NeuroFocus services. The five-studio facility also provides access to a bar for use in drinks research projects. 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
Twitter has introduced interest-based ad targeting for its Promoted Tweets and Promoted Accounts campaigns, while Facebook is to allow brands to use their consumer data to reach users through the site. More
Irish sports betting chain Paddy Power has appointed former BskyB exec Danny Russell as its first Insight Director, and former Domino's Pizza director Robin Auld as Brand Director. Both commence their new roles in mid-October. 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
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
Gaming analytics provider iQU has launched an office in Los Angeles and hired Jeannette Weinstein to lead it as US CEO. More
Kantar Media has bought AGB Nielsen's 50% stake in the TGI (Target Group Index) service operating in Turkey. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
YouGov has recorded a 'solid trading performance' for the year ended 31 July 2012 in an update issued by the London Stock Exchange. More
Qual/quant agency MM-Eye has reorganised the management team at its London office, promoting Damien Field to Managing Director responsible for the overall performance of the business. Field will work alongside Anne Bolingbroke, who becomes Chairman. More
In the US, the ongoing Apple vs. Samsung patent lawsuit is throwing some interesting light on the business style of the iPhone and iPad giant - including the fact that it's not so averse to market research as it has sometimes claimed. More
comScore has announced financial results for the second quarter of 2012, including a much-slowed growth in revenue - up just 4% to $60.3m. Adjusted EBITDA remained relatively robust at $9.6m (16% of revenue), compared to $11.1m in Q2 2011. More
Helsinki-based RapidBlue Solutions has launched a point-of-sale (POS) integrated version of its Shopper Analytics solution, to enable retailers to analyze those shopping trips which do not lead to sales. More
Indian broadcaster NDTV is suing Nielsen and Kantar Media Research over claims that staff at the firms' joint venture TAM took bribes in exchange for overstating ratings. According to the suit, this practice has damaged NDTV's business to the tune of around $810m in the past eight years. More
Specialist innovation and forecasting business Ipsos InnoQuest has rolled out a new market potential analysis tool called Vantis*Optimize, designed specifically for clients planning to launch non-FMCG products or services. More
Nielsen has partnered with Israeli-based venture capital fund Partam Hightech to launch a subsidiary called Nielsen Innovate, which will help develop and fund business ideas and bring them to market for its clients globally. More
European consulting and data engineering specialist Business & Decision Group has acquired French web analytics services firm Hub'Sales for an undisclosed amount. 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
EMI Music is to release parts of its 'EMI Million Interview Dataset' to around 150 data scientists from non-profit organisation Data Science London, who will study what EMI describes as the 'most extensive collection of data on music consumers ever shared'. More
GfK has acquired the remaining 40% of user experience firm SirValUse Consulting and usability research specialist nurago. More
Swedish firm EyeTrackShop has launched a new solution called realCPM, which attempts to measure the actual number of people who view an ad. 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
Japanese ad giant Dentsu has made an offer to acquire UK-based media buying and marcoms group Aegis in a £3.16 billion deal, which includes the latter's Aztec retail information and scan-data business. The acquisition is subject to Aegis shareholder approval. More
Finnish customer feedback tech firm HappyOrNot has introduced its customer satisfaction measurement device to the UK, where the system is currently being used at London Heathrow Airport to obtain passenger views of the airport's much-discussed security measures. More
Ipsos Loyalty has followed up last year's WAR with the launch of a research solution called WAO!, to help clients understand 'share of wallet' in their target sectors. More
WPP-owned ad network Grey Group Germany has bought the remaining 50% of shopper marketing and insight agency Frey G2 from its co-founder Ulrich Dirk Frey. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Kantar Media TGI has launched a new service called 'TGI Clickstream', allowing marketers, communications agencies and media owners to gain a picture of web sites and sections visited by specific, 'complex' target groups of consumers. 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
Nielsen has revised its full year 2012 revenue guidance downwards, following what it describes as 'changes to operating conditions' in its Buy consumer purchase behavior division outside the US. The company is now expecting constant current revenue growth of 5% to 6% for the full year. More
Researchers Dorothy and Ray Parker have set up a new marketing research and competitor intelligence company called 4insight in St Helier, Jersey, which offers what they claim to be the Channel Islands' first professional viewing studios. More
UK e-commerce association IMRG (Interactive Media In Retail Group) has partnered with European trade association EMOTA to launch the IMR Smart Knowledge Base, an open-access library of insights into the performance of the global e-commerce market. More
GfK is integrating elements of its brand, communication, satisfaction and loyalty research into a new global practice, Brand and Customer Experience, and has appointed Helen Zeitoun to head it up. 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
Berlin-based Moviepilot, which gathers information and online 'buzz' for early-stage input to movie promotion, has raised $7m in a Series B funding round. More
In Sweden, shopper and consumer specialist NORM has launched 'Scandinavia's first quantitative research panel of pregnant women.' At least 4,000 women will join the panel evenly over the next twelve months. More
Research Now owner e-Rewards, Inc. has reached an agreement to acquire mobile research specialist iPinion, LLC, which will be rebranded as 'Research Now Mobile'. More
Sampling and data collection provider SSI has launched a specialist automotive sample, offering researchers access to car owners and buyers in the world's largest car markets. 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
Ipsos has expanded in the Middle East through a joint venture with family-owned business group Darwish Holding, which is headquartered in Qatar. The new Doha-based initiative is led by Ipsos Qatar Managing Director Elie Nawar. More
GfK has announced the launch of ConX (Consumer Experience Measurement and Tracking), a holistic, customizable tool for measuring, evaluating and optimizing the consumer experience. More
The MENA division of Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) has launched its panel in the United Arab Emirates, continuing its roll-out throughout the region. More
New Jersey-based Bowker, which provides information for the publishing industry, has merged its US-based PubTrack Consumer and UK-based Book Marketing Limited (BML) under a new global brand, named Bowker Market Research. More
Chip maker Intel has invested $21m in technology firm Tobii, to help the company move its eye tracking and gaze interaction solutions to 'mass-market' applications such as mainstream computers, cars, games and other consumer products. More
WPP's GroupM is working with Nielsen to develop a new cross-platform measurement service, integrating media planning and measurement across television and the Internet. More
Ipsos has announced the appointment of Synovate veteran Jenny Broughton as a Global Talent Management Partner, and separately has given more details of the structure of its new InnoQuest Practice. More
German eye tracking technology provider SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) has launched a portable version of its system called SMI RED-m, which it says makes it easy to conduct market research studies from public sites. More
Kantar Media has expanded its Global Target Group Index (TGI) network of syndicated marketing and media studies through the addition of TNS Media Belgium's Brand Media Monitor (BMM) study. More
New York-based sports research firm RSMG has acquired competitor agency IFM Group in a deal which includes German-based IFM Sports and UK-based IFM Sports Marketing Surveys. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. More
London-based app analytics firm Mopapp has received EUR 1.5m in funding from credit reporting and business information firm CRIF. More
Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has brought together all its search and optimization agencies under its Resolution Media brand, to offer integrated services across areas including SEO, digital behavior analysis, behavioral targeting, social media and mobile. More
In France, market and opinion research company BVA has announced a partnership with the University of Rennes to develop neuromarketing tools. The academic team will be lead by Olivier Droulers, doctor of medicine and Professor of Neuromarketing. 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
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
UK-based shopper analyst Planet Retail has appointed former Mintel exec Frank Weibelzahl as Sales Director for its European division. 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
In Germany, GfK Travel Insights has set up a panel of online travel portals, from which it will evaluate data about holiday bookings. More
TV ratings body TAM Ireland has appointed media sector veteran Jill McGrath as Head of its TV Audience Measurement service, replacing Aidan Dunne who is retiring. More
In Stockholm and Washington, eye tracking and interactive gaze specialist Tobii Technology has announced a new compact and portable field device, the Tobii X1 Light Eye Tracker. More
Amsterdam-based Olery, a specialist in online reputation monitoring for the leisure sector, has raised $1m (EUR 750k) in a funding round from an undisclosed source, which it will use to build its presence in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, and improve and launch products. 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
Market data specialist Deutsche Börse has acquired the 'China Consumer Sentiment Survey' (CCSS) from Intage Hyperlink Market Consulting (Shanghai), a subsidiary of Japanese market research firm Intage. The deal closed in December for an undisclosed amount reported to be less than $1m. More
French agency Adriant has launched a new methodology using picture boards for measuring consumers' emotional reactions to brands and products, and analysing the key drivers of their purchasing decisions. More
GfK has promoted three of its senior Asia Pacific execs - Frans Janssen to Executive Managing Director for the region; Stanley Kee to MD, Southeast Asia; and Benny Villanueva to General Manager for GfK Philippines. 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, Nielsen and comScore have settled patent infringement lawsuits relating to both firms' online measurement copyrights, and as part of the deal, Nielsen has acquired $19m of comScore common stock. More
Reports in the Turkish press claim that the country's Television Audience Research Committee (TÃAK) has severed its agreement with AGB Nielsen, following claims that staff at the firm leaked a list of panel members to TV producers who then bribed them in order to manipulate TV ratings. More
GfK has acquired US-based consumer specialist Knowledge Networks. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Ipsos has extended its presence in South East Asia with the acquisition of analysis specialist Consumer Behavior & Insight (CBI) in Vietnam. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Ipsos has announced its new senior leadership line-up for the UK, following the Synovate acquisition. Former Synovate senior execs Dave Hannay, Hilary Worton, Paul Stamper, Deborah McCrudden and Yusuf Ramadan are all included in CEO Ben Page's team. 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
In the Netherlands, a consortium of outdoor specialists made up of advertisers and media agencies has rolled out a system which calculates the number of people who actually look at outdoor adverts, as opposed to measuring all those who walk past them. 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
Online auction giant eBay has announced the acquisition of the team and technology of Hunch, which uses data mining and predictive modelling to create customised recommendations for site visitors. 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
Eyetracking technology firm Tobii has launched a plug-in which combines eye-gaze data with the metrics measured by TechSmith's Morae usability testing platform, to provide psychological analysis of user behavior during usability testing. More
European online consumer researcher MetrixLab has acquired digital marketing analytics specialist CRM Metrix, which operates from offices in Paris and New York. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 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
UK-based market intelligence specialist LMC Automotive has acquired JD Power and Associates' automotive forecasting division. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Kantar Media has won a six-year contract, beginning in August 2012, for the provision of a new electronic radio measurement service in Sweden, using PPM technology licensed from Arbitron. More
Nielsen has announced good results for the quarter ended September 30th, including revenues up 10% (6% at constant currencies) to $1,413m, and adjusted EBITDA up 7% in real terms, at $408m. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has announced third quarter results, with a substantial rise in revenues to $69.8m from $59.8m in Q3 2010. 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
Online ad targeting company Phorm has arranged a £30m equity placing with institutional and other investors including its existing NED Mark Schneider. The funds will enable it to repay earlier borrowing and to proceed with its fledgling businesses in a number of countries. More
Online specialist YouGov has today announced the launch of YouGov France, based in Paris, and appointed Julien Chevignon to lead it. More
Maritz Research has moved into its new offices in High Wycombe, UK, making room as it continues rapid European growth. More
US-based retail store analysis specialist ShopperTrak has established a presence in Europe through the purchase of RCT Analytics, which develops a range of solutions to count consumers at shopping centres and retailers across the UK. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
UK book market specialist BML Bowker has launched a new service to track the purchasing habits of e-book consumers in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North and South America. More
Ipsos has completed its acquisition of Synovate for £528.8m - up £3.8m from the previously agreed figure of £525m - to form the third largest market research company in the world. More
Danish toy manufacturer LEGO has rolled out an online 'open innovation' and crowd sourcing platform, through which consumers can submit and vote for their favourite new product ideas. Consumers who have their ideas chosen will earn 1% of the total net sales of the product. More
Gaming software giant Electronic Arts and partner firm nPario have announced the launch of an insights platform, EA Legend, which will give marketers data on their campaigns and audiences across mobile, social, online and console games reaching over 300 million people worldwide. More
European agency SKOPOS Market Insight has rolled out its NEKXT mystery shopping service in the UK. More
GfK has launched a new panel of Turkish consumers, billed as the first to use in-home scanning technology to provide insights based on actual purchase data. 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
Customer experience specialist Maritz Research has announced a new measurement technique examining 'Make or Break' factors in customer relationships. More
TNS Gallup, part of the Kantar Media network, has won a continuation of its contract to provide the currency for measurement of TV audiences in Denmark, taking it up to the end of 2015. More
US-based customer intelligence firm Market Force Information has bought into Europe with the acquisition of UK-based customer experience and mystery shopping provider Retail Eyes. Terms were not disclosed. 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
Ipsos is planning to issue around EUR 200m worth of new shares, to part-fund its acquisition of Synovate. More
Maritz Research has acquired Wiesbaden, Germany-based MR consultancy Imagin AG, a specialist in stakeholder and customer feedback management; along with subsidiary call centre company Customer Care International GmbH (CCI). More
YouGov has significantly strengthened its senior team with the hiring of Phil Rance and Andreas Sperling, formerly in leadership roles at Research Now and Millward Brown respectively; and the promotion of Tim Britton from CEO, UK to CEO, EMEA. 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
Jan Hofmeyr, formerly Synovate's International Director of Innovation, has joined TNS in a 'global thought leadership role', responsible for building the firm's approach to behaviour change and embedding this across the group. 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
Specialist research firm eyetracker has announced a deal with Royal Mail's Mail Media Centre to create what it calls 'Europe's first omnibus eye tracking research service for the Direct Mail industry'. 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
A US judge has ordered media measurement firm TRA and WPP to settle their differences through mediation, following their row over alleged patent infringement. More
US-based ratings giant Arbitron has acquired Finnish mobile measurement firm Zokem for an initial c.$11.7m in cash, plus up to $12m in future payments depending on performance. More
Nielsen has reported a 10% rise in revenue to $1.4 billion for the second quarter, the result of a 14% increase in its Buy consumer purchase behavior segment and a 4% increase in its Watch media research arm. More
Fresh from announcing its deal to buy Synovate, Ipsos has achieved organic growth of 6.3% in the first half of the year, reporting a 5.6% increase in revenues to EUR 558.2m. 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
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
US agency Radius Global has expanded its EMEA operation with the appointment of Nitin Ladva, who will head up its automotive practice from the recently opened London office. More
US-based consumer specialist Knowledge Networks has acquired Garcia Research Associates (GRA), a firm which focuses on measuring the growing influence of Latinos on commerce and society in the US. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Aegis may be offered up to £600m for Synovate by an as-yet unidentified bidder, according to reports: considerably more than the rumoured value of the current 'exclusive' Ipsos bid, c.£520m. More
Panel exchange operator Cint has announced new partnerships with operators of student panels, the UK's National Union of Students (NUS) and Student Beans, and Irish student panel W5. 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
GfK has strengthened its worldwide presence, buying Thai MR firm MarketWise and completing the buying of GfK-MEMRB Marketing Services in Cyprus. It has also upped its stake in US company Etilize and launched a retail panel in Belarus. More
WPP has entered the ad targeting fray with the launch of Xaxis, a new firm which links the group's ad-buying technologies with a proprietary database containing what it describes as the 'world's largest pool of audience profiles'. More
Consumer agency NORM Market Research has launched the 'TalkToParents' panel, comprising more than 2,300 Swedish parents of children between the ages of nought and six. More
Marketing services network McCann Worldgroup has hired Marc Schwartz as Global Director of Performance Analytics and moved Laura Simpson from London to become Global IQ Director, heading up a new NYC-based Marketing Sciences practice. More
Former Yahoo! Europe VP Stephen Taylor has become Chairman of Manchester, UK-based call tracking and web analytics firm AdInsight. More
The Board of Aegis Group has confirmed that it is in talks with Ipsos about the possible sale of its market research arm Synovate. Analysts suggest a price of around £500m and the combination would create the world's fourth largest research agency. More
Synovate has announced the global launch of mobile research capabilities including SMS / text and mobile online surveys, as well as app development. Thomas Edwards has been promoted to lead the initiative. 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
GfK has partnered with its part-owned usability research specialist nurago to launch 'Connected Life.dx', a tool tying in browsing and consumer purchasing behaviour across fixed and mobile platforms. More
The European branch of The Mystery Shopper Providers Association (MSPA Europe) has appointed Nigel Cover of Grass Roots as its President for the next two years. More
Gaming market researcher Newzoo and app store analyst Distimo have announced a partnership to provide unique monthly data on game sales and downloads across all Apple App Stores, covering the US and six European nations. More
Eye tracking specialist Tobii Technology has launched a new testing solution, which it claims is the first to be specifically designed for usability studies on mobile devices and mobile applications. More
In Austria, semantic web technology firm uma has closed a EUR 800,000 ($1.1m) funding round, which it says will help it move 'more aggressively' into the digital signage and display market. 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
In London, market research agency BrainJuicer has appointed Federico Trovato, former Head of Consumer and Market Intelligence at Philips - as Chief Client Satisfaction Officer. He will also join the Executive Management Team and will start in August. More
Brand and marketing insight consultancy Added Value has announced four senior promotions, consisting of two newly created Offer Development roles and two moves from Europe to the US. 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
The Czech Association for Internet Advertising (SPIR) has awarded comScore a three-year contract to supply the official common currency for online and mobile media audience measurement in the country, replacing the current provider, the Gemius and Mediaresearch partnership. More
Apple is the world's number 1 brand by a distance, adding 84% to last year's valuation to leapfrog mobile o/s rival Google, according to Millward Brown's Brandz index, just published. More
In the UK, customer experience measurement specialist Maritz Research has reported a revenue increase of £1.07m, from £8.4m in the fiscal year 2009 to £9.4m in 2010. In the last 12 months, the firm has also recruited 80 new researchers in Europe and Asia. More
Nielsen has seen an 8.9% increase in revenue to $1.3bn for the first quarter of 2011. Net income rose from $16m to $64m but the firm reported a $181m loss in Q1 due to $206m costs relating to its recent initial public offering (IPO). More
The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) is building an online hub to encourage direct feedback from consumers about their perception of online advertising; an approach it suggests will provide more effective insight by cutting out the middle man, traditional market research. More
Swedish eye tracking solutions firm MRC international has appointed former Neurofocus SVP Jeff Bander as SVP of Client Services, to head the firm's newly opened New York City office. More
In the UK, consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser has promoted SVP of Category Development Rakesh Kapoor to Chief Executive Officer, following the retirement of Bart Becht. The firm's Board of Directors described Kapoor as its 'unanimous choice'. More
In France, research agency CSA has acquired Paris-based Directpanel, which provides access to 50,000 online respondents through its online panel management and survey platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Online measurement specialist comScore has rolled out its new audience measurement tool AdEffx Campaign Essentials across Europe. The firm has also announced the roll-out of its Video Metrix service in Turkey. More
Havas-owned marcoms group Euro RSCG Worldwide has acquired personalized advertising and marketing agency Strategy Farm, which offers positioning and strategy services, along with digital, social media and CRM. Terms were not disclosed. More
GfK has acquired the remaining shares of Macedonian custom research specialist GfK Skopje, of which it already held 51 percent. Terms were not disclosed. More
UK-based pollster and online MR firm YouGov plc has agreed to acquire Portland, Oregon-based Definitive Insights (DI), for an initial consideration of $1m and further performance-related payments adding to an anticipated $4.8m. YouGov also announced half-year revenue up 26.8% with an improved profit margin of 8.1%. 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
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 US, the ARF (Advertising Research Foundation) has unveiled the first results from its review of current neuromarketing methods. The study finds it to be 'a valuable tool' but gives many reasons for caution. More
Panel and sample specialist Cint has announced two new partnerships centred around its newly acquired DIY mobile relationship marketing platform, Thumbspeak. More
In Germany, former K & A Brand Research execs Manfred Zerzer and Karen Döring have set up PsychoLogik, a full-service market research agency which applies the science of psychology to the analysis and logical understanding of consumer behaviour. More
In the US, Nielsen has promoted Mary Liz Finn to the position of Chief Human Resources Officer, to lead the firm's human capital strategy, and oversee leadership development programs, compensation and benefits packages. More
Nielsen has reported 2010 revenue of $5.13 billion, a 6.1% increase on a constant currency basis. Net income of $132m for the year compares well with a loss of $489m in 2009. 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
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
Cyprus-based MEMRB (The Middle East Market Research Bureau) has been bought by Nielsen for an undisclosed sum, thought to be around 60m Euros. More
Online research specialist YouGov has hooked up with digital marketing agency Adform to offer a service which tests how one or more banner ads are received by a target group prior to a campaign being launched. More
French co-creation agency eYeka is expanding to the States, where it has already appointed full teams covering both the West and East coasts, based in New York and San Francisco. 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
Nielsen has priced its forthcoming initial public offering (IPO) at around $1.64bn or $23.00 per share. The shares will trade from today on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol 'NLSN'. 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
Ahead of the official release of its financial results for calendar year 2010, Nielsen has reported an expected revenue increase of between 6.3% and 6.7% to between $5,110m and $5,130m (2009 = $4,808m), equivalent to 5.8% to 6.2% on a constant currency basis. More
Nielsen's Chief Human Resources Officer Roberto (Bob) Llamas is to leave the firm at the end of the first quarter 2011. The firm plans to name a successor during the transition period. More
Rentrak and Paris-based Cine Chiffres have announced the formation of a joint venture which will monitor cinema box office figures throughout France, from 1st January 2011. More
TNS has acquired Belgian shopper research specialist Retail Insights, and appointed its CEO Kristien Laureys to head up the Retail Insights division within TNS Belgium. More
Web-based market research specialist DigitalMR has launched a syndicated banking report based on thousands of customers' online conversations posted on social media platforms including Twitter and Facebook, blogs and e-commerce sites. More
comScore has introduced its online video measurement service in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Spain. More
US-based chip manufacturing giant Intel has acquired Canadian out-of-home (OoH) audience measurement technology developer CognoVision for an undisclosed amount. More
In The Netherlands, full service market research agency Newzoo - which focuses on the games industry - has partnered with blog Social Games Observer to launch an online monitor providing insight into the popularity of games and developers on social networks other than Facebook. More
In the UK, TNS has moved James Fergusson to the post of Global Technology Head, responsible for leading the sector team and strengthening its presence across all markets. More
A new Netherlands-based research firm is targeting the 'hard to reach' consumers of the GCC region. VNDLGY (pronounced 'Vondology') uses a network of carefully recruited 'TrendSpotters' to provide qual feedback on trends and innovations in the region. 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
In France, GfK has partnered with global news agency AFP (Agence France-Presse) to launch the 'Reference E-Content' (REC) monitor, which measures and analyses users' online consumption of books, music, videos, games and software. 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 London, WPP-owned consulting business Kantar Retail has appointed Bryan Roberts as Director, Retail Insights for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). More
In the US, GfK has acquired marketing consultancy Interscope, which helps manufacturers and retailers understand the shopper landscape through a mix of analytics and creative ideas. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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, TNS has acquired retail and manufacturer research specialist instorefactor, and merged it into its Retail and Shopper business. Terms were not disclosed. More
Panels and MR technology firm Toluna has added social media features to its branded online community management product PanelPortal, to enable community members to interact with each other and provide additional insight for panel owners. More
Clothing retailer Gap has initiated a crowdsourcing project following a backlash from customers posting on social media sites, about its newly re-designed logo. 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
Kantar Media has introduced DirectHEAT, a new subscription service delivering custommised multimedia ad intelligence to media sellers. More
Broadcasting association The Norwegian Radio Industry has awarded TNS Gallup a three-year contract extension to measure electronic radio listening in the country. The contract will now run until late 2013. 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
In the UK, full service agency SPA has been acquired by private equity firm Next Wave Partners as part of a plan to merge it with Future Thinking, in which Next Wave holds a 60% stake. More
Advertising division Ipsos ASI has launched its 'Big Idea' service in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). More
Marketing scientist and consumer behaviour specialist Andrew Ehrenberg died last week at the age of 84. More
Aegis Group plc has announced a significant improvement in its 2010 interim results. Total revenue rose 4.2% to £663.3m, representing organic growth of 3.2%. The upturn in large part reflects a rebound at MR arm Synovate. More
LatAm and Iberia online panel specialist Netquest has launched panels in 17 Latin American countries, bringing its total number of panellists in the region to more than 300,000. 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
Nielsen has increased the amount it wants to raise by selling stock to $2.01bn, in its initial public offering (IPO) filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm has also added two new categories for measuring TV viewing. More
Pharma market research giant IMS Health has appointed Ari Bousbib as its new Chief Executive Officer, replacing David Carlucci who will continue to serve in his other role as Chairman for a transition period. 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
Strategic research firm Hotspex has appointed former Millward Brown Canada President James Conrad as Executive Vice President, to lead sales and drive growth. More
In the US, global fragrance and flavouring supplier Symrise has promoted Frank Rapacki to the position of Director, Consumer Insights, and appointed Ian Björn Thurston as Marketing Communications Manager. 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
Nielsen has announced results for the quarter and six months ended June 30. Reported quarterly revenues rose to $1,270m, up 7% year-on-year and reported operating income rose 6% from $172m to $182m - a rise of 10% after adjusting for one-off costs and currency changes. More
The NPD Group and electronics retailer Best Buy Co. have extended their agreement to share point-of-sale data for a further two and a half years. 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
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
Millward Brown has added five team members to its Neuroscience Research Practice, formed in March to extend the services offered by its existing advertising and brand research unit. More
Global non-profit trade body the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) has commissioned Internet audience measurement group OWA to measure mobile web site traffic in Austria. 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
In our latest selection from the mass of market research and marketing data generated by the 2010 World Cup, Features Editor Teresa Lynch brings you shoes, shirts, soccer, soft drinks, smartphones, space science and the savoury smell of simmering squid. More
US behavioral targeting technology firm AudienceScience (formerly Revenue Science) has acquired German rival Wunderloop. Terms were not disclosed. More
WPP-owned Kantar Media has released 'Connect', a new solution that integrates a publisher's own web site metrics with survey data, to create a single-source database that links online behaviour to the attitudes that drive it. 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
Eyetracking pioneer Tobii Technology has announced the launch of Tobii Glassesâ„¢, which the firm says look and feel like modern eyewear, allowing subjects to walk around freely collect eyetracking data in 'mobile, natural settings'. More
GfK has appointed Colm Mallon as Territory Manager Ireland in its Retail and Technology division, responsible for servicing manufacturer clients and retailers and developing panels in the Irish market. More
In Germany, GfK has appointed Dr Gerhard Hausruckinger to lead its Retail & Technology sector, replacing Dr Gérard Hermet who is stepping down from the role to retire after 26 years with the firm. More
A modest 38% of England fans will throw World Cup 'sickies' this month, costing the UK c.£1bn in lost work - but not in vain, as it can be scientifically proven that England are going to win. Yes, predictably, we are inundated with stats, and our Features Editor Teresa Lynch will bottle only the finest for you. More
A new study suggests that brain scans can identify whether a consumer intends to buy a product, even when they are not consciously considering their choices. More
US-based neuromarketing research specialist EmSense has opened a European headquarters in central London, where it has recruited Sue Nosworthy as SVP, European Research Director and Maria Domoslawska as VP, Digital and Media Research. More
US retail market intelligence giant IRI has promoted company veteran Cary Schneider to the position of EVP of European Operations and Transformation, reporting to President Nigel Howlett. More
TV ratings body TAM Ireland is to expand the size of its television audience measurement panel, while introducing the ability to track time shifted viewing (TSV) - a move which it says makes Ireland among the earliest countries to measure such trends in viewing behaviour. More
Nielsen has filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to raise up to $1.75bn in an initial public offering (IPO), which it will use to pay down debt and for 'general corporate purposes'. 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
Online research firm InSites Consulting has announced rapid growth and the opening of new offices in the Netherlands, UK and Switzerland. Four senior hires will help to support and consolidate the expansion. More
Aegis' research arm Synovate has reported a 1.9% organic decline in first quarter revenue, compared with 10.1% and 5.5% declines respectively in the third and fourth quarters of 2009. Separately, Synovate has launched a 'Digital Centre of Excellence', based in London. More
As part of an internal restructure, Nielsen has transferred Ivar Michaelsen from its Denmark office, to lead its operation in Germany, while appointing Justin Sargent as Group Managing Director for UK and Ireland. 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
Ipsos says it is confident in its ability to return to 'significant and profitable growth' in 2010, after reporting a 14% rise in first quarter revenue to EUR 236.9m, compared with EUR 207.3m in the prior year period. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell says the figure reported in the press for Nielsen's possible valuation is 'out of the ballpark' and 'doesn't work in any way, shape or form'. Both companies reported encouraging results today, WPP forecasting growth for the year and Nielsen seeing 4% real revenue growth over Q1 2009. More
Nielsen is said to be preparing to trade as a public company, inviting a number of investment banks to underwrite an initial public offering (IPO) which could be worth up to $21bn. More
Kantar Media has merged its media measurement and evaluation agency Millward Brown Precis Europe/UK into its Intelligence Sector. The merger will be effective 1 May 2010. More
Brand and communications research agency Hall & Partners has rolled out its Engager tool, which measures how people think and feel - both consciously and unconsciously - about brands, and how they engage with them. More
US-based consumer research agency Iconoculture has partnered with Swedish market research technology provider Dapresy to drive a study of values and lifestyle trends across 17 countries in North and South America, Europe and Asia. More
GfK has announced a partnership between its subsidiary GfK Asia Pte Ltd and global mobile media industry trade association Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), which promises insight for the mobile content industry. 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
In Germany, Thomas Andresen and Ulrich Hertfelder have launched Mark Metrics, a consultancy which will analyse how successful brands differ from unsuccessful brands. More
Nielsen has acquired Munich-based market research consulting firm USP Market Intelligence, which focuses on consumer goods such as tobacco, confectionery and beverages in Germany and Austria. Terms were not disclosed. More
Online audience specialist comScore has released results from nearly 20 European studies, showing good performance by online ads in driving advertiser site visits - regardless of small numbers of direct clickthroughs in some cases. 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
Ipsos has signed an agreement to acquire a 25% stake in Portuguese research firm Apeme (área de Planeamento e Estudos de Mercado), with the option to buy the remaining 75% in five years. More
LGBT specialist Out Now has launched what it claims to be the 'world's largest gay market research study', spanning 14 countries across Latin America and Europe. More
YouGov co-founder and CEO Nadhim Zahawi is preparing to step down from his role, after being selected to stand as the parliamentary candidate for the safe Conservative Party seat of Stratford-on-Avon in the forthcoming general election. More
Global eye tracking software firm iMotions has partnered with Chilean eye tracking services company EyeOnMedia to deliver its Attention Tool solution to clients in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina and Columbia. More
GfK Retail and Technology have announced the launch of their Mobile Telecom retail panel in the Republic of Ireland, tracking the country's mobile market sales for the first time. More
US research giant IMS Health has reported a 3% increase in fourth quarter revenues to $599.2m. The firm has also received shareholder approval for its sale to TPG Capital and the CPP Investment Board. More
In London, The European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) has launched an Insight Council, comprising heads of research and digital commercial specialists from both EIAA member companies and agencies. More
Ipsos has acquired LA-based hi-tech entertainment research specialist OTX (Online Testing Exchange) for an undisclosed sum. 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
dunnhumby has acquired KSS Retail, which provides price modelling and optimization solutions for retailers worldwide. More
Media buyer Carat Ireland and market research firm iReach have launched a new monthly study examining Irish online consumer issues and trends. More
Ipsos has launched a specialist gaming research practice, 3D. The unit integrates new tools and various existing skills from within the group to focus on the needs of game developers, marketers and console manufacturers. 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
Information giant Experian has launched a new German version of its consumer classification tool Mosaic, classifying the country's 68 million adult population into ten major lifestyle groups reflecting recent trends in society. 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
Consumer research firm Iconoculture has appointed former GfK Roper Consulting executives Nick Chiarelli in London and Anders Brogren in Sweden, to lead its expansion into Western Europe. 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
Newly founded LeGo Research, which specialises in customer management, brand and communications, and price and product projects, has partnered with Danish firm MyResearch and Norwegian agency Perceptor to offer clients a broader portfolio and deliver deeper insights. More
French media research agency MTdiamTtrie is planning to invest between €25m and €30m over the next three years, to improve existing services and develop new offers for broadcasters. More
GfK has created a global database of point-of-sale data for electronic consumer goods. The 'Digital World' service has been designed by GfK Retail and Technology in conjunction with the US Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). More
Consumer Health Sciences (CHS) has added more than 13,300 Chinese consumers to the database for its 'National Health and Wellness Survey' (NHWS). Plans are also in place to roll out the service further across Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. More
According to reports, pharma market research giant IMS Health is in talks with several private equity firms regarding selling the company. More
London-based customer engagement specialist Fizzback has secured £1.6m in capital, earmarked for expansion into the US and continental Europe. More
YouGov has reported results for the year ended 31st July, with turnover up 10% to £44.3m, but down after allowing for currency effects. Normalised operating profit fell from £8.7m to £3.1m but markets reacted favourably to the figures. More
In The Netherlands, online market research agency MetrixLab has appointed former Research International VP Alexander Kleijngeld to spearhead the international expansion of its NPD & Innovation unit. 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
Danish firm iMotions has released a new eye tracking software platform with 'Reading Metrics' to uncover whether consumers really read or are able to read communications, and 'Study Sharing' which enables users to run studies in multiple locations simultaneously. More
TNS Magasin has launched a service focusing on understanding shoppers who don't buy the products in front of them, identifying and analysing attrition amongst shoppers at every stage of the process. 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
New York-headquartered MSW - previously McCollum Spielman Worldwide - has partnered with UK-based Insight Engineers to introduce its brand and communications research approaches across Europe. 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
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
The latest release of Google Insights for Search looks into the future and predicts what will be searched for, based on a combination of current searches and the way trends have developed in the past. More
Media giant Time Warner has signed a seven year agreement with Nielsen, which will bring together TV, online, mobile measurement services, research on advertising segmentation and targeting, and consumer engagement research, under one contract. More
Nielsen has reported a 6% dip in revenues to $2.36bn for the six months ended June 30 2009. Revenues for its market research business dropped 11.7% to $1.25bn from $1.42bn in the year earlier period. More
GfK has reported a decline in sales and operating income during the first half of the year despite an improvement in the second quarter. In organic terms, first half sales were down 8.5%. More
Microsoft and comScore are collaborating to build a hybrid audience measurement tool, which will allow advertisers to determine and predict how consumers will respond to their digital ads. More
Online research agency YouGov has announced that its full-year trading is in line with current market expectations, but says it is expecting 'tough market conditions' to continue at least until the end of 2009. More
Online measurement firm comScore has announced financial results for the second quarter of 2009, with revenue, GAAP income before taxes and EBITDA all higher than forecast, at $31.4m, $2.6m and $7.0m respectively. More
Ad industry execs including Sir Martin Sorrell have welcomed yesterday's news of a deal between Microsoft and Yahoo! to work together on search and advertising. More
Media market intelligence firms Media Partners Asia (MPA) and Screen Digest are to collaborate to offer research and consulting services to clients in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. More
Pharma market research giant IMS Health has reported a 19% drop in Q2 profit to $62.9m from $77.7m a year earlier. Accordingly, the firm is planning to shed a total of 850 staff, or 11% of its global workforce. More
In Germany, TNS Infratest has promoted Jens Krnger to the post of Head of Consumer & Retail, as part of its integration with Research International (RI). More
Online qual specialist Blauw Research has announced a tool for continually assessing brand exposure and evaluating communications on Twitter; and launched a suite of research products including 'Superpromoter', a tool which identifies and assesses brand champions. More
GfK has finalised its acquisition of French music tracking firm Ifop Music (Institut Frantais d'Opinion Publique), and taken a 25% stake in Cypriot radio/TV audience measurement company Watch Media, with an option to purchase a majority stake at a later date. More
From next Monday, Millward Brown IMS and Lansdowne Market Research will combine into a single company named Millward Brown Lansdowne. The new firm will be part of Millward Brown Ireland, along with Millward Brown Ulster. More
In Germany, The Association of Online Research (AGOF - Arbeitsgemeinschaft Online-Forschung) has formed a working group which is tasked with designing a currency for measuring mobile advertising and online services. More
WPP's insight division Kantar is to merge Lightspeed Research's online panel business with the TNS 6th Dimension network of online managed access panels. More
Contrary to claims in the Turkish press, reported in DRNO on Friday, AGB Nielsen says its own panellists have alerted it proactively to corruption issues; that it continues to enjoy good relations with awarding body TIAK; and that it is very much in the running for a tender taking place later this year. More
Millward Brown Optimor - the consulting unit dedicated to brand strategy and marketing investment - has made its annual 'BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Brands' ranking available as a free application on the iPhone. More
Nielsen has partnered with French media agency MTdiamTtrie to launch a study of French mobile phone consumer behaviour. More
Technology giant IBM has announced plans to invest $100m in a five-year program to conduct research into mobile communications. More
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released guidelines to establish a common methodology for measuring ads that appear in PC or console-based games. More
GfK Retail and Technology has combined information on energy consumption and sales figures of electronic appliances to create a new energy efficiency tracking product. More
Nielsen has re-organised its consumer research group into a global practice, and appointed practice expert teams across its five geographic regions. More
Online measurement giant comScore has announced the arrival of Media Metrix 360, a 'panel-centric hybrid' solution to digital audience measurement. 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
Swedish eye tracking firm Tobii Technology has raised another $16m in investment funding, which it plans to use to roll out its existing technology into new markets as well as for developing new applications. More
Nielsen has reported revenues for the three months to the end of March down 7% to $1.1bn from $1.2bn for the same period last year. Excluding the impact of currency fluctuations however, revenues increased 1%. More
Users of Internet audience measurement are not satisfied with the metrics and information available to them, according to feedback from a new survey conducted among more than 800 executives from ad agencies, media publishers, ad networks and advertisers across the globe. More
Datamonitor-owner Informa plans to form a new parent company for the group, which will be UK listed, incorporated in Jersey, and tax resident in Switzerland. More
TNS Travel & Tourism is planning a May launch for 'the world's first activities-based research panel', which promises to help clients reach groups based on their participation in niche sports and leisure activities. More
Online retail companies are struggling to understand visitor behaviour and to produce analytics they trust to give them a good picture of ROI, according to new research from Internet marketing and business optimization specialist Coremetrics. More
Switzerland is the first country to go live with GfK's new fashion Total Store Report (TSR), which provides retailers and manufacturers with information on the fashion retail markets. More
Britain's advertisers have called on the European Commission to cancel its legal challenge over the UK government's policy on behavioural targeting technology, via trade association the ISBA. More
In Switzerland, market research consultancy CBC has acquired 34% of consumer and social analysis firm Konso AG (Institut fnr Konsumenten und Sozialanalysen). More
Rumours that up to 50% of YouGov's UK staff are to be made redundant have been strongly denied by UK CEO Tim Britton. Britton says a review announced this week is intended to 'cut the firm's cloth' to match current conditions and will probably mean 'a small number' of job cuts. 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
Nielsen has reported 2008 revenues up 4.5% on a constant currency basis to $5bn, despite a climate which CFO Brian West predicts 'won't get any better, any time soon'. More
Europe-based agency SKOPOS has designed a trio of online and qual and quant tools to evaluate new and traditional media. 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
UK-based online research specialist BrainJuicer Group has reported a 2008 organic revenue increase of 42% to £9.3m for 2008, while pre-tax profits rose 56% to £1.37m. More
Synovate has announced an agreement with Canadian software provider Vision Critical, to power its online community panels around the globe. More
Arbitron is moving its corporate headquarters from New York City to Columbia, Maryland, where its research and engineering operations are already based. The NYC location will continue as a sales office. President and CEO Michael Skarzynski says he wants 'to live and work where the operational core of the business resides'. More
Swedish firm Tobii Technology has introduced what it describes as 'the world's first off-the-shelf eye tracking system for integration', at the CeBIT expo in Hanover this week. 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
GfK has acquired Nielsen's C.L.E.A.R. contact lens tracking service in the United States. Terms were not disclosed. More
GfK has rolled out its technical consumer goods markets tracker GfK TEMAX internationally. First launched in Germany in 2007, the service will now cover more than 20 countries. 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
Marketing research agency Data Development Worldwide (DDW) has increased the size of its online 'Know More' panel to provide access to 3.4 million households and 6 million consumers in the US and 1.5 million consumers in Canada, the UK, Europe, Australia and Scandinavia. 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 New York, media's 'most quoted man' Jon Mandel has left his role as President of NielsenConnect, which is closing after two years in operation. More
Fourth quarter net income at online audience measurement firm comScore jumped 60% to $20.4m or 67 cents per share, from $12.7m, 42 cents per share, in the same period the previous year. More
Shares in online market research agency YouGov fell 45% this morning, following its prediction that revenue for the six months to the end of January would fall short of expectations. More
Nielsen is about to roll out its store layout and category space management solution my.spaceman, across more than 100 markets. More
Research International (RI) has launched a simulated test market system designed to provide sales predictions within the consumer packaged goods category. More
Online market research agency YouGov is bringing together all its solely-owned international operations under the YouGov brand. More
Google's platform for TV advertisers is to offer new time-shifted viewership data, showing how and when viewers see commercials in recorded programs, via an alliance with technology solutions distributor MediaBank. More
In Japan, IT solutions giant NEC has developed a digital signage board containing face recognition technology, which can serve up targeted ad content according to the viewer's gender and age and measure how interested they were in a particular ad. More
Radio ratings giant Arbitron has reached separate agreements with Ipsos and The Media Audit regarding infringement of three US patents relating to its Portable People Meter (PPM). The deals mean the two firms will not compete with the PPM for at least three years. 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, GfK has consolidated its three healthcare market research operations – GfK Market Measures, GfK Strategic Marketing and GfK V2 – into one entity called GfK Healthcare, which will provide health care manufacturers with access to a global single resource. More
Computer giant IBM has unveiled a portfolio of solutions designed to help retailers analyze data and apply it to business processes. More
In the US, media ratings company Arbitron has settled a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who had claimed that the firm's Portable People Meter (PPM) ratings misrepresent minority listenership. 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
Madison Avenue-based trade organisation the Out-of-Home Video Advertising Bureau (OVAB) is to expand into Europe. Founded last year, OVAB represents out-of-home video networks and the advertising community, promoting standards and research. More
Nielsen is moving into direct competition with Arbitron over US radio ratings: two major radio broadcasters today announced a switch to Nielsen Media's ratings service in a number of markets from Q3 of 2009. Arbitron has described the once-a-year Nielsen service as 'a step backward'. More
TNS has launched Digital Suite, described as a 'new generation' of online ad monitoring tools. The suite combines cookie tracking technology with the company's 6th Dimension Panel to give in-depth analysis of online ad consumption. More
Nielsen CEO David Calhoun says the firm plans to push for dominance in the 'three screen audience measurement' market, and can continue to grow despite world economic problems. The firm reported revenue of $1,260m in the third quarter, up 3% after excluding currency fluctuations. More
Nielsen and WPP have signed an asset swapping agreement. Nielsen will acquire WPP's half of AGBNielsen Media Research (AGBNMR), and in return, WPP will take over three of Nielsen's media services assets. 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
Sony BMG is launching a broad-ranging communications and artist agency, SBX, as a pan-European joint venture with communications company Exposure. Marcel Engh will lead the agency as MD. More
Ipsos has acquired China's largest automotive research specialist, Shanghai-based B-Thinking, in a fifty-fifty cash and shares deal for an undisclosed sum. The business will be integrated into Ipsos' existing business in China. More
Online customer satisfaction metrics agency ForeSee Results and web analytics firm OX2/LBi have partnered to offer their behavioural and satisfaction-based metrics to clients in Europe. More
YouGov has announced results for the year ended 31 July 2008. Turnover has almost tripled to £40.4m and normalised operating profit rose 55% to £8.7m, although reported profit is down 29% to £4.0m. More
WPP has declared its offer for TNS 'unconditional as to acceptances' after securing the approval of shareholders representing 81.78% of TNS stock by its latest deadline of 3pm today, UK time – well over its new 75% target. More
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has called Arbitron's early PPM launch on Monday 'an affront to racial and ethnic minorities in New York and around the country'. However, a number of radio broadcasters have come out in support of the ratings firm, saying the FCC has no jurisdiction in the area. More
European-based ad metrics testing firm MediaAnalyzer has launched new technology to allow advertisers to measure consumers' emotional responses while they are watching TV ads online. More
Following WPP's announcement on Friday that around 61% of TNS shareholders had accepted its bid, the TNS Board has recommended that shareholders accept, to avoid the risk of being left with a minority interest in an unlisted company. More
Arbitron is turning to the courts to prevent the current enquiry into its representation of ethnic audiences from stopping publication of its PPM listening estimates, which today went commercial in eight new markets. The firm cites 'unfair conduct' by the New York Attorney General. More
WPP has announced that its bid for TNS had been accepted by around 43% of the latter's shareholders as of 2.30pm Monday – up from just 34% on Friday. The acquisitive ad group also says it will move its 'domicile' to Ireland due to the current 'complexity' of the UK tax system. 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, Nielsen has appointed Ed Dandridge as Senior VP and Chief Communications Officer, responsible for managing communications between Nielsen and its key audiences and stakeholders inside and outside the company. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has rolled out its weekly online omnibus CARAVAN – which provides consumer opinion on brand awareness, product image, and market trends – across Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. More
European market research company Stratégir has opened a new office in Covent Garden, London and appointed Dorte Torpe Hansen as UK MD. 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
Greenfield Online has revealed the identity of its new potential buyer - Microsoft. Having offered $486m to clinch the deal, the software giant intends to sell Greenfield's online survey arm and just keep the Ciao comparison shopping web sites. 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
GfK has cancelled plans to acquire UK rival TNS after failing to secure funding for the deal. TNS, whose shareholders must vote this week on the bid of its remaining suitor WPP, also announced 6-monthly results today with revenue and profit rises both in double figures. More
Media and marketing group Omnicom has combined its data and analytics agency Targetbase with its creative agency Claydon Heeley, and based the newly formed Targetbase Claydon Heeley at offices in London. The combined operation will offer 'creative consumer science' services across Europe. More
Consumer and retail research providers The NPD Group and GfK Chart-Track, and publisher Enterbrain have partnered to produce a single source of data on video game software sales in their respective countries: the US, UK and Japan. More
Nielsen has reported increased second quarter revenues of $1,304m, up 12% from the same period in the previous year; and a year-on-year rise of 12% in first half revenues to $2,518m. 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
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
Flat panel display expert DisplaySearch has appointed industry veteran Paul Semenza as its Senior Vice President managing the North American and European analyst teams. 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
New York-based consumer research firm The NPD Group has launched its BeautyTrends panel in Spain, to measure both the prestige beauty and mass beauty markets through retail sell-through data. More
GfK has acquired a majority share in games, music and video retail information provider Chart-Track Limited, upping its existing 9% stake to 55% from July 1st. Based in West London, the firm uses POS information to compile charts for music and video in Ireland and games software in the UK and Denmark. 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
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
Google has unveiled a free web analytics, research and media planning tool to enable media buyers to determine the web sites where their online ads will have most impact, based on demographics and traffic info. More
Online market research agency Lightspeed Research has launched Beauty and Personal Grooming Panels in the UK, Germany, France, Canada and the US, to offer data to manufacturers of personal care products, toiletries, cosmetics and related consumer goods. More
Greenfield Online is to be sold to private media and communications investment firm the Quadrangle Group for approximately $426m (£217m). 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
Global information giant Experian has rolled out its Mosaic consumer segmentation tool online in Italy. The tool will provide users with access to classification of the population's lifestyles, and information about its consumption of a variety of products and services. 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
Google is integrating its Google Analytics traffic analysis tool with its Google TV Ads program. Some observers are interpreting the move as further evidence that the search giant is headed for direct competition with Nielsen. 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
comScore has announced the acquisition of mobile measurement firm M:Metrics, Inc., for a cash payment of $44.3m and the issue of c.50,000 share purchase options for comScore stock. More
The Nielsen Company and its subsidiary Interactive Market Systems (IMS) have announced the launch of IMS Clear Decisions(TM), a new software platform claiming to simplify access to media and marketing data and speed up the generation of insights from it. 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
Nielsen has reported $1,214m revenues for Q1, an increase of 13% from Q1 2007. Excluding the impact of currency fluctuations, the increase was a healthy 8%. However, the firm still made a net loss from continuing operations of $82m. More
For the first quarter of 2008, Synovate has seen organic revenue growth of 5% and total revenue growth at constant currency of 9.1%. 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
The combined value of the world's top 100 brands – headed by Google – rose by 21% last year, according to the third annual BrandZ (TM) Ranking from ROI specialist Millward Brown Optimor. More
In the US, the Council for Marketing and Opinion Research (CMOR) has responded to the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) proposals to regulate online behavioral advertising, by requesting that any definition of the practice excludes survey opinion and marketing research. 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
Nielsen Online has been selected by the Italian Joint Industry Committee 'Audiweb' as the provider for its system to monitor digital media in the country. More
In the UK, consumer product and media intelligence firm Mintel has bought Snapshots International, a London-based publisher of global market reports. Terms were not disclosed. More
GfK has made a series of acquisitions, including Turkish market research firm Bilseim International, the remaining 35% of Swiss oncology specialist GfK Research Matters, the Brazilian MR company Shopping Brazil, and the watch panel set up by French MR agency Société V. 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
German fragrances and flavours manufacturer Symrise has appointed Michael Kocher to the newly created position of SVP Innovation Scent & Care, and Massimo Cealti as Vice President Consumer & Market Intelligence. More
YouGov has announced interim results for the six months ended 31 January 2008, with acquisitions helping to treble its turnover and more than quadruple its headcount year-on-year. Organic revenue growth was 43% while profit before tax increased 30% to £3.0m. 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
TNS has grouped several of its North American operating units into a new division, TNS media, with Dean DeBiase as CEO. TNS media intelligence and TNS media research join newly-acquired companies Compete and Cymfony to form the new entity. More
The Nielsen Company continues to break new ground following its rebranding from VNU last year. Today it announced its first global brand awareness campaign, built around a marketing collaboration with The New York Times Company and including sole sponsorship of an Olympics Special issue of the latter's 'PLAY' sports magazine. 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
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
Following a unanimous vote, Dr Gérard Hermet who heads GfK's Retail and Technology Sector, will remain as a member of the AG Supervisory Board for a further five years. More
Global consulting and research firm Kline & Company has hired Gianluca Gallori as Director, focussing on clients within the consumer products industry. More
Ipsos has posted full year revenue of Euros 927.2m, up 8.2% on the back of organic growth of 9.1%. Strong performances in Asia Pacific, Latin America and Europe more than offset a slight decline in the group's North American revenue. More
Pharma research leader IMS Health has announced full year 2007 revenues up 12% (a very respectable 8% at constant currency) to $2,192.6m. Operating income for the year was down from $444.2m to $393.3m after a fourth quarter restructuring charge of $88.7m. More
Nielsen has expanded its telecom and mobile research division Nielsen Mobile, with the establishment of operations in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Russia. The firm plans additional expansion throughout Europe later this year. More
Former Ipsos France Joint MD Stéphane Truchi is to become Chairman of the Executive Board of French market research and polling firm Ifop (Institut Français d'Opinion Publique). More
Warner Brothers has promoted Sue Kroll to President Worldwide Marketing - a new position where she will oversee all aspects of the studio's marketing from market research to campaigns and publicity. More
In the US, media research firm Coleman Insights is launching a series of studies to examine how Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) reports the responses of radio audiences to different programmes. More
GfK has expanded its global network with the acquisition of Australian research firm the Blue Moon Group, while taking a 51% majority stake in Macedonian MR agency Stratum Research. More
WPP's brand development business Added Value has acquired US-based consultancy Cheskin. Cheskin Added Value will retain a high degree of autonomy with Darrel Rhea maintaining his leadership role as CEO. More
Audience measurement continues to bring its share of legal problems for Nielsen worldwide. Today, the court in the Philippines 'bribery' case ordered a halt in TV audience fieldwork; while in Spain, a newspaper has filed a claim against the ratings giant for losing it '$1.4m' in ad revenue. More
From January, GfK will replace its existing five business divisions with three sectors in order to exploit synergies in the cross-divisional use of technology, data collection and the application of methods. The firm has also appointed Debra Pruent to its Management Board. More
Research and management consultancy Kline & Company has opened a new European headquarters in Oxford UK, and announced that SVP Fred du Plessis, who joined the firm earlier in the year, will direct the company's management consulting activities in the region. More
Jacques Blanchard, the Co-founder and President of marketing and research consultancy Novaction, has jumped ship to join rival, Nielsen-owned BASES, which provides research and forecasting services to the consumer packaged goods sector. More
One time world-leading PC-maker Dell has announced a new agency agreement with WPP valued at $4.5 billion in billings over three years. The deal envisages a very close partnership within the framework of a new global integrated marketing and communications agency. More
Sports and entertainment marketing and MR firm The Bonham Group Europe is to be acquired after just over a year in business by AEG, the company which operates the O2 arena and owns David Beckham's US team LA Galaxy. More
Online agency MetrixLab has acquired web site and software usability research specialist 2C in the Netherlands. More
Ipsos has reported revenues of Euros 664.2m for the first nine months of 2007, and says it is expecting full-year growth of at least 9%. 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
TNS has announced a strategic alliance with Intellidyn, a US-based database marketing and analytic services company focused on the financial sector. The research giant says the merging of the firms' expertise will help it create a new global practice, TNS Customer Intelligence Consulting. More
Radio ratings leader Arbitron has responded to a strong attack on its PPM device and methodology by the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB). NABOB points to 'significant flaws' and 'tremendous fee increases'; Arbitron says the PPM is tried, tested, audited and better than diaries. More
MR veteran Alexander (Lex) Olivier has retired after 20 years with Kantar-owned firms Millward Brown (MB), Research International (RI) and Lightspeed. However, he remains Director General of EFAMRO – the European federation of research associations which he helped found. More
Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) rating service has come in for fierce criticism from Bob Neil, President and CEO of Cox Radio, during his firm's third quarter conference call. More
Flat panel research specialist DisplaySearch has added eleven new people to its analysis and support teams worldwide. They include Rich Alires as VP of North America Business Development, and Michael Boo, Calvin Hsieh and Hidetoshi Himuro as Directors in Korea, Taiwan and Japan, respectively. More
In the US, a coalition of nine privacy and consumer groups has asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to implement a 'Do-Not-Track' list for Internet users who do not want their online activities tracked, stored and used by advertisers and marketers. More
Research agencies NPD, IRI and IMS have linked up to launch a twice-yearly study of the French beauty products market. More
Nielsen has announced a massive, ten-year outsourcing deal with India's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). The research giant's IT, operations and HR functions worldwide are among those covered by the $US 1.2 billion agreement. More
Top ten global research agencies IMS Health and Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) have announced a global, multi-year alliance to provide intelligence, analytics and consulting for the consumer health marketplace. More
YouGov has announced results for the financial year ended 31 July, with group turnover up 51% to £14.3m, profit before tax and goodwill up 39% to £5.7m and both global acquisitions and launches in new sectors promising another buoyant year to come. More
Synovate Censydiam co-founder and former CEO Jan Callebaut has left his part-time consultancy post with Synovate after just four months. More
The Nielsen Company has laid off 1,250 of its staff, but says the losses are probably 'the last for some time' and the total of c.4,000 redundancies originally planned for 2007 will not be reached, according to Reuters. 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
TNS will be merging its Media Intelligence and Media Research (iTRAM) units into one, in an effort to further develop its TV and online audience measurement services. More
The Gfk Group has acquired ad campaign research firm Daphne Communication Management in the Netherlands and mystery shopping specialist SATISTEME in France. More
Synovate has acquired Spain's largest independent full service market research agency, Metra Seis, for an undisclosed sum. More
Nielsen Media Research has informed its TV network and syndication clients that its Monitor-Plus tracking system is struggling to identify some new forms of 'live' TV advertising; and asked them to work with it to solve the problem. More
Erik du Plessis, Chairman of Millward Brown South Africa and author of 'the Advertised Mind: Groundbreaking Insights into How Our Brains Respond to Advertising', has taken up a post as Visiting Professor at the Copenhagen Business School (CBS). 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
TNS has bought a 15% stake in Berlin-based usability research firm Eye Square, reflecting increased client demand for usability advice and consultancy. 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
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
TNS Media Intelligence has acquired media monitoring and evaluation firm PressWatch GmbH, based in Hamburg, Germany. More
Millward Brown has enhanced its LINK(TM) suite of advertising research tools to help advertisers understand the overall effect of their multimedia communications. The new LINK360 tools will help to measure the impact of online video, blogs, print, TV, radio, outdoor and online campaigns. More
Nielsen has signed an agreement with business intelligence (BI) and performance management firm Cognos, to use its Cognos 8 Business Intelligence software to deliver integrated information services to its clients and accelerate the growth of its Nielsen Answers(TM) solution. More
Synovate has appointed Fabrizio Giordano as Managing Director of its office in Milan and Head of the company's Brand and Communications Practice in Italy. More
In the US, the Web Analytics Association (WAA) has published an expanded set of metrics definitions covering visits, content, and conversion, which it says promote a better overall understanding of web analytics. 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
Danish firm iMotions, whose software measures emotional response, has raised $2.7 million towards expanding its sales in the US and supporting the organisation worldwide. More
Flat panel technology specialist DisplaySearch is to begin tracking the DVD sector, and has hired Paul Erickson to lead this unit. Takao Tsukahara also joins, with a remit to expand the firm's research into small and medium display markets. More
Harris Interactive has acquired research firms Decima in Canada and MarketShare in Asia Pacific in deals with a combined value of more than $24 million. 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
Greenfield Online has announced good second quarter results for its survey solutions and comparison shopping businesses, with the latter particularly strong. Both divisions saw double-digit growth in revenue, as did overall operating income and adjusted EBITDA. 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
Lightspeed Research has begun the roll-out of a global service offering consumer surveys via mobile devices, with initial launches in Great Britain and Australia. The firm says it plans to expand into the US and other countries in Europe and Asia Pacific over the next few months. More
YouGov has announced a major expansion of its international presence, completing its buy of US-based Polimetrix and also acquiring Nordic agency Zapera, while raising around £27m by means of an institutional share placing. More
Online measurement firm comScore has announced results for the quarter ended June 30, with revenue up 23% on the year to $20.8m. It also reports a growth in the proportion of its income from subscriptions, and strong investment for the future. More
Retail information provider The NPD Group has opened a Beijing office and launched a service tracking sales of prestige beauty products in China, covering the fragrance, make-up, and skincare businesses. More
US-based online market intelligence firm BIGresearch has teamed up with Hispanic magazine company Televisa Publishing to provide marketers with in-depth information about the Hispanic market. More
Brand research specialist Evo Research and Consulting today opened its New York Office, having hired Vice President Merrill Carey as its third recruit for the new venture. More
In the US, marketing solutions firm Questus has hired Peter Sorgenfrei as Director of Research Strategy. More
Nielsen has promoted Lisa Lee to the role of Senior Vice President, International Communications, where she will take responsibility for all corporate and marketing communications outside North America. 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
Online ad spending in the UK is growing much faster than in the US and other developed nations, according to eMarketer: this year the UK should account for more than half of all online ad spending in Western Europe. More
Nielsen is acquiring San Francisco-based syndicated telecom MR firm Telephia, in a move designed to accelerate measurement of consumer behaviour across the $350 billion mobile phone sector. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 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
Insight-led retail marketing consultancy emnos has agreed to acquire UK firm Diametric. Former dunnhumby UK MD Steve Gray will chair the combined company. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
TNS has announced that the Arbitron Portable People Meter system (PPM), for which it is the licensee, has been adopted as the electronic audience measurement currency system by the radio industry in Denmark. More
The Nielsen Company has completed its merger with NetRatings, Inc. NetRatings becomes a privately held company, wholly owned by Nielsen and its subsidiaries, and with its shares delisted on Friday from the Nasdaq Global Market. More
Graham Saxton has left MTV Networks to take up an MD role at OTX (Online Testing eXchange). He will head the Media and Entertainment Insights International Division, with a remit for rapid growth of its syndicated and custom research products. More
Opinion Research Corporation (ORC) has rolled out its Out-of-Box-Experience (OoBE) research service in the States to allow clients to view firsthand how their customers react to a new or existing product from the moment that they receive and open the box. More
TNS has launched a new survey tool, Revenue Growth Manager (RGM), to help clients evaluate which marketing investments are likely to reap brand revenue growth. More
In a week when one particular Olympic brand – the peculiar new London 2012 logo – has dominated many headlines, Nielsen Sports is expanding its FANLinks(TM) service to identify where Olympics fans shop and which brands they buy. More
Synovate UK has launched a media research offering based on the consumer motivation model developed by the global group's Censydiam practice. The company plans to roll out the offer across Europe and Asia. More
Millward Brown has appointed Valkiria Garre as Managing Director of its Brazilian business, succeeding Fabrizio Giordano who is returning to his native Italy. 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
Greenfield Online has formally split its European subsidiary Ciao into two separate entities: the booming comparison shopping business will retain the short name Ciao, while the Internet survey solution wing, also growing fast, will be known as Ciao Surveys. 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
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
New York-based news and analysis firm, Portada, has launched a data driven print ad-tracking system that enables users to identify Hispanic marketing spend. More
Internet specialist Greenfield Online has posted strong revenue growth to $27.5m for Q1 2007, up from $21.5m in same period last year. The group's comparison shopping business led the charge, but online survey revenue grew an impressive 14.3%. 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
Ipsos has agreed to buy Turkey's second largest MR agency, KMG Research, beginning with 51% of the share capital and with an option to acquire the remainder in the future. More
Marc Drake has retired from TNS after more than three decades at the firm, including spells as Joint MD of the UK Superpanel business and Head of TNS Business Solutions. He joined the original Taylor Nelson Research business in 1976. More
comScore and Nielsen//NetRatings have issued positive responses to the call by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) for them to submit to a third-party audit; but the Bureau has challenged them to back up their promises by setting and sticking to a scheduled timetable. 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
A fortnight after the announced flotation of rival comScore, online audience measurement firm Hitwise is to be acquired by information giant Experian, in a $240m cash deal which will close in May. More
Last week DRNO covered a report looking at Google and the 'threat' it poses to the publishing and information industry. This week the concern is even closer to home, as the world's biggest research firm ponders the intentions of the search giant. More
The Nielsen Company has announced results for the full year 2006, with pro forma unaudited revenues of $4,174m, up just 2.8% on the previous year, but up 5% at constant currencies, the firm said. Four acquisition-related items totalling c.$316m affected operating income which was down to $212m (2005: $373m). More
Iceland has adopted the Arbitron PPM system, under licence from TNS, as its audience measurement currency for both radio and television – the first instance worldwide of a meter system being used for electronic collection of data on both audiences. More
Millward Brown's Bob Meyers has relinquished his CEO responsibilities to the firm's President of Global Development, Eileen Campbell. Meyers will remain as Chairman for the rest of 2007, and is likely to take another role within Kantar. More
Internet ratings firm comScore is going public, with an IPO aimed at raising up to $86.25 million. The company filed yesterday in the US with the Securities and Exchange Commission to list on the Nasdaq National Market. More
London-based FMCG specialist, MASMI Research Group, has acquired Frankfurt MR agency Transferresearch. The German firm will operate under the new name of MASMI Deutschland GmbH, and continue to be led by founder and Managing Director Sonja Linz. More
Kimberly-Clark Corporation has today unveiled a new global marketing structure, with three new senior roles filled from outside the firm, all reporting to CMO Tony Palmer. They include former Mars exec Roger Chacko in the position of Vice President, Global Marketing Knowledge and Intelligence. More
Swedish eye tracking firm, Tobii Technology, has received a $14m injection from venture capital firm, Investor Growth Capital. The investment will be used to aid the company's growth, enhance product development and expand global sales and marketing. More
A survey released by home technology MR specialist, Park Associates, has revealed that around one-third of US households, or 31 million homes, have no access to the Internet and do not plan to subscribe in the next 12 months. Meanwhile, broadband usage is once again on the up, underlining the so-called 'digital divide'. More
The Nielsen Company has announced the launch of a new web-based software tool for evaluation of past and present product placements; and the integration of consumer purchasing behaviour into its multi-country Global Track analysis tool. More
NetRatings has released financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2006. Full year figures show a profit for the first time, with a net income of $2.8m in 2006 vs a loss of $8.4m in 2005. Revenue rose 20% from $68m in 2005 to $81.8m in 2006. More
Vodafone marketing leader David Wheldon has used a conference speech to question the relevance of current copy-testing techniques in the 'multi-platform age', singling out Millward Brown. Bob Meyers, the agency's Group CEO, told DRNO he thinks the remarks have 'to some extent' been taken out of context. 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
A 'rush of economic optimism' and a continuing rise in income expectations has slowed the fall in GfK's German consumer climate index, while India still has the world's most confident consumers according to ACNielsen's 46-country study. More
Whatever its effect on the health of individuals, the cigarette industry itself does not appear to be in terminal decline, according to the latest TGI survey. More
Ipsos has acquired most of Peruvian agency, Apoyo Opinión y Mercado S.A., which commands a 30% market share of the country's MR and public opinion polling business. The global group has also announced preliminary results for 2006 with organic growth of 6.5% and revenues of 857.1m Euros. More
Philip Kleinman, The MR Journalist, has died in hospital following heart surgery. He was well known in the industry as former editor of 'Campaign' and a regular contributor to Admap, before founding the pioneering web site MRNews in the late 1990s. More
Nielsen has announced the consolidation of its digital television set top box measurement activities into a new service, Nielsen DigitalPlus. The system will take data from both cable system operators (MSOs) and satellite providers and integrate it with other Nielsen information. More
Following its December announcement, Nielsen has today completed the sale of most of its Business Media Europe (BME) division to venture capital firm, 3i - negotiations to sell the French arm are still ongoing. Terms of the sale were not released. More
Michael Connors, until recently Chairman and CEO of VNU's MMI Group, has resurfaced at the head of an acquisition company with almost $260m in funds. Information Services Group, Inc. (ISG) completed its IPO oversubscribed this week and boasts a strong line-up including several former Nielsen and VNU Execs. More
The Nielsen Company is to buy the remainder of online audience specialist NetRatings, for a total purchase price of $327m cash, or $21.00 a share. It already owns 60 per cent. More
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) has announced the acquisition of Turkish advertising intelligence company Bilesim Medya. Financial details were not disclosed. More
Ipsos has announced a number of new hires and leadership promotions strengthening its global and North American teams. Debra Mason joins as CFO of Ipsos North America, Efrain Ribeiro as COO of Ipsos Interactive Services, and Pushp Kamal as Senior VP of Research Analytics for Ipsos ASI's Tracking and Equity business. More
GfK and entertainment sales data firm Media-Control, have announced the formation of a joint venture, GfK M², to track mobile content sales. The company will get its data direct from content and network providers, and hardware and component manufacturers. More
Three recent surveys highlight new technology's effect on consumer habits and the challenge facing advertisers. Newspapers' web sites are boosting their offline circulation; broadband video is bringing new and more lucrative advertising opportunities; and the days of the standalone DVR may be numbered. More
TNS has promoted Worldpanel head Judith Passingham to MD of TNS Europe, with immediate effect. Current Europe MD Bruno Hoetzel will concentrate on TNS Infratest in Germany, whose development he has led for the past six years. 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
Market research supplier, Mintel, and retail and consumer information provider, Information Resources Inc (IRI), have paired up to launch a new tool which they claim could reduce the cost of new product development by up to 80%. More
The conversion from analog radio to digital radio is 'well under way around the world and gaining momentum rapidly', according to research by In-Stat. Worldwide, the market for digital radio receivers will grow from 5m units in 2005 to almost 25m in 2010, with Europe leading. More
Ex-Proctor & Gamble R&D consultant, Dr Franck Sarrazit, has joined consumer psychology specialist Synovate Censydiam, North America, as Senior Vice President and Director. 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
Yankee Group and Chinese technology advisor Analysys International have announced a partnership agreement. The exclusive Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed today, commits the firms to working together on research reports, consulting projects and the hosting of industry events. More
Experian has acquired Belgian micromarketing and consumer analytics firm Adhoc Solutions. Adhoc will provide a Belgian base for the information giant's Business Strategies division and bring added consumer profiling, segmentation and retail analysis expertise to Experian's Mosaic system and other offers. More
VNU has announced its quarterly and 9-month financial results for the period to September 30. Pro forma operating revenue for the third quarter was Euros 904m, up 6% on the previous year at constant currency, while operating income fell 29% to Euros 72m. 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
Synovate has announced with considerable fanfare the forthcoming launch of a new modelling system which it claims will be 'the first to accurately predict what people will buy.' The Brand Value Creator is the brainchild of Jan Hofmeyr, co-creator of The Conversion Model, who joined the agency in the spring. More
Lightspeed Research has appointed Frank Durousset as Account Director, based in its new Paris office. He has worked previously at ACNielsen, NPD and NetValue. More
GfK Group has this week announced a successful third quarter of 2006 with revenue up 27.5% to Euros 800.4m and adjusted operating income up 34.2% to Euros 100.2m. Organic revenue growth was 5.7%. Central and Eastern Europe saw especially strong organic growth. More
VNU has announced the appointment to its Supervisory Board of James M. Kilts, until a month ago Vice Chairman of The Procter & Gamble Company and since co-founder of advisory and equity firm Centerview Partners. Centerview will also make an investment in VNU alongside its six existing private-equity owners. More
GfK has announced that, with the integration of NOP World running well and reduced net debt, it has arranged syndicated credit facilities of EUR 430 million and US$ 170 million. The Group has also launched a home shopping tracker, covering orders made through the Internet, digital TV, mail order and the post. More
New product development consultant ACNielsen BASES has this week launched introSCAPE(TM), described by President Mitch Barns as 'the most significant improvement we've made to our core services in years.' The analytical framework is based on a proprietary model that describes the process by which consumers adopt new products. More
Despite mobile phone providers' endeavours to recruit 3G customers, third generation technology remains a low priority for mobile users across the globe, with cost the biggest deterrent, according to Global Technology Insight (GTI), the massive annual mobile study by TNS. More
VNU has announced results for the three months ended June 30, dominated by an adjustment of Euros 71m for costs relating to the sale of the company in May. Excluding this, pro forma operating revenue was up 6% year on year in constant currency to Euros 943m, and operating income up 11% to Euros 114m. More
ACNielsen and consumer goods company Henkel have announced the completion of Minerva, 'one of Europe's most comprehensive and powerful data warehouses'. More
Two global agencies have this week released latest results from elite surveys. Ipsos Media reveals that European business leaders are compensating for increased time away from home with gadgets, cars and holidays; while hybrid methodology is helping Synovate's Media Atlas get past the security gates to chart the rise of AsiaPac's urban affluent. More
ESOMAR drew to a close its 59th Congress in London yesterday, and announced the winners of four prizes. A new overall award for the best paper 2005-6 went to speakers from Australian agency The Leading Edge and client Carlton & United Beverages. More
Italian online research specialist Nextplora is the latest in the booming sub-sector to announce international expansion. The Milan-based company has launched sites in English, French, German and Spanish and will offer analysis and advice covering Europe's five largest economies. More
Nintendo and Sony are left as the only two global players in the handheld games market, according to analysis from technology specialist In-Stat. In the past year the Nokia N-Gage, Tapwave Zodiac, and Gizmondo have all been taken off the market. In-Stat expects Nintendo's DS to retake top spot from the Sony PSP. More
Global consumer confidence remains at 2005 levels, with consumers still cautious about spending, according to ACNielsen's Global Consumer Confidence Index. The most confident respondents were found in India, Norway and Denmark. 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
David L. Calhoun, previously Vice Chairman of General Electric Company (GE), was announced today as the new Chairman and CEO of VNU, based in New York. He succeeds interim CEO Rob Ruijter, who will revert to concentrating on his role as CFO. More
TNS has appointed Andrea Mezzasalma as global head of its Internet, Television and Radio Audience Measurement sector (iTRAM) - he will relocate from Milan to London. He takes over from Mike Gorton who will retire from TNS this year but function as a consultant. More
Two recent reports from ABI Research discuss the rapid expansion of the market for RFID, the tagging technology that promises a mass of detailed data for retail and other sectors. The agency has reduced its market forecast for 2007, and highlights particular problems establishing standards for RFID in China. More
Yahoo! has recruited comScore Media Metrix President and CEO Peter Daboll as its new Chief of Insights and Head of Global Market Research. The role involves drawing together all the Internet giant's internal and external data sources. 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
Global top twenty agency Opinion Research Corporation has been bought by consumer and business database and marketing firm infoUSA Inc., for $12 per share in cash, valuing the research company at around $134.3 million, including the assumption of debt. More
At an EGM on Friday, VNU changed its legal name, formally converted to a private company and welcomed new board members including Lord Hollick, following shareholder approval. Today the firm has named R. Ford Dallmeyer as the new legal chief for its MI Group. More
ACNielsen announced yesterday that it has formed a new global unit, ACNielsen Loyalty. The unit will be headed by Tom Markert, currently Senior VP and CMO of VNU MI and ACNielsen; and Laurence Michael, currently Senior VP, Global Retailer Services Marketing. More
Latest research from MINTEL shows that although Germany is the largest economy in Europe, Internet retail sales in the UK (9.79bn Euros) stood some 80 million Euros ahead of Germany (9.71bn Euros) last year, making the UK Europe's biggest on-line retail market. More
Independent European online agency MetrixLab has acquired London-based QuickWise Ltd, a specialist in high quality ad hoc brand research. More
Hours before its shares ceased trading on the Euronext Amsterdam exchange, VNU yesterday announced plans to change its financing structure, including the raising of new funds, and the proposed addition of five members to its supervisory board. The five include former NOP boss Lord Hollick. More
Millward Brown has opened a first Swiss office, in Geneva, to be headed by Sana Carlton and Martine Rebours. Carlton was previously Global Account Co-ordinator based in the group's Madrid Office. Rebours will add the role to her existing duties as TGI Director for France. More
TNS has announced a major expansion of its FMCG consumer tracking Worldpanel service in the Republic of Ireland, from 1,350 households to 3,000 by August 2008, along with the launch of a new data delivery platform. More
The various agencies within WPP's GroupM have combined to launch Connections, an exclusive consumer-led research and communications planning tool. Connections promises to help marketers and planners to analyze and evaluate the full range of media and communications options available to brands. More
VNU's sales for the three months ended March 31st rose to Euros 890 million compared to Euros 791 million in the first quarter of 2005. Operating income fell from Euros 58 million to Euros 25 million. More
Mobile phone and mobile data markets continue to expand and diversify, giving rise to a large number of published reports and top line results releases. Here DRNO covers a few, from cellphone feature requirements to MR opportunities, to the challenges facing corporate Blackberry managers. More
A new report from Datamonitor estimates the potential value of the global market for contactless payments to be US$724 billion. The technology is gaining momentum in the USA and in some markets across Asia-Pacific, with rapid future growth forecast in Europe. More
Nielsen Media Research has announced that it will provide integrated, all-electronic ratings for television regardless of the platform on which it is viewed, under the 'Anytime Anywhere Media Measurement' initiative (A2/M2). More
VNU has held its 2006 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Amsterdam, and announced the appointment of new Supervisory Board members and an interim CEO, Rob Ruijter. Ruijter, who also continues with his current responsibilities as the group's CFO, takes the CEO role from Rob van den Bergh, who stepped down from the Board. More
Valcon has set a date for the delisting of MR and media giant VNU, of which it now owns around 99% of shares. 10 July will be the last day that shares can be traded on the Exchange. More
VNU and Valcon announced yesterday that the consortium now has more than 97% of shares in the MR and media giant, and confirmed that the process of delisting and of 'squeeze-out' of remaining shareholders will proceed. More
Sue Elms has stepped up to lead Millward Brown's Global Media Practice, with the title of Executive Vice President. She joins from Carat Insight where she spent five years as MD, a role now filled by her former Deputy Mark Greenstreet. More
Online audience measurement firm comScore Networks has launched qSearch Retail(TM), a tool to measure the impact of Web search behaviour on consumer spending online and across retail channels, including in-store, catalog and phone purchases. 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
The mood of consumers in Germany continues to brighten, according to GfK. The World Cup host nation has confidence in its new government, is planning major purchases and last considered the general economic outlook this rosy way back in early 2001. More
Private equity consortium Valcon has declared its offer for VNU unconditional, and intends to take the group private as soon as possible. Only 78.7% of VNU's share capital was tendered or committed by the deadline last Friday, missing even the revised target of 80% set just over two weeks ago. More
VNU's acquisition by the Valcon consortium looks likely to go ahead after Knight Vinke Asset Management (KVAM), hitherto the loudest opponent of the deal, said it would tender its shares at the new bid price, before the deadline for acceptance passed this afternoon. 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
Christian Dorffer has been appointed Senior VP of Millward Brown Optimor, the group's specialist unit providing strategic recommendations with demonstrated financial impact. He takes over the role of building the UK and European practice from Marco Forato, who moves to a global role. More
Synovate has announced the rapid expansion of its global opinion panels across Europe and in the Asia Pacific region; and has appointed Emiel van Wegen and Shaun Griffin to help guide the process. More
Global group GfK has confirmed its upbeat preliminary announcement from 28th February regarding results for 2005, announcing 'the most successful year in the company's history' with sales up by over 40% to Euros 937.3m, 6.5% organic growth and margin improving to 13.3%. More
Activist VNU shareholder KVAM has indicated that it is prepared to buy a further Euros 233m of shares to back its alternative plan for a partial sell-off of the media and research giant. The commitment is subject to approval of its own 'Plan B' and rejection of the 28.75 per share Valcon bid. More
German consumers are more optimistic than at any time since the end of 2001, before the introduction of the euro, according to the GfK MAXX consumer climate study for April 2006. They are also looking to make major purchases before the scheduled rise in VAT. More
Online competitive intelligence service Hitwise has announced an upgrade to its online audience targeting system, Lifestyle V2.0. The new release promises marketers easier identification of top performing and niche sites that attract their most desirable customers, as well as faster visitor profiling. More
Finland is the most expensive place in Europe for popular grocery products, while the cheapest countries are Germany and the Netherlands, according to new data from the twice-yearly ACNielsen Euro Price Barometer. The survey reveals huge differences across European countries. More
VNU, which is holding an EGM in Amsterdam today to persuade shareholders of the merits of the current private equity offer, says it will make 'a compelling and thorough case' for this being the best option, and has posted on its web site the presentation it will use to structure its argument. More
VNU has changed its April 18 AGM to an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting), the sole focus of which will be a discussion of the public offer for the company made by Valcon Acquisition B.V. The AGM has been rescheduled for June 13. More
Online shopping is still growing fast in Germany according to the latest findings from GfK. The agency says the number of e-shoppers rose by 7% in 2005 to 26.9m, with price comparison research a major activity. More
Information services giant Experian, which owns MR businesses including Simmons Research and Vente in the US and FootFall Ltd and The Future Foundation in Europe, is likely to be demerged from parent GUS plc under plans unveiled today. More
Brand specialist D/R Added Value has launched a new approach to brand research, applying principles of neuroscience to marketing. Emotional Brand Connections (EBC) will examine the impact brands have on consumers, and help develop 'more effective, clutter-busting solutions'. More
ACNielsen has added responsibility for Europe to the Asia Pacific role of its Executive Director, Corporate & Marketing Communications, Lisa Lee. The move promises closer alignment for the firm's global branding and marketing strategy. More
Two of VNU's major shareholders could scupper the US$10.3 billion private equity buyout backed by the group's Board earlier this week. Fund manager Fidelity International, which owns 15% of VNU, said it was 'unlikely to support this offer', while FT reports suggest 2% holder KVAM is 'actively looking' for a Chief Executive to run VNU. 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
VNU has announced 'better-than-expected results' for 2005. The Media Measurement & Information division (MMI) showed 11% organic growth, led by a strong Nielsen Media Research (NMR). Group-wide, organic growth was only 5%. VNU says favourable settlement of tax audits 'more than offset' the $55m cost of the recent IRI settlement. 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
Nielsen Media Research has declined its option to work with Arbitron in developing the latter's PPM technology as the primary measurement tool for US media ratings currency. Nielsen has spent millions of dollars on assessing the technology since signing an agreement in 2000, but will now pursue a multi-stranded 'portfolio strategy'. 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
Global information solutions company Experian has acquired Catalist, a specialist in information on the retail petroleum and garage forecourt market. Catalist will become part of Experian's Business Strategies division. More
VNU and IRI have settled their ten-year antitrust case, with VNU agreeing to pay IRI US$55m. The case was recently valued at around $650m but was on appeal following judgement in favor of VNU and its co-defendants. Both sides appear to have preferred the settlement to the possibility of the case rumbling on for a number of years more. More
Eighteen months after joining the EU, most citizens in the new EU member states expect improved job and educational opportunities, but also predict rising prices, a lower standard of living, and increased corruption. These are the results of the latest Gfk EU Index survey. More
It's not just the Americans who are affected by rising fuel prices. New research from ACNielsen finds consumers throughout Europe have been forced to change their driving habits and cut down on living expenses to cope with spiralling fuel and petrol prices. More
MR software company FIRM is launching a Contact Center Quality Application to allow contact centres to automatically measure the quality of customer experience and to act on customer dissatisfaction. The new application builds on FIRM's survey reporting software, Confirmit. More
Consumers' confidence in their local economies, job prospects and personal finances is on the rise across the world, according to the latest twice-yearly ACNielsen Consumer Confidence Index. Overall, confidence is highest in India and New Zealand, and lowest in Portugal. More
US consumers' confidence in the economy has risen for the fourth consecutive month, according to the latest survey from BIGresearch. However, a recent Ipsos survey records a drop in confidence. To help you make sense of such differences - and to bring you the confidence picture worldwide - we've introduced a new Consumer Confidence section. More
TNSSport is planning to measure the impact of World Cup sponsorship on the sales of sponsors' brands. The new service will use TNS Superpanels across Europe, Asia and the Americas to conduct continuous measurement during the World Cup. More
The winter of 2005-6 looks like being a leveller in terms of consumer confidence around the world. In Europe, the German index is rising from a long slump while the UK's falls to its lowest of 2005, both according to GfK; while in North America, Canadian confidence is rebounding even more strongly than that in the USA. More
Aegis Group, owner of Synovate, has acquired Univero - the largest independent market research network in Scandinavia - for £10m. Univero is the holding company for MMI Univero (Norway), TEMO Univero and LUI Univero (Sweden), Vilstrup Univero (Denmark) and Fieldwork Scandinavia. More
Shares in VNU, owner of ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research, rose more than 4% on Friday after reports that two private equity firms were considering making bids for the Netherlands-based company. More
VNU today announced that the European Commission has ended its investigation into the contracting and pricing practices of the company's subsidiary ACNielsen, and has found no evidence of wrongdoing. More
VNU has announced a major program to co-ordinate the business units of its Marketing Information (MI) group and centralise marketing, IT and NPD functions. Steven M. Schmidt becomes President and CEO of the group, which includes ACNielsen, BASES, Spectra, Claritas and ACNielsen HCI. More
VNU's CEO Rob van den Bergh is stepping down, following the announcement that the company's planned takeover of IMS Health has been terminated due to strong resistance from VNU shareholders. Under the termination agreement, VNU will reimburse IMS $15 million for out-of-pocket costs. 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
US-based WebSideStory has launched a new e-commerce benchmarking service, offering clients free access to data based on the performance of hundreds of online retailers. Companies will be able to compare their own key performance indicators against industry and category averages. 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
The International Journal of Market Research (IJMR), produced by the Market Research Society (MRS), has provided new guidance for potential contributors, encouraging case study-based articles from MR practitioners. The Journal's new Viewpoint section also allows practitioners to have their say about burning issues in around 500 words. More
One in ten of the world's population now shops online, according to a new global survey from ACNielsen. In separate studies, the National Retail Federation (NRF) predicts a 5% increase for US spending this holiday season, and GQ magazine finds US men increasingly succumbing to the pleasures of shopping. More
US agency the NPD Group has entered an initial agreement with TNS Infratest, to acquire Infratest's Italian perfumery business. Separately, TNS Secodip, TNS' subsidiary in France, is to exit the French selective beauty tracking business - a core area for NPD. More
Information giant Experian is buying again, complementing its existing retail data, analysis and consultancy services in Europe with the acquisition of US-based Prediction Analytics Inc (PAI). PAI provides retail performance modeling, sales forecasting and site-location analytics. More
US agency Draft has hired John Kenny, from Ireland's Diageo, to join its growing Strategic Planning and Research team as VP and Strategic Planning Director. Kenny will work primarily on Draft's global business for Nokia, and will report to the team's Director Jim Lucas. More
TNS has worked with academics to develop a panel of 'intuitive and analytic' thinkers, to provide creative input into new product development research. Creative Minds is the second sub-panel of the company's '6thdimension' access panel, following the Sports sub-panel launched last month. More
Consumers in Central and Eastern Europe are intent on increasing their consumption and more strongly focused on their careers than their counterparts in the West, according to GfK's Consumers in Europe 2005 survey. The research, based on 19,000 consumers in 16 countries, made use of the Euro-Socio-Styles lifestyle segmentation tool. More
At this week's ESOMAR Annual Congress, two papers focused on ways to overhaul or reinvent Internet-based consumer research. A joint paper by agencies Ciao and Fat Planet called for increased innovation in online surveys, while Dutch agency Blauw discussed its use of an online qual panel to aid new product development. More
ESOMAR wound up the 58th Congress in Cannes today and announced the winners of its awards. Speakers from The Leading Edge agency and Carlton & United Brewers, Australia, won the Best Paper Overall Award, while employees of Brainjuicer, Maritz and LG Electronics were also recognised. More
ESOMAR's 2005 Congress, Making a Difference - The Impact of Powerful Research - opened today in Cannes, attended by 1000+ market and social professionals from 75 countries worldwide. The Congress also heralded ESOMAR's rebrand, and its renewed commitment to improving the image of MR - a theme touched on by several of the day's speakers. More
This morning's main session at ESOMAR Congress gave delegates an update on major companies' attempts to put customers' views and needs at the heart of their business. Some like it hot - watching consumers in their kitchens - while others take a cool look at customer loyalty stats. DRNO News Editor Tessa Russell reports live from Cannes. More
The introduction of the Euro is contributing to a price convergence across Europe for many popular products, according to figures from ACNielsen. Norway is the most expensive country for the products studied, and Germany remains the cheapest, while France and the UK have the smallest range of prices. More
Two international products have made their French debuts. MR and information giant Experian has launched its consumer classification system, Mosaic, in the country, categorising consumers into 14 social groups and 52 types; and movie tracker Online Testing eXchange (OTX) is another recent arrival. More
Ipsos is working with media database specialist New Age Media Systems to provide EzTAB software for Ipsos UK's media clients, which include BARB, NRS and RAJAR. The web-based software provides easy access to viewing figures and reader numbers, and allows clients to incorporate their own data into the system. More
Carat, part of the Aegis Group, has increased its 2005 forecast of world ad spend growth to 5.2% -highest in China (18%) and Central Europe (11.4%) and lowest in Germany (1%). Its predictions for increased online ad spend are echoed by a new report from Roy Morgan in Australia. More
With the end of the month comes a raft of worldwide consumer confidence analysis. According to GfK, UK consumers are increasingly pessimistic while the German mood is improving, particularly in the West and for higher income groups. In the US, the Conference Board Index rises while the BIG index is stable. More
GfK's German consumer climate survey, conducted each month on behalf of the EU Commission, will in future publish economic outlook, income expectations and propensity to buy indicators for five different social groups: three income-based groupings plus separate sectors for students and retired people. More
New analysis from Datamonitor lists ten overarching trends that it says will shape future products and services. The report states that, in order to retain customer loyalty, companies must capitalise on at least one of these 'mega-trends', which reflect changing attitudes to age, gender and lifestyles. More
Four fifths of consumers in Europe, the Pacific and North America think that 'private label' or supermarket own-brands are a good alternative to other brands, according to ACNielsen's latest study. In developing markets, where own-label products are less well established, consumers are more likely to view them as inferior. More
Four new studies out this week reflect mixed feelings about the economy among consumers and business owners. Overall, the trend is downwards with decreases in the US Consumer Confidence Index and GfK's Consumer Climate Index for Germany. More
Experian has launched a new consumer profile analysis, Mosaic Ireland. The first figures highlight the rise of the 'seriously single', a growth in the number of wealthy families, and increased multiculturalism. More
Michel Maury, International Executive Director of Trade Services at Information Resources Inc (IRI), has been appointed as President of IRI France. More
Results of the latest Ipsos survey of Europe's high-earning elite reveals a surge in hi-tech gadgets and online shopping, while readership of print publications is stable. The Europe 2005 survey represents the media habits of ten million high earners and business leaders (4% of all adults) in 16 countries. 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
The global market for cosmetics and toiletries rose more than 4% in 2004 to almost $150 billion, according to a study due shortly from Kline & Company. The rise was fuelled by skin care products, which are the largest product category covered and grew by c.5% globally. More
European online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has launched the OmniTaxi - an online alternative to the traditional omnibus. The service, which it is claimed will be more flexible, cost effective and targeted than an omnibus, will be available in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. More
Three separate consumer confidence indexes out this week tell three very different stories. US consumer confidence is at a three-year high, while consumers in Germany are growing more wary of making big purchases, and their UK counterparts are slightly gloomier about the country's economy. More
ACNielsen has announced the launch of a new Global Consumer Panel Services (CPS) unit to enhance its growing international panel capabilities. Robert Tomei, formerly the General Manager of the US Homescan panel, has been appointed as President of the unit. More
Australian consumers are currently the most pessimistic in Asia, according to a global study by ACNielsen. 43% said they felt the economy would deteriorate in the coming year compared to just 28% across the region – and 34% felt the strength of the economy had deteriorated over the past six months. More
Ipsos UK has appointed Sarah Owen, formerly of Granada and BusinessWeek magazine, as AD in its Media division. More
Norway has become the first country to use Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) for commercial radio ratings. A Steering Committee of the Norwegian National Radio has signed a five-year contract with TNS Gallup, a member of the worldwide TNS group, to install a panel of 400 people from Q1 2006. More
Paris-based ARTeam, the holding company for agencies QCG and Socioscan, is to become part of Synovate following its acquisition by Aegis Group. More
Saying 'Non' is not the only thing the French have been queuing up to do. The longest and slowest moving queues in Europe are to be found in Sweden and France, according to a new survey by Research International and the MSPA (Mystery Shopping Providers Association). 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
Steven Wilson is retiring as President and CEO of VNU Advisory Services, after 37 years in the CPG and MR industries. He will be replaced by Joseph Willke, currently President of BASES and Global Modeling & Analytics, from 1st July. More
Central and Eastern European companies are ahead of their Western European counterparts in the use of integrated marketing campaigns, according to Millward Brown's EuroMedia Trends 2005 Study. Online marketing is increasingly important across the continent, but as yet well behind the US in adoption. More
GfK has acquired majority shareholdings in Canada's Research Dynamics Inc. and Chile's Adimark S. A., expanding its Custom Research presence in the Americas. It has also bought the remaining shares in geomarketing specialists MACON AG in Germany. More
ESOMAR will be holding its 58th Annual Congress in the glamorous setting of Cannes from 18 – 21 September 2005, with around 1,000 MR and marketing professionals in attendance. This year's theme is 'Making a difference. The impact of powerful research'. More
The latest round of the Ipsos Face of The Web study paints a picture of the global take-off of a broad range of Internet activities beyond simple browsing. Seven in ten Internet users in the 12 countries surveyed have purchased and half have banked online; two thirds have sent digital pictures or videos; and one in ten has already downloaded a feature length movie. More
VNU has confirmed that its ACNielsen offices were raided last month by the European Commission , investigating claims that the research company's contract and price policies broke antitrust law. VNU says the raids were prompted by a complaint by recent antitrust case opponents Information Resources, Inc. (IRI). More
ACNielsen has appointed Todd R. Kaiser as Director – Custom Survey Research for its Homescan Marketing team. The company recently announced two new consumer insights services powered by Homescan, along with aggressive launch plans in Asia and Europe. More
ACNielsen has announced a senior appointment and a promotion as part of its expansion of consumer panel services across Europe. Tracie Seebold becomes Director of Consumer Panel, UK while Mike Harris joins as Business Development Director, Europe for Consumer Panels. More
Fewer US consumers are now confident about the strength of their economy, according to the BIGResearch Executive Briefing for April. Domestic issues are the main worries. Looking longer-term, separate research from Ipsos-Insight suggests that many consumers around the world have written off public pension sources as their retirement mainstay. More
German-owned GfK has won the bidding for NOP World, acquiring it from United Business Media for £383 million (c.EUR 550m) in cash. The transaction remains subject to approval of the competition authorities in the United States and in Germany, but GfK says approval is expected at the end of May. More
TNS has announced an agreement of intent with the Norwegian National Radio's Steering Committee to launch a panel of 200 individuals using Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM). The Committee represents NRK, P4, Kanal 24, Radio 1, Nordic Web Radio and the Association of Local Radio Companies. 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
Media measurement specialists will be gathering in Montreal, Canada in June for WAM 2005 (World Audience Measurement), jointly organised by ESOMAR and The ARF. In addition to its established format, the Conference will for the first time dedicate a day to the evaluation of Branded Entertainment and Sponsorship. More
VNU has announced a number of new services and initiatives at the Consumer 360 event in the USA. They include CBI, a proprietary integrated data solution for CPG companies; new methodologies with the ambitious goal of 'tracking retail sales across all outlets', globally; two new consumer insights services based on Homescan®; and a tracking service and consumer panel for ethnic consumers. More
Lightspeed Research has launched a Consumer Panel for Italy, with access to 64,000 household members at start-up and the aim of growing to more than 200,000 by the end of 2005. More
Search engine marketing spend in Europe will grow by around 65% this year, according to Forrester Research, Inc. The technology analyst expects the market for services including paid listings, contextual search, site optimization, and paid inclusions to rise to c.€1.4 billion. More
ACNielsen has globalised David McCallum's role as MD, Customised Research Services – his previous remit was Asia Pacific. McCallum will be based in Sydney, Aus and will report to COO Frank Martell, who is also Senior VP of VNU's Marketing Information Group. 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
Nielsen parent VNU has released its full year financial statements for 2004, showing 'solid' growth in 2004. Strong results from the Media Measurement & Information (MMI) group and most of the Marketing Information (MI) group were offset by ACNielsen Europe's protracted move to a new data factory. 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
The WPP Group has announced various senior appointments and moves in its latest eWire bulletin, including new CEOs for RI Japan and Netherlands, a new MD Consultancy Services for Millward Brown in the UK and a new Chief Exec also for Management Ventures. More
Synovate has acquired Belgium-based Columbus Quanti, a medium sized quant agency with offices in Ghent, employing around 40 staff and known for work in the telecoms, FMCG, finance, and public utility sectors. More
The GfK Group has announced a donation of EUR 300,000 in memory of missing Board Member Heinrich A. Litzenroth to a post-tsunami rebuilding project, and have reluctantly agreed a restructuring of the board to reflect his loss. The Group's five business divisions will give way to a new structure with three key leaders, all longstanding GfK employees. More
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) has announced the US launch of its daily, point-of-sale data on-demand platform MarketKnowledge(TM), promised last autumn. It includes daily data from seven launch retailers: Albertsons, A&P, Brookshire Grocery Company, Giant Eagle, Fred's, Food Lion, and Walgreens. More
Sales of plasma TVs surged worldwide in the last quarter of 2004, according to flat panel display specialists DisplaySearch (FPD). Shipments soared 67% versus the 3rd quarter 173% versus Q4 of 2003, to a record 1.1 million TVs, of which just under three quarters have 42-43 inch screens. More
The GfK Group has announced record growth in its preliminary results for the financial year 2004. Sales increased by 12.7% from EUR 595.3 to EUR 671.0m, well ahead of its own forecast. Highlights include 10% plus organic growth for the Retail and Technology division and the Asia & Pacific and Central & Eastern Europe regions. More
Digital still camera shipments surpassed 63m units worldwide in 2004, up more than 35% on 2003, and should pass 100 million units in 2008, according to the annual report and forecast from US-based Lyra Research. In 2004, Europe overtook the US for the first time as the largest market in terms of unit shipments, with Japan still third. More
Life is increasingly tough for Europe's department stores, according to the latest research from MINTEL, which claims that poor performers in the sector are key targets for property developers. Combined sales of mixed goods retailers in seven major markets studied rose by just 1% or 0.7 billion Euros in 2004. More
Kimberly-Clark Corporation has appointed a veteran consumer goods marketer and researcher to the senior role of Vice President and Senior Marketing Officer. Kim Feil, formerly of PepsiCo and IRI among others, will take responsibility for marketing and brand-building across K-C's North Atlantic companies. More
UK grocery industry think tank IGD has appointed two prominent industry figures, Tesco Chairman David Reid and Alastair Sykes, Chairman & CEO of Nestlé UK, to the roles of President and Vice President respectively. More
Arbitron has announced good results, amid industry speculation about a possible sale. The US-based audience measurement specialist increased its revenue by 8.4% in 2004, from $273.6m to $296.6m. More
Beyen Marktforschung GmbH is the latest addition to GfK's Retail and Technology division in Germany. The company specializes in continuous pricing research in electronic consumer goods retail, with a focus on price-related advertising and promotional activities. More
The number of banner advertisements run on European web sites has increased by 24%, from around 76,000 in November 2003 to just under 95,000 in November 2004, according to Internet audience measurement specialist Nielsen//NetRatings. Sweden, France and the Netherlands experienced the strongest growth. More
US marketing information provider The NPD Group has acquired control of Parkod France and Parkod Europe, specialists in software and information for the perfumery sector. NPD has appointed Claude Charbit, former executive VP for European operations at IRI (Information Resources, Inc.) as Chairman. More
Consumers in Asia Pacific are confident about their economic outlook - more so than their counterparts in the US and Europe - but have yet to forget completely the spectre of Asia's recent economic downturn, according to ACNielsen. They are also the most likely to save spare cash, while Americans and Europeans spend theirs. More
Discount supermarket Lidl is the one to watch in Europe, according to the latest report from food and grocery specialist IGD. Between 1996 and 2003 IGD estimates that the retailer trebled its European sales, with an average increase of 17% per annum. More
IMS Health has announced an exclusive data and knowledge sharing agreement with the European Generic medicines Association (EGA). IMS will provide sales info from its MIDAS database, which tracks 90% of prescription drug sales in more than 80 countries, plus expert opinion, in return for access to EGA information and expertise. More
Europe will outpace the US in online holiday sales this year, with eCommerce during the holiday season in Western Europe up 44% to €13bn, according to forecasts by technology specialist Forrester Research. Forrester forecasts around €10bn ($13bn) for the US, while a separate forecast by comScore Networks says it may top $15bn. More
VNU has announced that CFO-designate Rob Ruijter and all Executive Board members will be located at its New York headquarters in the course of 2005, with some resulting job losses in Haarlem, Netherlands. More
Seniors are the most affluent consumer group in the UK, as well as the fastest growing, according to a recent report from Datamonitor. 'Older consumers: Destroying marketing myths' looks in detail at trends influencing the senior market over the next five years in Europe and the US. More
New luxury markets are taking shape alongside the high-priced exclusive brands usually associated with luxury, according to a multi-country study by Euro RSCG Worldwide. Luxury is defined as much in terms of finding the time and energy to enjoy as it is in terms of finding the money. More
Eurisko, the Italian arm of NOP World, has been formally invited to take part in RAJAR's Audiometer Validation Trial in November 2004. Eurisko's passive portable radio and TV metering system is said to rival those currently on offer by Arbitron and GFK. Further details of the trial format have also been released. More
Shell has chosen NOP World as its global agency for retail and communications research, with a major contract to manage a multi-country retail customer study covering 45 countries. More
UK agency Research Now!, which with 250,000 members claims to be the largest online panel owner in the UK, has launched a new panel web site under the brand name Valued Opinions. More
The 2004 edition of MINTEL's European Retail Rankings shows Tesco steadily closing the gap on Carrefour. Tesco is the clear second player in Europe (and the fourth world-wide) and its sales have risen from under two thirds of Carrefour's a couple of years ago to almost three quarters in 2003/04. More
According to the latest figures from TGI, mobile phone ownership levels in Sweden are considerably higher than any other country, at 88% - Great Britain is second with 78% and Japan third with 74%. The study looked at 15 markets. More
Losses to credit card fraud in the UK fell for the first time in 9 years, by over 5% in 2003 to £402.4 million, according to figures produced by APACS (Association for Payment Clearing Services). The results are published by Datamonitor, which predicts further falls in 2005 given the anticipated completion of the EMV migration. More
Europe will have 4.6 million HDTV households by 2008, up from 50,000 at the end of 2003, according to the latest from Datamonitor. More
Half the adults in Britain, France and Germany feel that racial prejudice is increasing in their country according to the findings of a new CNN/TIME poll conducted by TNS. The poll also asked about work-life balance and smoking bans. More
British men, sometimes depicted as a shabby bunch, are in fact more likely than women to buy designer clothes, according to a new report from MINTEL. However a second report, published at the same time by Datamonitor, suggests men are still reluctant when it comes to spending on 'grooming'. More
Synovate has released the results of a global study into perceptions of budget air travel and the importance of various factors in consumers' choice of airline. The results show very attitudes to the trade-off between comfort, perks and price between fliers from Europe, Asia and North America. More
Lidl may be headed for the no.1 spot in the European small format discount market by 2012, according to 'European Grocery Retailing 2004', the latest report from food and grocery specialists IGD. Lidl is establishing operations in fifteen European countries in which rival Aldi has no presence. More
Thirty-six per cent of the software installed on computers worldwide in 2003 was pirated, according to a study released recently by the Business Software Alliance (BSA). This represents a loss of nearly $29 billion to the major software manufacturers who are its members. More
VNU has announced a number of senior management changes in its Marketing Information group. Frank Martell, COO of ACNielsen, adds the role of President and CEO of ACNielsen Europe, whilst at VNU Advisory Services Steve Wilson has been appointed President and CEO, replacing Brian Chadbourne. More
Last week, the end of Euro 2004: this week the launch of Europe 2004, the fifth wave of Ipsos-RSL's media survey of business decision-makers and leading consumers in Europe. The survey measures readership, TV viewing, web site use, consumer and business behaviour and attitudes of the top 10 million (4%) of Europe's consumers and decision makers. More
The German health and beauty market is the biggest in Western Europe, valued at almost 40 billion Euros in 2003 according to MINTEL – this reflects not just Germany's size but a greater level of awareness and concern with their wellbeing and appearance. More
GfK has unveiled a wristwatch which it claims measures 'whatever mass media the wearer comes into contact with, wherever the wearer may be'. MediaWatch made its debut at the international 'Week of Audience Measurement' organized by ESOMAR and ARF in Geneva, beginning yesterday. More
By 2008, the UK will have 8.5 million 'Early Empty Nesters', people aged between 50 and 64 whose children have left home or who have never had children, according to the latest from Datamonitor. Their annual disposable income per capita will have increased by 8.5% to £17,872, almost 50% above the national average. More
The International Mystery Shopping Alliance (IMSA) has expanded its coverage to include North America, the Baltics and Pakistan, creating a combined panel of almost 500,000 mystery shoppers. More
The homes of Hollywood and Bollywood top the list of 15 movie-going nations covered by the latest TGI data. Thirty-two per cent of Americans and twenty-eight per cent of Indians have been to the cinema at least once in the last month. Around 4% of all Americans went at least four times in the last month - representing around 8.3 million movie fanatics. More
European mobile users 'have dealt a massive blow to the prospects of early mass 3G adoption' according to an HI Europe Poll of just under 10,000 mobile users in six EU countries. The findings come just months ahead of the widespread launch of 3G services across Europe. More
The UK spends nearly three times as much on Visa and Mastercard branded credit cards as the rest of the EU put together, according to a new report from Mintel. Total EU credit card spending is up 76% from the equivalent of c.139bn Euros (£93bn) in 1998 to 244bn Euros (£165bn) now. More
The GfK Group has acquired the business of ARBOR Inc., USA, effective retroactively from 1 January 2004. ARBOR provides ad hoc research services, specializing in communication and brands. More
VNU's results for 2003 show a 9% increase in its underlying cash earnings per share (CEPS) at constant currencies – a steep decline in actual earnings reflects the weak US dollar. Both the Marketing Information and Media Measurement & Information groups are strong performers. More
Wal-Mart has retained its position as the 'World's Most Admired Company' in FORTUNE magazine's 2004 All-Star list, on sale from today. General Electric and Microsoft (respectively) retain the next two positions, but Johnson & Johnson and Berkshire Hathaway climb over Dell into 4th and 5th positions. More
Stockholm-based agency the Observer Group has named Andreas Falkenmark as MD of its operations in Sweden and the Nordic & Baltic region. The company operates in the region under the Observer and Waymaker brand names. More
Global agency Synovate has today announced the acquisition of The Research Business International (TRBI), one of the UK's leading research firms, from a US-based group headed by Maritz Inc. More
UK consumers' confidence may be rising, but German consumers do not share their optimism, according to GfK's latest consumer climate survey, carried out on behalf of the European Commission. With ongoing uncertainty surrounding tax, social security, healthcare and pension reforms, all consumer climate indicators were down in January. More
The year 2003 was a good one for global and international retailers, according to new research from the grocery industry think-tank IGD. Nine of the top ten groups improved their ratings in its Global Retail League, which is designed to look beyond mere turnover to underlying global capability and strength. More
Sony, already voted the best brand by British and American respondents earlier in the year, is also no.1 in Italy, according to research by HI Europe. Sony is the only brand to feature in all three top tens. More
VNU has signed an agreement this week to sell its Claritas Europe business to Acxiom Corporation for EUR33.5 million. The completion of the deal is expected around year-end. VNU expects a corresponding book loss of EUR25-30m. More
A major survey, involving 110 of Europe's largest companies, has revealed the Top Companies for Leaders in Europe. The study, which was carried out by global HR outsourcing and consulting firm Hewitt Associates, identifies the leadership practices that differentiate the most effective organisations for developing talent and which can be linked to financial success. More
A new report from Mintel on clothing retailing in Europe shows catwalk designs at high street prices, so-called fast fashion, is driving the European clothing market. Companies such as Hennes and Mauritz, Zara and Mango, the leaders in fast fashion, have all experienced fantastic growth since 1998. More
Consumers in both Britain and Germany are showing positive signs in the run-up to Christmas. The GfK consumer climate survey for November 2003 sees Germans expressing hope that the economy is finally recovering and that their personal finances are improving, while Mintel are predicting that shoppers in the UK will spend more than last Christmas. More
Retail giant Wal-Mart is turning its attention to the increasing opportunity presented by the '63% of world GDP beyond the US', and will derive $30bn worth of sales from its European operations by 2007, according to new research by food and grocery specialists IGD. More
An apocryphal tale told by Internet sceptics sometime late in the last century held that UK catalogue retailer Argos, in its first year online, sold only eleven items. Now the Argos Web site has been ranked Number One in Europe in a study by Forrester Research, which more generally gives catalogue retailers credit for leading the way online. More
German consumers currently have low expectations of general economic development and their own finances, and are remaining reticent when it comes to making purchases, according to the GfK financial services, consumer and savings climate survey published by GfK Marktforschung. The mood is unlikely to change much before 2004. More
Following the recent extension of its agreement with Nielsen Media Research to include Australia and New Zealand, KMR has announced that its TGI Network now covers over 50 countries worldwide, through wholly owned companies and partnerships. More
German private households bought goods totalling EUR 2.4 bn over the Internet in the first six months of 2003. Sales for the whole of 2003 are likely to be between 12 and 21% higher than the EUR 4.7bn recorded in 2002. These are the findings of the Web*Scope survey carried out by GfK Panel Services Consumer Research. 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
The total value of the worldwide MR market remained flat in 2002 according to ESOMAR's latest global market research study. The 2002 figure of US$16.6bn (Euro 17.6bn) is up in dollar terms but down in Euros due to exchange rate movements. The USA and the EU each accounted for 38% of the total world market in 2002. More
Sales of private label goods, defined as any Consumer Packaged Goods brand that is sold exclusively by a specific retailer or chain, are growing relative to manufacturer brands according to recent research by ACNielsen. More than 95% of Private Label sales are found in Europe and North America but growth is fastest in other regions. More
Seven European providers have this week announced the formation of The International Mystery Shopping Alliance (IMSA). The IMSA offers mystery shopping and related services in 15 European countries, including the UK, and aims to expand quickly to offer worldwide coverage. More
Synovate has announced the acquisition of Censydiam NV, a Belgian research business known for its advances in psychodynamic research. Over the next few months the company will rebrand as Synovate Censydiam. 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
Despite sluggish sales in the European consumer electronics sector in early 2003, certain newer technologies are achieving rapid growth, according to a report on the global market for technical durable goods, published by GfK to coincide with a major show in Berlin. More
VNU has reported its interim financial statement for the first six months of 2003, showing 'solid underlying results despite weak global economic conditions'. First-half organic growth was led by strong performances from ACNielsen and from the Media Measurement & Information business. More
Temperatures in the UK reached near-record levels yesterday leaving unaccustomed Brits gasping, but some of us are enjoying it, and according to the latest from Datamonitor the sun cream market is recovering from a slump last year. Worldwide sales are also expected to rise. More
TNS has acquired Data Advanced Research, one of the leading market information companies in Central America. The acquisition enables TNS to extend its global reach into Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras and Nicaragua. More
Consumers in most countries feel closer to their own culture than they did a few years ago, and more distant from American culture, according to the recent Roper Reports 2003 Worldwide study. Some of the likely causes are short-term and results vary with region, but generally consumers are more likely to be thinking as well as acting local. More
Taylor Nelson Sofres plc has announced the completion of its acquisition of NFO WorldGroup, Inc. (NFO), from The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (Interpublic). The acquisition, which was announced on 14 May 2003, consolidates TNS' position as one of the top three global companies in its industry. More
Millward Brown has acquired Dutch market research agency Centrum voor Marketing Analyses. Centrum has previously been a Millward Brown licensee and changes its name to Millward Brown / Centrum with immediate effect. Its existing structure and local management personnel are unchanged. More
ESOMAR has been pressing ahead with its 'Quo Vadis project' to promote the convergence of worldwide MR standards, despite recent setbacks in the creation of a Federation of Research Associations. More
US CPG research giant Information Resources Inc. has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by a newly formed corporation owned by Symphony Technology II-A, L.P. and Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC. IRI's Board of Directors has unanimously approved the acquisition. More
Women make up only 42% of the European online population, according to the latest research from Nielsen//NetRatings. The proportion is growing but only slowly, and if current trends continue it will be nearly a decade before parity is reached. More
TNS has started its European polls for TIME and CNN (as reported on DRNO on 10th June) with a survey on views of air travel, and found more than one-third of people in Britain, France and Germany 'less likely to travel by air' than they were 12 months ago. Britons and Germans were most likely to cite terrorism, whereas the French cite 'economic factors' as the main reason. More
A typical survey will cost over a third more to conduct in the USA or Japan than it does in the UK, France or Germany, according to new research from ESOMAR, the World Association of Research Professionals. The 2003 Research Prices Study invited 407 member companies worldwide to quote for six different types of project. More
The MrWeb site, combining news, jobs, directories, diary and link libraries for market researchers, enjoyed a busiest-ever month in May with record numbers of jobs posted, pages viewed, recruiters advertising and subscribers signed up. On three occasions in the past four weeks, more than 10,000 site pages have been viewed in one day. More
The Board of MORI, the UK's largest independent MR agency, is entering discussions with a number of potential buyers. The company was the subject of an MBO 3-4 years ago and the decision to invite bids is reportedly in line with the original plan under the venture capital model. A price tag of £100m has been mentioned by the FT, but has not, according to MORI, come from anyone within the company. More
There is little sign of German economic recovery from the May 2003 GfK consumer climate survey, conducted on behalf of the European Commission. The indicator for economic outlook fell slightly, almost entirely cancelling the increase in the previous month. Income expectations of German consumers reflect a slight upward trend of three per cent, but the propensity to buy is down for the second month in a row, losing more than seven points. More
Last week, a U.S. District Court judge set a trial date of September 20, 2004 in Information Resources, Inc.'s antitrust lawsuit against ACNielsen (now owned by VNU), The Dun & Bradstreet Corp., and IMS International, in which IRI is seeking damages in excess of $1 billion after trebling. The jury trial in this case is scheduled to last between ten and sixteen weeks. More
Digital Download Day 2, the event organised by music company OD2 to raise the profile of legal Internet music downloads, can be considered a partial success, according to the latest figures from Nielsen//NetRatings. The April 18th event helped the website of the company sponsoring the event, OD2.com, attract 523,000 visitors during April to become the UK's fifth music website for that month. More
Latest research from Mintel studying savoury snacks consumption across the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy highlights the UK has having the largest snacks market in Europe. More
According to the findings of the Online Shopping Survey (OSS), conducted by NFO Infratest and Enigma GfK, around 20 million Germans, i.e. more than one in three, have made at least one online purchase in the last twelve months. As many as one in five people are regular online shoppers. The most frequently ordered items are books, clothing, CDs, tickets for the theatre, cinema and concerts, computer software and computer games. More
Ipsos-RSL has this week announced that Europe 2003, the fourth survey in the successful Europe 2000 series, will be launched on 3 July 2003 in London. The survey has established itself as the main currency for trading pan-European print and television campaigns and is an essential tool for advertisers, planners, buyers and media companies worldwide. More
E-Tabs has announced its partnership with Insight Marketing Systems (Melbourne, Australia) to market and distribute Research Reporter - market research management and library software - to research buyers in UK and Europe. E-Tabs will be premiering Research Reporter at Esomar's Excellence in Consumer Insights conference in Madrid (30 March - 1 April). More
Latest research from Mintel studying health & beauty retailing across the UK, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland highlights Boots as the largest health and beauty specialist in Europe by a large margin. However, it has so far been largely unsuccessful in exporting this beyond its home market. More
The NPD Group has reached a strategic partnership with Parkod Europe to provide beauty retailers and manufacturers with access to new levels of market information. France is the first step in the partners' European rollout of selective beauty POS tracking. Discussions are underway to expand the partnership's beauty industry market tracking to include Italy, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. More
Latest research from Mintel studying ready meals consumption across the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy highlights the UK as having the largest ready meals market in Europe. More
At the Technovate conference hosted by ESOMAR this week, NOP World, MORI, NFO Europe and SPSS MR have announced the creation of ECOR (European Consortium for Online Research) to shape the future of online research in Europe. More
With a share of 31 per cent of sales, German discounters have succeeded in expanding their share of the retail food market in 2002 more than almost any other type of store. According to the 2002 discount store survey recently published by GfK Panel Services Consumer Research, more than half of this growth is accounted for by Aldi. More
Latest research from Mintel finds Britain topping Europe in terms of DIY activity. In the last year some 62% of British consumers carried out DIY or decorating tasks compared with just 30% of the Spanish. On mainland Europe, France is the most active DIY country with 57% of French adults having taken part in DIY or decorating. Meanwhile, just 36% of Germans participate in DIY. More
Online banking in Europe continues to grow, and is thriving in many markets, despite the current tough economic climate, according to the latest figures released by Nielsen//NetRatings. More
New forecasts by GfK Panel Services Consumer Research show that online transactions (excluding home banking) by private households in Germany are expected to total over EUR 4.7 billion in 2002. Although this represents a marked increase on the previous year's volume of EUR 4.3 billion, growth is not proportional to the increase in the number of Internet users in the same period. More
Latest research from Mintel analysing books, music and video retailing across France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK highlights the British as the biggest European spenders. More
The first data from the HealthFocus Trend Survey, collected from more than 2000 'primary grocery shoppers' (mostly women) in Western Europe - the UK, Germany, France and the Netherlands - shows that the European consumer is lagging far behind the US, Australia and Chinese consumer in terms of health shopping. More
As from July this year, the GfK Group acquired 51.4% of the shares in Institut Français de Recherche (IFR). IFR specializes in market research on retail prices and shelves structure, in consumer electronics, IT and domestic appliances segments in Europe and Asia. More
A new GfK survey in Germany shows that the 50+ generation is an important consumer group looking for a good lifestyle and out to treat themselves. More
A new report on petcare and petfood retailing from Mintel highlights the increasing incidence of humanising Britain's pets. The report points towards 'child substitution' and sees the trend of single person households and affluent empty nesters lavishing treasured pets with premium pet foods. More
According to ESOMAR's latest global market research study, turnover of the marketing research industry in Spain totalled US$275 million in 2001. More
Airline websites are more popular than ever in Europe, according to the latest research from Nielsen//NetRatings. Following September 11, the last quarter of 2001 saw the travel sector struggling economically, and there was speculation that the airline operations would be hit by a downturn. More
Four times as many women in France have used anti-ageing skin care products in the last 12 months compared with women in Britain, according to new research from Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS). Just four per cent of women in Britain use an anti-ageing skincare product in an average week compared to 17 per cent of women in France. More
Latest gfk-webgauge findings show that increasing numbers of Internet users in Europe are using online auctions to buy or sell items. In Germany, in particular, snapping up bargains, curios or treasure has become increasingly popular. More
Latest survey results from INRA show that at present 15% of the Belgian labour force has access to the Internet via the workplace. INRA has been measuring the evolution of Internet penetration in the country since 1998. More
Never before has the need to understand the interaction between economics, consumer behaviour and attitudes, political and technological factors been so great. To provide the boardroom with the best possible chance of calling next year correctly, The Henley Centre has designed a one day event 'Planning for 2003' to be held on November 8 in London. More
According to a new report from Mintel Retail Intelligence, Marks & Spencer remains Europe's number one choice for clothing while Tesco consolidates its runner-up position as the second largest grocer in Europe. More
Latest research from Mintel studying cosmetic usage across the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy highlights the British as the highest European users of makeup. More
European consumers are less optimistic about the development of e-commerce than they were only six months ago. However, the number of e-consumers is still rising and so is the overall volume of online orders, as the findings of the third wave of gfk-webgauge, a survey carried out in six European countries, show. More
A recent study by RedSheriff shows that UK users are not falling behind their European counterparts when it comes to Broadband Internet access. More
Switzerland is an oasis of affluence: seven out of eight of the richest European regions are in the Swiss Confederation. Geneva leads the way with disposable income per capita of around EUR 36,000 per annum. The inhabitants of Eastern Europe, on the other hand, have to live far more modestly, the countries with the least disposable income being Albania (EUR 563), the Ukraine (EUR 379) and Moldavia (EUR 223). These are the findings of a survey carried out by GfK-Regionalforschung. More
According to the most recent findings of the Eurobarometer, which GfK Ad Hoc Research Worldwide, INRA (EUROPE) and IRS carry out bi-annually on behalf of the European Commission, support for the Euro and the EU as a whole strengthened slightly since the changes on January 1st 2002. More
Latest research from Mintel studying alcoholic drinking trends across the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Italy finds 89% of British drinking alcoholic drinks either in-home or elsewhere. Drinking in the UK is closely followed by France, with 88% of the French consuming alcohol. More
Sports Tracking Europe, a joint venture between market research organizations NPD in the USA, and GfK in Germany, has launched a new information service for the retail and manufacturing industries in the European sportswear markets. Sports Apparel Track provides comprehensive information on sportswear-related retail sales and purchase behaviour in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. More
A new report from Mintel's Retail Intelligence reveals that food retailing remains one of the most dynamic and innovative retail sectors with sales forecast to grow by 17% between 2001 and 2006. The rationalisation started by Wal-Mart and the Carrefour-Promodès deal still has far to go and there will be more merger deals in the next few years. More
Ipsos-RSL's recently published Europe 2002 study updates the results in this survey series, which covers the top 4% of Europe's decision makers and leading consumers, representing 10.6 million high status individuals in 16 countries. The results confirm the strength of international media and reveal the growing technology focus of Europe's elite. More
Almost three-quarters of the leading brands from as long as thirty years ago were still market leaders in 2001 according to speakers at this year's GfK annual conference on issues of modern brand management held recently in Nuremberg. More
Marks & Spencer appears to be clinging on to market leadership in the European clothing sector, despite the retailer's recent retreat from the continent. At the same time, Sweden's H&M's combination of affordability and fashionability are proving a real threat. These are the key findings of Mintel's new 'Clothing Retail in Europe' report. More
Meal times across Europe are becoming more fragmented, with many people dropping their main meals in favour of snacking at work or eating out in restaurants. This is according to analysis in Datamonitor's new report, 'Changing Mealtimes'. More
A new official body representing European market research is to be launched later this year. The brainchild of ESOMAR and EFAMRO, the organisation, entitled the 'European Marketing Research Alliance' (EMRA), will primarily lobby against any negative legislation across EU member states. More
Most researchers believe that response rates have declined steadily over the past 20 years. Many are gloomy about the future as well, with rates set to continue falling. In the face of this, the CMR Group are running a seminar for all concerned researchers offering some smart solutions to this serious problem. More
ESOMAR has this week announced the second phase of an important new research project called Marco Polo. Aimed at gathering information on the needs of market research in client companies, the project aims to find ways in which to maximise the impact of market research. More
A new report on Home Shopping from Mintel's Retail Intelligence argues that retailers are missing out on a big opportunity in home shopping. However, the study finds the European home shopping sector continuing to lose retail share, with the few areas of sector growth failing to offset the slow declining big book mail order sector. More
AEMRI (the Association of European Market Research Institutes) is offering the opportunity to attend a topical and informative get-together on the theme of retail research next month. The one-day event, entitled 'Building the Alliance', is to be held on the 14th June in the beautiful Italian birthplace of Puccini, Lucca. More
According to new research from Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, the global consumer now represents a shopper who demands honesty and respect from retailers and brand manufacturers more than the highest-quality merchandise or the lowest prices. More
Chris van Schijndel has stepped down from his forthcoming appointment as Director General of ESOMAR. Unforeseen private circumstances have been offered as the reason for his change of mind. More
Media researcher Ipsos-RSL is set for a summer launch for the new addition to its Europe 2000 family of surveys. The latest study, entitled 'Europe 2002', will be welcomed with a host of events during the month of July. More
The European record industry must act now to curb the illegal free downloading of music and license their content to paid-for online music services. These are the main conclusions from new Net music industry research from Jupiter MMXI. More
Some 50% of women in Britain aged 16 years and above will not go out of their homes without wearing some form of cosmetics, according to recent findings from Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS). More
The thirteenth edition of the Retail Pocket Book, a joint venture between AC Nielsen and WARC, has just been published, offering as usual a handy goldmine of quick information and facts on the retail sector, both in the UK and abroad. More
The fact that consumers feel that retail and service companies have used the introduction of Euro cash currency as a pretext for putting up their prices evidently placed a considerable damper on willingness to buy in the first two months of 2002. This is one of the significant results of a survey on the consumer climate in six EU countries, recently carried out on behalf of the European Commission by GfK. More
European women still use the web in a very different way from men, according to new Jupiter MMXI research. The gender differences are persisting across the Union as well despite the increase in the numbers of women online and their overall Internet 'savviness'. More
Loyalty to big retail websites varies across Europe, according to Jupiter research just released for the first time. The latest results show that German online shoppers are likely to return to a site the most, whilst the Italian and Swiss are less likely to do so. More
Sweden has once again been rated as the world's leading information economy, according to the 2002 IDC/World Times Information Society Index (ISI). More
Around nine out of ten companies in the US (93%) and UK (86%) are now using the Internet for activities such as CRM, marketing, order fulfilment and selling to deal with customers according to research by Taylor Nelson Sofres Information Technology. In stark contrast, six out of ten (60%) companies in Japan and fewer than four out of ten (36%) companies in France are using the Internet as a marketing channel or customer service mechanism. More
The first ESOMAR Conference on Customer Relationship Marketing (CRM) is scheduled for 17 to 19 March in Prague. The event aims to provide a unique platform to review the current state of the market research industry in relation to the opportunities offered by CRM. More
Consumer confidence in Germany has not improved since the beginning of 2002, with the mood amongst consumers remaining hesitant. These are the essential findings of the latest survey on consumer confidence carried out by GfK on behalf of the EU Commission in January 2002. More
Latest analysis from Jupiter MMXI indicates that the European online travel market has grown considerably over the last year. More
We Brits have become the biggest spenders online of all Europeans according to new GfK research. Our online purchases have increased 29% to Euros 2.7 billion (£1.7bn) over the past six months. At the same time, monthly usage has also risen, with over two thirds (65%) of Britons getting onto the Net. More
WARC's new 'European Advertising & Media Yearbook 2002' is now available. Claiming it is the most comprehensive and authoritative source of European and media data available, it should be an asset to any marketer's bookshelf or briefcase. More
According to latest data from GfK, consumers in Germany ordered online goods worth a total of EUR 942 million during the Christmas period, representing a sales increase of 63% compared to the same period the previous year. More
The Aegis Group has just acquired Market&More, a European research group with operations in Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and France. More
As of today you can register for a free, regular email with details of market research *events* of relevance to you - conferences, seminars, courses, speaker meetings, training, interest groups and others. Select the types of event you want and choose from weekly, fortnightly or monthly emails. Register at www.mrweb.com/input/evt-not.htm or read more details first... More
A new report released from Jupiter MMXI shows that by 2006 European consumers will spend €3.3 billion for content on their mobile phones, compared to €1.7 billion on their PCs. More
Visits to retail websites boomed at Christmas as nearly 33 million Europeans shopped the Internet. This is according to the latest study released this week from Jupiter MMXI. Of all the nations monitored, Germans and Britons were the heaviest users of online retail sites. More
The Internet market will soon be dominated by developments in broadband Internet access, DTV and the music industry. In fact the number of broadband households in Europe is set to double during 2002. This is according to the latest predictions from Jupiter MMXI released this week. More
Online purchasing continues to improve for consumers in the United States and remains far ahead of key European markets, according to Accenture's third-annual holiday eFullfillment survey, which includes for the first time this year France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. More
At this week's Online Information 2001 conference in London, Outsell, Inc announced the release of a landmark multi-client study summarising the information needs, habits, and preferences of 500 European sales and marketing professionals across 10 industries in the UK, France, and Germany. More
German agency GfK has won contracts for two major projects with a total volume of approximately Euro 10 million for 2002 and 2003. The projects will be carried out by GfK companies in the Consumer Tracking division in the Netherlands and Switzerland, giving the division a head start in the coming financial year. More
A new survey from the German retailers' association HDE predicts that online turnover in Germany will have doubled this year from the levels achieved in 2000. However, the year 2001 will be the last year to witness a treble digit growth rate according to the report. More
The total number of EU Internet users has risen by 14 percent in the last 6 months according to gfk-webgauge from GfK. This autumn, 88.9 million consumers in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK are believed to have gone online at least once a month. This compares to just 77.7 million users last spring. More
In a major survey of the prospects for retailing in Europe, Mintel's Retail Intelligence argues that Europe is on the brink of a cyclical downturn, but that, even in the aftermath of the recent terrorist attacks, most countries will escape a full blown recession. More
The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is this week lobbying e-Minister Douglas Alexander about a new EU privacy directive on the use of "cookies". The IPA contest that the current directive's amendments could potentially cripple what is viewed as an already vulnerable e-commerce industry. More
New NetValue online travel research has revealed some surprising visitor behaviour. Findings from September analysis show that UK travel sites have experienced their busiest month of 2001. Other European sites, however, have actually experienced a decline in the numbers of their visitors over the month. More
The market of Internet service providers (ISPs) in the European core countries Germany, Great Britain and France is consolidating. This is according to the results of the latest eighth wave of research from the Internet user monitor EURO.NET run by NFO Infratest. More
The results of the latest wave of EURO.NET by research company NFO Infratest reveal that there are major differences in online buying patterns in the three European core countries of Germany, Great Britain and France. More
The European manufacturing sector is now thought to be firmly in economic recession. This is according to the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for September as measured by Reuters, September 2001, and reported by NTC Research. More
In the first half of 2001, German consumers ordered goods to the total value of Euro 1.9 billion via the Internet. According to the latest results by the GfK Web*Scope panel, sales rose by more than 50% compared with the second half of 2000. More
ESOMAR's 54th International Annual Congress takes place in Rome on 23-26 September, entitled 'Marketing Transformation: Research for the Bottom Line.' More
Of the 92 million people who have an opportunity to access the Internet in the UK, France and Germany, less than a third have Internet access at work according to new research from Jupiter MMXI. More
The European interactive services market is far from maturity, and little is known about how future waves of consumers will want to integrate interactive media and services into their lives. To tackle this issue, the Yankee Group's Internet Strategies Europe Planning Service is launching Interactive Consumer Europe (ICE), a comprehensive study of both current Internet users and non-users to develop the most detailed demographic segmentation of the market to date. More
Today's teenagers are pioneering how tomorrow's Internet will be used, according to new data from Jupiter MMXI. Representing the first real generation to grow up with the technology, their increasing time spent online (i.e an average of eight hours a week and rising) is indicative of things to come. More
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