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Kantar Media has promoted Rachel Macey to serve as Managing Director, TGI & Insight, UK and Ireland, replacing Sarah Sanderson who is stepping down. The firm has also promoted Trevor Vagg to Director, Insight, leading Kantar Media's Insight and Sport teams. More
WPP has issued a first quarter trading update, with like-for-like revenue less pass-through costs down 1.6% to £2.69bn. CEO Mark Read said the results were in line with expectations, reflecting tough comparatives, and that the firm 'remains on track to return to growth in the balance of the year'. More
London-based marketing intel and programmatic media specialist MiQ has launched its services in the Republic of Ireland, appointing Niall Murtagh to lead its expansion there in the role of Sales Director. More
Digital music pioneer Spotify has relinquished its membership of the IAB, according to reports. The company with the largest global audio ad-supported revenue is therefore no longer certified for podcast audience measurement, but says it is 'taking a pause' and 'remains committed to the IAB mission'. More
Ipsos, working with Google and UK online audience measurement standards body UKOM, has integrated YouTube viewing data into its iris platform. More
Berlin-based experience research software platform Brainstork is entering the UK market, and has hired Ben Leet as UK Partnership Lead on a freelance or 'fractional' basis. More
In Helsinki, employee experience data firm HappySignals has announced a EUR 12m funding round to help its global expansion, boosting its sales, marketing and product development efforts. More
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
DIY online survey pioneer SurveyMonkey has promoted Priya Gill to Global Head of Marketing, leading its marketing strategy and execution across all markets. More
Digital media measurement and analytics firm DoubleVerify (DV) has apologised to X, formerly known as Twitter, for an error which over a recent four-month period gave the microblogging site brand safety ratings as low as 70%, when actual scores were as high as 99.99%, according to reports. More
First party data specialist TestSet has launched in the European market, backed by recently-launched research and data sector investment firm ACKWEST Group. Leading the region from London as MD is Colin Turner-Kerr, joined by Dina Patel as Director of Operations. More
In Stockholm, enterprise insights and collaboration platform Stravito has launch Stravito Assistant, an AI-based 'insights companion' aiming to helps users find answers faster and ask better questions. 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
Insights technology and panel provider Toluna has appointed Lucia Moir as Chief Operations Officer and promoted Priyanka Sarkar to Chief Research 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
Marketing tech group Access Intelligence Plc has appointed Tom Ritchie as President of PR & Comms EMEA. More
Frankfurt am Main, Germany-based Scavenger AI, whose software allows client companies to perform complex data analyses in 'a few seconds', has raised EUR 1.1m in pre-seed funding. The money will help expand its team, and develop and launch its products. 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
Santa Monica, CA-based research tech firm Fuel Cycle has enhanced its Research Engine platform with the addition of Universal Connections, a feature allowing users to run projects from within insight communities using their preferred insights tools, whether or not they are fully integrated with the platform. More
Social media management software firm Hootsuite is to acquire listening specialist Talkwalker, for an undisclosed sum. 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
German CX management software company moveXM has announced the acquisition of two Dutch SaaS sister companies specializing in customer and employee feedback and customer review software - Feeddex BV and 5-Star Specialist BV. More
Experience Management (XM) company Qualtrics has appointed Juan Rodriguez as Chief Information Officer and Assaf Keren joins Qualtrics as Chief Security Officer. 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
Eponymous online survey firm SurveyMonkey has promoted Jing Huang to VP, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Katie Miserany to SVP and Chief Communications Officer, and Craik Pyke to VP, Infrastructure and Security Engineering. The firm now boasts gender equality at both the C-Suite and VP levels. More
Advertising Resource Management (ARM) software company MINT has appointed Christoph Kruse as Global Marketing Director. He was previously Director of Regional Marketing in Europe at Outbrain. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based Dema.ai, which provides a predictive analytics platform for eCommerce, has secured EUR 7m in a Seed round of funding, for use in accelerating its growth. More
Insight and analytics group BVA BDRC has launched synthetic data product Pixel.AI, which it says accurately predicts responses from restricted segments by training on existing and representative data. More
Insights and experience tech company PG Forsta has appointed Mike Thompson as Chief Analytics Officer, and says he will drive the development of new AI-driven capabilities and products, following the company's commitment to invest $500 million in the area over five years. 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
California-based CX solutions firm Five9 has appointed former Gartner exec Steve Blood as Vice President of Market Intelligence and Evangelism, based in Europe. 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
San Francisco-based predictive intelligence firm 6sense has appointed Jerome Levadoux as its first Chief Product Officer. More
In West Palm Beach, Florida, MR industry veterans Hugh Davis and Keith Price have launched ACKWEST Group, a holding company which will focus on buying and developing emerging tech-driven enterprises in the consumer insights and marketing services sector. 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
Technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has reported revenue for the full year 2023 of $291m, up 1.7% despite a very slow fourth quarter in which revenue dropped 11% to $66.2m. More
Miami-based PR platform Muck Rack has enhanced its measurement and reporting capabilities with new features for areas including media impact analysis, brand reputation insights and competitive analysis. More
Comscore has reported full year 2023 revenue of $371.3m, down 1.4%, but with FX-neutral adjusted EBITDA up 29% to $46.9m. CEO Jon Carpenter pointed to growth in local TV measurement and in the CCR and Proximic offerings as strong indicators for the future. More
Global MR and data group YouGov has announced the rebranding of its Swiss subsidiary LINK, acquired in December 2021, as YouGov Switzerland. More
Madrid-based digital marketing group Samy Alliance, the parent of British-based research firm Capture Intelligence, has acquired Helsinki-based social media agency Kurio, giving it a presence in the Nordic countries. 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
EMEA communications firm Instinctif Partners Group has appointed Julian Walker as CEO; having recently added Jim Donaldson as Non-Executive Chair, and Dr Matilda Andersson as MD of its subsidiary, British-based insight firm Truth. 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
Hamburg-based Heyflow, whose no-code platform helps marketers create, optimise and analyse web site experiences, has closed a EUR 14.7m Series A funding round. The money will be used to accelerate product development and integrations, and for geographical expansion of its customer base. 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
Behavioural understanding specialist iMotions has unveiled EduLabs, a platform integrating biometric technology solutions for use by academic institutions, departments and students. 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
Data transformation and marketing consultancy Artefact has opened new offices in Colombia and Mexico, after rapid growth for its Brazilian office. 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
Kantar Media is to provide Netflix with a cross-platform view of its performance in Spain, according to reports. The data will allow the streaming service to compare its audience with those for linear and on-demand networks and platforms. 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
Estonian AI-driven firm AdoptoMedia has launched a 'one-stop-shop' marketing and revenue forecasting service under the CheckMedia brand, promising to democratize 'analytical power and forecasting abilities for marketing planning previously only available to the world's biggest corporations'. 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
Ipsos North America has appointed former Worthix and GfK exec Rogerio Monteiro as SVP / Senior Client Officer 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
WPP has reported preliminary results for the full year 2023, with revenue (less pass-through costs) of £11.86bn, up 0.9% on a like-for-like basis, and operating profit down more than 60% to £531m. 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
CX and research tech group Forsta has appointed Jason Saylor, formerly of MAXimum Research, as Business Development Director. More
Business services behemoth Accenture has agreed to acquire CX analytics provider GemSeek, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Ipsos has appointed former Ofcom and Aviva exec Kerri-Ann O'Neill as Chief People Officer for UK and Ireland. More
Packaging, NPD and shopper specialist PRS IN VIVO has appointed Richard Bordenave as global Chief Behavioral Officer. More
Kantar has announced a partnership with computer vision and attention measurement specialist Realeyes, integrating the latter's Verify identity recognition software into the former's anti-fraud software QubedAI. 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
European consulting and digital services firm Sopra Steria has announced a partnership with media insights firm TRP Research to help broadcasters, advertisers and others understand the way television and VOD services are consumed across different devices and platforms by UK audiences. More
Copenhagen, Denmark-based offshore wind data specialist Aegir Insights has secured EUR 8.5m in Series A funds from climate tech investors - to be used in upgrading its web platform, including investment decision software and data products. More
succeet, one of the world's largest MR trade shows and the biggest in the DACH region, is to move from its traditional October slot to February, with 'succeet24/25' due to finish a year from today. The organisers say the move is in response to requests from long-standing exhibitors and associations. More
Online sample marketplace and research tech company PureSpectrum has appointed former Ipsos, Nebu and Bilendi exec Ian Roberts as Business Development Director for EMEA, based in London. More
Nielsen is expanding its Connected TV (CTV) measurement of YouTube ads into eleven additional global markets, including Germany, India, Japan and the UK. 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
Customer and employee experience firm Medallia has announced four AI-based innovations - Ask Athena, Intelligent Summaries, Smart Response and Themes - geared to personalising customer and employee experience; and has launched a fully self-service MR tool, Medallia Agile Research. 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 $1.5bn, up 2% after allowing for currency changes. Revenue growth slowed again and EBITDA fell slightly in the fourth quarter. More
Ipsos has appointed Ziad Issa as the new Media CEO in the MENA region, succeeding Elie Aoun who has decided to step down after 32 years at the company. More
Ipsos has appointed former Kantar and Mintel exec Dale Beaton as head of its Brand Health Tracking (BHT) Service Line in the UK. More
Sweden-based eye tracking and attention computing specialist Tobii has announced revenue of SEK 758m ($US 71.5m) for the full year 2023 - a decline in organic terms of 6%. The company has also completed its acquisition of vehicle interior sensing firm AutoSense, and announced new financial targets. 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
Comscore has promoted Alejandro Fosk, previously SVP for Latin America, to EVP International, overseeing its EMEA, APAC and LATAM regions. 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
Toluna has appointed Lucie Claire Vincent Ortiz to its Board of Directors. As a senior operating executive in multinational consumer product companies, including Colgate-Palmolive Co. and Philip Morris International, she will advise the Board with a particular focus on the needs of this sector. More
Paris-based Heex Technologies has raised EUR 6 million in a second round of funding, to continue development of its Smart Data platform, including expansion of its technical team, sales team and product offering. More
Software business Enghouse Systems has combined features from its Nebu and Survox products and rebranded them as Enghouse Insights. More
Insight agency Opinum has hired Matthew Barton as Senior Consultant, based in Amsterdam, supporting continued 'rapid growth' in Europe. More
Healthcare specialist Research Partnership has launched a new Alzheimer's Disease tracker in Germany, Japan and the US, as part of of its syndicated Therapy Watch series. The firm plans to expand the service to other key European markets this year. 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
Audience intelligence platform Pulsar has launched a product called SEARCH, promising instant, search engine-style discovery of news coverage on any topic, across media types and languages. 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
Data sharing and activation platform LiveRamp has agreed to acquire clean room software provider Habu, for cash and stock totalling around $200m. LiveRamp says the deal will 'unlock powerful measurement and analytics use cases' as well as more generally enhancing its collaboration offer. 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
Ipsos has acquired analytics and data visualization company Jarmany, which is based in Kingston-upon-Thames, UK. 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
Marcoms group Interpublic has announced that Chad Engelgau, CEO of its data and marketing services company Acxiom, will leave at the end of this month, after a total of seventeen years with the company, to pursue an opportunity in the non-profit sector. A search for his successor is underway. More
GroupM, WPP's media investment group, has announced it will integrate behavioral data into its Choreograph insights platform via Google's Audience Insights API. More
European data collection and research tech firm Bilendi & respondi has enhanced its Discuss multi-channel research platform, adding moderation skills for its AI research assistant 'BARI'. 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
Hamburg, Germany-based market research platform Appinio has announced two appointments geared towards rapid expansion: Samer Ragheb as Director of Marketing and Viktoriya Vasileva as Director of People & Culture. 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
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of I&O Research, described as the largest research agency in the public sector in the Netherlands. More
European data collection firm Norstat has completed its integration of UK company Panelbase, which assumes the Norstat name as of today. More
Kantar Media may be up for sale in 2024 for 'as much as £1bn', according to reports on Sky News. 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
US-based research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has launched a suite of advisory services to help clients with the adoption of AI at scale; and has appointed company President Steve Hall as its first Chief AI Officer. 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
IBM has agreed to acquire two data management and integration platforms from Software AG, for EUR 2.13bn in cash. StreamSets is a cloud-native DataOps and data ingestion platform, while webMethods focuses on data integration and API management. More
Social media intelligence and analytics group Meltwater will benefit from a $65m investment from Norwegian private equity firm Verdane, which takes an 11% stake in the company as a result - valuing Meltwater at around $592m. 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
Stockholm, Sweden-based eye tracking and attention computing pioneer Tobii has agreed to acquire FotoNation from audio, imaging and computing technology products firm Xperi, for a minimum consideration of $US 45m. The buy includes in-vehicle monitoring systems AutoSense and adds c.250 full-time staff. 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
London-based research operations platform Ayda has expanded its incentive payout capabilities to offer payments in USD and Euros - and its country coverage to 52 states worldwide. 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
AI data platform company VAST Data has secured $118m in Series E Funding, valuing the company at $9.1bn. The money will help it expand in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Europe, and support its mission to put data 'at the center of how systems think, react and discover'. More
Automated research tech provider quantilope has launched an AI 'co-pilot' called quinn, which it says will drive efficiencies in advanced method consumer research. The tool was developed in partnership with Microsoft. More
Ipsos has appointed Eleni Nicholas as Chief Client Officer, with seats on the firm's Executive Committee and Group Management Committee. More
Insights technology and panel provider Toluna has confirmed key leadership positions including regional Managing Directors, following its summer acquisition of MetrixLab. 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
In Austria, web tracking and data protection technologies firm JENTIS has raise EUR 11m in a Series A funding round, to fuel product development and accelerate market expansion. 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
Audiencerate, which supplies data management and activation solutions for advertising and marketing, has announced a new CEO, Marco del Tongo. He will also lead the firm's new Italian business, as Interim MD, as it opens an office in Milan. More
WPP has launched a campus in Brussels, bringing together around 600 people and nine of its agencies in the country. More
SurveyMonkey has rolled out its new technology - 'Build with AI' - globally. The software is powered by OpenAI and more than twenty years' of the company's data, allowing users to draft a survey by just describing the desired survey or goal. More
European data collection specialist Norstat has appointed Birgit Aasmäe as Managing Director of its business in Estonia. More
Digital insights provider Heap has announced new out-of-the-box dashboard features which it says 'guide users to actionable insights', specifically identifying friction points across the customer journey. More
Digital media measurement company DoubleVerify (DV) has announced key hires in Europe as it expands across the EMEA region. Lisa Mahfud joins as Business Director in the Netherlands, Daniele Maccarrona in Italy and Kenny Spangberg in Sweden. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital has reported on a difficult third quarter, with net revenue down 15.4% (10% like-for-like) reflecting lower activity in its Content and Data&Digital media businesses. 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
Marketing intel and programmatic media specialist MiQ has acquired French media governance MarTech company Grasp, promising to help agencies and brands save 'millions' in potential digital ad revenue losses through improved data integrity. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Poland-based data-as-a-service platform Justtag Group has acquired Relevant Audience, which provides segmented data to advertisers through programmatic buying. Terms of the deal, which will see Justtag enter the Scandinavian market, were not 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
Tech research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has announced third quarter revenue up 4.2% to $71.8m (about half of this organic) and adjusted EBITDA flat at $10.6m. It has also announced the acquisition of Ventana Research, expanding its coverage into the software industry. More
Less than a year after setting up its ad intelligence unit Vivvix, Kantar has sold it to US-based MediaRadar, which now aims to become 'the definitive source of advertising data and insights'. 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
Ipsos has acquired New Zealand's CBG Health Research Ltd from its previous owner, research and telehealth services firm Reach Aotearoa. More
PR group Hill+Knowlton Strategies has announced the formation of a global Intelligence + Technology capability; a partnership with Pendulum Intelligence; and the launch of a proactive analytics tool, H+K Sonar, which helps firms detect, predict and mitigate harmful narratives online. 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
DIY online survey synonym SurveyMonkey has launched Build with AI, a survey creation feature powered by OpenAI's GPT-3 software. 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
Divested government policy and comms advisory business Kantar Public will be rebranding globally as 'Verian' from November. 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
Data and analytics firms in the US and Europe continue to attract substantial investments. This week saw funding for Sweden's Mediatool, French community builder Hivebrite and US companies Hayden AI, cross-device iD specialist Fingerprint and sports intelligence pioneer Zelus Analytics. 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
In the UK this week, a judge has allowed the appeal of facial recognition specialist Clearview AI against an enforcement notice and fine issued last year by the Information Commissioner. Clearview successfully argued that it was not subject to the GDPR. 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
AI-based insights solution Yabble is to enter the European market, and has appointed Ben Leet as Head of Sales, Europe. The firm is headquartered in New Zealand. 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
Nielsen has launched its ONE Content cross-media measurement solution in a first country, Denmark, with plans to roll out around the world over the coming months. Sister product Neilsen ONE Ads is already available in twenty markets. More
Technology markets research and consulting group Forrester has launched an AI tool called Izola, allowing users to query its knowledge base and receive 'a clear, synthesized answer' via a chat interface. 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
Stockholm, Sweden-based market intelligence and search specialist MyTelescope has released an AI-based platform using search data to spot opportunities, identify market trends, analyse purchase intent and forecast future sales and market share. 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
Cloud-based marketing platform Zeta Global has announced new AI-enabled features for marketers looking to improve results and upgrade the consumer experience. The new additions include forecasting, modeling and attribution capabilities, and a customer intelligence app. More
Nielsen has announced that CFO Warren Jenson, who joined the ratings giant just five months ago, will add the role of company President to his existing responsibilities. He will oversee the modernisation of operations and manage Nielsen's IT, Corporate Development and Global Strategy functions. 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
Stockholm-based enterprise insights platform Stravito has appointed former Adyen and Surfly exec My Truong as its Vice President of Marketing. 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
In London, audience measurement solutions firm AudienceProject has appointed former Nielsen exec Paul Barnard as Managing Director for the UK. More
NPAW, which offers analytics solutions for online media companes and has offices in Barcelona and New York, has launched a content optimization tool called Publisher Analytics. Features include real-time A/B testing for content elements. 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
Two weeks after naming a new finance Chief for North America, Ipsos has appointed Gary Moore as Chief Financial Officer for the UK & Ireland. More
Munich-based natural language querying specialist PandasAI has has raised more tha EUR 1m in pre-seed funding, which it will use to step up its recruitment activity, and continue development and promotion of its conversational AI Assistant. More
Self-serve programmatic ad platform StackAdapt has partnered with B2B web site visitor identification software developer Lead Forensics, to expand its ABM (account based marketing) Targeting and Measurement solution in the EMEA and Canada. More
In France, former Cint COO JD Deitch has launched Passaggio, a company helping insight and analytics firms among others to achieve operational excellence. 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
Barcelona-based qual fieldwork specialist Q2Q Global has appointed MR industry veteran Tim Kunkel as Vice President of Client Solutions, based in New York state. More
Online survey specialist SurveyMonkey has launched a solution called Forms, to help users create web forms with purpose-built templates, customizable fields and third-party integrations, as well as advanced features including data and workflow automation tools. More
Connectivity giant Cisco is to splash out $28bn in cash to acquire Splunk, which focuses on cybersecurity, data analytics and observability. 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
US-based digital CX business process outsourcing (BPO) firm Alorica has officially launched operations in Poland, where it has announced plans to create hundreds of jobs. More
Ipsos North America has launched an industry-wide initiative called 'The Path', a forum for insights and analytics leaders to share details about their careers and advice to inspire the 'next generation of professionals'. More
US-based product experience (PX) company Akeneo has acquired Unifai, a platform for automated product data collection, cleansing, categorization and enrichment. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
DIY online survey pioneer SurveyMonkey has appointed former Cloudflare and AWS exec Amit Prakash as Chief Marketing Officer. 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
Ipsos North America has appointed former GfK / Nielsen exec Alice Wang as Chief Financial Officer. She takes over from Mark Campbell, who is said to be 'exploring other opportunities'. 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
Finnish market and competitive intelligence provider M-Brain has changed its name to 'Valona Intelligence'. 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
MR and advisory company Savanta has announced the extension of its Business Tracker to France and Germany, promising a comprehensive view of business attitudes based on 1,000 interviews a month in each country. The Tracker currently runs in the UK. More
In France, qual healthcare fieldwork specialist QualWorld has launched a new venture called Experts Advice, focused on the recruitment of established healthcare subject-matter experts on behalf of clients including financial institutions and startups. 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
In Finland, data product design and collaboration tools provider Ellie.ai has raised EUR 2.5m in a seed round of funding. The money will help data teams design products, validate product ideas and create new workflows for its customers. More
In the UK, operations support MR business Omnisis has launched a brand called WeThink for its public opinion polling work. More
Household demographic data provider Digiseg has appointed former Zendesk exec Kasper Sørensen as Chief Technology Officer, to help the firm advance its audience solution. He is based in Copenhagen. More
European MR and analytics agency DVJ Insights has appointed three consultants: Pavi Chandrasekaran in the UK, Joyce Pakkert in the Netherlands, and Dominik Ebbers in Germany. More
Munich-based Aily Labs, provider of an AI-powered decision intelligence app for global enterprises, has raised EUR 19m in Series A funding. Money will be used to scale operations and accelerate innovation, and to expand the firm's presence in the US. 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
WPP has partnered with DXP provider Optimizely, to help clients offer the best digital experience to each customer. More
Danish emotional response measurement software developer iMotions has announced a deal combining human voice analysis from German firm audEERING with its own human behaviour research and analysis capabilities. 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
GfK has become a 'Brand Lift' partner on Meta Partners Inc., with the addition of a solution called Campaign Amplifier which measures the lift from brand advertising on Facebook and Instagram. 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
Digital experience platform CoreMedia has acquired two companies: customer journey, engagement and personalization solutions firm BySide; and Smarkio, which provides chatbot solutions to B2C brands. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Agricultural and animal health insights firm Kynetec has launched an interactive dashboard called MachineryTrak, providing a single source of insight into agricultural machinery registrations, dealer network coverage, and agronomic practices. 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
Australia-based research agency Mobile Digital Insights (MDI) has hired former Behaviorally exec Inna Merenkova as Managing Director for Europe, charged with building a standalone MDI Europe business. She is based in London. 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
Online survey specialist SurveyMonkey is expanding its Dublin office, as it lays out plans to invest in artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics. The moves follow its recent acquisition by a consortium led by insights sector investment firm Symphony Technology Group (STG). 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
Agricultural and animal health analytics and insights firm Kynetec has launched an interactive dashboard product, RegenTrak, providing in-depth data on regenerative practices, for use by teams involved in sustainability, marketing and regenerative agriculture initiatives. More
Stockholm-based enterprise insights platform Stravito has appointed Vignesh Swaminathan as Vice President of Product, responsible for overseeing product innovation and growth, and with a specific focus on its recently introduced generative AI capabilities. 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
Ipsos has named Claire Hanlon as ESG Lead (Environmental, Social and corporate Governance) in the US, which it says will reinforce the company's commitment to insights framed by social and environmental considerations. 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
Global membership association ESOMAR has launched a task force to address the use of artificial intelligence in the research, insights and analytics sector. 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
ID-free ad targeting solutions specialist Nano Interactive has launched a tool called 'Intent Personas', to help clients target users based on demographics using AI-led contextual advertising - without the use of cookies, user profiling, or any form of personal data. More
Automated insight-gathering and sample management platform Cint has launched a solution to enable businesses to license its verified audiences, built from more than 290 million consumers who have accessed the platform to qualify for participation in surveys. More
Customer experience analyst ISC-CX has launched a self-assessment tool called 'Close the Loop - Powered by AI', with which clients can identify and rectify operational deficiencies uncovered by audits or mystery shopping, while continually improving the customer experience. 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
Public policy evidence and advisory business Kantar Public has acquired European policy research and consultancy company PPMI, which is based in Vilnius, Lithuania. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Agriculture and animal health specialist Kynetec has launched a set of online dashboards called BioLogika, providing farmer-driven data around biopesticide use. 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
Australian consumer data company Pureprofile has announced an Audience Builder partnership with UK-based fintech company Prograd, further extending its research panel in Europe and offering Gen Z respondents rewards for answering surveys, redeemable in the form of gift cards. More
Australia-based mobile insights consultancy MDI has acquired a majority stake in Moroccan based research agency Insightek, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Experience management platform Qualtrics has received a $500m investment from venture capital firm Accel. More
CRM software giant Salesforce has partnered with consulting division Deloitte Digital to offer business clients help in deploying AI in CRM functions. 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
India-based global insights and analytics firm SG Analytics has opened an office in Wroclaw, Poland. More
US-based travel and hospitality sector marketing firm MMGY Global has acquired TCI Research, a European data intelligence group which specializes in the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In Dublin, AI-powered customer experience (CX) solutions company EdgeTier has raised EUR 6m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand its team from 22 to 70 employees across its Irish and Spanish offices, within the next 24 months. More
Brian Gosschalk, former CEO of MORI and Head of the President's Office for Ipsos in Paris, is stepping down after nearly 44 years with the business. He will be consulting for Ipsos during the next six months, after which he plans to get involved with the not-for-profit sector. 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
Research panels and services company Bilendi & respondi has relaunched its Discuss tool with new qual research features based on ChatGPT. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based Stravito has added generative AI functionality to its enterprise insights platform, allowing users to interrogate data with natural language questions, and dive deeper into data with recommended questions. More
Ghent, Belgium-based insight consultancy Human8 has announced the appointment of eleven new partners - it now has 36 worldwide. Meanwhile the founders / co-founders of three companies it previously acquired - Join The Dots, Columinate and Direction First - are stepping down. 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
Customer Engagement specialist Verint has launched a new Experience Management tool promising 'experience insights at scale across a brand's customer touchpoints'. Features include direct and 'inferred' feedback collection, advanced CX analysis, rich reporting and automated actions. 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
Professional services giant Accenture has announced a $3 billion investment in its Data & AI practice over the next three years, to help clients across all industries use AI to achieve greater business growth. 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
Agricultural and animal health analytics and insights firm Kynetec has acquired software development and analytics business Systematics International, which reports on machinery volume statistics for worldwide closed and open data exchanges. 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
In India, analytics and insights company Course5 Intelligence has raised a further $53m in funding, which will be added to a mergers and acquisitions (M&A) 'war chest' of around $80m. More
Marcoms network Publicis Groupe has launched a service called PX, combining its global audience data, media capabilities, marketing transformation expertise and studio network with Adobe products, to deliver omnichannel content production and personalisation at scale. 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
Ipsos has promoted Jyoti Malladi to the role of Managing Director, Research, in India, where she is responsible for business management, driving audience measurement business strategy. She will also oversee the setting up of a media analytics hub supporting the entire APAC region. 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
Stockholm, Sweden-based survey vendor marketplace and collaboration platform Inex One has launched a feature called 'Survey Multi-Source Capability', allowing users to collaborate with multiple providers within the same survey project. 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
Research software and solutions firm Forsta has announced a partnership with automated insight-gathering and sample management platform Cint, to fight survey fraud and improve data quality and security for the MR industry. More
US-based experience management (XM) platform Qualtrics has opened its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) headquarters in Dublin City Centre, where it offers access to an XM Innovation Centre focused on AI. 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
German trade show Succeet is moving from Munich to a new location: the RMCC (RheinMain Congress Center) in Wiesbaden, located in the greater Frankfurt area. The event will take place on 25 and 26 October. More
Stockholm-based enterprise insights platform Stravito has promoted Lloyd Yoo to the role of Head of North America, with American brands accounting for around 40% of the company's business. 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
Following the announcement on Friday of the imminent departure of CEO Parves Khan, ESOMAR says it will extend Joaquim Bretcha's interim tenure as Director General to September 2024, helping to provide continuity. 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
Global trade association ESOMAR is to lose the services of CEO Parves Khan, who has announced she will leave at the end of June, and will focus on charitable and non-exec work before taking up a new as-yet unannounced role. She will also join a new ESOMAR AI Taskforce. 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
Customer and employee experience specialist Medallia has appointed Dan Madden as Chief Financial Officer and Robert Baca as Chief Technology Officer. 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
Digital experience analyst Contentsquare has appointed Benoit Fouilland as Chief Financial Officer, based in Geneva, Switzerland. More
End-to-end insight platform provider Toluna has agreed to acquire research solutions provider MetrixLab from its Japan-based owner Macromill, Inc., for an undisclosed sum. Macromill will take a minority equity stake in Toluna and the two will work closely. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has reported first quarter revenue up 26.5% to £262m, representing like-for-like growth of 6.1%. Growth came mainly from the new Technology Services division and entirely from the Americas. More
In the UK the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has appointed Lovisa Moller as its new Director of Analysis, heading up the Analysis team. She replaces Josefien Breedvel, who has been awarded a three-year fellowship in children and young people's mental health at King's College London. More
Strategic insight consultancy The Forge, which is headquartered in London, has appointed Amsterdam-based Joris Westerman as Director of its Innovation practice. 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
SurveyMonkey parent Momentive has reported a GAAP loss of $23.8m in its first quarter, improving on a loss of $35.0m in the same period last year. Revenue was up 2% to $118.8m, from $116.9m in 2022 Q1. 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
Munich-based UX software crowdtesting firm Testbirds has received an undisclosed seven-figure amount of revenue-based loan investment from Round2 Capital, and will use the money to expand its customer base. More
Former Unilever insights execs Stan Sthanunathan and Paul Van Gendt have officially launched a company called i-Genie.AI, to help multinational corporations identify the 'next big thing'. The pair have also hired their ex-colleagues Linda Hoeberigs and Jason Hardman. 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
US-based international data collection and research tech company Sago has promoted Steve Mast to the newly created role of Chief Product Officer and Carlo Marcelino to Chief Technology Officer, replacing Troy Anderson who has left the company. The firm was previously known as the Schlesinger Group. 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
Havas Media Group (HMG) has appointed George Papandreopoulos as Global Managing Director of Measurement, based in Madrid; while promoting Jamie Seltzer to the role of Global Managing Director of the new Media Experience (Mx) Analytics practice, based in Boston. More
Marketing measurement provider Objective Platforrm has appointed long-time industry exec Roy Patel as UK Managing Director, based in London, while Marc Lücke joins as an Account Executive, based in Düsseldorf. More
Google has merged its artificial intelligence research units, DeepMind and Brain, to form a new unit called Google DeepMind. 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
Dentsu Sports International has launched a 'sports analytics' division, which brings together the research, data and analytics capabilities of MKTG Sports + Entertainment, Sponsorship Research International (SRi) and Dentsu-owned Merkle. The initiative is led by Glenn Lovett as Global MD. More
Research software and solutions firm Forsta has launched a qual research tool called Forsta Discussions, allowing clients to plan, conduct and monitor video focus groups within its 'Human Experience' (HX) platform. More
Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and Executive Chairman of digital advertising, marketing and technology services company S4 Capital, is undergoing 'further preventative treatment' following keyhole surgery in February to remove a tumour. 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
EFAMRO, the European federation of MR trade associations, has added a membership package for companies in countries with no official organisation representing the market and social research sector. More
MR and analytics company FactWorks has promoted Anchal Chhabra to the role of co-Chief Executive Officer at its office in San Francisco. She will work alongside current CEO and company owner Axel Bichler. 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
Healthcare fieldwork specialist M3 Global Research has acquired Med Planet, which provides qual MR services to the healthcare industry. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Momentive has rolled out three recently launched survey creation features for SurveyMonkey Enterprise and paid customers in the UK and Ireland. More
Finnish competitive intelligence provider M-Brain has launched trend detection tools, allowing users to pull insights from news, trade articles and industry databases, regardless of topic or industry. 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
Ipsos-owned B2B researcher Xperiti has launched a solution called Vepp, which it says will flag fraudulent profiles and ensure that only genuine respondents can participate in online surveys and panels. More
Customer experience (CX) platform Emplifi has added 'unified analytics' to its platform, bringing together paid, earned and owned social media, competitive analysis and voice of customer (VoC) tools. 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
Ipsos is planning to add two new members to its Board of Directors - Àngels Martín Muñoz, currently General Manager for Olympics at Atos; and Florence Parly, former Minister of the French Army. Their appointment is subject to a vote at the firm's AGM on 15th May. More
PR and comms monitoring group Onclusive has launched a CEO Index, analysing media coverage of the leaders of the US and Europe's biggest listed companies. BP's Bernard Looney has been named top ranking CEO in the UK, based on an overall impact score. More
Swiss firm beaconsmind, a developer of location-based marketing software, has acquired German guest data and marketing service provider Socialwave for EUR 10m. More
European sales intelligence provider Echobot and web visitor intelligence tool Leadfeeder will now operate under the name Dealfront, following the merger of the two firms' teams and products last year. More
Netherlands-based agencies Blauw and USP are among the customers of MR software supplier Nebu affected by a security breach which may involve data on around two million residents of the country, according to press reports. 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
Mindshare UK has appointed Alexis Faulkner as Chief Transformation Officer, leading the group's Insights, Technology and Analytics and Digital Planning teams; and Richard Kelly as Chief Solutions Officer. Both are new roles. 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
Software developer NuMind has closed a $3m seed funding round, which it will use to continue building its NLP tool focused on 'text understanding'. 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
Digital advertising, analytics and eCommerce firm Making Science has appointed former Head of Google Analytics 360 Toby McAra as Chief Revenue Officer, based in London. More
Verve, which focuses on culture, communities and 'smart digital research', has opened Verve Benelux in Amsterdam, led by Kirby Johnson and supported by Katrien Gunn, Sanne van der Steeg, and Saskia Racke. 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
Berlin-based insights platform developer Market Logic Software has launched DeepSights, which it describes as the 'first' AI assistant trained to answer business questions about market research and intelligence. More
Swiss data service company Redslim and Singapore-based eCommerce marketplace data provider Digital Commerce Intelligence (DCI) have partnered to provide real-time eCommerce data for the Southeast Asia region to their clients. More
In Australia, Ipsos has partnered with conference organizer Ashton Media to conduct a 'State of the CX Nation' industry report, due for launched at the latter firm's Customer 360 Symposium later this month. The partners plan to repeat the report annually. 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
Five years after its acquisition, social media intelligence and AI-enabled consumer listening platform Synthesio has changed its brand name to Ipsos Synthesio. More
Global insight and data membership organisation ESOMAR has elected Ray Poynter as its 2023-2024 Council President, replacing Kristin Luck of ScaleHouse, who has completed her two-year term. More
Predictive analytics startup Nexoya has raised $5m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to accelerate growth in Switzerland and Germany, while expanding into new markets such as Italy and the UK. It will also further develop its AI platform, and work to integrate additional advertising channels. More
In New York, data-led creative agency Formerly Knowns As (FKA) has appointed Linsey Loy as Chief Growth Officer. More
Paris-based social media monitoring and competitive intelligence firm Digimind has launched a 'Social Listening Solution', promising users a 'comprehensive understanding of their online presence'. More
Stockholm-based enterprise insights platform Stravito has launched a 'Research Management' platform, allowing its insights team to control research projects, budgets, suppliers, and external agencies from one, secure space. More
Digital media measurement, data and analytics platform DoubleVerify (DV) has appointed long-time Ebiquity exec Laetitia Zinetti as Regional Vice President for Southern Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece), leading the company's growth across the region. More
SurveyMonkey parent Momentive has agreed to be acquired by a consortium led by insights sector investment firm Symphony Technology Group (STG), for approximately $1.5bn. More
Paris-based AI-driven predictive marketing platform Tinyclues has been acquired by customer relationship management (CRM) specialist Splio, for an undisclosed sum. More
Experience management firm Qualtrics is to be acquired by tech investor Silver Lake, in partnership with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), for around $12.5bn in cash; and will become an independent, privately held company. 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
Industry bodies the Insights Association (IA), MRS and ESOMAR have announced they will collaborate, along with survey sampling conference SampleCon, to 'fight fraud' and address ongoing risks to data quality. 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 Finland, AI-based TikTok analytics and insights solution Exolyt has raised EUR 450k in a pre-seed funding round, which it will use to scale its analytics features for business end-users and expand its sales and marketing initiatives. More
Global insight and data membership organisation ESOMAR has appointed its long-time Council member and former President Joaquim Bretcha as interim Director General, starting immediately as Pravin Shekar's three-month term in the role concludes. More
In the US, recently merged consumer data and insights firms Information Resources Inc. (IRI) and The NPD Group have named the combined company 'Circana', which CEO Kirk Perry says conveys the business's 360-degree, full-circle understanding of the consumer and market. More
In New York, Ipsos' brand and marketing advisory unit Strategy3 has promoted Philip Ryan to the role of US Managing Partner, and Service Line Head. More
In London, dentsu-owned customer experience management (CXM) company Merkle has promoted three execs for newly-created UK and Ireland executive leadership roles. Among them, Clare Morgan is promoted to Chief Client Officer. More
Global agency Ipsos has appointed Richie Jones as its new Chief Client Officer in the UK. More
Swiss data management services provider Redslim Group has received an undisclosed amount of funding from investment firm Andera Acto. According to Redslim, the deal allows its Board to retain full independence, while benefiting from a financial partner to support its development prospects. More
US-based International data collection and research tech company Schlesinger Group has been re-branded as 'Sago', which Executive Chairman Steve Schlesinger says is not merely a name change, but also a commitment to an 'inspiring new chapter' in optimizing the firm's offerings. More
Ipsos India is making three changes to its leadership team from the beginning of April, including moving Vincy Jathanna to the newly created role of Vice President of Operations. 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
Customer and employee experience specialist Medallia has appointed Joe Tyrrell as CEO, replacing Leslie Stretch who is retiring and transitioning into an advisory role at the company. More
Comscore has reported financial results for the fourth quarter and calendar year 2022, with annual revenue up 2.7% to $376.4m, and adjusted EBITDA up 16% to $37.0m. 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
British big data-based decision intelligence firm Quantexa has acquired Dublin's Aylien, which taps natural language processing to empower its customers to collect and analyze unstructured text data. 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
German firm Kern AI, which offers an open-source platform for data scientists, has raised EUR 2.7m in a seed round of funding. 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
BVA BDRC subsidiary Alligator Digital has named Paul Russell Managing Director. He is already MD of sister company Perspective Research Services. 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
A European Parliament Committee has expressed serious doubts about the proposed 'adequacy decision' giving the green light to the latest rules for the transfer of data to and from the US. LIBE says the US commitments lack the robust safeguards and redress mechanisms required by GDPR. More
Communities specialist InSites Consulting has announced an expansion of its Executive Committee and the appointment of a first Chief Growth Officer - Managing Partner Tom De Ruyck. 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
SurveyMonkey parent Momentive has reported revenue up 8% to $480.9m for full year 2022. The rise is the net effect of rapid growth in the 'sales-assisted' segment - up 27% to $181.3m - while self-serve business remained flat at $299.6m. However the firm says it will also cut 14% of its workforce. 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
Columbia, MD-based data, analytics and talent solutions company Blend360 has acquired Scottish firm Forth Point, which focuses on data engineering, AI and machine learning solutions. Terms were not disclosed. More
Dublin and London-based researcher RED C has launched an online platform called RED C Direct, allowing clients to test their own ad creative, backed by the firm's survey design, sampling expertise, effectiveness model and norms. More
Brussels-based firm Kpler, which provides commodities data, analytics and market insight, has announced it is buying two companies providing global ship-tracking data and maritime analytics: MarineTraffic and FleetMon. 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
Predictive media monitoring company NewsWhip has raised $13m in a funding round, which will be used to further develop its technology. More
WPP's consumer data specialist Wavemaker has announced that France CEO Jean Philippe Bertaux is leaving the agency after thirteen years, to be replaced by leadership duo Julien Boyer and Roch Osenda. Bertaux's next career move is not yet known. 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
British-based tech-led insight agency FlexMR has appointed former MRS and AURA Chairman Danny Russell as a Non-Executive Advisor, to support the firm's growth strategy and advise its senior leadership team. More
Portuguese consumer neuroscience-based media research platform MindProber has appointed former Oracle Moat Product Head Irina Dzyubinsky as Chief Product Officer. More
Online community specialist C Space has promoted Kisha Payton to the newly created role of Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer, while Claire Kennard, Andy Fitzgibbons and Neha Mittal join the company's Senior Consultancy EMEA team. More
Enterprise tech company Syncfusion has added its business data analysis tool Bold BI to the SurveyMonkey App Directory, enabling users to import data from SurveyMonkey to create, customize and share business dashboards. 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
In the US, Ipsos has named long-time company exec Lindsay Franke as President and Service Line Cluster Lead for North America. More
Kantar has acquired Copenhagen, Denmark-based shopper data specialist Kauza, for an undisclosed sum. More
In the Netherlands, the Board of Directors of social media intelligence and analytics specialist Meltwater has voted unanimously to accept an acquisition offer from private equity vehicle MW Investment BV. 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
German-based software giant SAP has announced plans to cut up to 3,000 jobs, and says it will explore the possible sale of its 71% stake in experience management firm Qualtrics. More
Community engagement platform OpenWeb has acquired proprietary audience management platform Jeeng, for around $100m, strengthening its offer helping brands to connect with online audience across channels and devices. More
Ipsos India has promoted six members of its team, including Pallavi Mathur Lal to the role of Senior Director, Content and Communications; and Madhurima Bhatia to Media Engagement and Partnerships Lead for India and the Asia Pacific region (excluding Greater China). More
Kantar has promoted Jane Ng and Paromeeta (Paro) Mathur Banerjee to General Managers of its Insights division in Singapore and Malaysia, respectively. More
Finnish commercial broadcasters MTV Oy and Sanoma Media Finland have signed a contract with data integration and research consultancy services provider dataBreeders to develop Total TV advertising measurement and currency, which will launch in 2023. More
BVA BDRC subsidiary Alligator Digital has appointed former respondi / HPI Research exec Faraz Zamyadi as Client Partnerships Director. 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
Streaming service Netflix has expanded its measurement deal with Nielsen, with a multi-year agreement to provide linear and streaming audience data across the US, Mexico and Poland. More
New York-based real-time media attention measurement specialist Adelaide has opened an office in London, to support brands and agencies across the UK and EMEA regions. The office will be led by former Oracle Advertising exec, Ed Bristow. 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
Structured and unstructured data and text analytics firm Lexalytics has expanded its capabilities for eleven of the languages it supports, to help global organizations better understand their customers. 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
In Belgium, Kantar has appointed long-time Nielsen exec Sabine Vermeulen as Innovation Director. 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
Long-time Nielsen exec Dave van der Meer has joined data service provider Redslim as Global Commercial Director, to help expand the firm's client base and commercial team. He is based in the Netherlands. 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
CRM software giant Salesforce is to cut around 10% of its workforce. The firm says increasing its headcount by some 30% in 2021 (to around 73,500) was a mistake - 'too many... leading into this economic downturn'. 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
Ipsos has announced two appointments to its global Executive Committee: Valerie Vezinhet as Chief People Officer and Michel Guidi as Chief Operating Officer. More
In the US, Meta, the parent of Facebook, has agreed to settle a lawsuit relating to the Cambridge Analytica data breach, and will pay $725m, reportedly the largest sum in a privacy-based class action. More
A judge in Amsterdam has ruled that ESOMAR's election misconduct allegations against its former CEO found 'no support in the facts whatsoever', and the organisation has written to members to say as much. 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
Continuing our focus on Data Visualization, E-Tabs CEO Benjamin Rietti dispels the myth and discusses how automation can be a winning option for syndicated projects, omnibus reporting, copy and concept testing, multi-segment, and even customised and ad hoc work. 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
Business Process Management (BPM) solutions provider WNS has acquired platform-based research and analytics firm The Smart Cube for $125m. WNS has also bought procurement platform consultancy OptiBuy for EUR 30m. More
Rumours of the demise of PowerPoint have been circulating for decades, but in numbers terms it's still king of the MR presentation, and you might be surprised what you can do with it. In another item from our special issue, OfficeReports' Torben Laustsen provides hints and tips for perfect.ppt. 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
Kantar has launched a team called Global Connected Data Solutions, within its audience network Profiles division, to help advertisers maximise the value of their first-party data. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science specialist Nepa has launched a program to save around SEK 24m (c.$2.35m) in personnel and other external costs. The plan will potentially affect around 30 employees. 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
CEO Jami talks to MrWeb's Nick Thomas about how she came to be co-founding and growing a data collection business for the 21st century; embracing the tech, but keeping customer service front and center. Taken from the 'Data Visualization' special issue, out now. Available either to read or watch. More
Audience intelligence platform Audiense has acquired SOPRISM, a tool that helps agencies and brands develop their understanding of their social media audience. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Austin, TX-based employee experience platform provider LumApps has acquired French chatbot specialist Vizir, for an undisclosed amount. 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
Following last week's news that ESOMAR is to rerun its Council elections after uncovering 'serious misconduct', the industry body is to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to schedule the rerun, agree an extension to the sitting Council's term, and brief members on its investigation. More
Insight group STRAT7 has launched a consulting practice called STRAT7 Advisory, to advise business leaders on how to embed consumer understanding into all aspects of their decision making - from market analysis, strategy creation to implementation, to enabling internal processes. More
IPG Health's US-based data, analytics and media company SOLVE(D) has been rolled out across the UK, Germany, France and Spain, to provide omnichannel offerings and capabilities to support and complement the network's agencies and clients in the region. 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
Industry body ESOMAR is to rerun its elections for Council after uncovering what it calls 'serious misconduct'. The association has fired two members of staff, but stresses that no complaints have been made about the conduct of candidates. More
Australian customer insights and advisory consultancy Fiftyfive5 has been acquired by professional services giant Accenture for an undisclosed sum. More
Long-time Kantar CFO Olivier Lefranc has joined automated insight-gathering and sample management platform Cint, as Chief Financial Officer, based in Paris. More
Marketing insights and analytics solutions provider ScanmarQED has acquired marketing attribution and digital data integration platform Roivenue. Terms were not disclosed. 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
Cologne, Germany-based media intelligence provider UNICEPTA has acquired British-based digital and media intelligence specialist Marble Global, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Our 2022 Data Visualization special issue is published today. In this featured article, Forsta's VP Global Sales Manny Rodriguez outlines a strategy for designing and implementing visualizations that 'reach audiences, tap into their mindset and encourage them to make a move'. 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
Private equity consortium Becketts Bidco has completed its £1.61bn acquisition of London-based B2B information services provider Euromoney Institutional Investor. 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
Global online communities specialist InSites Consulting has appointed Els De Paepe as Chief People Officer (CPO). She succeeds former Join the Dots CEO Quentin Ashby, who has moved to the role of Global Head of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). More
Continuing our month-long focus on Data Viz and with the special issue out tomorrow, Infotools CEO and co-founder Ant Franklin argues that industry leading data visualization involves a perfect blend of art and science, and explains how to achieve that balance. 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
Beginning a month-long focus on data visualization, the Forsta CEO talks to MrWeb's Nick Thomas about empathy, athletes, M&A, investing in tech, and 'seeing the future through mountains of data'. Available to read or watch. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital has reported 26.5% like-for-like revenue growth, in a third quarter trading update. Reported revenue was up 68.2% to £300.1m, and the firm says operational EBITDA for 2022 is in line with a revised target of c.£120m. More
Consumer insights provider Toluna has acquired the qualitative research technology platform developed by online MR specialist Further, for an undisclosed sum. This technology will be integrated into the end-to-end solution Toluna Start, to launch a new service called 'Toluna Start Qual'. 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
Inex One, operator of an 'Expert Network Marketplace', has launched a platform allowing users to connect and chat with survey vendors, send requests for quotes, receive bids, select providers and run projects all in one place. 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
International data collection and research tech company Schlesinger Group has hired former Kantar Americas CEO Reed Cundiff as Chief Executive Officer, following Steve Schlesinger's move into the role of Executive Chairman. Meanwhile Isaac Rogers becomes company President. More
Insights provider MetrixLab says it is trialling a methodology allowing respondents to answer survey questionnaires using voice recordings. More
BARB, the UK's television audience measurement service, has issued an invitation to tender for a contract to run its content ID system, from January 2025. More
In France, Mytraffic, which provides data insights for physical places, has raised EUR 30m in a Series B round of investment, which it will use to hire in Italy, Germany, Spain and the UK, and grow its existing offices in Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona, London and Milan. More
Marcoms giant WPP has announced that John Rogers has decided to step down as Chief Financial Officer, and will be succeeded by former dunnhumby CFO Joanne Wilson. More
Ipsos has begun a share buyback programme of up to 2% of capital per year, as part of its four-year plan, which is designed to accelerate growth and shareholder value. More
Knowledge management platform Stravito has launched a feature called 'Scrapbook', through which individuals can 'recycle and reuse' the most relevant insights from multiple reports. 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
SurveyMonkey owner Momentive has reported a net loss of $20.3m during the third quarter, down from $22.9m a year earlier, while revenue rose 6% to $121.4m. More
Insurance and energy sectors analyst Verisk has sold its Edinburgh-based research and consulting company Wood Mackenzie to investor Veritas Capital for $3.1 billion in cash, with an additional 'contingent consideration' of up to $200m. More
London-based strategic insight agency Truth Consulting has appointed former Yonder director Hamish Asser as Senior Director, to help grow the company's quant offer and capabilities. More
ESOMAR has announced the election of Nikki Lavoie as its 2023-2024 Council President, replacing Kristin Luck who has completed her two-year term and will now serve an additional two years in an ex-officio capacity. MindSpark founder Lavoie is currently Council Vice President. More
Social media monitoring platform Talkwalker has promoted Lokdeep Singh to the role of Chief Executive Officer, replacing Tod Nielsen, who has been with the company for just over a year. Singh is based in Luxembourg. More
Unblu, which provides financial services companies with conversational software to improve digital customer experiences, has been acquired by Swiss Post, Switzerland's national postal service. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Cologne, Germany-based media intelligence provider UNICEPTA has acquired Swiss media analysis firm Adwired; and has announced the launch of a new media review service called Executive News Briefing. 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
Dynata has appointed a new Chief Executive: former Dodge Data and Analytics head Mike Petrullo replaces longstanding leader Gary S. Laben. 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
In the UK, Ipsos has appointed Nathan Bransden as Director of Strategy and Advisory, a new policy consultancy within the group's Public Affairs division. More
Hard-to-reach audience access provider Smart Connect Research (SCR) has appointed former MIS Managing Director Romain Leray as Chief Revenue Officer, working remotely from France. More
A third (33%) of the global public personally trust market research companies, compared to 19% who don't, according to the latest GRBN Global Trust Survey. More
Consumer insights provider Toluna has acquired US-based 'agile market research' and analytics solutions company GutCheck, for an undisclosed sum. 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 moved Hamish Munro into the position of APAC Chief Executive Officer, replacing Christophe Cambournac who will move into a global role with the business. Additionally, South East Asia CEO Suresh Ramalingam has been named Chief Client Officer for the APAC region. More
In Galway, Ireland, investigative intelligence analytics specialist Siren has appointed Dr Ryan Clarke as Managing Director of a new strategic and applied projects division, Siren Consulting. More
Experience management specialist Qualtrics has announced the launch of CrossXM, a new product line providing automated insights into how clients' employee, customer and brand experiences impact one another - and identifying actions to improve them. More
SurveyMonkey owner Momentive Global Inc has been approached regarding a possible sale and is discussing its options with advisors, according to Bloomberg. 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
SurveyMonkey parent company Momentive has made 11% of its workforce redundant, as part of what it calls a restructuring plan to improve operating margins and improve efficiency. 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
Portugal-based consumer neuroscience platform MindProber has expanded to the US, following its closure of a $5.5m Series A round of investment; and has appointed former Toluna / MetrixLab exec Marco Pasqualina as Chief Revenue Officer. 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
Text analytics specialist Canvs AI has launched a connector for the Forsta Survey platform, enabling users to import responses to open-ended questions, along with relevant cross-tab data, directly into Canvs for analysis. 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
President Joe Biden has signed an executive order outlining US commitments to safeguarding personal data in transfers between the States and the EU. The rules slot into the new Privacy Framework agreed in principle in March this year, intended to replace the fallen Privacy Shield arrangement. 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
Global online communities specialist InSites Consulting has appointed former Crowd DNA exec Erryn Balzan as Business Director, based in Sydney, Australia. More
Omnicom-owned data and analytics firm Annalect has named Marie Clayton UK Managing Director, and part of the firm's senior EMEA leadership team. More
In the US, Comscore has set out a cost-cutting restructuring plan, which will see an undisclosed number of employees lose their jobs. 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
Long-time Kantar group CEO Eric Salama has been appointed as Global Chair of recently divested unit Kantar Public. More
Ipsos has appointed 24-year company veteran Jean-Michel Mabon in the role of Head of Mergers and Acquisitions, responsible for overseeing buys in connection with a growth plan the group announced in June. More
Research and customer / employee experience technology provider Forsta has announced upgrades to its online focus group solution InterVu, integrating high quality video and audio for virtual experiences, enhancing sharing features, and adding quick polls and other features. 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
In the US, marcoms network Stagwell has launched a Risk and Reputation business unit, to help business leaders audit the issues most important to their stakeholders, develop proactive and reactive strategies, and monitor and measure the impact of positions on business reputation. More
Kantar has expanded its YouTube measurement services, allowing marketers to assess ad effectiveness in both single channel and multi-channel campaigns. 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
Winners have been announced for the second 'Insight250' awards, which recognise MR industry 'leaders, visionaries and pioneers'. The list rings the changes, with only 40% of last year's winners appearing again. More
Experience management (XM) platform Qualtrics has launched a system of XM Benchmarks, to help organizations compare their customer satisfaction, patient perceptions and employee engagement levels against industry peers and competitors. More
In Germany, recently launched consumer insights and research tech firm Horizon has raised $1.4m as part of a pre-seed funding round. In addition Annie Melnic, previously Head of Consumer Insights for Outdoor Sports at adidas, has joined the company as Head of Data Analytics & Insights. More
Marketing intelligence and programmatic media specialist MiQ has sold a majority stake to private equity firm Bridgepoint, in a deal said to value the company at up to $1 billion. 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
In New York, automated consumer research firm quantilope has appointed Elizabeth Carducci, a founding member of CX platform Medallia, to its Board of Directors. 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
Global insight and data membership organization ESOMAR has appointed Gabriela Kusters as Head of Global Marketing, responsible for extending existing marketing initiatives and growing awareness of the association around the world. 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
Kantar has completed the sale of Kantar Public to pan-European private equity firm Trilantic Europe. Financial terms have not been disclosed. More
UK-based product / consumer research agency Sensory Dimensions has been acquired by Eurofins-owned SAM Sensory and Consumer Research, for an undisclosed sum. More
Marcoms giant WPP has acquired 'data-first' eCommerce consultancy Newcraft for an undisclosed sum. More
Full-service business-to-business research provider B2B International has launched a new team in Frankfurt, where it has appointed long-time Kantar exec Bernd Büchner as 'Head of Germany'. 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
Gary Bennewies, CEO of Ipsos Canada, has announced his retirement after nearly four decades with the company. From September 1st Cynthia Pachovski, President, Market Strategy and Understanding (MSU) for Canada, will replace Bennewies on an interim basis while a new CEO is selected. More
In Australia, branding agency Host/Havas has hired Charles Rallings for a newly created role, Managing Director for its customer experience arm Host/Havas CX. More
Dynata has announced the formation of a Global Research and Data Sciences Center of Excellence (COE), led by Steven Millman and bringing together the expertise and methods of its Research Delivery, Panel Sciences and Data Sciences teams. More
Apple has launched two rankings of the top podcasts on its network: Top Subscriber Shows, which allows listeners to browse the top 100 shows individual included within a subscription; and Top Subscriber Channels, featuring the top 100 channels with a subscription and two or more shows. 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
Solsten, which uses artificial intelligence to understand human behavior in the digital world, has raised $22m in a Series B round of funding. 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
Sweden-based consumer insights and analytics firm Nepa has appointed Ferry Wolswinkel as Chief Revenue Officer. He will join the company's London office on 3rd October. 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
Research software firm Forsta has acquired crowdsourcing and innovation platform HelloIgnite, which helps companies collect, share and manage innovation ideas from employees in order to improve experiences for customers. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Almost two thirds (64%) of MR and social research agencies across Europe participating in trade body federation EFAMRO's 'Moodindicator' survey believe research revenues will increase in the next year. 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
London-based strategic insight agency Truth Consulting has launched an office in South Africa, where it has appointed former Kantar exec Lee Appleton as Director to drive the growth of the business. More
Danish firm Infomedia has acquired a 23% stake in media monitoring tech specialist MediaCatch, gaining access to both a Nordic and international market. More
Mobile and broadband network intelligence firm Ookla has acquired analytics platform CellRebel, which helps network operators, their related service providers, and app developers better understand and improve customer experiences and network quality. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
In the US, consumer insights provider Toluna has moved Chief Operating Officer Mathilde Lelièvre to its newly created role of Chief People Officer. 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
Density, which helps companies measure, analyze and optimize physical office space, has acquired Paris, France-based data science company Prevision.io. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Global MR membership organisation ESOMAR has appointed Parves Khan as its new Director General and Chief Executive Officer, following the departure of Finn Raben earlier in the year. More
Business software giant SAP has acquired search-driven analytics firm Askdata for an undisclosed sum. More
Enterprise insights platform Stravito has partnered with search-based survey analysis specialist KnowledgeHound, to help clients centralize all insights and survey data in a single platform. 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
Global association ESOMAR has released its annual ranking of the Global Top 50 Insights Companies, with an ever broader definition of the term giving an unfamiliar look to parts of the list. More
Digital experience consultancy Bounteous has brought in former Merkle executive Michael McLaren to serve as President, North America. More
PR and comms monitoring group Onclusive has acquired AI-powered social media listening and intelligence platform Digimind. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Agriculture and animal health specialist Kynetec has acquired Brazilian agribusiness market intelligence firm Spark, for an undisclosed sum. More
Ukraine-based social media listening and image recognition platform YouScan has raised $2m in a follow-on round of funding, which it will use to accelerate company growth and further develop its platform. The firm has also named co-founder Leonid Lytvynenko as CEO. More
Data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company Merkle has launched 'CXM On Demand', to help brands run adaptive, in the moment multi-channel CX campaigns. The service will be immediately available throughout the UK market, and is scalable across the EMEA region. More
Former Dynata and Nielsen executives have launched a data firm called Qrious insight, using a proprietary mobile app to passively collect millions of data points. The company already has offices in the US, Ireland and Spain. 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
Pureprofile has promoted Joris Schellekens to Head of Data & Insights for mainland Europe, as well as promoting three APAC execs: Keith Ang to Head of Sales, D&I Asia; and Katiemay Gardner and Peta Kernan to Senior Account Director. More
In Spain, insights automation platform Zinklar has raised EUR 5.5m in a Series A round of investment. Zinklar will use the funds to enhance its platform, double its team before the end of the year, and to drive global expansion, particularly to the US, as well as across Europe and Latin America. More
New York-based language and tech solutions provider TransPerfect has opened an office in Bologna - its third in Italy, adding to the company's existing presence in Milan and Rome. More
Recent and ongoing disruption of markets and economies is driving growth in demand for market understanding research - faster even than that in new product development, brand and comms - according to a new survey of MR and marketing professionals by consumer insights provider Toluna. 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 Switzerland, blockchain-based B2B loyalty rewards marketplace qiibee has raised $4.8m in a seed round of funding, which it will use to expand its global team and move into other 'priority markets' including North America. More
AdTech and data company ENGINE has been re-named Big Village in the US, continental Europe and Australia. The rebrand does not include ENGINE Group UK, which was acquired by Next 15 earlier this year. 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
US-based online consumer research and rewards platform Prodege has acquired German tech-based market research and sample supply company BitBurst, which connects millions of targeted respondents with surveys every year. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Full-service agency DVJ Insights has appointed Yvette Westerbaan as a Client Consultant in the Netherlands, and Tia Best in the same role in the UK. More
Kantar is partnering with tech-focused private equity firm SilverTree Equity to acquire Belgium-based Revenue Growth Management (RGM) software and big data solutions vendor StepUp RGM. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
New York-based consumer insights platform Suzy has launched a service called Suzy Live Focus Groups, allowing researchers and marketers to run qual and quant research in one connected platform. 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
Biopharma product and portfolio consultancy Prescient has opened an office in Barcelona, Spain, where it has appointed Dr Olga Fidalgo González and Claudio Jouanneau as leaders in its Advisory business. More
Dutch-based firm Global Data Collection Company (GDCC) has appointed former Sytel exec Richard Compton as Senior Vice President, Global Sales. He is based in the UK. More
UK-based data collection firm RONIN International has added an office in Lancaster, serving as a desk research, CATI and digital recruitment hub. With space for around thirty people, the location is part of the offices of RONIN's parent, digital marketer Rippleffect Group. 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
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has added Tina Daniels, MD at Google, and long-time IBM exec Liselotte Engstam to its Board of Directors. The pair bring experience in tech, media measurement, engineering and international management. 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
US-based customer experience automation (CXA) platform ActiveCampaign has appointed Sameer Kazi as President, and promoted Kelly O'Connell to Senior Vice President, Product Strategy. The firm has also opened an EMEA 'hub' in Dublin, Ireland. More
European sales intelligence provider Echobot and web visitor intelligence platform Leadfeeder have agreed to merge, using a EUR 180m investment from equity firm Great Hill Partners to support the deal. More
Melbourne, Australia-based tech-driven research agency Cubery has rolled out its platform in Canada, Singapore and Ireland. More
In Canada, research tech firm Potloc has raised CAD$35m in a Series B round comprising new equity funding and debt financing. The investment will be used to accelerate go-to-market strategy in North America and Europe, including recruitment of 120 more staff in Montreal, New York and Paris. More
British research tech company Walr has appointed former System1 Research exec Ben Walton as its first Chief Commercial Officer. 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
Former Kantar CEO Alexis Nasard has been named as the first person from outside the Swarovski family to lead the crystal jewellery brand in its 127-year history. He will join the firm on 4th July. 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
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has expanded into mainland Europe with the opening of a 'hub' in Amsterdam. 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
Ipsos has unveiled a four-year plan to accelerate growth and shareholder value. This will include the group spending between EUR 100m and EUR 200m per year on 'smart acquisitions', while doubling its investments in data analytics, technology and 'knowledge panels'. 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 Paris, Ipsos has appointed Dan Lévy as Group Chief Financial Officer, from June 10th, replacing Laurence Stoclet who has been with the business for nearly 24 years. 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
In Copenhagen, innovation and strategy consultancy ReD Associates has promoted Mads Holme to the position of Global Managing Partner. He takes over from Millie Arora, who is staying on at ReD as a Partner, and has re-located to the west coast. 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
Research, CX and employee experience (EX) technology provider Forsta has launched what it calls a Human Experience (HX) Partner Program for Market Research Agencies, allowing them to fully white label integrated VoC programs hosted on its technology platform. 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
Ipsos has appointed former MB Canada, GfK and Kantar exec James Conrad as EVP in its Market Strategy and Understanding (MSU) team. More
Media and marketing intelligence provider UNICEPTA Group has acquired Berlin-based corporate data analyst Giance Technologies for an undisclosed sum. 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
Irish MR industry body AIMRO has appointed David Berry, Commercial Director of Kantar Worldpanel, as its New Chair. 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
Set-top box and multiscreen entertainment software firm 3 Screen Solutions (3SS) has partnered with NPAW, a provider of video business intelligence and predictive analytics, to create a new customer intelligence platform promising clients reduced churn and higher revenue per user. 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
Knowledge management platform Stravito has launched a visual insights tool called Atlas, allowing clients to explore and integrate their market research findings, and present insights in a 'bitesize' visual format. The firm has also hired Steffen Bilde as Chief Product Officer (CPO). More
Automated insight-gathering and sample management platform Cint has announced further leadership changes following its December acquisition of Lucid. CFO Joakim Andersson and COO Andy Ellis are stepping down, replaced respectively by Britta Mittler (interim) and Jake Wolff. More
Healthcare specialist M3 Global Research has acquired Germany-based pharma-insight GmbH, which offers a portfolio of MR services to the life sciences industry, including access to a dedicated healthcare panel. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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 private equity firm KKR has acquired a majority of survey software firm Alchemer, with an investment of undisclosed size funding '[accelerated] growth through marketing, product innovation, industry partnerships and strategic mergers and acquisitions'. More
US-based digital UX insights firm UserZoom has acquired its French opposite number Testapic, expanding its footprint in the European market. More
Ipsos has appointed Mark Polyak as its President of Analytics in North America, with a key role in integrating 'multisource, real-time, data-driven and actionable insights' into the group's core operations. He was previously Ipsos' Chief Analytics and Data Officer in Public Affairs. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4 Capital is back on the acquisition trail despite its accounting troubles. TheoremOne, which provides software engineering and design for digital transformation, is merging into the company to form the hub of a new Technology Services offering. More
In Amsterdam, market intelligence specialist Gain.pro has raised $10m in a new round of funding from an undisclosed source. The firm will use the funds to further develop its solution, which provides information and insights into private companies; including additional product functionality. More
Kantar has launched Link AI for Digital, an artificial intelligence-powered ad testing solution designed specifically for digital ad formats. More
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has expanded its Lucid Impact Measurement service into linear TV, giving marketers a combined view of their campaigns while delivering daily cross-screen reporting for brand lift insights. 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
US-based restaurant industry performance benchmarking specialist Black Box Intelligence has acquired AreTheyHappy, a customer experience and brand reputation management platform for restaurant and hospitality organizations. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Kantar has sold its Kantar Public business to private equity firm Trilantic Europe for an undisclosed sum. Following the sale Kantar Public will establish itself as an independent evidence and advisory company for government and public sector organisations. More
After multiple delays, Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has at last published its full year results for 2021, showing revenue up 100.4% to £686.6m, equivalent to a 52.4% increase on a like-for-like basis. Operating EBITDA increased 62.4% to £101.0m (up 11.9% like-for-like). More
Dutch firm Pyramid Analytics has raised $120m in a Series E round of funding, which it says it will use to continue developing its decision intelligence platform, expand its global presence, and capture a larger share of the big data and business analytics market. More
London-based machine learning start-up Quin AI has raised £582k in seed funding, which it will use to scale the business across the UK and Germany and build out its business offering. More
In Australia, Publicis Media Exchange (PMX), the marcoms group's investment arm, has hired Rowena Newman in the new role of Head of Media Intelligence, overseeing a team of auditors and research analysts. 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
Enterprise data connectivity and analytics platform LiveRamp has promoted Vihan Sharma to the newly created role of EVP of Global Revenue. Meanwhile Diego Panama will step down as Chief Commercial Officer, to pursue an opportunity outside the organization. More
Marcoms network Publicis Groupe has acquired eCommerce analytics platform Profitero, for an undisclosed sum. More
Online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has acquired programmatic sampling technology assets from Dalia Research, for use in further expanding its PureSpectrum Marketplace. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Professional services giant Accenture has renamed its Interactive customer experience and analytics business 'Accenture Song', which it says will 'strengthen synergies' in product innovation, experience design, marketing and commerce. More
MrWeb and its job board partners ESOMAR and WIRe have launched a section dedicated to supporting Ukrainian insights and analytics professionals, whether refugees or those remaining in the war-torn country. This includes free job board postings and candidate registration services. More
Kantar is opening its first Global Technology & Innovation (GTI) Hub, in Porto in the north of Portugal, where it plans to fill 150 data and software engineering roles this year, extending this to 400 during the next four years. 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
Data and research tech company Schlesinger Group has promoted Chawntae Applegate to the role of Executive Vice President of Global Client Solutions. More
Dublin-based eCommerce analytics platform Conjura has raised EUR 15m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand its solutions, broaden its UK and Ireland operations, and move into 'several' new international markets. 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
ESOMAR has appointed Geraldine Proust as Head of Public Affairs and Professional Standards, responsible for leading global advocacy efforts; managing industry relationships and strategic partnerships; and developing and enforcing global regulatory professional standards for the industry. 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
Ipsos has opened an offshore Data Services Centre in Mumbai, to handle offshore production work initially for North America, and later for other global markets. Haribabu Rajendran takes the reins as Managing Director. More
In New York, GfK has moved Lydia Irving into the newly created position of Vice President, North American Sales and Commercial Strategy Development. More
London-based predictive visual analytics platform Dragonfly AI has raised £3m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to target growth across Europe and North America, scale up its sales engine, and invest in product development and R&D. 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
Data discovery, governance and insights firm data.world, the latest venture of Bazaarvoice co-founder Brett Hurt, has announced $50m in Series C financing, and says it will expand product offerings, add talent and open new markets. 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
Canada-based research tech specialist Torfac has appointed former Branded researcher Vishal Yadav as Senior Director, Client Development, leading the expansion of its Sales team in the EU and APAC. 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
Consumer insights provider Toluna and its sister firm Harris Interactive have partnered to conduct 2022 French elections weekly polling, to understand citizens' preferred candidates, voting intentions, and out-of-polling station results. More
Mobile marketing and analytics platform Adjust has launched a solution called Datascape, to help marketers extract insights and make marketing decisions in real time. More
In the US, business data analytics firm Tinybird has raised $37m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand into new regions, build connectors for additional cloud providers, and create new ways for users to build their own connectors. 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
Facebook parent company Meta has suffered two reverses at the hands of a US District Court, granting class action status to advertisers claiming the company inflated its audience metrics; and allowing to proceed a suit by non-users of Facebook in Illinois over storage of images of their faces. More
Shopper insights firm Behaviorally has expanded to Germany, appointing Christian Dössel as Senior Vice President based in Hamburg. More
Media investment analyst Ebiquity has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire Sweden's MediaPath, and a definitive agreement to buy US firn Media Management Inc (MMi). Terms of the deals have not been disclosed. 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
Global MR association ESOMAR has named Leger President Jean-Marc Leger and Datum International CEO Urpi Torrado as Ambassadors for new regional 'hubs' in North America and Latin America, respectively. 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
Ipsos-owned social media intelligence and listening platform Synthesio has joined Twitter's Official Partner Program, with the goal of creating new insight services and jointly building new relationships with client marketing and insights teams. More
In London, programme audience analyst TAPE Consultancy has promoted Beatrice Rossmanith to the role of Managing Director, as existing MDs Paul Youngbluth and John Peek prepare to leave the company in the summer. More
Swedish marketing intelligence and search start-up My Telescope has raised EUR 2.5m in a seed funding round, which it will use to accelerate its entry into the US market. 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
French digital experience monitoring company Kadiska has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding and says it will open an office in Boston, USA, this month. More
Global MR membership organisation ESOMAR has announced that Director General Finn Raben has left his post, after nearly thirteen years in the role. In a statement, ESOMAR said that as it enters its 75th year, its executive committee and Raben believe it is time to 'pave the way for new leadership'. More
Africa-focused data and analytics firm Sagaci Research has appointed Paloma Orejas as Quantitative Research Director, heading its Quant Consumer Research department. More
Long-time Toluna exec Mark Simon has joined Portugal-based media research platform MindProber as a Strategic Advisor. More
Ipsos has merged its business in Bolivia with MR and public opinion firm CIESMORI. 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
Ipsos has launched its self-service, end-to-end online market research platform Ipsos.Digital in fourteen markets in Asia. More
Kantar Public, the global group's evidence and advisory business for governments and the public sector, has appointed current WPP exec Kathryn Cooper in the new role of Global Head of Behavioural and Communications Advisory. 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
Consumer data company Pureprofile has integrated SampleNinja's panel management solution into its data collection systems, to enhance its global coverage and enable it to launch deeply profiled research panels. More
US-based customer experience management specialist Medallia has launched a solution called Athena Studio, allowing organizations to create custom AI models and analytics for unstructured data, without any coding. 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
Customer experience platform Emplifi, formed from the merger of VoC platform Astute and social media specialist Socialbakers, has announced a growth equity investment led by Sixth Street Growth and valuing the company at more than $1 billion. More
Stamford, CT-based tech research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has reported fourth quarter revenue of $69.6m, up 6% at constant currency; and adjusted EBITDA of $10.2m, up 11%. Full year revenues were $277.8 m, up 9%, and full year adjusted EBITDA rose 37% to $38.8m. 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
Barcelona-based feedback platform Typeform has received $135m in Series C funding, for continued expansion of its team, product development and extension of strategic partnerships. More
Dutch-based agency DVJ Insights has announced three more senior hires: Ashley Endenburg joins the management team as Finance Manager, Matthias Hallmann as Senior Business Partner in Germany, and James Robinson as Client Consultant in the UK. 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
Agriculture and Animal Health specialist Kynetec has appointed Nielsen veteran Paul Walker as COO for Crop Market and Customer Insights, replacing Richard Jameson, who is taking a step back but will support specific projects on a part-time consultancy basis. 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
Momentive - formerly SurveyMonkey - has announced a $200m share repurchase program and plans for a renewed focus on delivering stockholder value. The firm has also promoted Priyanka (Pri) Carr from General Manager of its MR business, to COO. 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
UK-based research tech company Walr has appointed former CBRE exec Emily Whiting as Chief of Staff, and former Accenture leader Keziah Wonstolen as a Non-Executive Director. 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
Canada-based customer intelligence specialist Alida has appointed Nick Morley as Executive Vice President, EMEA, and promoted Brad Stanghetta to Executive Vice President, Americas. More
British-based consultancy Next Fifteen Communications (Next 15) has agreed to acquire media and marketing services company Engine UK for £77.5m. 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
Online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has appointed long-time Ipsos exec Elena Speer to lead its sales team in the Northern European region. She is based in London. 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
Shareholders of customer experience (CX) specialist Zendesk have this evening rejected the proposed acquisition of Momentive, parent of SurveyMonkey. Despite Momentive shareholders giving majority support, the acquisition agreement will now be ditched. 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
Kantar Public has appointed three senior policy evaluation experts - Richard Lloyd as Senior Director in its Evaluation practice in London, Leong Chan-Hoong as Head of Policy Evaluation and Data Analytics in Singapore, and Laetitia Dansou as Director of Policy Evaluation in France. More
In London, digital identify verification specialist OCR Labs has raised $30m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to open a new office in North America, expand its EMEA team, and hire a Global Chief Revenue Officer. More
Ipsos has acquired Canadian mystery shopping solutions provider We Check for an undisclosed sum. More
GfK CEO Peter Feld has decided not to seek an extension to his contract, and will leave the company on March 14th. CFO Lars Nordmark will step into the Chief Exec role on an interim basis, while COO Joshua Hubbert has been added to the Management Board. 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
Publishing and data group IDG Communications has rebranded as Foundry, reflecting its 'transformation from legacy media network to integrated marketing technology and data provider'. More
Nielsen and AdTech firm The Trade Desk have partnered in a deal where the latter will provide consumer identity demographic data to expand Nielsen's identity system, Nielsen ID - initially in France, Italy and the United Kingdom. More
Online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has appointed former Toluna exec Claire Vandeweghe as Director, Client Development, responsible for establishing the company in France and further expanding it across the EMEA region. Vandeweghe is based in Paris. More
Kantar is doubling the frequency of its Republic of Ireland TGI survey data release, which will now be issued twice a year. More
International insights agency SKIM has added three to its Methodology & Analytics teams - Michael Smith as VP in the US; and Jerome Hancock and Nino Hardt as Senior Directors in the EU. 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
Amsterdam-based people analytics platform Crunchr has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from specialist SaaS investor Oxx, to be used to add predictive analytics capabilities, treble headcount within eighteen months, and fuel international expansion including the opening of a US office. 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
B2B information services provider Euromoney Institutional Investor has acquired US-based people intelligence specialist Boardroom Insiders for $25m in cash. 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
Data collection company Norstat has acquired Oslo, Norway-based firm Polling & Statistics for an undisclosed sum. More
London-based GWI, whose software platform provides data about consumers' demographics, preferences and behavioural attitudes across 48 countries, has raised more than $180m in Series B funding, valuing the company at over $850 million. More
STG's newly formed media monitoring and measurement business Onclusive has appointed Manuel Moerbach as Chief Executive Officer. 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
In Germany, online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has appointed former Bilendi exec Sebastian Wezel as Sales Director, Central Europe. More
Data-driven experience management company Merkle has fully integrated two of its B2B divisions - creative agency gyro and media agency Merkle | DWA - into its Merkle B2B business, and retired their brand names. More
London-based community panels and digital research specialist Verve has announced growth of 28% for the financial year ending 31st December 2021, taking turnover to £10.4m, following 23% growth in the prior year. The firm has also promoted eleven members of its team. 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
UK-based research and data business Delineate has integrated Ipsos' survey data collection technology Askia into its own Proximity end-to-end platform, which connects brands with their consumers in real time. More
London-headquartered strategic insight consultancy The Forge has appointed Amsterdam-based Daniel Quinn as Director, tasked with supporting its Customer Strategy and Innovation practices, and helping to expand its geographic footprint into mainland Europe. More
Kantar has announced the acquisition of Bologna, Italy-based AI specialist MindIT, for an undisclosed sum. More
Paris, France-based data sharing software provider Opendatasoft has raised $25m in a new round of funding, which it will use to scale its operations and accelerate international and vertical market expansion. More
In the UK, Ipsos has appointed Caroline Paskell as Head of Cohesion and Security in its Public Affairs Division. More
Former Schlesinger Group Germany MD Stephan Schmid has joined SCHÖTTMER - RESEARCH HUB in Hamburg, as Unit Director. More
Physician insights provider Sermo has appointed healthcare market research leader Max Czycholl as Vice President, based in Hamburg, Germany and responsible for leading business development operations in the DACH region. More
Vienna, Austria-based synthetic data provider MOSTLY AI has raised $25m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to accelerate its growth in Europe, capture more of the US market, and expand its team globally. More
Customer experience software provider AskNicely has raised $32m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to expand its Frontline Success Platform technology, and double headcount across its Portland, Auckland and Amsterdam offices. More
US data collection and fieldwork services firm Opinions LTD has expanded to Germany by opening a research and testing facility in Frankfurt, led by former PRS INVIVO execs Matthias Trojnar and Jovana Kokir. 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
Digital media measurement firm Integral Ad Science (IAS) has appointed former Yahoo! exec Csaba Szabo as Managing Director, EMEA, based in London. 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
In the UK, Ipsos MORI has appointed Reema Patel as Head of Deliberative Engagement. She joins from independent research body the Ada Lovelace Institute. More
Media and entertainment company WarnerMedia has selected Comscore, iSpot and VideoAmp as measurement partners, tasked with building a new suite of technologies to count viewers across linear, digital and connected television. More
Artificial intelligence and advanced analytics specialist Fractal Analytics has raised $360m, valuing the business at more than $1 billion. More
Software investor Symphony Technology Group has completed its acquisition of Kantar's Reputation Intelligence business, while also buying media management software provider PRgloo and data science company Onclusive. The three businesses will be merged and known as 'Onclusive'. More
Advertising intelligence company Integral Ad Science (IAS) has acquired Paris-based content classification company Context. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
S&P Global and IHS Markit have agreed to sell chemical sector pricing data and forecasting business Base Chemicals to media and information services giant News Corp, for $295m in cash. More
This is the last edition of DRNO for 2021 - we'll be back on Tuesday 4th January. From all of us at MrWeb to all those of you celebrating it, a very Merry Christmas; and to all of you, thanks for reading this year and best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2022. Here we look backwards and forwards briefly... More
InSites Consulting has acquired UK-headquartered culture-led brand consultancy Space Doctors for an undisclosed sum. More
Software giant Oracle has paid $28.3 billion to acquire healthcare technology provider Cerner, which itself recently acquired Kantar Health. More
AT&T has agreed to sell its advertising and analytics division Xandr to Microsoft. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Technology publisher and B2B intelligence and targeting firm IDG Communications has announced the acquisition of Canada-based B2B sales and marketing intelligence platform LeadSift. More
Location-based marketing specialist Cloud4Wi has acquired France-based location technology and data provider GeoUniq. More
Comscore has acquired social media marketing analytics and measurement company Shareablee, for an undisclosed sum. 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
In Sweden, knowledge management platform Stravito has launched a series of integrations with companies such as Mintel, to enable users to discover, manage and share all their enterprise market research more easily. More
First-party data platform Dynata has acquired AI and machine learning company 0ptimus Analytics, whose platform connects, models and transforms insights into activation in real time. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Forsta, the company formed through the merger of Confirmit, FocusVision and Dapresy, has announced a global partnership with London-based Phebi.AI, allowing clients to make use of Phebi's advanced voice analysis technology for qual and quant research on Forsta's end-to-end platform. 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
Swedish eye tracking developer Tobii has confirmed that Anand Srivatsa will take up the position of Chief Executive Officer from this Thursday, 9th December. He replaces co-founder Henrik Eskilsson, who announced his intention to step down in April. 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
Risk assessment data and advisory firm Moody's Corporation is buying two onboarding and customer data tech firms: UK-based PassFort Limited is already acquired, while Austrian firm 360kompany should join it in Q1 of next year. More
Consumer data company Pureprofile has partnered with insight exchange and sample management platform Cint, enhancing its sampling options, data collection process and quality assurance. More
Information services group Informa has sold its Asset Intelligence Business unit to pricing data specialist Randall-Reilly, for an undisclosed sum. More
In Paris, user experience (UX) analytics platform Contentsquare has hired former French government official Kat Borlongan for a newly created role, Chief Impact Officer, leading a drive into areas that deliver 'greater impact, beyond revenue growth'. 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
Ipsos MORI has appointed Rachel Brisley as Head of Energy and Environment in its Public Affairs team, leading a team of researchers, evaluation specialists, and economists working specifically in the areas of environmental, energy and sustainable development policy for public sector clients. More
Comscore has promoted Brian Pugh to the role of Chief Information Officer, responsible for developing new tech tools, for ensuring that data is secure, and for MRC and ISO accreditation of the firm's services. More
Customer data and CX platform SALESmanago has been acquired by private equity and growth capital investor Perwyn and SilverTree Equity. The buy is described as a 'nine-digit euro deal', but otherwise terms have not been disclosed. 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
Nielsen is suing panel-based TV audience measurement firms HyphaMetrics and TVision, claiming separate patent infringements. More
Momentive investor Legion Partners Asset Management says it will fight the SurveyMonkey owner's planned sale to online customer service and CX firm Zendesk. Legion says the price tag - originally c.$4bn but after share price falls now equivalent to around $3.4bn - undervalues the business. More
In London, Ipsos MORI has promoted Trinh Tu to the role of Managing Director of Public Affairs. She was previously Head of Business Growth, Public Affairs. 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
Comscore is rolling out its cookie-free audience targeting solution Predictive Audiences in 'the UK and EMEA', through a deal with Xandr, the advertising analytics division of AT&T. 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
Paris-based MR and research tech firm Bilendi is to acquire German sample and panel provider respondi Group for an undisclosed sum. 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
Professional services giant Accenture has acquired innovation strategy consultancy Founders Intelligence, which taps insights from technology entrepreneurs and investors to help large corporations grow. Terms were not disclosed. More
Global online communities specialist InSites Consulting has launched a 'Solutions Office', responsible for the agency's full solution portfolio. Company co-founder Niels Schillewaert will run the new arm. More
In the US, B2B tech purchase intent data and services provider TechTarget has enhanced its Priority Engine platform, to provide several new sources of prospect-level purchase intent data in a new interface customized for sales and marketing users. More
AI-based analytics company ThoughtSpot has raised $100m in a Series F round of funding, which more than doubles its previous valuation to around $4.2 billion. More
Product analytics firm Mixpanel has raised $200m in a Series C round of funding, valuing the company at $1.05 billion. The firm will use the investment to accelerate product development and scale its team in North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific over the next 12 to 18 months. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's S4Capital has boosted its presence in Italy with the acquisition of creative content marketing agency Miyagi. Separately, the firm has a new CFO, Mary Basterfield. More
Consumer insights provider Toluna has promoted Susan Vidler to the newly created position of Global Chief Research Officer, leading the group's global research team and responsible for developing, defining and implementing best practices across the research function. More
In the UK, personalized content and viewer insights provider ThinkAnalytics has hired Samuel Sweet for the newly created role of Chief Executive Officer of EMEA and AP. More
In London, long-time Ipsos exec Kelly Beaver has been named Chief Executive of the UK and Ireland business, succeeding Ben Page on 15th November when he moves to the role of global CEO, based in Paris. More
US-based digital optimization software provider Amplitude has launched an EU Data Centre in Frankfurt, Germany, to support its European customer base. 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
Following the recent decision of Facebook / Meta to delete its facial analysis data, a joint probe by the UK Information Commissioner's Office and its Australian counterpart the OAIC has found facial recognition provider Clearview AI in breach of privacy regulations. More
ESOMAR and Austria's insight association VMÖ have responded to a scandal involving skewed polls allegedly conducted for former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz - stressing a policy of zero tolerance for unethical practices in an industry reliant on public trust. More
Stamford, CT-based tech research and advisory firm Information Services Group has announced revenue of $71m for the third quarter, up 14% (constant currency) on Q3 2020; and adjusted EBITDA of $10.2 million, up 24%. 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
European data collection provider Norstat has entered the Austrian market by opening an office in Vienna, to be headed up by Country Manager Matthias Höbarth. 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
Real life is back. The Munich trade show which is by many measures the insights world's largest relaunched successfully last week as a face-to-face event, and is already scheduled in for 2022. More
Y42, a Berlin-based company promising 'the first scalable data platform that anyone can run', has announced a $31m Series A round of funding which it says will allow it to continue accelerating platform development, adding customers and building its team. More
CX and research technology company Forsta is partnering with AI-powered insight platform Lumoa, whose software has been integrated with Forsta's to offer clients advanced AI-driven analytics. More
Eyetracking hardware and solutions firm Tobii has announced third quarter organic revenue growth of 26%, the acquisition of Belgian company Acapela Group, and the issue of SEK 250m ($US29.1m) worth of shares to help fund this and the earlier acquisition of Phasya. More
Cross-platform TV ad measurement specialist TVSquared has rolled out its fully automated cookie-less solution Advantage XP in the UK and Germany. More
Online customer service and CX firm Zendesk is to acquire Momentive, parent of SurveyMonkey, in an all-share deal which values the DIY survey brand and its associated companies at around $4bn. 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
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint is to acquire rival firm Lucid for approximately $1.1 billion, of which c.$470m will be payable in newly issued Cint shares and c.$580m in cash. The deal should close by the end of the year. More
Consumer research platform Attest has raised $60m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to fuel continued expansion across North America and Europe. More
Data collection company Norstat has hired Graciella Garmann for its newly created role of Chief Commerical Officer. She will join the group on Monday. More
Ipsos has acquired UK-based employee research and experience firm Karian and Box for an undisclosed sum. More
Dutch marcoms network UmbrellaBrand Group has acquired DIY data collection platform CMNTY Corporation, for an undisclosed sum. UmbrellaBrand's CEO Jorgen Botermans says the deal provides the group with a stepping-stone to the North American market. 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
GfK has expanded its partnership with social media analytics company BrandTotal beyond the US, to offer clients in Mexico real-time market intelligence for paid social media. 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
Toluna has appointed former Verint, Nielsen and Affinnova exec Kevin Daly in the new role of Chief Sales Officer. More
Cint has teamed up with audience profiling and targeting firm StatSocial to help clients target niche market research audiences, quickly and at scale. More
Nielsen has unveiled a new logo, which it says reflects the transformation of its culture and a redefined strategy focused solely on the global future of media. The outgoing logo had been served for the combined Nielsen entity before the sale of Global Connect (now Nielsen IQ). More
Video attention measurement and emotion analytics specialist Realeyes has appointed former Brand Networks CEO Dave Fall as Chief Product Officer. More
Stockholm-based knowledge management platform Stravito has launched its first API, allowing clients to connect with other apps already in use across their companies, and employees to search for and find insights in more places. More
In the UK, healthcare MR agency the Research Partnership has appointed former Kantar Health exec Richard Goosey as Head of Analytics. 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
Research technology provider Lucid has opened an office in Hamburg, Germany, led by Fabian Goeing in the role of Director of Central Europe. 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
Lisbon, Portugal-based data preparation platform YData has raised $2.7m (c.EUR 2.33m) in its Seed round of funding, which it will use to expand to the US, Canada, and the rest of Europe. More
Ipsos has announced the appointment of twenty-year Confirmit exec Wale Omiyale, as Global Head of Sales for Observer and Ipsos.Digital. More
Customer experience (CX) and research tech company Forsta has added new features to Dapresy's StoryCreator and StoryTeller tools, to enable users to build 'compelling, impactful PowerPoint presentations in record time'. More
Big data and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions firm Databricks has acquired low code / no code company 8080 Labs, creator of a data science tool that enables data exploration and transformation with a few clicks. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Dublin-based RED C Research has partnered with customer journey management platform Cemantica to provide clients with a full suite of customer experience (CX) solutions. 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
Business intelligence provider ZoomInfo has launched a dataset called the Data Passport, providing access to regional and global data on companies and contacts across Europe and around the world. More
In Australia, Ipsos has appointed Troy Kohut as Director of its qualitative arm Ipsos Understanding Unlimited (Ipsos UU). He is based in Sydney. 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
Kantar has launched a creative measurement tool called Digital Video AI, which can be used to predict the performance of online video ads in under fifteen minutes. 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
Toluna has appointed Cate Rubenstein as SVP of Global Marketing, responsible for 'expanding and elevating' its brand. More
Market intelligence platform AlphaSense has raised $180m in a Series C round of funding. The money will be invested in product development and content expansion, in growing customer service teams in North America and Europe, and engineering teams in Finland, India and New York. More
Marcoms giant Havas has appointed Lindsay Stein as its first Chief of Social Impact, tasked with partnering with marketers and client firms to help them create research-based social impact solutions. More
WPP and Snap Inc. (the camera company behind messaging app Snapchat) have partnered to help brands engage with more than 200 million 'Snapchatters' and deliver immersive experiences using augmented reality (AR). 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
In the US, pharma commercial intelligence provider MMIT/Evaluate has acquired healthcare data analytics firm Panalgo (formerly Boston Health Economics - BHE) for an undisclosed sum. 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
In the US, digital marketing platform Sendinblue has bought three eCommerce-related companies for $47m - analytics solution Metrilo, chatbot platform Chatra, and push notification tool PushOwl. More
Hamburg, Germany-based insights automation platform quantilope has appointed Joe Henriques as its new US President, leading its American Business Unit. More
Audience engagement platform provider GMO Research has appointed former WiseWorks and Critical Mix exec Pratik Sharma as EVP of US and EMEA. More
Twitter has agreed a settlement in a case accusing it of misleading investors with overly-bullish predictions of user growth. The company officially admits no wrongdoing but will shell out $809m if the deal is approved by an Oakland, CA judge. More
Programmatic research tech platform Lucid has appointed Eric Denker as Vice President heading up its Corporate Development and Strategy. 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
Insights and CX firm Alida has a new partner in Europe. Möbius Business Redesign, which helps design and implement CX solutions, will work with Alida's platform for clients in Belgium, France and the Netherlands. 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
CX and research tech company Forsta has appointed Brian Bhuta as Chief Product Officer, overseeing product development, leading innovation and evolving the architecture of the product suite. More
Research services and software company Schlesinger Group has announced the full integration of three of its acquisitions - Market Cube, 20|20 Research and Addison Research - under the Schlesinger Group brand. More
Ad agency division Wunderman Thompson Intelligence has launched a new report called 'Into the Metaverse', which covers everything brand owners and their agencies need to know about the 'shared online worlds in which physical, augmented, and virtual reality converge'. 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
Ipsos has agreed to acquire New Zealand's Infotools, whose software and services focus on 'harmonizing', analyzing, visualizing and sharing market research data. More
German MR tech provider quantilope has acquired UK-based qual video research company Plotto; and has announced the launch of inColor, which extends its existing Insights Automation platform as a standalone product for automated online qual. 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
Professional associations ESOMAR and the Global Research Business Network (GRBN) have released two sets of guidelines - Primary Data Collection and Duty of Care - intended to strengthen the ethical standards framework available to their respective memberships. More
Havas Media Group has added six execs to its Decision Sciences, Analytics and MarTech group (DA&M), all reporting to Mike Bregman, Chief Data Officer North America, who joined the agency from Accenture in May. 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
In the US, customer intelligence platform InMoment has acquired structured and unstructured data and text analytics firm Lexalytics, for an undisclosed sum. 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
In the Netherlands, research services agency DWise Consulting has hired former Kantar Profiles execs Claudia Doeland and Puisé Pang for the roles of Client Director and Partner. More
US-based enterprise customer intelligence platform Databook has hired long-time Accenture exec Peter Zuyderduyn in the newly created role of General Manager EMEA, while Michelle Desaulniers joins as Vice President, People Operations. More
Knowledge management platform Stravito has raised EUR 12.4m ($14.6m) in a Series A round of funding, led by Endeit Capital. Endeit Partner Jelle-Jan Bruinsma joins the Board, as does Reckitt Benckiser Chief Insights Officer Elaine Rodrigo. More
In the Netherlands, full-service agency DVJ Insights has appointed Nicole Engels as Center of Expertise Director, leading a group which comprises its Innovation LAB, Science & Analytics team and Marketing Communications team. More
In the UK, MR technology company QuenchTec has been acquired by recently launched research technology (ResTech) provider WALR. Terms of the cash deal have not been disclosed. More
US-based sample solutions provider InnovateMR has promoted Chief Research Officer Lisa Wilding-Brown to the role of CEO. Co-founders Matt Dusig, George Llorens and Gregg Lavin, along with company President Michael Anderson, move to the firm's Board of Directors. More
Digital media measurement platform DoubleVerify is to acquire European ad visibility analyst Meetrics in an all-cash transaction, amount unspecified, expected to close this quarter. More
B2B research technology platform Atheneum has raised $150m in a round of funding, to be used for market expansion (including in the US), continued technology and product development, and recruitment. More
Ad platform LoopMe has received a patent for its PurchaseLoop advertising campaign measurement solution. The firm has also appointed former Nielsen exec Rob Cukierman as General Manager of Measurement and Product Partnerships, based in New York. More
London-based data and analytics recruitment agency Harnham Group has launched a new business called Rockborne, to train and place the 'next generation' of graduates. More
P-O Westerlund, CEO of Sweden-based brand tracking and consumer science firm Nepa, has decided to step down from his role, saying that the job has 'taken its toll'. Chairman Ulrich Boyer will replace him as interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found. More
Consumer data firm Neustar has launched a process called the Fabrick Impact Assessment, to help marketers diagnose and mitigate the impact of third-party cookie deprecation and device ID loss across their media and measurement investments. More
In New York, customer experience and analytics specialist Accenture Interactive has appointed David Droga, founder of ad agency Droga5, as Chief Executive Officer and Creative Chairman, effective September 1st. He replaces Brian Whipple, who is retiring. More
First-party data and insights platform Dynata has appointed Dilip Nagaraja as Chief Technology Officer, driving the continued development of the firm's platform and automating the processing, access and distribution of its products. More
New York-based youth research specialist YPulse is adding Western European data to its youth insights platform, providing data and insights on Gen Z and Millennial consumers aged 13 to 39 in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain from next month. More
Technology and services analyst HFS Research has launched a Sourcing Advisory practice and appointed long-time TPI exec Steve Koutros to lead it. He is based in the Netherlands. More
London-based market research and healthcare translation specialist GlobaLexicon has been acquired by language services business Toppan Digital Language, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Digital research firm MetrixLab has promoted Claudia Strauss to the role of UK Managing Director, replacing Angela Morgans who will focus full-time on her position as Regional Managing Director for MetrixLab Europe. 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
Momentive (formerly SurveyMonkey) has reported a 20% increase in second quarter revenue to $109.4m, from $90.9m a year earlier; with a 33% rise in Enterprise sales to $33.9m and self-service revenue up 15% to $75.5m. More
US-based Data Axle, which was previously known as Infogroup, has acquired multi-channel direct marketing solutions specialist Exact Data for an undisclosed sum. 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
In France, consumer intelligence platform Toluna has promoted Mathilde Lelièvre to COO, with a seat on the Executive Board. As well as directing the firm's global business operations she is tasked with fostering a culture focused on people, diversity and inclusion. 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
In the US, first-party data company Dynata has acquired consumer engagement and survey platform inBrain.ai, for an undisclosed sum. More
Customer experience (CX) and research tech company Forsta has announced a partnership with CX and insights specialist Watermelon, to deliver CX expertise, methods and technology via Forsta's CX platform. 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
In Barcelona, market research platform Zinklar has appointed long-time Kantar exec Ignasi Fernández as Chief Marketing Officer, to help consolidate the firm's international presence in key markets including Europe, the US and Latin America. More
Experience Management giant Qualtrics has announced a definitive agreement to acquire conversational analytics firm Clarabridge, in a stock transaction valued at $1.125bn. 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
Shareholders in marcoms conglomerate MDC Partners Inc. have voted more than three to one in favour of its merger with Mark Penn's Stagwell Group, owner of the Harris and Harris Poll brands. More
Forsta, the recently merged business of research software firms Confirmit and FocusVision, has appointed former Adobe / OpinionLab exec Jim Reitz as Head of Sales for the Americas, Voice of Customer and Employee (VOC/VOE). More
Nielsen has launched an approach to measure authenticated and unauthenticated web traffic and validate first-party server data with real consumer behavior. More
US-based customer experience management specialist Medallia has agreed terms of a sale to software investment firm Thoma Bravo, in an all-cash transaction valuing the company at $6.4 billion. Bids from other potential buyers will also be considered over the next 40 days. More
Comscore Chief Financial Officer Greg Fink will be leaving the company at the end of August, 'to pursue new interests'. More
Cross-screen television insights and analytics provider Samba TV has launched an interactive dashboard featuring geographic and demographic analysis of viewing in real time across the world, starting with the US, UK, Germany and Australia. More
Ipsos has reported a 26.4% increase in first half year revenue to EUR 993.3m, compared with EUR 786.0m in the prior year period and well up on the EUR 903.4m recorded in H1 2019. Organic growth from H1 2020 was 31.5%. More
Harris Interactive has announced that Thomas Rodenhausen, CEO for Germany, is leaving at the end of this month. He will continue advising the leadership of parent company Toluna Group on strategic growth initiatives. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising and marketing services investment vehicle S4Capital has secured new loan and debt facilities, to refinance existing borrowing and for future acquisitions. More
Forsta, the recently merged business of research software firms Confirmit and FocusVision, has appointed former Questback exec Volker Wylutzki-Boehme as Managing Director and Head of Voice of Customer (VOC) and Voice of Employee (VOE) Experiences in the DACH region. More
Former Unilever exec Stan Sthanunathan has joined the Board of data and research services company Schlesinger Group and been named a Strategic Board Advisor at insights automation platform quantilope. More
Ipsos has appointed former L'Oréal Germany CEO Nathalie Roos as Chief Executive Officer, as co-founder Didier Truchot steps down from the role to become Chairman of the Board of Directors. More
Consumer behavioral marketing software firm Wunderkind is launching a European office in London, as it eyes 'strategic acquisitions'. The firm also plans to grow its EMEA office headcount to 100 this year. More
App user acquisition and ad retargeting specialist Adikteev has launched a predictive analytics platform to help those app publishers without data science resources - or who do not have the necessary data - to build data models. More
IBM has acquired big data analytics specialist Bluetab Solutions group, and will bring it into its Data Services Consulting practice. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
First-party data platform Dynata has hired former Verto Analytics CEO Pat Brennan as VP, Panel Development; while Nancy Brigham joins as VP, Research Science; John Talierco as Product Owner; and Naveen Goel as VP, India Operations. 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
Kantar Public, the group's government and public sector practice, has announced a three-part investment strategy for its business in Germany. This includes the launch of a new Public Data Innovation Hub to support German data science, digital start-ups and micro businesses. More
Online communities specialist InSites Consulting has announced 10% revenue growth for the fiscal year 2020-2021, adding 'up to EUR 66m worldwide'. 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 Stockholm, Sweden, sample management platform Cint has appointed Marie-Louise Howett as Chief Human Resources Officer, responsible for guiding the company's global people, culture and workplace strategies. She replaces Johanna Isander, who left the firm in April. 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
Hamburg, Germany-based insights automation platform quantilope is expanding to the UK with the opening of an office in London. More
Professional services giant Accenture has acquired Glattbrugg, Switzerland-based Trivadis AG, which provides platforms and solutions for the automation and innovative use of data systems. Terms were not disclosed. More
MR and healthcare-focused translation & language services company GlobaLexicon has increased its headcount to 120, while growing its revenue 45% in the first half of the year. The firm has also doubled the capacity of its Translation Operations Centre in Spain. 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
Civic engagement tech provider Zencity has secured $30m in funds, which it says will allow it to 'double down' on product development and pursue its dream of 'allowing governments to 'run' on community input data'. More
Business data firm Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. has completed the acquisition of a new global headquarters building, Town Center II in Jacksonville, Florida. More
Germany has *something* to cheer about tonight, anyway, as does the market research industry: the October face-to-face Munich event often regarded as the global industry's biggest is confirmed as back on, under its new brand of succeed21, and new owners. 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
Media intelligence and social analytics group Meltwater B.V. has agreed the acquisition of ten-year-old Silicon Valley-based business information crowd-sourcing company Owler for $18.9m in cash and $5.6m shares. More
Experience Management (XM) company Qualtrics has partnered with cloud customer experience and contact center solutions firm Genesys, adding the latter's customer engagement and activity data to the former's feedback for a single, actionable view of customer satisfaction. More
Ipsos MORI has announced the launch of a Qualitative Research and Engagement Centre, bringing together its qual methods team, dialogue and engagement specialists and led by Director Michelle Mackie. The Centre will aim to 'bring the public voice into policy making'. More
US-based software and solutions provider QuestionPro has launched a knowledge management (KM) system called the Insights Hub, which offers an indexable and searchable platform for corporate research. 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
Ipsos has appointed Brad Hyde as Director of its Perth office, leading the business in Western Australia. 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 Public has rolled out its PUBLIC Hexis programme and policy evaluation approach to its hubs in Brussels and London. 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
In the second article from our forthcoming special issue, Toluna's Director, Digital Solutions Jack Lee sets out why communities are an ideal way for a brand to get closer to its consumers; and how to make the most of what they can offer. More
Former GutCheck ops leader Joe Giacobbe has joined international data and research services provider Schlesinger Group as SVP, Global Panels, leading its panel strategy and growth. He is based in Toronto, Canada. 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
Business strategy consultancy STRAT7+ has appointed former PwC consultant Björn Dufwenberg as Managing Director, based in Sweden. More
Copenhagen-based restaurant guest experience management (GXM) platform Superb has raised EUR 12m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to roll out its offer across new markets in Europe, recruit new staff, and expand offices internationally. 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
Digital ad verification firm Integral Ad Science (IAS) has today announced the filing of a registration statement with the U.S. SEC, for a proposed IPO of its common stock. More
Toluna has launched what it describes as 'the industry's first and only Enterprise Insights Subscription', giving clients 'limitless access' to its Toluna Start platform, expert personnel and insights from its global panel community. 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
Amsterdam-based research software developer Nebu BV has been acquired by Canadian enterprise software solutions specialist Enghouse Systems. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint is to acquire a majority stake in Berlin-based MR company GapFish, which claims to operate the largest ISO-certified online panel community for the DACH (Austria, Germany, and Switzerland) region. Terms have not been disclosed. More
Kantar has acquired Amsterdam-based cross-media effectiveness tracking specialist MeMo2 for an undisclosed sum. More
Oslo, Norway-based data collection company Norstat has signed an agreement to acquire Danish MR counterpart DMA Research A/S. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
In San Francisco, data science and AI-based predictive personalization platform Breinify has raised $11m in a seed round of funding, which it will use for go-to-market execution, to support customer growth and expand product features. More
User experience (UX) analytics platform Contentsquare has raised half a billion dollars in a Series E round of funding, which it will use to expand its leadership team in Europe and the US, and move into new markets across Asia. The round values the company at $2.8 billion. More
Swedish eye tracking technology firm Smart Eye has acquired US-based facial expression technology firm Affectiva for $73.5m. 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 New York, location intelligence provider Foursquare has acquired geospatial analytics and visualization platform Unfolded. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Jeroen Maljers, the co-founder of digital marketing dashboard, report and visualization developer Swydo, has bought back the business from call tracking and analytics business DialogTech. Terms were not disclosed. 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
In the US, global analytics, personalization and subscription platform Piano has raised $88m in a new round of funding, which it will use to expand its platform, enhance product capabilities and scale its global footprint. More
Sweden's audience measurement body MMS and GfK have released figures from the first stage of their Audience Ascription Model (AAM), which they describe as a 'major step' toward providing total video rating for Sweden. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has promoted Susan Vidler to the role of European Chief Research Officer, from her most recent role as UK MD for Harris. The firm has also promoted Olivia Senneville to Executive Vice President, Finance. More
Baltic States research firm RAIT has announced the acquisition of Sweden's Fürst Scandinavian Research. More
Kantar Public, the global group's government and public sector practice, has launched a data science platform and toolkit, 'PUBLIC Evidential', which promises advanced data blending and analytics to help 'build and enrich' the evidence base for public policy decisions. More
Switzerland-based sports data collection and analysis provider Sportradar has acquired Australian insights and technology company InteractSport, for an undisclosed sum. More
In London, marketing intelligence and programmatic media specialist MiQ has appointed Candice Odhams as EVP Global Clients. In addition, Mike Gray has been promoted to Director of Client Partnerships, EMEA, and Rob Linton to Commercial Director of MiQ North. More
Tokyo-based online specialist Macromill has launched a Life Science Business, which will conduct research and acquire biochemical data relating to healthcare, and use panels for human clinical trials concerning health promotion and disease prevention. 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 verbatim analysis specialist Ascribe has expanded in the EU, through the launch of a GDPR-compliant data centre in Germany. More
US-based technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has reported a 4.6% increase in Q1 revenues to $67m - up 1% in constant currency terms. Adjusted EBITDA jumped to $8.6m, from $3.5m in first quarter 2020. More
Comscore has reported results for the first quarter, with revenue up fractionally from $89.5m to $90.3m. Adjusted EBITDA was down 12.5% to $5.6m, but remains much stronger than in 2019. More
Technology consulting firm Forrester Research has reported revenue up 7% to $113.8m for the first quarter of 2021. The company has also launched Forrester Decisions, described as a 'premium portfolio' of 15 new research services. More
Hamburg-based research platform provider Appinio has appointed former Cint Vice President Jan Gerspach as VP Strategic Partnerships. 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
Nielsen has reported a 2.5% increase in first quarter revenue to $863m, with EBITDA climbing strongly (up 18.3%). 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
Shopper insights specialist Behaviorally has appointed long-time Kantar exec Barbara Cador as Vice President, Growth Officer, EU, based in Spain. 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
The recently merged business of research software firms Confirmit and FocusVision has a new name, Forsta. Both the original companies will continue to operate as usual while the organisation continues its integration plans and brand strategy roll out. 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
Comscore has expanded its digital audience measurement capabilities in Italy, increasing granularity in age reporting. 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
Experience Management (XM) pioneer Qualtrics has reported first quarter revenue up 36% to $238.6m, and also says it turned an operating loss into a small (non-GAAP) profit during the period. 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
Today sees the launch of the inaugural 'Insight250' list, honouring MR industry 'leaders, visionaries and pioneers' who have been selected for their efforts in enhancing market research, enterprise intelligence and data-driven marketing. More
YouGov has launched a service called YouGov Safe, offering a fully opt-in, GDPR and CCPA compliant, cross-device tracker and data marketplace, which incentivises participants to choose who they share their data with. More
In the US, online sample company PureSpectrum has raised $17m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to continue building its team and to expand its product offering. 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
Long-time Cint executive Richard Thornton has departed from the company for some 'planned time off with the family'. 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
Survey reporting automation specialist OfficeReports has launched a solution called 'Intelligo', offering an Excel compatible workbook panel inside PowerPoint. Users no longer need to open Excel separately and don't have to toggle back and forth between their data tables and slides. More
In London, full-service agency DVJ Insights has appointed former Hall & Partners exec Bethan Palmer as a Client Consultant. More
Kantar Public has announced plans to roll out its Public Voice probabilistic panel to eighteen European countries, including France and Germany, during the year. More
Nielsen has launched a campaign measurement tool called Nielsen Market Lift, to help clients evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of their campaigns on both a large national scale as well as on small scale 'test and learn' advertisements. More
Ipsos has acquired UK-based audio recognition technology firm Intrasonics for an undisclosed amount. 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
Recently merged research tech firms Confirmit and FocusVision have appointed Dapresy co-founder Torbjörn Andersson as Managing Director of the Quantitative Business, Henry Harbury as Chief Product Officer, and Peter Myklebust as Chief Technology Officer. 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
In the US, Comscore has promoted analytics leader Michael Vinson to the position of Chief Research Officer. More
International data collection and research services provider Schlesinger Group is opening a new facility near Covent Garden in London. 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
Melissa Baker has joined Ipsos as CEO for Public Affairs, Sub-Saharan Africa and MENA, based in Nairobi More
Kantar has launched a new practice, Dx Analytics, focused on the analysis of unstructured data to provide clients with deeper insight, and help them measure and boost their digital marketing performance. 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
Recently merged Confirmit and FocusVision have appointed Christopher Nagy and Giles Whiting to their leadership team as Global President / CFO and COO, respectively. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital ad group S4Capital has announced a 15.2% like-for-like increase in revenue, in unaudited preliminary results for the full year 2020. EBITDA rose 18.3% on the same basis. Reported revenue, including acquisitions, was up 59.3% to £342.7m. More
Following the first anniversary of the death of Taylor Nelson co-founder Tony Cowling, a not-for-profit foundation has been set up in his name, to help students develop innovations in market research that can be applied internationally for public benefit. More
In Germany, Smart News Fachverlag (SNFV), the publisher of market research portal marktforschung.de, and industry trade fair organiser succeet have partnered to create what they describe as a 'new powerhouse' for the insights industry. More
In New York, cultural insights and strategy consultancy Crowd DNA has appointed Alyssa Silver as an Associate Director and Nicole Keklik as a Senior Consultant. The firm has also expanded its teams in Amsterdam and London. More
Full-service agency DVJ Insights has appointed Jemma Toynebee-Smith as Client Consultant in its UK team, based in London. More
In Finland, AI-powered marketing optimization platform Sellforte has raised EUR 4m in a funding round, which it will use to hire specialists to scale R&D, and continue its European expansion, with plans to open new offices in Germany soon. 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
Experience management firm Qualtrics has announced a 29% increase in revenue for the full year 2020, to $763.5m, with a fourth quarter increase of 24% to $213.6m. Non-GAAP Q4 net loss was $8.1m, improved from $20.3m a year earlier, while for the full year the figure was $46m ($59.3m in 2019). More
Newly merged research tech businesses Confirmit and FocusVision have appointed three female staff to the leadership team: Qual Business MD Zhana Baleva, Chief People Officer Sara Cohen and Chief Legal Officer Rebecca Wright. 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
Global consulting group Accenture has acquired German consulting firm fable+, which specializes in analytics-driven company transformation. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Comscore has partnered with enterprise AI solutions provider Hive, to expand the integration of artificial intelligence across its product portfolio. 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
Research software firms Confirmit and FocusVision have completed their merger, with Confirmit CEO Kyle Ferguson named Chief Executive Officer of the combined business. More
In London, marketing intelligence and programmatic media specialist MiQ has promoted Giles Ivey to the position of EMEA Chief Executive Officer, while Van Sideras has been named EMEA Chief Operations Officer and Freddie Turner takes Sideras' previous role as UK Managing Director. 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
Google has announced that it won't build alternative identifiers to track individuals as they browse the web once third-party cookies are phased out; nor use them in other Google products. More
Online survey software provider QuestionPro has hired employee understanding specialist Sanja Licina as President of its Workforce Experience division, with overall responsibility for driving growth, product development and client satisfaction. More
Nielsen's music, video and sports tech company Gracenote has launched a solution called 'Personalized Imagery', to help video services present the most appealing program images to viewers through their user interfaces, content carousels and program guides. 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
Nielsen is selling its Advanced Video Advertising (AVA) business to TV streaming platform Roku, in a deal which includes Nielsen's video automatic content recognition (ACR) and dynamic ad insertion (DAI) technologies. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. More
US-headquartered mobile ad platform Vungle has acquired Finland-based mobile gaming analytics company GameRefinery for an undisclosed sum. More
Ipsos has hired former New York Times insights exec Dan Wong-Chi-Man for a newly created role, Head of Global Marketing and Business Development. He will be based in London. More
Paris-based MR data and tech firm Bilendi has announced the acquisition of HumanizeeSAS, the company that owns the Discussnow platform. More
In Illinois, USA, a federal judge has approved settlement of the 2015 lawsuit alleging that Facebook tagged the faces of users and used other biometric data without their permission. The social network will pay $650m, including 'at least' $345 for each of the class action's c.1.6m plaintiffs. 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
Emotion analytics specialist Realeyes has received a US patent for the core technology of its flagship PreView product, described as a 'computer-implemented system and method for determining attentiveness of users'. 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
Debbie Clifford, Chief Financial Officer of SurveyMonkey, is leaving to become CFO of her previous employer Autodesk. SurveyMonkey has already initiated a search to find her replacement, with CEO Zander Lurie taking over the role until one is named. 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
Interpublic's performance marketing network Reprise has hired former Sentiance exec Vincent Spruyt as Chief AI Officer, to lead its new AI group and the agency's established team of Analytics executives. He will be based in Brussels. More
Communities specialist InSites Consulting has expanded its Asian footprint with the acquisition of Taipei, Taiwan-based Answer. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
The European Commission has published its draft UK 'adequacy decisions', which if adopted will allow for the continued free flow of personal data from the EU into the UK. 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
Insights automation platform quantilope has appointed former Kantar Chief Client Officer Hugues Dumouza as Head of US Research Consulting, based in New York. 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
Shares in insight exchange and sample management platform Cint rose 30% to SEK 92.5 (EUR 9.2) per share from the original offer price of SEK 72 (EUR 7.2), after the firm placed its initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq Stockholm this morning. The listing values Cint at more than EUR 1bn. 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
London-based survey platform Phebi has partnered with voice-enabled data capture specialist Analytical Factory, which will provide it with support services across the UK and other parts of Europe. Analytical Factory will also develop new apps based on Phebi's technology. 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
In Switzerland, unified data platform RAW Labs has completed a $5.5m pre-A round of funding, which will be used to expand the capabilities of its NoDB approach to data processing. Meanwhile the company has promoted Lars Farnstrom to the role of Chief Executive Officer. 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
SurveyMonkey has reported a 20% increase in total revenue to $101.0m for the fourth quarter, ended December 31st 2020. Full-year 2020 revenue was up 22% year-on-year to $375.6m. 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
London-based YouGov has launched panels in fifteen new markets across Europe, South America, the Middle East and North Africa. More
Real-time customer data specialist Tealium has raised $96m in a Series G round of funding, which it will use to drive product innovation and expand its global footprint. More
Customer experience (CX) and DIY survey firm Alchemer, formerly known as SurveyGizmo, has appointed former SAP exec Mary Beth Addison as SVP of Sales. 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
Healthcare data collection specialist SurveyHealthcareGlobus (SHG) has appointed former M3 and Medefield executive Dan Lockwood as EVP of its European division, based in London. More
Comscore has rolled out its cookie-free targeting capability 'Predictive Audiences' in the UK and Germany. More
Kantar has joined Google's Ads Data Hub (ADH), enabling marketers to assess YouTube ad performance across all devices and platforms without the use of pixels. 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
Portugal-based media research platform MindProber is launching what it says is the first in-home biometric panel in the US. More
French market research and polling firm IFOP has opened an office in New York, where it is led by Stephanie Sandler, who previously built and led the Consumer Insights division at French fashion house Chanel. More
Slovakian TV audience measurement steering committee PMT has awarded Kantar an eight-year extension to its existing contract to provide official TV audience measurement data for the country. This new contract runs until 2029. More
Retail data firm The NPD Group has appointed former Kantar exec Edurne Uranga as Head of Foodservice Spain. More
London-based health sector consultancy Branding Science has expanded to Berlin, Germany, where it has hired Anne-Sophie Lenoir to lead the new office. 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 Belgium, interim MR sector recruitment agency Insights Wizards has hired long-time insights exec Dirk Van Kemseke as its first Managing Director. More
In the US, experience management company Qualtrics has appointed Julia Anas as Chief People Officer, Edward Chen as Head of Corporate Development and Strategy, and Gina Sheibley as Chief Communications Officer. 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
Mobile-based customer insights firm Streetbees has appointed Sebastian 'Seb' Hempstead as its first General Manager for North America. He is based in New York. 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
Online community specialist C Space has promoted Jessica DeVlieger to the role of Global Chief Executive, replacing Charles Trevail, who will continue to lead parent company Omnicom's Interbrand Group around the world. DeVlieger is based in Boston. More
In the US, Kantar has sold its paid search intelligence unit - formerly known as AdGooroo - to AI-powered search intelligence specialist Adthena. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 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
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has partnered with customer insights specialist Canvs, whose AI-driven emotion and behavior platform will add further on-demand capabilities to the end-to-end, real-time solution, Toluna Start. More
In Paris, France, consumer insights business Research on Mobile (ROM) has replaced its ad hoc, sample-only and panel building solutions with an API and programmatic sampling model, offering the automated buying and selling of sample. 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
Data-driven marketing and CX management company Merkle has appointed Simon Esland in the new role of VP Practice Lead, Marketing Decisioning, overseeing its partnership with Pegasystems. Esland was previously Group Head of Marketing Technology Strategy at Vodafone. 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
Video feedback platform Discuss.io has launched Respondent Management, a DIY hub feature allowing users to track respondents through the process of recruiting, screening, scheduling, incentivizing and interviewing. 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 promoted Annie Chan to the role of Managing Director in Hong Kong, replacing Mick Gordon who will move on to an as yet undisclosed role at the company. More
Online community provider InSites Consulting has appointed former Nielsen / Synovate exec Eddie Au as Executive Director in its Hong Kong office. More
Australia-headquartered digital research platform Pureprofile has appointed long-time Kantar Profiles exec Joris Schellekens as Sales Director, Mainland Europe, charged with leading the firm's growth plans across the region. He is based in the Netherlands. More
Research software firm Confirmit has appointed Noel Hamill as Chief Marketing Officer, replacing Michael Wooh, who had held the role for a decade. Hamill joins following last week's announcement that Confirmit and customer insights software firm FocusVision are to merge. More
Online community provider InSites Consulting has partnered with Latin American-based qual and quant insights and consulting agency Provokers, expanding its offer in the region. 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
In the US, experience management company Qualtrics has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), valuing the firm between $12bn and $14.4bn. 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
Berlin-based insights platform developer Market Logic Software has appointed Stefan Ropers as Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder Kay Iversen who will join the Board of Directors. The firm has also raised an undisclosed amount of funding. More
Chicago-based customer experience business Rightpoint has appointed Marty Zalewski as its first Managing Director for Europe, to build on existing growth in the region. More
Research software firms Confirmit and FocusVision have announced plans to merge. The deal is dependent on receipt of regulatory approvals and expected to complete in the second quarter. Terms have not been disclosed. More
In the US, Polly MacIsaac has returned to online community specialist C Space as Chief Operating Officer, allowing Phil Burgess to relinquish his operations responsibilities and focus on his role as Chief People Officer. More
US-based customer intelligence platform InMoment has announced the acquisition of digital feedback solutions provider Wootric. 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
Financial data technology company SRAX has appointed angel investor and cryptocurrency analyst Lou Kerner as CEO of its BIGtoken subsidiary - a consumer-managed data marketplace. 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
International insights agency SKIM has appointed two senior execs: Jeni Chapman as Managing Director, North America, based in the New York area; and Pascalle Govers as Consultant, New Product Development Services, at the firm's HQ in Rotterdam. More
Communities specialists Verve and Potentiate have merged in the UK, as part of a global strategic partnership between the two firms. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Research software firm Confirmit, which merged with reporting software provider Dapresy earlier this year, has paid an undisclosed sum for the latter's licensed regional distributor Dapresy Asia. More
In the US, AI-focused big data analytics provider Tredence has raised $30m in a round of funding, which it will use to expand into the healthcare sector; hire both in the US and abroad; and expand into Europe and China. More
Former Oracle exec Graham Douglas has joined SurveyMonkey as Vice President of CX Sales in EMEA, tasked with expanding adoption of its GetFeedback platform across the region. He is based in Dublin. More
Berlin, Germany-based tracking and optimization platform Swaarm has hired former HERE Technologies exec David Frei as its first Chief Executive Officer. More
In Canada, sampling platform Potloc has raised a further $7m add-on to its Series A funding round, now totalling $20m, which it will use to further develop and expand the global reach of its solution. The firm has also expanded to the US, with the opening of an office in New York. 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
Investment data aggregation specialist Private Client Resources, LLC (PCR) has acquired European firm Check6, headquartered in The Netherlands. More
Online communities specialist InSites Consulting has brought its seven offices in Asia under its own name, retiring that of ABN Impact, which it acquired a year ago. More
In the US, DIY research software firm SurveyMonkey has hired former Neustar and IBM exec Ken Ewell for the newly created role of Chief Customer Officer, charged with leading and expanding the firm's customer success, professional services and support teams. More
German company Admetrics has launched a 'freemium' version of its Quantify marketing testing and experimentation tool, offering a Bayesian stats engine with analytical capabilities which the firm says have until now been available only to enterprise clients. More
In Los Angeles, entertainment insights business MarketCast has appointed former Netflix exec Zoë Friend as Corporate SVP of Custom Research and Insights. 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
UK-based management consultancy PA Consulting, parent of a number of data and insight businesses, has changed ownership, with The Carlyle Group making an exit and global tech and professional services firm Jacobs taking a 65% stake. 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
Bremen, Germany-based company UZE Mobility, which operates a real-time vehicle ad platform with targeting based on location and weather, has launched in New York City and says it plans to expand across the US. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based ad platform Adverty has been granted a US patent for its in-game ad viewing technology BrainImpression, used to determine viewing and impressions within gaming environments. More
Continuing our focus on Data Visualization: Richard Thomas, CEO & founder of network monitoring firm Highlight, on the challenges of turning a mass of chaotic traffic and performance information into neat, colourful one-page panoramic views for use by non-technical clients. 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
User experience (UX) analytics platform Contentsquare has launched an incubator-accelerator program called Atomic Labs, to help companies turn ideas into products and develop existing products for market. Live now in Paris, it will be rolled out in other countries next year. More
WPP and in-game ad platform Anzu have partnered, to bring commonly accepted ad standards - including ad viewability and brand lift measurement, fraud detection and user privacy protection - to the esports and online gaming sectors. 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
Berlin-based customer intelligence platform (CIP) Zeotap has added another $18.5m in funding, which it says will boost investment in its customer data platform (CDP) and ID+ universal marketing identity products, and help it push further into its fourteen existing markets. More
Stockholm-based research data storage and collaboration system Stravito has launched a 'smart' information discovery feature, predicting what information individual users will be interested in. More
In the UK, customer insights and communities platform developer STRAT7 ResearchBods has opened a Customer Success division, which will focus on delivering 'first-class' client experience and providing resources and support throughout the customer journey. 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
Consumer intelligence platform Toluna has appointed former Nielsen MD Bruce Haymes as Non-Executive Chairman of its Board of Directors. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising and marketing services company S4 Capital has issued a trading update for the third quarter, with like-for-like revenue up almost 13% and profit also up 'very strongly'. More
DIY survey pioneer SurveyMonkey has reported third quarter financial results for the period ended September 30th, with total revenue up 20% to $95.4m. More
From the Data Visualization special issue published last week: Ipsos.Digital CEO Andrei Postoaca talks about the challenges involved in developing a DIY research platform for one of the world's biggest and best known insight groups. 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
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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
Global consultancy Accenture has agreed to acquire Paris-based OpusLine, which provides strategic and transformational advisory services to healthcare providers, life sciences and insurance firms in France. 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
Israel-based digital market intelligence company SimilarWeb has raised $120m in a new round of funding, and says it will open offices in North America and Europe, expand through merger and acquisitions, and increase headcount. 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
Medallia's Senior Director of Product Management Vache Moroyan and his team are tasked with building dashboards that are a pleasure for research professionals to work with. Continuing our focus on Data Visualization - interview by Nick Thomas on September 22nd. 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
Tel Aviv, Israel-based Dataloop, which helps business manage the entire data life cycle for their AI projects, has raised $16m, comprising $11m in a Series A round and $5m in a previously unreported seed round. The new money will be used to grow the firm's presence in the US and Europe. More
In the US, Ipsos-owned MMA (Marketing Management Analytics) has announced one relocation and two senior leadership appointments in the EMEA and APAC regions. More
Marcoms group Havas Creative has launched an international customer experience (CX) network, dedicated to delivering brand experiences across the entire customer journey. More
Continuing our focus on Data Visualization, the LivingLens co-founder talks in-depth with MrWeb's Nick Thomas about family influences; starting, financing, building and selling the business; the huge potential for video and the importance of good data viz. Video version also available. More
Heinrich Fischer, one of the founders of recently closed MR trade show Research & Results, has announced the launch of his new event 'succeet21', which will take place next April. More
Continuing our focus on Data Visualization, Debbie Senior, Toluna's VP Product Automation, looks at the 'need for speed', and other factors driving changes in the way we process, share and display data. 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
Swedish eye tracking business Tobi has sold its assistive technology Smartbox business to CareTech, which provides specialized social services for adults and children with special needs, following an order by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The price paid was £13.4m. 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
Ipsos has partnered with artificial intelligence specialist Peltarion to launch a tool called Question Library and help researchers build 'better' questionnaires. More
Data collection and research services specialist Schlesinger Group has expanded its senior leadership team with a series of promotions, to reflect the company's recent growth. More
Business software giant SAP has entered into an agreement to acquire omnichannel customer engagement platform provider Emarsys. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
In the UK, online community specialist Join the Dots has taken the name of its parent InSites Consulting, which acquired it in July 2019. More
French audience measurement agency Médiamétrie has promoted Estelle Duval to the position of Director of Strategy, in a new department created to support the analysis of media markets and content consumption. She will also oversee the company's overall strategic plan. More
In the US, online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has acquired market research services firm Inteligx, adding support and full service solutions to its offering. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Digital consultancy Appnovation has raised £6.8m in a follow-on equity round of financing, which it will use for global expansion and company growth - including scaling its teams in the UK and across Europe - as well as for potential acquisitions. More
In Stockholm, insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has appointed Joakim Andersson as Chief Financial Officer, replacing Lottie Saks, who left the company in May to join commercial vehicle business Haldex. 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
Social listening consultancy Bakamo has appointed Katalin Moor as EVP responsible for clients, sales, marketing and operations. 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
Market research and healthcare translation specialist GlobaLexicon has reported strong growth in the first half of the year, with revenue up 30% and 21 new hires. 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
Data-driven customer experience management (CXM) company Merkle has promoted Azlan Raj for the new role of CMO for the EMEA region. 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
Continuing our focus on Data Visualization this month and next, here are six key considerations for creating clear and engaging visuals, from the team at E-Tabs. 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
US online survey software provider QuestionPro has set up a reseller and distributor program, to make it easier for partners to integrate the firm's solutions directly into their own. More
From an interview with Paul Twite, Toluna's MD EMEA and LatAm, looking at the company's recent big announcements - rebranding and the launch of Toluna Start. For the podcast, and a fuller write-up including more personal reflections and detail, see the forthcoming Data Viz supplement. 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
Consumer intelligence platform Toluna has launched an end-to-end solution called 'Toluna Start', which will now form the core of its business. Users can access the firm's panel of more than 30 million members, uncover and share real-time insights to help fully understand the consumer journey. More
US-based customer engagement software and Voice of the Customer (VoC) platform Astute has acquired social media monitoring and marketing specialist Socialbakers, for an undisclosed sum. More
Marcoms giant WPP has acquired customer experience (CX) specialist Velvet Consulting, which combines marketing, data science and technology to help clients better understand and communicate with consumers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
International data collection and research services provider Schlesinger Group has re-branded all its European businesses, to bring them in line with the group name. 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
Netherlands-based full service marketing research and analytics agency DVJ Insights has appointed Andy Drake as Managing Consultant, UK, to lead the further growth of the team. More
Iceland-based GRID, a SaaS start-up for users of data, has raised $12m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to bring its product to market. 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
Great visuals and wide-ranging automation are a powerful combination for market researchers looking to justify budgets in the Covid era, says Confirmit Chief Product Officer Torbjörn (Tobi) Andersson. This is the first article from our forthcoming MrWeb 21 Years 'Data Visualization' special issue. 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
MR software provider Infotools has appointed Charlotte Hearn as Business Development Lead, Europe, based in the UK. The firm is headquartered in New Zealand. 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
In the US, enterprise intelligence company Craft has raised $10m in a Series A round of financing, which it will use to further expand its offices in San Francisco, London, and Minsk, and grow remote teams across engineering, sales, marketing and operations in North America and Europe. More
Enterprise data analytics platform Dataiku has raised $100m in a Series D round of funding, which it will use to expand its platform and offerings. 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
Toronto, Canada-based employee-owned research firm Hotspex has promoted Scott Barlow from VP, Research to the role of Managing Director of its UK office. He replaces Michael Dorr, who is now a Strategic Consultant at innovation-led insights agency Research Strategy Group. More
MR technology company QuenchTec has launched an automated video analysis offer via an integration with Medallia's video feedback platform LivingLens. More
Research software and solutions company Confirmit has appointed Giles Whiting as its new COO and Rebecca Wright as Head of Legal. More
Open source data visualization specialist Grafana Labs has raised $50m in Series B funding, and says it will 'aggressively accelerate its product roadmap' in key areas. The firm has also launched an Accelerator Program providing finance and developer access to those building with its software. 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
In the US, market research and analytics company GutCheck has named former long-time Nielsen exec Rob Wengel as its new Chief Exec, replacing co-founder Matt Warta who has left the business. 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
Panels and first-party data firm Dynata has acquired Salt Lake City and Chicago-based searchable insights platform Sharpr, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Research software firm Confirmit has appointed former Dapresy CEO Tobi Andersson as Chief Product Officer, leading its product strategy and vision. 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
SurveyMonkey has reported a 21% increase in second quarter revenue to $90.9m; alongside a net loss of $22.9m, compared with a loss of $18.5m in Q2 2019. 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
Heinrich Fischer, one of the founders of recently closed MR trade show Research & Results, has announced that he is setting up a new event which will take place next April in Munich. 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
MR agency quantilope has raised $28m in a Series B found of funding, which it will use to further expand its offering in Europe, and particularly in the US. 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
British big data and analytics firm Quantexa has raised $64.7m in a Series C round of funding, which it will use to expand further into North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. 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
Staff survey and people analytics platform Perceptyx has announced the acquisition of Kantar's Employee Insights business. Terms were not disclosed. 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
Stockholm, Sweden-based Stravito, a cloud-based storage and sharing system for market research data, has launched a new project management feature called Agency Lobby. 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
Digital research agency MetrixLab has opened an office in Zug, Switzerland, and appointed former Nielsen exec Hassan Mouheb to lead it as Managing Director. 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
New Delhi, India-based quant online research and respondent engagement specialist Internet Research Bureau (IRB) has appointed David Winter as a Director, to head up UK sales from the London office. More
In the US, word-of-mouth specialist Bazaarvoice has acquired visual commerce and analytics platform Curalate. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Panel provider Borderless Access has appointed long-time Dynata exec Kasia Churchill as Director, Sales - UK, based in London. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital ad and marketing services group S4Capital is to acquire Australian digital strategy and analytics consultancy Lens10 for an undisclosed sum. More
Tech publisher and marketing services firm IDG Communications has acquired account-based marketing (ABM) platform Triblio, for an undisclosed sum. More
Nine researchers with 'various ethnic backgrounds and industry experience' have joined forces to launch Colour of Research (CORe), a non-profit organisation that will champion ethnic diversity in the MR and insights industry. 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
Marcoms group Havas has launched a B2B agency called Langoor Havas Enterprise in South East Asia, to help clients with digital transformation, strategy and execution. 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
Insight marketplace and MR tech provider Cint has expanded its APAC presence with the opening of an office in Singapore. More
Irish customer engagement, personalisation and data platform Xtremepush has acquired Reading, UK-based customer insight platform developer Alchemetrics, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Scott Ernst, Global CEO of online specialist Macromill, is to step down after the group's annual shareholders meeting in September. Toru Sasaki, Representative Executive Officer for the group's Japan Operation, will take over the role. More
US-based data company Clickagy has launched 'Privacy Clusters', a solution for targeting micro-groupings of individuals, which it says will help address the approaching end of third-party cookies in a privacy-compliant manner. 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
New York and Barcelona-based knowledge integration platform (KIP) Onna has raised $27m in a Series B round, which it will use to expand its engineering, product and partnership teams. More
Global management consultancy Accenture has entered an agreement to acquire data firm Sentelis, which is headquartered in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, and specialises in designing data and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Tech-enabled market and customer insights company Maru Group has launched an unstructured data engine, 'Maru/HUB Topic Modelling', which uses AI and machine learning to automatically group relevant comments together, without the need for user-defined rules and human biases. 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
In the US, mobile research specialist MFour has appointed former Corelogic exec Aaron Wepler as Chief Technology Officer. He replaces Wendell Hicken, who left in October to take up the post of CTO at MR business Sense360. 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
In the US, Google has moved former Yahoo! Labs research head Prabhakar Raghavan into the senior role of 'Head of Search and Assistant', reporting directly to Google CEO Sundar Pichai. 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
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint and online survey platform Survey2Connect (S2C) have partnered to launch a new solution called Survey2Connect Audience. Cint has also been selected to automate GfK's sampling operations. More
Business intelligence reporting specialist Taimer has raised $1m in a pre-seed round of funding, which it will use to scale its business management solution and for expansion in the Nordics and other selected markets. More
In Switzerland, customer experience management specialist SANDSIV has launched an AI-based customer intelligence app called VOC CI, as an add-on for its sandsiv+ CX measurement platform. More
In the US, technology research and advisory firm ISG (Information Services Group) has launched a multi-country study examining the market for digital workplace services, including technologies used to support remote working during the pandemic. More
DIY survey software company SurveyMonkey is combining its customer experience (CX) solutions from two recent acquisitions into one umbrella brand, known as the GetFeedback Suite. More
Ipsos has named Maria Perez as Head of its self-service research platform Ipsos.Digital in North America. More
Shopper data and insights business Nielsen Global Connect has appointed Tribune Media veteran Chandler Bigelow as its first Chief Financial Officer. More
Ipsos has launched an online solution called CreativeSpark, through which clients can evaluate video creative in the US and UK, in as little as 24 hours. The tool will be rolled out in sixteen additional markets throughout the year. More
DIY research software company SurveyMonkey has launched a post-pandemic offer for enterprise customers, to help them gain an understanding of the health and well-being of staff and convert feedback into an action plan for employees' safe return to work. More
Stockholm-based brand tracking and consumer science firm Nepa has announced net sales up 3.8% (constant currency) in the first quarter to MSEK 69.4m ($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
Online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has appointed former Cint Germany MD Norman Behrend in a newly created role, Managing Director Central Europe. 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
In Zurich, Switzerland, AI-based digital identify fraud prevention company PXL Vision has raised CHF 4.6m ($4.7m) in a seed round of finance, which it will use to expand its product portfolio and enter new markets. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's marcoms business S4Capital has acquired Latin American data and analytics consultancy Digodat and merged it with its programmatic media practice MightyHive. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Milan, Italy-based crowd testing platform AppQuality has raised EUR 3.5m in a new round of funding, some of which will be used for expansion into new European markets. 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
Ken Østreng, CEO of research software firm Confirmit, has left the company following its sale to Nordic private equity fund Verdane. Tech sector exec Kyle Ferguson has now taken over his role. More
The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has expressed concerns over Hungary's decision to suspend General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) obligations, as part of new emergency powers passed following the outbreak of coronavirus in the country. More
Global consulting group Accenture has acquired Ahmedabad, India-based Byte Prophecy, described as an automated insights and big data analytics company, for an undisclosed sum. The buy adds nearly 50 data science and data engineering staff to its Applied Intelligence division. 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
DIY survey software provider SurveyMonkey has enhanced its app integration with the Microsoft Teams communication platform, to make it easier for team leaders and employees to generate surveys and collect feedback from one another in the 'new era' of home working. 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
Hamburg, Germany-based MR agency quantilope has added four new employees to its team in New York. More
Research software company SurveyMonkey has reported a 29% increase in first quarter revenue to $88.3m, driven primarily by enterprise sales which increased 128% during the period. 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
In Barcelona, Spain, online opinion and behavioral data specialist Netquest has launched an Online Focus Group solution. 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
Kantar has launched an online platform using anonymized and aggregated patient data to track changes, delays and modifications to cancer treatment decisions during the Covid-19 crisis. 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
US-based online survey software provider QuestionPro has launched a trivia, quiz and polling platform called LivePolls, to both 'engage and excite' audiences and help understand their preferences. One aim is to allow firms to check in with currently home working employees on a regular basis. 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
Ipsos MORI is to support the UK government's new home testing programme for coronavirus, which aims to track levels of infection in the community. More
Long-time Nielsen / Kantar exec Terrance Kent has been appointed CEO of SRDS (Standard Rate & Data Service), which Kantar recently sold to French ad tech company Adwanted Group. 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
Al (Albert) Angrisani, turnaround specialist and former President and CEO of Harris Interactive, died as a result of complications from COVID-19 at the Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro on Thursday, April 23rd, at the age of 70. 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
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has completed its platform integration with P2Sample, which it acquired last year. The combination enables Cint to offer access to more than 100 million respondents. More
Market research socialising and networking group the Research Club will be hosting its first online event, the Lockdown Party, next Monday 4th May from 6pm GMT until late. Everyone is welcome and there is no charge to participate. 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
Paul Williams, former M3 Global Research MD, has re-joined London-based market research and healthcare translation specialist GlobaLexicon as Director, Commercial. In addition, James Heneghan has been promoted to the role of Director, Client Services. 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
Online community specialist CMNTY has added a real-time video chat functionality called Focus to its platform, to help researchers host video sessions as part of in-depth interviews, virtual focus groups and live brainstorming exercises. 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
AI-powered data integration and marketing intelligence platform Adverity has raised $30m in a Series C financing round, which it will invest in research and development, and use to advance its product offerings. More
In the US, international data collection business Schlesinger Group has acquired qualitative technology-led research services provider 20|20 Research for an undisclosed sum. Jim Bryson, founder and former Chair at 20|20, is retiring from the business. 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
Mobile user data specialist zeotap has launched a customer intelligence platform, to help brands connect and convert their first-party data into 'actionable' customer intelligence. More
Canada-based communities specialist Maru/Matchbox has launched a branded tool called 'Pop-up Communities', which it says can be deployed in just fourteen days. 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
Behavioural research specialist EyeSee has raised EUR 300m in a round of funding, which it will use for futher international business expansion and technical innovation. More
Angus Webb, the founder and Managing Director of online research supplier Panelbase, died last Wednesday evening from the COVID-19 virus, at a hospital in Spain. He was 45 years old. 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
In Dublin, insight-led business advisory service Opinions has hired Iarlaith Corcoran for the newly created role of Managing Director; and Karen Martin as a Senior Insights Executive. More
Ipsos has implemented a series of measures intended to protect its margins, its liquidity and its ability to work with its customers, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. More
Kantar has launched its Audiences service in Europe, with an initial roll-out in the UK, France and Germany. More
Belgian data management company Collibra has raised $112.5m in a new round of funding, bringing its total raised to date to $345.5m. 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
Amsterdam-based business intelligence (BI) platform Pyramid Analytics has raised $25m in a funding round, and will use it to expand its global presence and develop new partnerships. 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
Marcoms giant WPP has launched plans to make around £2bn in savings, as the impact of the Covid-19 shutdown hits its business. 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
DIY online research software company SurveyMonkey has appointed Amit Sethi as Vice President of Data, Karen Budell as VP of Brand Marketing and Gary Fuges as VP of Investor Relations. More
US-based healthcare polling company and online physician community Sermo has invited all doctors globally to participate in a Covid-19 Real Time Barometer study, providing a weekly perspective of physicians' insights and perspectives on the crisis. More
Kantar has launched a study to understand the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on citizens across the G7 nations. More
Sweden, Stockholm-based video discovery platform Vionlabs has launched a cloud-based solution called Emotional Fingerprint API, in a bid to help media companies make better decisions based on artificial intelligence-generated video data and insights. 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
Resuming our series looking in depth at mobile data and insights, QuenchTec Survey Designer Dennis Sewberath highlights seven ways to turn a survey into a 'beautiful conversation', for the sake of better feedback and higher completion rates. 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
Governments in many countries are using or examining the use of location intelligence from mobile phones to track the spread of Coronavirus and the behaviour of their populations - leading some to worry about privacy; while private data from mobile analyst OnAudience compares the willingness of Poles, Italians and Brits to curtail their movements. More
Customer insights platform UserTesting has raised $100m in new funding, which it will use to increase market share and accelerate investment. The firm has also acquired Norway-based multilingual experience testing specialist Teston, for an undisclosed sum. More
Mobile measurement and fraud prevention specialist Adjust has appointed Ville Mikkola as Head of its Coalition Against Ad Fraud (CAAF), the industry-wide alliance the firm set up to tackle ad fraud. 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
Consumer intelligence platform Toluna has appointed Ron Ruffinott as a Senior Research Solutions Consultant based in the company's US headquarters in Connecticut; while Dixit Chanana joins as Country Director in India, based in the Gurgaon office. More
Daniel Wirth has been appointed as CEO of Kynetec and the Kleffmann Group, following the recent announcement that the two agricultural and animal health research specialists are merging. More
Comscore has completed a second round of discussions with potential buyers including Symphony Technology, according to reports. More
Technology research and advisory firm Information Services Group has reported a 3.6% decline in revenue for the full year to December 31st 2020, to $265.8m. Profit, in the form of adjusted EBITDA, eased off 4.6% to $31.5m for the year, but hit record levels in the last two quarters. 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
MR software firm Remesh has raised $25m in a Series A2 round of funding, which will be used to drive expansion of the company and its platform. More
London-based Gyana - a platform through which non-technical people can run data science analytics on any structured dataset - has secured a $3.9m round of funding, which it will use to drive its next stage of growth across Europe and India. More
Ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo has launched its Traffic Generation solution out of beta, to help advertisers connect with new audiences, while driving engagement and increased web site traffic. 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
Cint has added Helene Stafferöd Westerlund as Chief Technology Officer, heading up its global technology objectives as part of its executive team. More
Online community specialist CMNTY corporation has announced a partnership with first-party data and insights platform Dynata, promising to help brands improve audience engagement via a more complete picture of customers. More
Digital experience management software firm Sitecore has named Tom De Ridder as Chief Technology Officer. More
Resuming our series of articles on Insights in the Mobile Age, Ross McLean, Vice President, Mobile Qualitative at 20|20 Research details his four crucial tips for great mobile qual. More
In Australia, digital business transformation company Publicis Sapient has acquired management consultancy Third Horizon, which helps organisations with business transformation, and identifies trends to help them prioritise growth opportunities. 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
Comscore has reported financial results for the quarter and full year ended December 31st 2019, with revenue and EBITDA declining but some indications in Q4 that a cost-cutting turnaround strategy is taking effect. The firm has also announced a data deal with Comcast. 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
ENGINE Insights, the research and analytics division of full-service media and marketing services group ENGINE, has launched a Small Business Omnibus Survey under the CARAVAN brand. More
In Rotterdam, Netherlands, global consumer agency InSites Consulting has appointed former Haystack Consulting exec Kjell Massen as Business Director; and moved Margot Schuil to the role of Global Client Partner. Niels Schillewaert takes over Schuil's former role as country MD. More
US-based customer intelligence platform InMoment and customer experience management software and solutions firm MaritzCX have entered into an agreement to merge, with the latter firm expected to initially trade as 'MaritzCX, an InMoment company'. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
London-based 'customer understanding' platform Chattermill has raised £6.2m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand its offices in London and Berlin. New hires will include engineers, data scientists, enterprise sales and marketing experts. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's media consultancy MightyHive has appointed Julien Coquet as Director of Analytics for Europe, Middle East and Africa. He is based in Paris, France. More
Oslo, Norway-based data collection specialist Norstat has appointed Mats Beck as Head of its newly established Strategy and M&A unit. More
Technology research and advisory firm ISG (Information Services Group) has launched a study examining the global marketplace for providers of SAP-related services. It will initially examine products and services available in the US, Germany, the UK, Brazil and the Nordic countries. More
Outsourcing specialist Capgemini is to acquire Swedish business intelligence (BI) and data science company Advectas. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Netherlands-based insights community software firm CMNTY Corporation has launched a feature called MoodBoard, through which community members can add images to a digital canvas in order to visualize their thoughts and ideas during online co-creation sessions. More
In the UK, Unlimited's customer relationship marketing specialist Prophecy and B2B specialist DirectionGroup are to be integrated into customer engagement agency TMW. Parent company Unlimited says the move will deliver solutions that focus on the entire customer experience. More
Research software firm Confirmit has been sold to Nordic private equity fund Verdane for an undisclosed sum, following a long-running battle with its billionaire owner Alexander Vik. Verdane is an investor in data visualisation reporting firm Dapresy, which it will merge with Confirmit. More
London-based DigitalMR has appointed former Synovate ops director Efthymios (Akis) Damalis as Chief Operating Officer. He will be based in Cyprus. More
Global management consultancy Accenture has acquired Dutch product design and innovation agency VanBerlo. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Mobile measurement and fraud prevention specialist Adjust has launched a new dashboard product called Control Center, through which marketers can view data across all their apps and campaigns and then act on it. More
Vilnius, Lithuania-headquartered data company Syno International has appointed former Cint exec Per-Erik Kärnekull as Head of EMEA, while Aivaras Mockus joins as Chief Financial Officer. 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
South Africa-based researcher Columinate has changed its name to Insites Consulting South Africa, following its 2018 acquisition by global consumer agency InSites Consulting. More
Danish survey reporting automation specialist OfficeReports has launched a tool called 'Report Builder', which can be used both for ad-hoc survey report generation, and for creating automated report templates for tracking surveys. More
Manchester, UK-based kids, tweens and teens specialist Kids Insights has expanded to Brazil, through a partnership with Latin America-based digital company Kids Corp. More
In the US, marcoms giant WPP has announced that its global digital agency Wunderman Thompson has acquired marketing technology consultancy XumaK. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
European data collection specialist Norstat AS has appointed Sebastian Sorger as Managing Director of Norstat Germany, which covers the German, Austrian and Swiss markets. He will join on 1 March and replace Marc Leimann, who held the position for the past five years. 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
US online survey software provider QuestionPro has opened an office in London, with plans to grow it to fifteen people across sales, marketing and customer success during the year. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in survey technology provider Askia, and says it will tap the firm's expertise and technology to develop the 'survey platform of the future'. More
Next15's data and insights group Savanta has announced the acquisition of the UK business of Future Thinking, which has 61 staff in offices in Oxford and London. Future Thinking France and the Gemseek division, which employ most of the Group's c.350 staff, are not part of the deal. 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
Silicon Valley customer experience management specialist Medallia has agreed to pay around $26m in cash to acquire video feedback platform LivingLens, which it says will help it 'bring the voice of the customer and employee to life'. 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
In the US, online survey software provider QuestionPro has moved its headquarters from California to Austin, Texas, where it has relocated eighteen employees and announced plans to expand the team to about 60 by the end of the year. More
French healthcare sector fieldwork agency QualWorld has expanded its presence to twelve countries including Sweden, Poland and India. 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
US-based customer experience platform AskNicely has opened its first European office in Amsterdam, where the firm's expansion will be led by Kyle Bolster, Vice President and General Manager for Europe. More
London-based full-service agency Opinium is to open an office in Brussels, under the leadership of Director Emily Dickinson. More
Kenneth Tomaszewski has stepped down from his role as President of NY-based healthcare research specialist KJT Group, and will be replaced by Michaela Gascon, who adds the title of President to her existing one of Chief Operating Officer. More
Stockholm and Boston-based tech start-up Funnel, which helps businesses make their marketing data 'business-ready', has raised $47m in a Series B round of investment. The firm will use these new funds to continue to fulfil market demand for its platform, particularly in the US. More
Memories are short (well ours are anyway) and when we started our summary of 'the MR world in 2002' we expected to find an industry deeply affected by the global downturn of that year. Only when we got reading did we remember that of course, until 2009, research used to be recession-proof! More
Innovation insights and data firm Clarivate Analytics is to acquire healthcare-focused research and data provider Decision Resources Group (DRG) from its present owner, Piramal. The $950m price tag comprises $900m in cash and approximately $50m in Clarivate shares. 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
Big data giant Cloudera has announced a new CEO. Rob Bearden was previously Chief Executive of rival firm Hortonworks, with which Cloudera merged a year ago. 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
In Germany, three former employees of survey software developer Netigate have set up an experience management (XM) company called digitell.me, based in Cologne. More
Spain's BDI Research, a fieldwork agency owned by Schlesinger Associates, has acquired specialist healthcare qualitative research consultancy ThinkPhar. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Kantar has appointed long-time Nielsen exec Chris Morley as Managing Director, UK, Ireland and USA for its Worldpanel division; while former Publicis behavioural economist and CX practitioner Dom Boyd joins as Managing Director, Offer for the UK Insights division. More
EcoVadis, which provides business sustainability ratings and intelligence for global supply chains, has received a c.$200m investment from private equity provider CVC Growth Partners - the former co-owner of Formula 1. More
UK-based media and marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has acquired digital media monitoring and optimisation service Digital Decisions, for an initial consideration of EUR 0.7m. More
Rupert Murdoch's media group News Corp has agreed to sell its video ad distribution and tracking platform Unruly to video ad technology business Tremor International. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
In the US, insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has appointed P2Sample exec Garrett Gil de Rubio as Senior Vice President, Client Development. 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
French IT services consultancy Atos has agreed to acquire US-based Maven Wave, which specializes in data analytics and machine learning in hybrid and multi-cloud platforms. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
In Ireland, AI-powered news intelligence platform Aylien has raised $5.54m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to drive company growth globally. 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
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has appointed JD Deitch as Chief Operations Officer, while former COO Richard Thornton moves into the newly created position of Chief Commercial Officer. 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
In Washington, DC, WPP-owned market research and political polling specialist Penn, Schoen and Berland Associates (PSB) has hired former Hershey CMO Peter Horst as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Mike Chuter who left the firm earlier this month. 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
Global consulting group Accenture has agreed to acquire Chicago-based data consultancy Clarity Insights, whose expertise spans data science, artificial intelligence and machine learning expertise. More
Behavioral and market research platform Verto Analytics has announced a partnership with location data and strategic insights company Unacast. 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
Global consumer agency InSites Consulting has acquired Asia-based insight community specialist ABN Impact for an undisclosed sum. More
Australia-based start-up Qualie has rolled out its video-driven survey platform in the UK market, through a partnership with consumer and sensory specialist MMR Research Worldwide. More
Digital research firm MetrixLab has opened an office in Delhi, India, from where it will serve existing global clients, and support new clients across the region. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in UK-based automated reporting specialist Data Liberation, which will now form an integrated part of the newly launched Ipsos.Digital platform. 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
WPP has announced that Michelle Harrison will move from CEO to non-executive Chair of its Government Practice - which she has led since its inception in 2012 - so as to focus on her role as Global CEO of Kantar's Public division. Global MD Sean Howard steps up to the vacant CEO role. More
Toluna has been awarded a U.S. patent for a new routing algorithm allowing dynamic profiling. The system pre-qualifies respondents on demographics such as country, age, income and education, and cross-references them with other data to establish qualification for a survey. 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
Oslo, Norway-headquartered data collection specialist Norstat has hired Robert Agnew as Managing Director for Norstat UK, which has responsibility for clients, consumer panels and business in the UK market. More
UK-based emotion analytics specialist Realeyes has appointed long-time marketing analytics and technology industry exec Max Kalehoff as Vice President of Marketing, based at its offices in New York. More
Cross-media measurement specialist Verto Analytics has relocated its Seattle office; and has promoted Vinayak Nair to the US Market team leadership role. Meanwhile in Finland, Antti Riikonen has been named VP of Product and Methods and Tero Lindberg is now responsible for the Platform team. 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
Irish-owned business intelligence platform Siren has raised $10m in a Series A round of financing, which it will use to further develop its proposition and expand into new markets. 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
London-based Snowplow Analytics, which helps businesses collect and manage their customer behavioural data, has raised £4m in a Series A round of funding. The money will be used to expand its real-time data pipeline capabilities and further expand in the US and Europe. 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
Canadian data firm AggregateIQ (AIQ) has been found to have broken privacy laws with some of the work it carried out for pro-Brexit campaign group Vote Leave and several US political campaigns. More
Facebook has launched a market research app called Viewpoints, paying users to take part in surveys. The company says it won't sell or share the resulting data with third parties. More
Hamburg, Germany-based market research platform Appinion has re-launched its consumer panel app, and is preparing to roll it out globally. 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 France, audience research leader Médiamétrie has launched measures for catch-up radio (content listened to after the broadcast) and native podcasts (those with original audio content). More
Digital data collection agency Research on Mobile has moved its headquarters from Beirut to Paris, and says that after a successful first year Europe is emerging as its biggest market, overtaking MENA. 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, Santa Monica-based esports audience monetization and data analytics firm FanAI has raised $8m in a Series A round of funding, and says it will expand its team from 20 to 30 employees, and grow its UK and European business. More
Sir Martin Sorrell's recently formed marcoms business S4Capital has merged its digital production company MediaMonks with Delhi, India-based content creation and production firm WhiteBalance. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Consumer intelligence platform Toluna has added advanced scripting capabilities to its flagship QuickSurveys on-demand plaform, helping users to create and launch complex studies. More
Cincinnati, OH-based verbatim analysis software company Ascribe has opened a new office in Hamburg, Germany, where it has appointed former ASKi‐Data exec Gustav Jaeckel as European Director of Services. 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 London, Westminster-based agency ComRes has been renamed 'Savanta ComRes', following its recent acquisition by Savanta, the insights and intelligence division of Next Fifteen Communications. 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
Tech-enabled research firm Maru Group has launched a direct access end-to-end insights platform, Maru/HUB, allowing users to create, view and analyze research projects 'on demand'. 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
DIY research firm SurveyMonkey has reported results for the quarter ended September 30th, with revenue up 22% to $79.3m. Net loss was $16.3m, slashed from $102.4m a year earlier with operating costs falling sharply, although adjusted EBITDA fell from $17.0m to $11.5m. More
Tech research and advisory firm Information Services Group has announced moderate revenue growth of 2 percent in constant currency terms, to $68.1m in the third quarter. 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
Ipsos has launched a self-service research platform called Ipsos.Digital, offering clients simplified access to global research capabilities and insights. More
Data visualisation and reporting specialist Dapresy has launched a 'three-tiered' suite of modular solutions which it says removes many of the manual processes traditionally required in the market research reporting process. 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
Technology-based market research company AudienceProject has launched a self-service audience building tool called AudienceHub, to help publishers activate their own data and create audiences for targeted campaigns. More
WPP founder Sir Martin Sorrell's recently launched marcoms business S4Capital has reported third quarter revenue up almost 54% to £56.6m, with a nearly 50% increase in gross profit to £42.1m during the period. The figures reflect rapid organic growth as well as M&A. 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
Research software firm Confirmit has appointed Howard Lax as Principal Director, CX Consulting, supporting clients in their efforts to design, develop and implement customer experience strategies. More
Research solutions and outsourcing firm Markelytics has launched a range of DIY market research platforms. More
Data collection and research services company Schlesinger Group has acquired qual data collection provider Focus Pointe Global (FPG), which has seventeen focus group facilities located throughout the US. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Data visualisation and reporting specialist Dapresy and data collection software developer Nebu have partnered to launch a combined customer experience (CX) product, offering clients a solution for sample management, data collection, reporting and case management. More
Data-driven performance marketing agency Merkle has promoted Ben Gott to the position of SVP Digital Analytics for the EMEA region, overseeing a team combining the analytics team from its performance marketing agency Periscopix with its existing customer analytics business. More
Programmatic sampling firm Lucid has launched new EMEA headquarters in London, from which to drive development in the region. Staff numbers in the city have grown from fewer than ten to more than 50 in just two years. More
Nielsen has added syndicated measurement of Amazon Prime Video to its Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) Content Ratings solution. 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
Toronto, Canada-based online sample and market research technology specialist WiseWorks has opened an office in Munich, Germany, where it has appointed former Dynata exec Pratik Sharma as Chief Operating Officer. More
Online communities specialist InSites Consulting has renamed its Australian company Direction First in line with the group branding. Founder Erica Van Lieven remains at the helm of what is now InSites Consulting Australia, with the title of MD. More
Havas Health & You, the marcoms group's healthcare and wellness arm, has partnered with personalized video content creation platform VidMob to launch a Data Science practice. More
Dynata has launched a platform integrating market research, advertising and marketing solutions which it promises will simplify 'every step in the insights lifecycle' - from audience selection and survey creation to analytics and reporting. More
Continuing a month of articles from our 21st birthday celebration feature looking at Online Communities, Julia Eisenberg and Isaac Rogers of US firm 20|20 Research look at the rise of the ' smaller, more tactical insights community', and the need to get that 'pit lane' running smoothly. More
UK-based language analysis and comparative text analytics platform Relative Insight has raised $5m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to open its first US office, in New York City. More
Digital research company MetrixLab has opened an office in Sydney, Australia, where it has promoted Vincent Blaney for the newly created role of Managing Director. 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 Dublin, reward and loyalty specialist WIN | WIN has sold its Opinions Market Research full service agency to business advisory firm Bayes & Becker, which is owned by former OI Research MD David Cullen. 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
Continuing our month-long in-depth look at online communities, Nick Thomas talks to InSites Consulting co-founder and CEO Kristof De Wulf about buying UK online research pioneer Join the Dots, its fourth acquisition in 18 months; and about plans for the future. 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
Research software firm CMNTY has launched a new version of its community software platform, to help brand and insights professionals wanting to build short or long term online customer communities with 'minimal effort and maximum effects'. More
In London, community panel specialist Verve has completed its fourth graduate intake, bringing the total number of graduate recruits to twelve. The firm recently appointed long-time MR recruitment specialist Sarah Penny as Talent Manager. 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
A group of advertisers including EA, Mastercard, P&G and Unilever has launched a global initiative called the Cross Media Working Group, designed to ensure the advertiser's voice is heard in decisions on cross-media measurement. More
Healthcare data collection and custom survey solutions provider SurveyHealthcare (SHC) has acquired OMR Globus, a full-service, pharma/healthcare data collection agency and sample provider. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Australian data intelligence company Potentiate has expanded to Europe, where it will be led by former Vision Critical executive Simon Harrington. More
Eurodata TV Worldwide, the international division of French audience measurement firm Médiamétrie, has changed its name to 'Glance', in a bid to more accurately define the expanse of its marketplace. More
Market insight consultancy Skopos has made a 'sizeable' investment in UK tech firm HearMe Scientific (HMSL), with the two firms forming a joint venture to focus on the development of apps and platforms for digital engagement and analytics. More
Ad and brand research firm Hall & Partners has appointed Stacy Vaughn as Managing Partner of its US healthcare team, and Beth Stagg for the same role in Europe. More
London-based market research and healthcare translation specialist GlobaLexicon has doubled its European Operations Centre capacity in Seville, Spain. More
European digital MR services firm Bilendi Group has updated its 'Bilendi Sample Management' platform, with the integration of new functionalities using artificial intelligence. 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
There are lots of options for those wishing to join this successful sector (see job listings in the publication) but how do you find the treasure and minimise the risk? Nick Thomas taps the experience of four of the sector's recruitment specialists to help you pick all the right cards and avoid the blues. 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
Omnicom's digital and CRM division OPMG has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Smart Digital GmbH, a consulting and marketing tech company with a proprietary AI platform and a focus on data-driven real-time customer experiences. More
Richard Millington of FeverBee lives and breathes online communities and has helped build them for everyone from Apple to Lego to the UN, but he's not first and foremost an insights professional. Communities have many other uses - so where do we sit in the bigger picture? More
Insights partnership RealityCheck Consulting has launched HXi, a new service for CX and decision journey mapping More
In Bonn, Germany, The infas Institute for Applied Social Science has appointed digital mobility research specialist Marc Schelewsky, strengthening its mobility and transport offering. More
Data firm Acxiom has combined with Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) to launch an omnichannel insight and targeting service, 'Work-Life Audiences', promising holistic audience insights and expanded data attributes for more than 30 million consumers. 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
... Not Just Talking About It. In the next in our month-long series focused on communities, Verve Executive Director Paul Lawson casts an expert eye over the many great uses of a community panel. More
Audience measurement firm Comscore has paid $5m to finalize a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, resolving its investigation into accounting and disclosure practices in the two years to February 2016. Former CEO Serge Matta has also made payments to both Comscore and the SEC. 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
Facebook has announced the suspension of 'tens of thousands' of apps, created by around 400 different developers, as it continues an eighteen-month investigation following the Cambridge Analytica scandal. 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
Continuing our month-long focus on Online Communities, Andy Buckley, Head of Client Solutions at Join the Dots / InSites Consulting argues that communities need to 'step up their game' by giving clients access to a much wider range of methodologies and tools. Includes 3 case study summaries. 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
Schmiedl Marktforschung, the German subsidiary of data collection and research services provider Schlesinger Group, has opened a fully furnished research home in Berlin called 'The Apartment', allowing respondents to test and interact with brands and products in a relaxed, comfortable, home-like environment. More
Brighton, UK-based digital consumer intelligence company Brandwatch has unveiled new flagship product, Consumer Research, representing a '$50m investment' and integrating technology from social media analyst Crimson Hexagon, which it acquired last autumn. 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
Eurodata TV Worldwide, the international division of French audience measurement firm Médiamétrie has promoted François Lhomme to the role of Sales Director for the EMEA and APAC regions; and Kunal de Souza to an equivalent Americas role. More
Video research and targeting company methinks has appointed Kris Jacob as Chief Revenue Officer for North America and EMEA, while Eung Soo Lee joins as Vice President of Business Development, Asia-Pacific. 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
Comscore is extending its audience targeting solution to include connected TV (CTV), by licensing its data through Adobe Audience Manager, Google Display and Video 360, and Oracle Data Cloud. More
Survey software firm Confirmit has appointed customer experience practitioner Andrew Farries as Director of CX Consulting, based in it Sydney, Australia office. More
Tokyo-headquartered online research firm Rakuten Insight Global has opened an office in Bucharest, Romania. More
Recently formed group STRAT7 has launched a specialist business strategy offering called STRAT7+, based in Stockholm. Martin Hörnqvist, former CEO of toymaker BRIO, joins to lead it. More
Social media monitoring and marketing specialist Socialbakers has added a feature called 'Paid Analytics' to its platform, to provide paid social media insights across multiple ad accounts. 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
Sample provider P2Sample has partnered with not-for-profit organization Women in Research (WIRe), to launch a study which evaluates the percentage of women in MR executive roles. Across 133 firms analysed, only a third (36%) of exec roles were occupied by women. More
Neura, which provides developers with analysis of how users engage with their apps, has raised $16m in a Series B round of funding. Funds will be used to expand its headcount, develop its business in the US and EU, and launch new products. More
Former dunnhumby director Rob Sharland has joined Milan, Italy-based customer data platform Audiens as Vice President of Global Sales. He will work from the firm's London office. More
Melbourne, Australia-based mobile researcher MDI has expanded its footprint to London, with the appointment of former GfK NOP leader Arno Hummerston as Director - Europe. More
Research software firm Confirmit has added a number of new features to its flagship Horizons platform, including 'Fieldwork Reporting' which promises researchers instant access to key information on the progress of their survey projects. 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
Global CEM Software firm Sitecore has laid off around 70 employees, c.5% of its workforce, according to reports. More
Mobile measurement and fraud prevention specialist Adjust has appointed Moshi Blum as General Manager in Israel, responsible for accelerating growth and building the team in Tel Aviv. 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 Dallas, DIY research and ad measurement company Survata has hired long-time industry exec Matt Valle as Head of Sales for its Plan Suite of applications, designed to help marketers track their brands. More
Insight and analytics company MESH Experience has hired Bharat Parmar for the newly created role of Managing Director of EMEA, working with the team in London to extend the firm's UK Retail Banking Study to other verticals such as insurance and payment services. More
Analytics-driven marcoms specialist W20 has promoted Dan Linton to the newly created role of Global Data Privacy Lead, responsible for providing clients with strategic counsel regarding GDPR. 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
Independent fieldwork agency Nordic Viewpoint has opened a new viewing facility in Stockholm, Sweden, adding to its existing base in Gothenburg. More
Comscore has disclosed plans to cut a further 8% of its workforce, adding to around 10% made redundant in the second quarter. More
In New Zealand, Publicis Groupe has acquired customer experience (CX) agency Affinity ID for an undisclosed sum. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has appointed former MetrixLab exec Nicholas Langeveld as Managing Director for North America. More
Hamburg, Germany-based MR agency quantilope has launched a fully-automated TURF model, helping clients to maximise the consumer reach of new products and marketing campaigns by identifying the best combination of attributes. 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
Digital research firm MetrixLab has appointed four Regional Managing Directors: Angela Morgans for Europe, Rebeca Dreicon for LATAM, Rob Valsler for AMEA, and Kevin Moran for North America. Meanwhile two new teams will focus on innovation in the company's product portfolio. More
In London, research software firm Confirmit has promoted Chris Brown to the role of Vice President, Global CX Consulting, leading a global team of customer experience (CX) experts who deliver CX consulting services to clients across the US, EMEA and Asia Pacific. More
Jacob Lagerstedt has returned to data collection company Norstat as Managing Director of its specialist International division, which is responsible for clients and business development in overseas markets. He is based in the firm's Stockholm office. More
Ipsos India has extended the role of Mystery Shopping Head Sonul Verdia, to include leadership of the Customer Experience (CX) Practice. He takes over the latter post from Parijat Chakraborty, who will now focus on public affairs and corporate reputation businesses. 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
Toluna's parent company ITWP has promoted Phil Ahad to Chief Digital Officer and Pierre Camagne to Chief Financial and Operations Officer, while hiring Michael Masset as Chief Human Resources Officer. More
Data science, advanced analytics, and customer experience research specialist agency Future Thinking GemSeek Group has received an undisclosed amount of funding, which it will use to support further product development and expansion. 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
Research software company SurveyMonkey has reported a 20% increase in second quarter revenue to $75.1m, driven by a 12% rise in the number of paying users and higher average revenue per user. Net loss was up almost 50% to $18.48m, although adjusted EBITDA was positive at $10.3m. More
Digital research agency MetrixLab has promoted Kevin Moran to the role of US President/Managing Director. He was previously CEO of research agency Acturus, acquired by MetrixLab in 2017. More
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has acquired US-based P2Sample. 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
Ipsos Bengaluru Branch Head Geeta Lobo has taken on the role of India Ambassador for the Global Science Organization, alongside the position of Social Intelligence Analytics (SIA) Head, for Ipsos India. Meanwhile Research Manager Sasha Francis has moved across to the SIA team. 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
DIY research software company SurveyMonkey has expanded its executive team with the appointment of Lara Sasken Lindenbaum as Vice President of Communications; DuVal Hicks as Vice President of Sales Operations; and Dennis Scott as Vice President of Growth Marketing. 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
Sir Martin Sorrell's digital advertising and marketing services company S4 Capital plc has published a trading update for the first half of 2019, with like-for-like revenues and gross profit up around 40%, well ahead of its target. 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
Ipsos has acquired a 10% stake in Oslo, Norway-based employee and customer experience management company Questback. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
US-based customer insights platform UserTesting has opened its first international office, in Edinburgh, Scotland, where it has appointed Bruce Hunter as European Regional Vice President. 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
Ipsos has appointed former Kantar exec Chris Murphy as President, Market Strategy and Understanding, leading its business focused on product development and activation. More
M&A activity in the marketing sector in the first half of 2019 was largely driven by private equity (PE) investment, with most of the major marcoms networks absent from the list of the most active buyers, according to a report. 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
ITWP, the parent company of Toluna, Harris Interactive Europe and KuRunData, has hired Michele Morelli as SVP of Global Marketing Strategy; promoted Tsahi Ben-Yosef to SVP of Product Innovation; and promoted Mathilde Lelievre to EVP of Global Operations. More
Buyout firms Court Square Capital Management LP and HGGC LLC are said to be working with investment bank Evercore Inc. to explore the sale of digital data collection specialist Dynata, with reports suggesting the price tag could exceed $3bn, including debt. More
Amsterdam-based image analysis tech company Dashmote has secured $2.8m in expansion funding from a combination of American and Chinese investors. More
Escalent, formerly Market Strategies International-Morpace, has promoted Mark Carpenter from Research Director to Joint MD of its European office based in Surrey, UK. 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
Facebook is to pay US regulators a record $5bn fine to settle the privacy breach investigation following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, according to US media. Meanwhile Google is in trouble for allowing contractors to listen to snippets recorded by its 'Home' voice assistant. 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
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has partnered with digital rewards company NeoCurrency to enable its 'influencers' to receive the latter's bitcoin gift cards in exchange for sharing their opinion on brands, products and services through the Toluna Community. More
Social media monitoring and marketing platform Socialbakers has launched a content insights and analysis platform called Content Hub, through which marketers can use artificial intelligence (AI) to collaborate, plan and create engaging content for their target audiences. 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
Digital research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has promoted Thijs Elias to the role of Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder Jan Willem Gerritsen, who left the company in January. The position has since been held on an interim basis by Scott Ernst, Global CEO of parent company Macromill. More
UK-based advisory group Cello Health has opened an office in Berlin, where it has appointed Heike Tombrink as Regional Director, Head of Cello Health Insight Germany; and Matthias Heurich as Regional Director, supporting Digital Innovation. More
Insight exchange and tech platform Cint has announced a strategic partnership with data platform company Syno International, adding to the former's presence in APAC and EMEA, and to the survey audience available for clients of both firms. More
WPP has acquired a majority stake in Italian digital creative agency AQuest, whose services include user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, production and activations. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
German-based panel solutions and passive metering provider respondi has moved its London office to larger premises in the city. In addition, it has appointed Olga Yakovleva as Account Executive and Amar Sudra as Project Manager. 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
UK-headquartered B2B and B2C researcher Touchstone and sister agency Shoppercentric have partnered with cloud-based neuroscience provider MindTrace, to identify which market assets attract consumer attention and understand how they feel about what they have seen. 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
Comscore has secured funds from an institutional investor to the tune of around $20m, with potential to grow to $50m. The investor will buy Comscore common stock at just $7.33 per share, close to its current ten-year low valuation, but the funds should strengthen the firm as it continues to 'refocus'. More
Verbatim analysis software company Ascribe has teamed up with Hamburg, Germany-based market and social research firm ASKi-Data to launch a new text analytics tool, ASKi-Data CX Snapshot. More
Mobile marketing and ad tech firm Sinch has launched a new division combining data-driven insights, creative services and technology to help brands strengthen customer relationships through personalized videos and other content delivered to their mobile devices. 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
Belgium-based marketing automation firm ACTITO has acquired UK customer intelligence software provider SmartFocus for an undisclosed sum. More
Ipsos has promoted Joseph DeVeny to lead its US Innovation Practice, overseeing a team of nearly 100 across the region. 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
German digital publishing house Axel Springer has announced plans to merge its US businesses - market research subsidiary eMarketer and business news provider Insider Inc. - to provide a combined perspective on digital transformation for clients across a number of sectors. More
CRM giant Salesforce has agreed to acquire analytics platform Tableau Software, in an all-stock transaction valued at around $15.7 billion, net of cash. 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
Audience technology platform Eyeota has appointed former Dentsu Aegis exec Phoebe Ang as its new CFO, based in Singapore. 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
Ipsos has promoted Jason McGrath to the role of Head of Corporate Reputation in the US, based in New York. More
In the US, Comscore's recently appointed Chief Operating Officer Kathryn Bachmann has resigned a month after taking up the position. More
Kantar has set up an International Election Team, to provide forecasting, research and commentary for elections across the world. More
In Paris, MR firm OpinionWay has appointed long-time Kantar TNS exec Thierry Millon as Deputy Managing Director, in charge of its qualitative and co-creation activities. 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
Nielsen is extending its Digital Ad Ratings for YouTube's mobile app to 26 more countries, bringing the total to 34. More
Ipsos has named Michele Booth, previously of consultancy firms Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte, as Head of Advisory for Customer Experience (CX). More
Ad monetization platform Smart has integrated the Nielsen Marketing Cloud into its ad tech stack, to allow publishers to target precisely defined audiences within their programmatic and direct campaigns. 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 Australia, newspaper group Nine News has ended its contract with Ipsos after it failed - in common with all the other pollsters in the country - to predict the election victory of Prime Minister Scott Morrison. More
Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) is to investigate the functioning of Google's Ad Exchange across the European Union, and whether it complies with privacy rules including GDPR. More
France-based data marketplace operator Dawex has completed a funding round of EUR 5m, supporting global expansion and its ambition to become the 'reference' data exchange. More
Information and analytics firm IHS Markit has exchanged its Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) intelligence business for the Agribusiness Intelligence group which was previously part of publishing, information and events group Informa. More
Research software company SurveyMonkey has launched a cloud-based European data centre for new enterprise customers, allowing it to host data for customers located or doing business in the region. More
Marcoms agency group WPP is to create a new campus for its agencies in Paris, France, which will open in 2021. 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
New York-based neuroanalytics specialist SPARK Neuro is opening an office in Washington, DC next month, and is also planning an opening in Europe. More
Kantar has appointed Gregory Aston as Global Head of Research, Digital Advertising Intelligence, based in New York; while Petra Mašínová joins as Global Director for Reputation Intelligence, based in Paris. More
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has hired long-time GMO Research exec Nicholas Antram as Senior Vice President for the Asia region, based in the firm's Tokyo office. 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
WPP's data, insights and consulting company Kantar has launched the 'Profiles Network', offering permission-based, GDPR compliant access to around 88 million people in 70 countries. The launch combines panel information from Kantar Profiles Division (formerly known as Lightspeed) with that from 28 additional organizations. 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
Comscore has promoted to fill the gaps left by the recent resignations of Will Hodgman and Joe Nguyen. Guido Fambach becomes EVP, EMEA & APAC, while Kedar Gavane moves up to the role of SVP, APAC, reporting to Fambach. More
Purchase intelligence platform Cardlytics has appointed former Facebook and Google employee Nate Bucholz as VP of eCommerce advertising partnerships. More
Pharma information giant IQVIA has reported revenue up 7.2% at constant currency for the quarter ended March 31st, to $2.684 billion, and adjusted EBITDA of $587m, up from $547m a year previously. More
Sample management platform Cint has opened a second German office, in Munich, and hired former Dynata exec Oliver Tjarks to lead it as SVP Sales, Cint Deutschland GmbH. Senior Sales Director Patrycja Reinhart and Sales Director Marc Sörgel also join the office. More
Facebook has commenced action against a South Korean firm, Rankwave, which it says sold its data unlawfully for marketing and advertising purposes. More
Technology research and advisory firm ISG (Information Services Group) has announced a decline in revenue for the quarter ended March 31st to $64.8m - down 6%, or 3% at constant currency. The profit measure adjusted EBITDA declined from $5.8m to $3.6m. More
The NPD Group has named 25-year GfK veteran François Klipfel as President of its Europe Toys business. More
Comscore SVP of Asia Pacific Joe Nguyen has left the company after nearly a decade, as news breaks of an imminent 10% cut in workforce and a possible sale of the 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
Marcoms giant Havas Group has acquired India-based user experience (UX) consultancy Think Design. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Comscore has commenced a strategic review which aims for an initial $20m in cost savings, following a 3.4% fall in first quarter revenue to $102.3m; and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $2.5m, compared with a gain of $3.6m in the prior year period. More
Custom research and online data firm SurveyHealthcare (SHC) has appointed Lena Belz as Head of European Operations, based in its London head office. More
Full service agency Kynetec b2 has acquired Ronse, Belgium-based CATI call centre JTL. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
In New York, Ipsos has appointed Peter Mackey as Executive Vice President and Head of its User Experience (UX) and Human Factors (HF) practice. 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
Marcoms giant WPP has announced the formation of a not-for-profit, cross-industry organization called the Institute for Real Growth (IRG), to help Chief Marketing Officers and other senior business leaders drive more effective growth strategies. More
Geneva, Switzerland-based crowdsourced consumer research specialist Catalyx has moved stateside, with the opening of new offices in Chicago, where it has hired Nicole Munsey as Head of Accounts North America; and Cincinnati, where Debbie Arnold joins as Senior Account Director. More
Fred Broers co-founder of Netherlands-based data collection software developer Nebu, died last Wednesday, 24 April at the age of 74. 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 $415m. More
The European Research Federation (EFAMRO) has appointed Bernd Wachter, CEO of German MR agency Psyma, as its new President. He takes over from Andrew Cannon, Executive Director of Global Research Business Network (GRBN), who has completed seven years in the EFAMRO role. More
Ipsos has appointed long-time J.D. Power exec Jacob George as Executive Vice President and Leader of its US Automotive Quality Practice. More
Bain Capital and Apollo Global Management LLC are among those moving into the next stage of bidding for Kantar, according to sources, quoted on Bloomberg; while private equity firms CVC Capital Partners and Apax Partners have dropped out. More
Eye-tracking hardware and software firm Tobii AB has reported results for the first quarter of 2019, with net sales up 20% in constant currency terms, to SEK 393m ($US 41.3m). With continuing high investment in R&D division Tobii Tech, operating loss was SEK -37m ($US 3.9m). More
Ipsos is extending its syndicated Severe Asthma Therapy Monitor to Japan, the first country covered in Asia; and says it will add China later this year. 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
Marketing analytics partner firms Marketscience and Truesight have transferred MD and Associate Partner Nitesh Sahay from Delhi, India to the London, UK office. Following his transfer, Sahay joins Marketscience founder Peter Cain to lead product development and provide dual support to clients in both the UK and India. 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
Ipsos India has extended the role of Sonul Verdia, Mystery Shopping Lead, to include the post of Business Development Head for Customer Experience in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Ananya Roy Mathur, Research Director, Innovation, takes on the post of Creative Excellence Lead for India. More
Ipsos has hired former AIG senior HR exec Debi Lee as President, Human Resources Head for North America; while SVP Kristen Kehoe has been promoted to lead its 'Generation Ipsos' Analyst Development Program for entry-level researchers. 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
Enterprise data and analytics provider LiveRamp has acquired Amsterdam-based privacy and consent management platform (CMP) Faktor for an undisclosed sum. More
Outdoor advertising company JCDecaux has introduced an international solution for the airport industry called AAM (Airport Audience Measurement). More
Paris, France-headquartered TV and radio analytics platform Admo.tv has raised EUR 6m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to add 70 new employees at its London office and open new offices in Spain and Germany. More
Global consumer insights agency InSites Consulting has acquired Paris, France-based creative crowdsourcing firm eÿeka for an undisclosed sum. As part of the deal, InSites has opened a client service office in Paris, from where it will support existing clients in the country. More
Maru Group's customer experience specialist Maru/edr has been renamed 'Maru/Matchbox UK', in a bid to better integrate the group's multi-market offer and technology across its North American, Latin American and European offices. More
UK-headquartered marcoms giant WPP has opened a 'campus' in Amsterdam, where it has brought together fifteen of its agencies - including its Amsterdam-based Kantar business - into one location. 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
Marcoms giant Publicis has announced that it is considering the potential acquisition of data intelligence and customer insights provider Epsilon. More
New York-based cross-channel media analytics specialist C3 Metrics and data and digital CRM agency Havas helia have partnered, to develop what they claim is the industry's first CRM attribution product. 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
Chief Executive Bryan Wiener and President Sarah Hofstetter are leaving audience measurement company Comscore due to 'irreconcilable differences over how to execute the company's strategy'. 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
Dynata has released the first edition of a Global Trends Report, which benchmarks the environmental, societal and psychological attitudes that impact people's participation in research. More
London-based healthcare fieldwork agency Just Worldwide has promoted Clare Hopkins to Field Director, tasked with managing expansion in the UK and in the firm's Polish, Italian and cross-European operations. More
London-based full service insights consultancy Basis has appointed Georgie Cooper as a Partner, leading its European Health practice. More
Harris Interactive has partnered with corporate, HR and B2B comms agency Epoka to measure voting intentions ahead of the European elections taking place in France on 26th May. 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
Paris-based research and consultancy company BVA Group has rolled out its 'Nudge Unit' in the UK, led by Scott Young, who also serves as an SVP of the parent company. More
In Stockholm, Sweden, panel exchange and management firm Cint has appointed Lottie Saks as Chief Financial Officer, replacing Dag Magni who has moved into the position of Senior Advisor for the firm. More
The Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe) has appointed Daniel Knapp as its first Chief Economist, to strengthen the market analysis and economic research offering for its corporate members and network of National IABs. More
Technology research and advisory firm ISG (Information Services Group) has announced Q4 revenues up 4% at constant currencies to $67.9m and full-year 2018 revenues up 1% on the same basis to $275.8m. Full year adjusted EBITDA fell 1.4% to $33.0m. 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
Management consultancy Accenture has acquired Amsterdam-based data-driven digital marketing agency Storm Digital, which will become part of its Accenture Interactive business. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
New York-based ad targeting tech specialist AppNexus has announced plans to hire 60 new employees for its services, commercial and other functional teams across Europe, including the big five economies. More
Consumer data giant IRI has added AI and machine learning to its suite of analytic solutions, to help clients automatically scan data sets and uncover the best opportunities for growth. 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
Confirmit may be headed for new ownership, following a court ruling that shares in the research software firm can be forcibly sold. The ruling is an attempt to recover $320m which the company's Norwegian billionaire owner Alexander Vik owes to Deutsche Bank. 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
Insight exchange and sample management platform Cint has created a global enterprise solutions team, focusing on clients with 'advanced, high value and technology-led requirements'. Greg Dunbar will lead it, as EVP of Enterprise, joined by Mike Misel as SVP of Enterprise for the Americas. 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
Audience measurement firm Comscore has reduced its net loss to $27.2m on a GAAP basis, compared with $71.9m a year earlier, while reporting a 6.2% increase in fourth quarter revenue to $109.3m. For the full year 2018, revenue was up 3.9% to $419.5m. 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
In the US, programmatic sample platform Lucid has promoted former COO Andy Ellis to the newly created role of Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Director, North America. He has been replaced by Rick Rodgers, while Nicole Patel and Ben Hogg have also been promoted to the exec team. More
WPP has hired Walmart exec Jacqui Canney as EVP, Global Chief People Officer, responsible for all aspects of employee strategy, including recruitment, talent management, leadership development and learning. She joins on June 1st and succeeds Mark Linaugh. More
New York-based Outbrain, which combines delivery of personalized online, mobile and video content with data to help publishers understand audiences, is to acquire native advertising specialist Ligatus in a stock deal, terms of which have not been undisclosed. More
Maru Group has expanded Daniel Finder's role to include that of President, International of its consumer intelligence firm Maru/Matchbox, in addition to his current position as MARU Group's CEO for Latin America. More
Global MR association ESOMAR has welcomed news of a preliminary agreement by EU bodies on a new copyright directive which includes exemptions for text and data mining (TDM). More
AI-based influencer marketing and social media engagement platform Sideqik has raised $5m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to add more than 60 employees in the US and Europe. 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
Digital Knowledge Management specialist Yext has expanded its Paris sales and marketing teams, doubling its workforce in the region. The firm has promoted Tarik Aitakkaouali to Regional VP and Hélène Draoulec to Marketing Director, while Selwa Hussain joins as EMEA CFO. 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
Marketing measurement software and analytics firm DoubleVerify has acquired digital video tech company Zentrick, which it says will help scale its solution for advertisers and publishers. More
US-headquartered purchase intelligence platform Cardlytics has appointed Jared Luskin as Senior Vice President for Growth Verticals, while John Hider joins as Vice President of Grocery Ad Partnerships. More
In London, automated online MR platform Fastuna has hired corporate researcher Maria Soroka as Managing Director for Europe. More
DIY survey specialist SurveyMonkey has partnered with Microsoft, to help users integrate and visualize business survey feedback and uncover insights, within the tools they are already using. 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
SurveyMonkey's parent company SVMK has reported a 19% increase in fourth quarter and full-year revenue to $68m and $254m respectively. Meanwhile CFO Tim Maly plans to retire, to pursue his passion for 'climbing, skiing and adventure in the mountains'. More
WPP's Kantar has appointed Amy Cashman and Darren Bhattachary as Co-CEO's of its Kantar Insights Division, taking over from Will Galgey who has recently been named the division's Chief Operating Officer. More
France-based BVA Group, the parent of BDRC and PRS IN VIVO, has acquired Italian market research and opinion poll specialist Doxa from Alchimia Holdings. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
American survey analysis and data visualisation software provider mTAB has acquired Swiss MR software company Slideworx, which specialises in market intelligence and advanced analytics for CMOs. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Online sampling and digital data collection firm Dynata - which until recently was known as Research Now SSI - has partnered with online ad targeting specialist TruSignal, to help brands drive more precisely targeted marketing campaigns. More
Marketing personalisation tech firm Qubit has appointed Marco Vergani as Chief Operating Officer, based in its London headquarters. More
Digital MR services firm Bilendi Group has signed an agreement to acquire Italy's online panel provider Via! for an undisclosed sum. Former Research Now-SSI Italy CEO Patrizia Elli joins Via! to accelerate development of the Italian market. More
Enterprise data and analytics provider LiveRamp has reported a 35% increase in third quarter revenue to $80m, compared with $59m in the prior year period. In addition, the firm has expanded its IdentityLink platform with the addition of connected TV (CTV) identifiers. More
Online sample marketplace PureSpectrum has launched a DIY eCommerce insights platform called Storefront. More
Former Scottish National Party MP Angus Robertson has launched a polling and research organisation called 'Progress Scotland', which will examine political opinion in the country following the Scottish independence and Brexit referenda. More
Kantar company Lightspeed has promoted Jackie Blackler and Simon Buckley to serve as Co-Managing Directors, leading the firm's EMEA business from its offices in London. 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
Healthcare research specialist P\S\L Group has transferred Carolyn Chamberlain to the role of Managing Director of its healthcare tracking and testing business, Instar Europe. More
Ipsos has launched a tracking study called the Global Citizens and Data Privacy Survey, in partnership with not-for-profit organization the World Economic Forum. The survey aims to shed light on the lack of knowledge and trust around the use of personal data by companies and governments. More
DiscoverOrg has acquired Zoom Information, Inc (ZoomInfo), bringing together two B2B intelligence platforms to service sales, marketing and recruiting professionals. 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
PR and media intelligence firm Cision has appointed Precise Media Group co-founders Peter Low and Keir Fawcus to head up its EMEA team, as MD and SVP of Sales respectively. The two both worked at Kantar Media after the WPP division acquired Precise in 2014. More
In Brussels, WPP's government and public sector advisory business Kantar Public has appointed long-time Ecorys leader Roelof-Jan Molemaker as Chief Executive Officer Benelux. He will take up his role in March 2019. More
In the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is to audit the data protection practices at pro-Brexit campaigning group Leave.EU and at Eldon Insurance, the company owned by Leave.EU co-founder Arron Banks, after fining both £120k for 'serious breaches' of electronic marketing laws. More
Content discovery and personalisation platform Outbrain has re-organised its UK management team, with Stephanie Himoff, former MD of Northern Europe, taking on the corporate role of Vice President of Global Publishers and Platforms. 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
London-based data collection, analysis and advisory services specialist Kudos Research is expanding into mainland Europe with the opening of a new office in Berlin. This new operation will be led by Divisional Director Volker Balk. More
Former WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell has repaid the company £170k of personal expenses for items such as ski trips, travel for his wife and child, and objects for his home in New York, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. More
Pricing and strategy consultant Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced 2018 revenue up 23% to $360m, its strongest growth in more than a decade. More
Data collection firm Schlesinger Group has partnered with video analytics specialist Voxpopme for a new service, Schlesinger OnDemand Plus, offering fast access to video data, fast human transcription, video analytics and management, and secure storage of analyzed data for easy future access. More
In the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has appointed former European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx as a non-executive Director. More
Business software giant SAP has completed its acquisition of 'experience management' (XM) software specialist Qualtrics. More
Digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics has named former Ipsos CEO Liz Musch as the new Chair of its Board of Directors. 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
Dynata - which until last week was known as Research Now SSI - has hired former Zappistore exec Tiama Hanson-Drury as Executive Vice President, Product Development; and announced five further changes to the company's executive leadership. More
Customer engagement solutions company NGDATA has appointed Doug Gross as Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder Luc Burgelman who is leaving the business. More
In Dublin, Ireland, DIY survey software firm SurveyMonkey has hired former Facebook / Google exec Joe Cummiskey as Senior Director of Enterprise Sales in EMEA. More
In France, B2B data provider the Altares Group has appointed Luc Querton as Chief Executive Officer. 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
In London, Publicis Groupe's 'Spine' data and analytics arm has appointed former Microsoft exec Ian Thomas as Chief Data Officer. More
Dynata - which until last week was known as Research Now SSI - has acquired consumer insights and marketing services umbrella Reimagine Holdings Group. More
France's data regulator CNIL has fined Google EUR 50m (£44m / $57m) for breaching European Union online data privacy rules. 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
This is the year's last edition of Daily Research News. To all those of you who are celebrating it, a very Merry Christmas - and to all those taking one, have a great holiday! We wish all our readers, clients, contributors and friends around the world happiness and success in 2018. More
Research Now and SSI have completed their merger, with the joint business now known as 'Research Now SSI' and led by former Research Now CEO Gary Laben. More
Pollsters predicted the correct outcome of every major national election held in 2017, according to research conducted by Kantar. 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
UK research industry veteran Jonathan Sheldrake is joining US data collection and fieldwork services firm Opinions LTD as Sales Director, EMEA. More
Data-driven performance marketing agency Merkle has appointed Julia Crawley-Boevey as Head of Mergers and Acquisitions for EMEA, and says next year will see its M&A activity in the region 'increasing significantly'. 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
Havas Group-owned mobile strategy, design and analytics business Mobext has hired Kaoutar Benazzi to lead its French operations. More
Audience measurement firm comScore says it plans to cut 175 jobs, and that COO Cameron Meierhoefer has stepped down. 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
Czech Republic-based social media analytics firm Socialbakers has announced what it says are the 'world's first video performance benchmarks for social media networks', allowing marketers to understand how their videos perform in a competitive context. More
ESOMAR has taken the relatively rare step of warning its members about the activities of a company, following multiple complaints about the late payment practices of Mumbai-based FieldGlobal Market Research Pvt Ltd. More
Digital research agency MetrixLab has appointed Nick Langeveld as President of its US business, a new position based in its office in Norwalk CT. More
Sweden-based research firm Nepa has announced third quarter growth in net sales of 18.8%, to SEK 45.6m (USD 5.41m). Major investment continues to hit EBIT, which dropped to SEK -8.6m. More
MR reporting and dashboard software provider Dapresy has appointed former FocusVision exec Toby Fowler as VP, Business Development, based in London. More
Seattle-based online qual firm Discuss.io has appointed long-time Ipsos exec Frank Jellinek as Growth Director for the UK and Europe. More
Facebook has selected European ad visibility analyst Meetrics as its first viewability measurement partner based outside the US. 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
Ipsos Healthcare has launched a syndicated study called the Severe Asthma Therapy Monitor, in the US, with other markets to follow. 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
London-based online community specialist Verve has launched a multi-country 'pop-up communities' approach for qual studies. Local language moderation combined with captioned video allows head office staff to 'hear and feel the customer emotion' firsthand, while understanding it in English. More
Cint is adding its audience data, covering more than 40 million consumers across 100 countries, to the data marketplace and analytics platform of Sydney, Aus-based Data Republic, offering clients improved customer insight and targeting. 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
European online specialist InSites Consulting has acquired Sydney, Australia-based Direction First, adding to its existing facilities in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, the US and Germany. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Amsterdam-based software company Upinion has added a feature to its platform, allowing market research through Facebook Messenger's chat facility. 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
Marcoms giant Dentsu Aegis Network has agreed to buy Netherlands and Dubai-based performance marketing agency Oxyma Group, which will subsequently be integrated into its Merkle subsidiary. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Helsinki, Finland-based marketing analytics company Supermetrics has raised EUR 3.5m (£3.1m) in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to further develop its technology. 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
Social network analyst Engager has partnered with TAM Ireland to measure how the country's TV audiences engage with social media. 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
Scientific and medical communications network Porterhouse Medical Group has launched a research division, Porterhouse Insights. Fabrice Allum, previously of Double Helix Discovery and McCann Health, joins to lead it as Managing Director. More
US data firm Verisk Analytics, Inc. has appointed former Nasdaq CFO Lee M. Shavel as EVP and Chief Financial Officer. SVP Eva Huston will depart 'to pursue opportunities outside the company' after a three-month handover period. More
New Zealand-based MR software provider Infotools has launched a cloud-based platform called Harmoni, which uses machine learning and automation to streamline and improve researchers' analysis of data. 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
comScore co-founder Gian Fulgoni has brought forward his retirement date, originally planned for the end of next January, and stepped down as CEO. No reason has been given for this change. 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
US-based Information Services Group has announced results for the third quarter of 2017. Revenue rose 30 percent at constant currency to $68.3m, in part due to the acquisition of Alsbridge Holdings in December. 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
Ipsos Healthcare has announced the Australian launch of its syndicated Lab Mapping Study, already available in the US and the five biggest European markets. The study delivers a comprehensive picture of the laboratories involved in cancer biomarker testing. More
Health data giant QuintilesIMS has changed its name to IQVIA. From November 15th, shares will trade on the NYSE under the new name and new ticker symbol 'IQV'. 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
Toluna has announced its intention to define and lead a new business concept and market category, 'Insights on Demand', and says it is collaborating with industry thought leaders and creating educational resources to advance its vision. More
US-based Out-of-Home (OOH) ad analytics specialist LiveReach Media is expanding to Europe through the acquisition of a majority stake in Belgian digital signage ad targeting specialist NewFusion. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
DIY research company SurveyMonkey has partnered with insights exchange operator Cint, to provide its users with access to the latter firm's 40 million respondents in 100 countries. More
Ad visibility analyst Meetrics has been granted full accreditation by the US-based Media Rating Council (MRC), across both anti-fraud and viewability, including in-app environments. The firm says it is the first in Europe with this combination of awards. 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
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has enhanced its DIY Samplify platform with the addition of a survey authoring tool, designed for individuals with no special research expertise. More
Social media analytics firm Socialbakers has launched an AI-powered performance prediction and optimization tool for Instagram, enabling marketers to identify and monitor their top-performing content, and understand how their competitors are investing their ad budget on the platform. 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
London-based agency Network Research has appointed Chris Hall as its new Commercial Director. Starting next Monday, he takes overall responsibility for sales and marketing, and for the custom research team. More
In Paris, Havas-owned social media unit Socialyse, which combines technology and monitoring tools with the skills of analysts, has appointed Philippe Torloting as Chief Operating Officer. More
German sample and panel provider respondi has launched an interactive analysis tool called 'beatery', which connects declarative and behavioral data with the aim of delivering 'more exact, speedier, and simple insight into people and markets'. More
Professional services firm KPMG UK has partnered with Microsoft to build its Customer Experience Cloud, using both customer and operational insights to help clients redesign customer journeys, improve employee experience, and achieve better financial returns from CX investments. More
comScore co-founder and CEO Gian Fulgoni is to retire at the end of January, shortly after his 70th birthday. Following this will resume his previous Chairman Emeritus role, and provide the firm with advisory services for a further twelve months. More
In the US, Twitter has formally agreed to submit a set of key metrics for accreditation by the Media Rating Council (MRC), which has begun the first phase of the process. More
Online competitive intelligence provider Hitwise has partnered with Kantar Media to enable marketers to combine data on their audiences' opinions and attitudes with their search and web site visiting behaviour. More
San Diego, California-based online panel and technology firm Branded Research has appointed long-time Nebu exec Ian Roberts as Head of Sales, EMEA, based in the UK. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics specialist MetrixLab has appointed former Nielsen exec Brady Ni as Managing Director for Greater China, replacing Edwin Song. More
Research software firm Confirmit has appointed Halvor Stokke as Chief Financial Officer, following former CFO Ken Østreng's promotion to President and CEO earlier this year. More
US and Canadian professional bodies the Insights Association and MRIA have written an open letter to Apple, claiming that its new Safari browser poses 'a severe and almost insuperable problem for online marketing research and analytics'. More
Richard Korn has returned to Ipsos as MD of its Loyalty division in Sydney, after a four and a half year spell in Hong Kong. More
Sample marketplace firm Lucid has announced the launch of 'Reach', a machine learning solution providing users of its Fulcrum sample platform with instant feasibility and pricing on a planned study. More
WPP has partnered with customer experience management software company Sitecore, which offers tools for collecting customer data and real-time insights using machine learning. More
Eye tracking solutions provider Tobii Pro and motion capture specialist Qualisys have integrated their technologies to provide combined analysis of eye and body movements. More
Marcoms giant Havas Group has acquired a 49% stake in two Algerian-based agencies including HVS, which offers media consultancy and planning using its own tool for the measurement of ROI; and creative and communications agency GANFOOD. More
Omnicom has moved its online community specialist C Space into its Interbrand Group, and at the same time named C Space CEO Charles Trevail as the new Chief Exec of Interbrand. He succeeds Jez Frampton who is retiring at the end of the year. 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
Digital data solutions leaders Research Now and SSI have signed a merger agreement. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Marcoms group Publicis has launched an initiative called Spine, which brings together its data assets, technology and appropriate talent to help clients turn data into business insight. It will be led by Lisa Donohue, as Chief Executive Officer. More
Animal health and agriculture researcher Kynetec has acquired Market Probe Agriculture & Animal Health and Market Probe Europe. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Insights exchange operator Cint has partnered with data commercialization platform Narrative I/O, to give clients access to 'self-declared' first-person data. 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
Kantar Media has teamed up with software firm TechEdge to create a dedicated audience analytics software unit, focused on bringing innovative products to market. Andreas Velter will lead the new business, reporting to Kantar Media CEO & Chairman Andy Brown. 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
Along with a host of hardware launches this week, Google has announced the roll-out of the 'Insights Engine Project', including six products using machine learning to promote data visualization and integration. 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
Insights and marketing services holding company Reimagine has appointed Dan Fitzgerald, previously Chief Client and Marketing Officer at Lightspeed, to its leadership team as Managing Partner. More
Research solutions and online data firm Survey Healthcare (SHC) has announced record growth in 2017 to date, including a near 50 percent increase its in production staff, now 35-strong. It has also rebranded, dropping the word 'Universal' from its corporate identity. 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
Animal health and agriculture insights firm Kynetec has appointed Nomman Ahmed as Senior Director of Insights & Consulting, based in Frankfurt, Germany. 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
IBM has launched the 'Integrated Analytics System', which gives users access to advanced data science capabilities and the ability to work with their data across private, public or hybrid cloud environments. 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
In the US, comScore has appointed Joseph Rostock as Chief Information Officer, leading the technology division, and at the same time promoted Yvonne Bigbee to CTO, reporting to him. 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
The founders of four market research agencies in Europe and the US - Kerry Hecht Labsuirs, Naomi Gooblar, Martha Llobet and Nikki Lavoie - have formed a collaborative group called The Ignite Collective, offering a range of services to MR buyers. 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
Cint has relocated Deputy CEO Richard Thornton from San Francisco back to London, taking the new role of Chief Operating Officer; while Oscar Carlsson has been appointed Chief Innovation Officer, based in San Francisco. Greg Dunbar and James Rogers are also promoted to new EVP roles. More
Contrary to what you might have concluded from our last two reports, there was lots of talk in Amsterdam about both the great trends shaping market research, and the specifics of current projects and problems. Our correspondent Nick Thomas found some gems in the latter. Part 3 of 4. More
Ipsos Marketing has launched a screening approach called DUEL, which taps learnings from behavioral science and cognitive psychology to capture consumer reactions without the use of scaled responses. More
Ipsos has appointed Geeta Lobo as Executive Director and Head of Ipsos Bengaluru in India; while in the US, the firm's media and brand communication business Ipsos Connect has hired Michael Baer as SVP, Head of Audience Measurement Group (AMG). 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
Healthcare data collection firm M3 Global Research has acquired Gothenburg, Sweden-based healthcare specialist QQFS for an undisclosed sum. More
Still looking for that killer session or stand-out moment of inspiration, DRNO's roving / raving reporter Nick Thomas continues to avoid the methodological and technology-related papers at the 70th Congress in Amsterdam. Part 2 of 4. More
Tokyo, Japan-based online specialist Macromill has acquired US-based research agency Acturus through its MetrixLab US subsidiary. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Hardened cynic Nick Thomas headed to Amsterdam for last week's ESOMAR Congress, in search of inspiration. The 70-year-old (that's the Congress, not Nick) seems in Ruud good health, as we say in Holland. Part 1 of 4. More
Video-first social media company The Keli Network has launched a video analysis tool called Winston, with the aim of increasing engagement with the company's content. 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
US-based survey sample firm ProdegeMR has partnered with Lucid, whose Fulcrum distribution channel will aid its expansion in the European market. 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
Online survey pioneer Confirmit has announced a partnership with mobile messaging firm Infobip, offering enhanced international SMS capabilities and coverage to those engaged in research, customer experience and employee engagement programmes. More
DoubleVerify, which provides digital media measurement software and analytics, has appointed Olaf Mahar as MD of its operations in Germany. More
Full-service agency RAIT, which is based in the Baltic Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, has acquired GfK's custom research operations in the region, excluding the GfK Retail and Technology arm. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. More
comScore has announced a global roll-out for its free Viewability measurement service, which allows users to measure digital campaigns continuously within and across publishers and ad networks. More
In New York, Ipsos has announced that academic Jesse Itzkowitz is joining its Behavioral Science Center. More
Online panel and data collection specialist Netquest has hired former Research Now MD Marc Smaluhn for its newly created role of Managing Director, Europe. More
The ESOMAR Foundation, the charity arm of industry association ESOMAR, has appointed System1 Group founder and CEO John Kearon as its new President, succeeding Gunilla Broadbent who held the role since 2013. More
US-based behavioral science research and consulting firm Sentient Decision Science has expanded to Europe through the opening of an office in London. More
Nielsen Brandbank - which collects, manages and distributes FMCG product and brand image content - has launched its first full-service content studio in the US. More
In London, online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has appointed former Future Thinking UK MD Claudia Strauss as Senior Client Director. More
New York-based marketing analytics firm Analytics Partners has opened an office in Hamburg, Germany, and hired former Research Now exec Achim Schoeneich as Managing Director. More
Healthcare market research and consulting firm Research Partnership has rolled out its Living with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) study in the US. 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
Prediction market research, analytics and software specialist Consensus Point has launched its Hunnu tool on ZappiStore's automated research platform. 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
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has appointed Angie French as Chief Executive Officer, EMEA. She will join on 1st November, taking over from Caroline Frankum who was promoted to Global CEO in April. More
Ad technology platform Adform has partnered with digital data collection specialist Research Now, to offer targeting of consumers at the 'right time on the right device'. More
Research data solutions firm SSI has launched a self-service suite of tools, for use by experts and novices. The tools cover everything from sampling and survey building to reporting of results. More
UK online market research provider FlexMR has partnered with Madrid-based Idea Strategic Research Solutions, to support 'growing demand' from its Spanish clients. The firm has also hired two full-time Spanish speaking staff in the UK. More
GfK has appointed Cheong Tai to lead its Asia Pacific business, while promoting Margret Schuit to oversee activities in Southern Europe. They will both report to CEO Peter Feld. More
In an interim report, Stockholm-based research firm Nepa has announced net sales up 9.4% in the second quarter to SEK 55.0m (US$6.91m) and up 16.7% in the first half of 2017 to SEK 106.1m (US$13.33m). Planned investment dragged on profitability as the company seeks rapid growth. 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
COO Alessandra Cama is leaving GfK, resigning with immediate effect after around two years as a member of the company's Management Board. More
Kantar Media's purchase of Irish company Newsaccess has been cleared by the country's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), following an extensive investigation and with Kantar required to make divestments and contract changes. More
Recently-formed research software firm QuenchTec says it has finished integrating the platforms of MARSC and MI-Pro, from whose merger it was born ten months ago; and launched Q_Suite, an end-to-end research platform. More
Digital marketing dashboard and call tracking platform NinjaCat is opening a UK office, boosting its growth in EMEA markets. More
Ipsos Healthcare has extended its Global Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) Therapy Monitor to Japan. 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
Communications group Havas has acquired a majority stake in Israel-based social media marketing agency Blink, which specializes in managing conversations between consumers and brands. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
UK-based market research and ad company System1 Group is expecting a decline in profit for the year ending 31st March 2018. Full year profit before tax is set to fall by between 10% and 15% from the £6.3m achieved last year. More
Customer insights agency SKIM has appointed pharma industry research specialist Fred Church as Healthcare Team Director, based in its Hoboken, New Jersey office. 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
GfK has appointed Jutta Suchanek as Chief Human Resources Officer and Benjamin Jones as Chief Technology Officer. Both take on newly created roles, and will become members of the firm's Executive Leadership team. 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
Lightspeed has launched the 'Gravity Network', a partnership arrangement between selected data companies to provide 'a vastly larger pool than traditionally sourced Double Opt-In (DOI) research panels alone'. Partners in the network include Cint, Lucid, Tap Research, P2Sample and Dalia. More
CEO Jamin Brazil and Chief Product Officer Jayme Plunkett, the co-founders of MR tech firm Decipher, have left research technology and services group FocusVision, according to industry sources. More
US organisation GreenBook has beta launched Savio, a platform inspired by the 'gig economy' and allowing users to buy in research expertise to use with online research tools or as a standalone service. Features include ratings and reviews, project management tools and payment processing. More
Cross-industry body The European Viewability Steering Group (EVSG) has launched a 'European Viewability Certification Framework', including a first set of viewability measurement principles. More
In Belgium, relationship marketing solutions specialist Selligent has appointed former Salesforce COO John Hernandez as Chief Executive Officer, replacing founder Andre Lejeune who will remain on the Board of Directors. More
In New York, GfK has appointed cross-platform media measurement specialist John Sollecito as EVP and Team Leader of Media & Entertainment. More
In London, digital research data firm Research Now has hired former McKinsey insights consultant Floriane Locatelli as Business Development Director for the EMEA region. 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
Research software firm Confirmit has appointed Jason Mallia as Country Manager, overseeing operations in Australia and New Zealand. More
Toluna has added to its real-time insights platform QuickSurveys with the launch of QuickCommunities, a DIY product for building, creating and recruiting target consumers into a custom community. More
Kantar Media is to integrate Facebook data into its Twitter TV Ratings tool, which will be renamed the Kantar Social TV Ratings tool. More
US-based holding company Information Services Group (ISG) has announced results for the second quarter and first half ended June 30th 2017, with revenues up 15 percent at constant currency to $68.0m, in part reflecting an acquisition in December. 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
Ipsos Healthcare has launched its Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) Therapy Monitor in Europe's big five markets (Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Spain), with plans to extend to additional markets at a later date. More
US-based research body the Insights Association has formed an International Chapter, to provide member companies and individuals operating outside the country with enhanced service and support. This is the association's twelfth chapter, and its first outside the US. More
New York-based hedge fund Starboard Value has bought a stake in comScore, aiming to force the company to schedule its first Annual General Meeting in two years. 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
In the US, technology specialist Forrester has reported a 1% fall in Research revenues for the three months ended June 30th, to $54.6m. However, a strong performance by the Advisory Services and Events division meant group revenue rose 2.2% to $87.8m. 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
US-based on-demand panel and sample company Innovate MR has opened an office in London, where it has appointed Brendan Russell to supervise its European sales strategy. More
US-based social media intelligence platform Synthesio has acquired Brussels, Belgium-based Social Karma, for an undisclosed sum. More
Former respondi UK MD Christopher Morasch has joined German-based mobile survey specialist Dalia Research as Head of Sales. More
WPP-owned marcoms group J. Walter Thompson (JWT) has launched an internal artificial intelligence solution called Pangaea, through which those in its network can ask questions and get answers from any of the firm's more than 12,000 employees around the world. More
Ad auditing firm Adloox has been accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for its measures of desktop digital video viewable ad impressions, mobile web display served ad impressions, and mobile web SIVT (sophisticated invalid traffic). 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
Former RED C Joint Managing Director David Cullen has left the Dublin-based firm after five years, to set up a strategic consulting firm for insight and analytics called Bayes & Becker. More
Cint has opened a sixth US office, in Chicago, and appointed former SSI exec Joseph Jordan who will work from it as SVP of Supply. More
Audience data specialist Eyeota has partnered with native advertising tech platform Nativo to offer clients help using audience data to optimize native and content advertising campaigns worldwide. 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
In the US, data activation platform Sizmek is to acquire predictive marketing software company Rocket Fuel for approximately $145m. 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
UK-based agency Future Thinking has appointed Mohamed Muhsin as Head of Pharma UK, while Véronique Bonrepaux-Caux joins as Head of Healthcare France. More
In France, Eurodata TV Worldwide, the international division of French audience measurement firm Médiamétrie, is opening a Content Insight division led by Avril Blondelot. In addition, Florent Carême has been promoted to the role of Head of Research. More
DIY research giant SurveyMonkey has unveiled a rebrand and a major upgrade of its products, including a refreshed logo; a new platform, 'People Powered Data'; tools for customer experience data and employee surveys; an integrated version of its Audience product; and a 'Genius' survey design coach. More
In New York, data expert Michael Kaushansky has been named President of customer engagement agency Havas Helia in North America, alongside his existing role as Chief Data Officer of parent company the Havas Group. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has been granted a US patent for its 'Honesty Detector' online respondent validation product. 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
Global financial services advisory and intermediary firm NMG has acquired a minority stake in Belgian-based advanced analytics company Boobook. The latter will remain independent, with founder and MD Nicole Huyghe at the helm, but gain from NMG's global network and infrastructure. 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
Berlin-based customer intelligence provider Webtrekk has named freenet CEO Christoph Vilanek as Chairman of the Board, with an eye to 'explosive growth'. More
In Germany, WPP's digital ad targeting specialist plista has promoted Michel Gagnon to the role of Global Managing Director, replacing Jana Kusick who has stepped down for personal reasons. More
Paris-based AI-driven marketing platform Tinyclues has appointed former RichRelevance exec Matthieu Chouard as Senior Vice President Sales EMEA, charged with 'dramatically accelerating growth'. More
In the Netherlands, the joint industry committee responsible for the national readership survey has hired GfK to integrate brand consumption data from newspapers and magazines with that from online published media. More
Havas Media has launched a division called Socialyse Influence, which will monitor all client influencer campaigns, and ensure they are accurately measured. More
In London, advertising and digital transformation agency R/GA has hired Hanan Belarbi for the newly created role of Head of Data, EMEA. More
Toluna's healthcare division has partnered with healthcare-focused digital platform Treato, to gain access to the latter's users for survey research purposes. More
News and information provider Thomson Reuters has launched a division which will help early-stage entrepreneurs build products focused on big data, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning. 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
British Airways has named Carolina Martinoli as its new Director of Brand and Customer Experience. She will take up the role in August. 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
Consumer panels firm Netquest has appointed Johnny Caldwell as MD of a new company, Netquest UK. 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
Health data giant QuintilesIMS may be looking to divest its contract sales business for as much as $1 billion, according to a report from Reuters. More
In the Republic of Ireland, PR industry body the PRII has asked competition regulators to intervene in Kantar Media's acquisition of family-owned Newsaccess, and compel the WPP firm to divest part of its Irish business. More
Content and revenue protection firm Verimatrix has acquired the MiriMON real-time insight technology and development team from UK-based GfK company Genius Digital, with whom it will remain partners. More
Toluna has enhanced its QuickSurveys suite, with users now able to select from more than 200 'hyper-targeted' demographic and profile audiences. More
Amsterdam-based software company Upinion has launched a new messaging app for use in market research, exploiting the rise of messaging tools like WhatsApp and consumers' familiarity and comfort with using them. More
Research associations ESOMAR, AGOF and EFAMRO have combined with three broadcasting and publishing associations to form a new Coalition for Audience Measurement, supporting the EU as it considers reform of it ePrivacy Directive. More
US-based data collection group Schlesinger Associates has acquired Spanish full-service fieldwork agency BDI Research. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Italian confectioner Ferrero has opened its first Asian Innovation Centre in Singapore, where it will focus on consumer food science, biotechnology, health and nutrition, consumer insight and design. More
Fieldwork company Made in Surveys has launched a UK service called 'Instant Insight', through which users can field a survey of four to nine questions administered to a nationally representative sample, and then receive a full report and the raw data within 48 hours. More
London-based mobile marketing company Verve has acquired German proximity-based push marketing specialist matchinguu for an undisclosed sum. More
Swedish firm Tobii Pro has launched a tool which extends eye tracking research to non-game virtual environments. More
comScore's Chief Technology Officer Michael Brown is to leave the company, as a restructuring exercise combines the technology and product teams into a group reporting to COO Cameron Meierhoefer - according to a filing. More
comScore has expanded its MMX Multi-Platform measurement and upgraded its Mobile Metrix offer, in both Germany and China - the latter in partnership with Kantar JV CTR Market Research. More
Nielsen has launched what it describes as the first-ever audio data management platform (DMP), which connects radio formats to real off-line purchase data for 'highly specific radio audience targeting'. More
Czech Republic-based social media analytics firm Socialbakers has appointed Yuval Ben-Itzhak as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Robert Lang who left in April. The firm has also re-appointed investor Martin Huml as President and COO. 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
Consumer insight consultancy BDRC has launched the 'Media Global Passenger Study' (Media GPS), which will use a sample of more than 16,000 international air passengers to understand media usage among nearly ten million weekly travellers. More
Pharma sector forecasting and insights specialist J+D Consulting has partnered with Seigo Maeda, founder of SDMJ Consulting in Japan, to support its global expansion plans. More
Digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics has launched a product called Audience Profiles, which promises publishers in the US and Europe data on consumer behavior, demographics and device usage, plus competitive insights all in one package. More
comScore has expanded its Board of Directors from seven people to twelve. The new arrivals are Lisa Gersh, Joshua Peirez, Mark Harris, Jacques Kerrest and Susan Riley. More
Cross-screen data management platform (DMP) Lotame has partnered with insights exchange operator Cint, to enable publishers and advertisers to create custom research panels. 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
Seattle-based online qual firm Discuss.io has opened an office in London, where it has appointed former Kinesis Survey Technologies MD Tariq Mirza as Managing Director, Europe. More
In London, WPP digital data collection arm Lightspeed has promoted Leon De Koning to the newly created role of VP, Client Sales EMEA, overseeing strategic account planning and client services, and expanding the business development team. He will also oversee three new EMEA vertical divisions. More
Paris-based mass media conglomerate Vivendi has entered into an official agreement to buy Bolloré Group's c.60% majority stake in multinational marcoms group Havas, at a price of EUR 9.25 per share. More
Online insights exchange Cint has opened an office in Hong Kong, where it has appointed Ronald Leung as APAC Regional VP of Supply and Heather Hughes as APAC Regional VP of Partnerships and Alliances. The firm has also made hires in the US and UK. More
WPP agency Wunderman has acquired digital transformation consultancy The Cocktail, based in Spain. More
Swedish television research specialist MMS has launched a digital ad ratings service built on GfK's data integration and data science capabilities. The firms are now working on integrating linear TV data with the new service, to enable the tracking of video consumption across multiple devices. More
MR language and translation specialist GlobaLexicon has relocated its Seville-based European Operations Centre to larger offices, following a recent recruitment drive. More
Digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics has hired former Nielsen exec Tero Lindberg as Head of Technology Operations. More
Ad group Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired Stockholm, Sweden-based digital analytics and conversion company Outfox. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Berlin, Germany-based insights-driven marketing software business Market Logic has raised EUR 45m in a round of funding, which it will use to accelerate company growth. 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
US data firm Verisk Analytics has acquired Danish wind and solar power market intelligence and advisory business MAKE. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In the US, Kantar Health has partnered with tech giant Nokia to develop a longitudinal cohort study, to improve understanding of the impact of 'lifestyle therapy' on diabetes treatment and patient outcomes. More
GfK has appointed Christian Bigatà Joseph as Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Christian Diedrich, who will hand over his responsibilities and leave at the end of his contract. More
Denmark's Saxo Bank has appointed former McKinsey exec Arnoud Roxendaal as Chief Experience Officer (CXO), responsible for the firm's global user experience strategies across marketing, digital, PR and external communications, and competitive intelligence. 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
Facebook has been fined EUR 110 million by the European Commission, for providing misleading information when it acquired WhatsApp, in 2014. More
Healthcare MR agency AplusA has added an office in Munich, Germany to existing locations in France, the UK and the US; and has brought in Director Alexander Edte to head it up. More
In the US, two former Apple engineers have launched a foot traffic counting and analytics firm called Dor, with $3.8m in seed funding. More
Business information and events group Informa has expanded and restructured its Business Intelligence division, as it combines with the brands and businesses acquired from New York-based Penton Information Services last November. More
In New York, Ipsos Marketing has appointed Alison Chaltas, the co-founder of shopper marketing consultancy Interscope, as Global President, Path to Purchase. More
Sweden and North America-based data visualization specialist Dapresy has received an undisclosed amount of financial backing from Nordic private equity fund Verdane Capital IX. 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
In Austria, marcoms giant Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired full-service media agency media.at, which provides consulting, research and data analysis relating to comms strategy, ad planning and buying, and ad verification. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
In Germany, mobile game marketing technology developer Simplaex has closed a $2.6m Series A round of funding, and says it plans to reposition itself as an insight and activation platform, expanding into new sectors. 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
Data visualisation specialist Dapresy has hired former long-time E-Tabs exec Ken Brewster as a Director in its UK office. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has launched an automated research solution called SmartAR, promising completed surveys in a matter of days. 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
WPP has reported a flat quarter, with group like-for-like revenue up 0.2%. In the Data Investment Management division, Kantar, like-for-like revenue once again trailed the rest of the group, down 3.4%, despite strong growth in net sales in the UK, Latin America and Africa. 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
US technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 3% drop in its first quarter Research revenues, to $51.7m. Overall first quarter group revenues were down slightly from $77.4m to $77.2m. More
Research technology and services group FocusVision has upgraded its FV Decipher online survey and reporting solution to make it compatible with Confirmit XML for data transfers and imports. 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
Customer analytics firm Flytxt has closed an $11m round of funding, which it will invest in expansion of its telecom industry software product and to expand the solution into other verticals. More
GfK's global Health practice has appointed Pankaj Thapar as Industry Lead for North America, while Jan Güse will move to a similar leadership role in the Germany / Switzerland region. More
Ipsos Healthcare has extended its syndicated Psoriasis and IBD Therapy Monitors into China, where it will also re-launch its Lupus Therapy Monitor. 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
Following its recent acquisition of media and entertainment data provider Gracenote, Nielsen is formally adopting the latter's 'IDs' as the standard content identifier across all its audience measurement solutions. More
Netherlands-based customer feedback software developer Mopinion has launched a feature which captures and analyses visual online feedback, helping clients to improve overall web site usability and further optimise user experience. More
In the US, software giant Oracle has acquired digital ad analytics and viewability measurement specialist Moat. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
In the US, online community and survey tech provider Toluna has launched a service called RapidResultsRx, to help clients obtain 'quick-turn' insight from medical professionals. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has hired former WPP / Kantar exec George Pappachen for a newly created position, EVP Corporate Development & Strategy. 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
US-based survey technology firm Qualtrics has raised $180m in a Series C round of funding, valuing the business at $2.5 billion. 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
US-based sampling automation provider Lucid has raised $60m in a minority investment round led by private equity firm North Bridge Growth Equity. The funds will be used for further product development and to expand the team. More
In the US, MFour Mobile Research has received $5m in funding, which it will use to expand its business, products and staff numbers. 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
Data-driven CRM and performance marketing agency Merkle has expanded its European operations and data offerings through the acquisition of Spanish digital intelligence consultancy DIVISADERO. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has hired former Nasdaq director Johanna Isander for a newly created position, Chief Human Resources Officer, supporting its global growth and talent management initiatives. More
In the US, digital analytics specialist Webtrends has sold its Infinity big data platform to software giant Oracle for an undisclosed sum. As part of the deal, just under half of Webtrends' employees will move to Oracle during the next few months. More
Research software company Confirmit has expanded its customer experience assessment methodology with the launch of a model called Compass, which aims to understand the stages of maturity in Voice of Customer (VoC) programme development. 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
Big data firm Cloudera has filed for an IPO, aiming to raise another $200m to add to around $1 billion in private investments received in previous years. More
In an interim report, Sweden-based Voice of the Customer specialist Nepa AB has announced a 'fantastic year', including net sales growth of 25.3% in Q4. Full year 2016 net sales increased 19.4% SEK 184.4m ($US 20.6m). The firm has also recently acquired the outstanding 20% of shares in its sales subsidiary Nepa India. More
Digital MR services firm Bilendi Group has paid an undisclosed cash sum to acquire Leuven, Belgium-based panel specialist iVOX. 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
In Germany, social research group infas Holding AG has set up a full-service agency called infas quo, offering strategic management consulting based on market research. The business will be led by former GfK exec Karsten John, who is also a previous infas employee. 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
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has hired Jay Rampuria to lead global business development for both itself and parent company ITWP. More
B2B information and events business Incisive Media has sold its insight division, 'The Insight Group', to French B2B publisher Infopro Digital. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Ipsos has promoted industry veteran Dean Luker to the role of Corporate Development Director, responsible for its acquisition programme in support of the company's overall strategy. He replaces Deputy CEO Carlos Harding, who passed away in December. 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
Ipsos has partnered with viewability measurement specialist Moat to launch a solution called Connect:Digital, which pre-tests digital ads via a combination of creative impact analysis and digital trading measures. More
In Japan, online specialist Macromill has completed its listing on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE). More
Oslo, Norway-based fieldwork group Norstat has appointed former Survey Sampling director Rosie Ayoub as Managing Director in the UK. In addition, Remek Gabrys has joined the London office as Business Development Manager. 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
Analytics firm Bisnode is to acquire German marketing solutions provider Global Group Dialog Solutions AG. More
Publicis-owned technology and marketing services company SapientRazorfish has launched a 'business transformation' offering, with six integrated services spanning data and artificial intelligence, customer experience, and digital business strategy and innovation. More
Advertising group Havas is launching its Adcity out-of-home (OOH) and geolocation-based communications division in Germany, where it will open on April 1st. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has promoted Caroline Frankum to Chief Executive Officer, replacing David Day who is leaving for a role in the UK Foreign Office. Nick Nyhan becomes Chairman. 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
In London, healthcare data collection firm SHC Universal has promoted Niraj Patel to role of Managing Director Europe. 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
Research and consulting firm Information Services Group has announced results for Q4 2016 and for the full year. At constant currency, full year revenues rose 4% to $216.5m, while the profit measure adjusted EBITDA fell 12% to $19.9m. 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
US-based mobile research and retail data collection specialist Field Agent has expanded to the UK, where it has promoted Robin Shuker to the role of Managing Director. More
In the US, not-for-profit organization Women In Research (WIRe) has appointed former FocusVision exec Michelle Andre as its first Managing Director, responsible for organizational development and oversight, fundraising, marketing, and assisting with long-term planning. More
Facebook has partnered with European ad visibility analyst Meetrics, to offer advertisers new options to verify the viewability and view duration of their video ad campaigns across Facebook services. 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
WPP-owned digital data collection firm Lightspeed has partnered with emotion measurement specialist Affectiva, to analyse its panellists' reactions to ads via their facial expressions. More
US-based artificial intelligence-driven marketing platform Rocket Fuel has opened an office in Prague, Czech Republic, to expand both its global presence and its engineering team. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna is planning to increase the size of its respondent community by 20 per cent during the second half of 2017, and has hired Kyle Kim-Hays as EVP for Global Digital Marketing, responsible for the push. More
UK-based mobile video MR specialist Voxpopme has launched its on-demand video feedback app in Ireland. 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
comScore CEO Gian Fulgoni has told investors the firm expects the public release of its ExtendedTV product sometime in 2017; and a return to stock exchange listing in the summer. Fulgoni also expressed disappointment with the spread of the flagship vCE product. 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
Realface, a start-up developing facial recognition technology, has become Apple's fourth buy in the country, for a price reported as 'a couple of million dollars'. 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
comScore has announced it will report mobile video metrics for YouTube and its partner channels across its core audience measurement services. More
US-based location data provider Factual has announced a drive for growth in Europe, and appointed former PlaceIQ exec Mandeep Mason as Managing Director for the region. More
Ad auditing firm Adloox has become the first European tech company to be accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for all 30 categories of ad fraud covered by the watchdog. More
Professional services company Accenture has agreed to buy a majority stake in digital agency SinnerSchrader, which focuses on the development of digital products and services, analysis of online user behaviour, and software and web site design. More
Researchers at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) have been using brain scans to understand the elements in a TV advert that trigger viewers to find the product online. More
European sampling solutions provider Bilendi has appointed former Ipsos exec Daniel Cunill as UK Panels Director, leading the team and strengthening the UK and European offer. He will also lead development of the firm's mobile offering. More
WPP company Ogilvy & Mather has acquired an undisclosed stake in its Irish digital partner Eightytwenty Customer Experience, which includes customer journey and ideation specialist Black and Lime. More
Animal health and agriculture researcher Kynetec has appointed Richard Jameson to its leadership team as Executive Director of Global Custom Research. More
Bonn, Germany-based pricing and strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced further rapid expansion, and an ambitious long-term growth target - aiming to double in size to 2,000 staff by 2023. 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
Lightspeed's QuestionArts team has announced a range of product enhancements under the banner of Intelligent Components. More
Qualitative social media intelligence specialist Bakamo Social has launched a listening product called Market Maps, which it claims reveals the motivations and needs of consumers in any category. More
In London, data-driven CRM and performance marketing agency Merkle has promoted Michael Komasinski to the role of Global Chief Operating Officer for its Services business. He will also serve as General Manager for Media Services, Europe. 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
In the US, research and advisory group Forrester has reported a 1 per cent rise in revenue in its Research division, to $54.2m for the fourth quarter of 2016. Total group revenues were up 3.0 percent to $83.4m. For the whole of 2016, group revenue rose 4.0 percent to $326.1m. 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
Research software pioneer Confirmit has launched a tool promising to halve the time required to create engaging questionnaires. More
Mobile audience data and targeting specialist adsquare is to make GfK's region-based consumer insights available through its platform. More
Research technology and services group FocusVision has launched a focus group video system called FV360 Live, which uses 360 degree cameras to place observers in the middle of the conversation. 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
UK-based Cello Health Insight has appointed pharma sector veteran Claire Derbyshire as a Director in its European Client Services team. 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
In New York, full service agency ORC International has hired former Nielsen marketer Ana Mackay-Sim as Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for overseeing brand and revenue-building marketing initiatives globally. More
MR presentation and reporting specialist Dapresy has promoted Fredrik Osterberg to the role of Managing Director, Europe, while appointing former Cambiar exec Beth Rounds as its Chief Marketing Officer. More
WPP digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has extended its AmplifyR Appends data service to the UK, France, Germany and The Netherlands. More
In Germany, media data specialist artec technologies has launched a cloud platform for integrated analysis of TV and online audiences. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has appointed former GfK exec Ian Davis as Senior Client Director for Financial Services, based in its UK office. More
GfK has launched a unit called Supercrunch, which will offer clients a new type of automated, user-defined analysis to support marketing decisions. The division will be led by Norbert Wirth, who previously served as the group's Global Head of Data and Science. More
Research software firm Confirmit has promoted CFO Ken Østreng to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer. He replaces Henning Hansen who, in his own words, has resigned to focus on other priorities, spend more time with his family, and 'start a new chapter'. More
Kantar Media has acquired Dublin-based media monitoring specialist Newsaccess, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Ipsos has appointed Nielsen's former Buy strategy leader Amy Fenton as Chief Marketing Officer in North America, overseeing all marketing, strategy, and communications in the US and Canada. She succeeds Jim Meyer, who was the firm's first ever CMO. 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
Berlin-based mobile audience data and targeting specialist adsquare has opened an office in New York, led by CEO and co-founder Tom Laband. 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
Berlin, Germany-based mobile survey specialist Dalia has raised $7m in a Series A round of funding, for investments including data science and machine learning capabilities, and further expansion of its real-time analytics and attribution services. More
Ipsos has appointed former TNS director Parijat Chakraborty as Head of its Public Affairs business in India. He will be based out of the Gurgaon office and will report to Amit Adarkar, CEO for India. More
WPP audience profiling and targeting division Xaxis has named John Wittesaele as President EMEA, while promoting Arshan Saha to the role of President Asia Pacific. 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
Around forty percent of marketers in a new survey say they will be carrying out independent audits of Facebook's audience metrics, following the social network's recent measurement problems. 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
New York-based Integral Ad Science (IAS) has hired former Adobe MD Nick Morley for a newly created role, Managing Director EMEA, with a remit to deliver growth and expansion across Europe. He will be based in London. More
Berlin-based mobile user data specialist zeotap has raised EUR 12m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to expand its engineering and data science teams in Bangalore, and recruit new data onboarding, data monetizing, and marketing staff in Berlin, New York, Madrid and Milan. 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
Paragon Partnerships, a body set up by a group including major corporates, research firms and MR associations, has announced a joint initiative with worldwide research network GRBN, to help provide quality data and insights to governments and others who work towards the UN's 17 'Global Goals'. More
French fieldwork company Made in Surveys has opened new viewing facilities in Birmingham, UK, adding to its existing resources in the French cities of Paris, Lille and Lyon. More
Marcoms group Dentsu Aegis has acquired Geneva, Switzerland-based digital agency blue-infinity, which offers a range of integrated marketing, CRM, commerce, retail, tracking, and analytics services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Research software company Confirmit has launched a mobile survey app called AskMe, to capture multimedia and text-based feedback, including where respondents are temporarily unable to get an Internet connection. 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
Global pricing strategy consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners has appointed London and Yorkshire-based Dr. Peter Colman as a Partner, leading its Technology and Industrials business in the UK and Ireland. More
Social media monitoring specialist Bakamo.Social has appointed former Ipsos and NPD Group exec Jonathan (JD) Deitch as Chief Executive, driving its expansion. More
Twitter has followed Facebook in announcing errors in the way it measures ad traffic. Reports suggest a bug in the microblogging firm's Android app inflated video ad metrics by up to 35 percent. Facebook itself has held talks with the MRC on a possible audit of its methods. More
Oslo, Norway-based data collection and data services group Norstat has strengthened its recently launched Paris office with two appointment. Sorina Jian joins as Senior Business Development Manager and Sylvain Da Costa as Senior Project Manager. 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
French newspaper Le Parisien has announced it will no longer commission its own polls, in the run-up to the country's Presidential elections, but will rely on journalists' feedback from 'working on the ground', along with references to external surveys. More
GfK SE's Management Board and Supervisory Board have published a 'reasoned statement' setting out the facts behind their recommendation to accept the recent tender offer by KKR for a major shareholding in the global group. 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
Harris Poll creator Louis Harris died of heart problems on Saturday, at his home in Key West, Florida. He was 95 years old. More
Mobile data platform Ogury has opened an office in New York, where co-founder and COO Thomas Pasquet has relocated to manage the business. The firm has also launched a solution called 360 Mobile Analytics, and hired former comScore exec Christophe Bize to lead the initiative. More
US-based mobile campaign analyst Kochava has launched a mobile data marketplace, offering advertisers a way to target and acquire users. More
WPP's eCommerce business Salmon has acquired Netherlands-based digital and eCommerce consultancy Eperium. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Real-time information and analytics business Neustar is to be acquired by a private investment group for approximately $2.9 billion. An affiliate of fund manager GIC will also invest in Neustar and will become a minority owner of the company after the transaction has closed. More
Turkish TV audience measurement organisation TIAK Aª has awarded incumbent Kantar Media the contract to deliver official TV trading currency until at least 2020, with the option to extend until 2022. More
MR language and translation specialist GlobaLexicon has opened an office in Chicago, to extend coverage across all North American time zones and increase the capacity of its team following a number of client wins. More
ESOMAR and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) have updated their code to clarify researchers' responsibilities when using new methods for collecting data - in light of current levels of consumer concern about privacy. More
Carlos Harding, the Deputy CEO of Ipsos, died suddenly of a heart attack last Friday morning. He was 69 years old. More
Amsterdam-based passive metering technology supplier Wakoopa has partnered with Japanese firm GMO Research to launch an online consumer panel in Asia. 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
Facebook has owned up to another problem with the metrics it provides to advertisers, this time surrounding discrepancies between like and share button counts and those for mobile search queries. More
Swedish eye tracking technology firm Smart Eye has begun listing its shares on the Nasdaq First North stock exchange in Stockholm. More
London-based predictive analytics specialist Warwick Analytics has opened an office in Lisbon, Portugal. 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
Paris-based ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo has launched patent-pending ad creation technology called Kinetic Design, to deliver ads that are contextually optimized for each consumer. 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
Copenhagen, Denmark-based Snaplytics has launched a competitor analysis service, accessed via the same dashboard as its existing brand and influencer analytics offers. More
Former Quintiles CEO Tom Pike, who led the company through its recent mega-merger with IMS Health and is now the combined firm's Vice Chairman and President of R&D Solutions, is to retire. His replacement will be Richard Staub III, while Paul Spreen will rejoin as EVP and Chief Customer Officer. More
IT and business process consultancy Cognizant has agreed to acquire privately-held Dutch company Mirabeau BV, a digital marketing and customer experience agency which it will add to its Digital Business practice. Terms were not disclosed. More
Business intelligence firm ORC International has launched Employer Branding, a three-dimensional framework to help clients engage existing and potential employees and create differentiation from the external marketplace. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has announced eight promotions in EMEA Operations, including Derek Gibson, who will become Director Operations, France and United Kingdom. More
Tech startup SocialVend has launched a vending machine which provides consumers with physical rewards in exchange for answering questions or posting to Instagram with a brand's hashtag, using their mobile devices. More
In the UK, Voice of the Customer (VoC) specialist Nepa has promoted Lindsay Parry (nee Cowan) to the role of Managing Director. She replaces Johnny Caldwell, who left following Nepa AB's recent acquisition of the outstanding 9.9 percent of Nepa UK Ltd. More
WPP's media investment arm GroupM has brought together all its data, analytics and digital services in a new suite of products, [m]PLATFORM, creating what it claims is the ad industry's 'most powerful collection of data, technology and expertise for audience addressability'. More
In the Netherlands, Blauw Research's new product development agency SPRINT has opened an office in the Groothandelsgebouw building, in the centre of Rotterdam. More
GfK has appointed Dale Drerup as Automotive lead, June McPherson as Consumer team lead for North America, and Tom Neri - currently head of its Financial Services team in North America - as Technology Industry leader. More
Online insights exchange provider Cint has appointed Kevin Gianatiempo to spearhead strategic partnerships in North America as part of its 'NextGen' strategy. He will be based in the recently launched San Francisco office. More
French audience researcher Médiamétrie has begun delivering monthly figures for TV and video viewing across four screens - TV, computer, smartphone and tablet - both as an integrated figure and split out by screen. More
German-based mobile data exchange adsquare has enhanced its app usage data service with the addition of several new partners, allowing users to derive audience segments based on a variety of app usage and context options. More
Newly merged health data giant QuintilesIMS is collaborating with a number of global pharmaceuticals firms to develop better insights into how cancer treatments are used in a real-world setting across key European markets. More
Paris-based predictive software platform Sidetrade has acquired UK predictive analytics platform BrightTarget, for an undisclosed sum. More
In the US, Joan Lewis has resigned from her role as Chair of comScore's Board, and has been replaced by former US Postmaster General William Henderson. More
IBM Watson has launched a new Internet of Things (IoT) consulting service, staffed by 1,500 consultants, data scientists and design and security experts at its IoT headquarters in Munich, Germany and in eight other IoT centres in Asia, Europe and the Americas. More
German-based product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon Kucher & Partners has named sixteen new partners, who will take up their new roles on January 1st. More
The Mozilla organisation has launched a new browser, Firefox Focus, which blocks third party tracking software by default and allows users to erase sessions with a single tap. More
London-based online communities specialist Verve has brought in two more senior hires at headquarters: former Quadrangle exec Nick Baker joins as MD Research & Consulting, while Emma Beech leaves Lightspeed GMI to become the firm's new VP Operations Europe. 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
Research software pioneer Confirmit has launched a new product called FastTrack for Contact Centers, promising businesses the ability to see their contact center through the eyes of their customers, with a relatively simple set-up. More
WPP has announced the formation of a global multi-year partnership between its Data Alliance organisation and music streaming service Spotify. More
Facebook has owned up to further errors in its reporting of page visits, and has announced moves to give users 'more clarity and confidence about the insights it provides' - including new partnerships, more communication about activities and the formation of a new 'Measurement Council'. More
Audience measurement firm comScore has been granted more time to regain compliance with the listing rules of stock exchange Nasdaq. 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
Stamford, CT-based research and advisory group ISG has announced financial results for the third quarter, ending September 30th, with revenues of $51.9m - up 2% at constant currency. A 6% decline in Europe was matched by rises of 5% in the Americas and 8% in Asia Pacific. More
Global analytics and insights provider Blueocean Market Intelligence has announced four recent senior appointments, including Anish Nanavaty who joins as Head of Americas, and Joseph Sursock as SVP - Europe. More
In the US, marketing software giant Adobe has acquired online video ad targeting specialist TubeMogul for approximately $540m. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of Adobe's 2017 fiscal year. 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
Research software firm Confirmit has partnered with video-based insight specialist LivingLens, to offer video capture and analysis within its Horizons platform, for use in market research studies, voice of the customer (VoC) and voice of the employee (VoE) programmes. More
US-based full service researcher Lieberman Inc. has acquired New York-based custom CPG specialist FRC Research, for an undisclosed sum. More
London-based BI, events and academic publishing group Informa has issued a trading update for the nine months ending 30th September, including the news that its Business Intelligence division has put an end to its 'long trend of revenue declines'. 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
comScore has been awarded MRC accreditation for its Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) detection and filtration methodology, for both desktop and mobile traffic. 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
Stockholm-based Voice of the Customer specialist Nepa AB has acquired the outstanding 9.9 percent of Nepa UK Ltd. Following the move, the company says it has 'parted ways' with UK MD Johnny Caldwell. 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
Netherlands-based customer and employee feedback specialist Mopinion has expanded its Sales and Marketing teams with the appointment of seven new employees. 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
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 4% rise in third quarter group revenue to $77.4m (compared with $74.8m in the prior year period). Within its Research division the increase was only 1%, to $52.7m. More
Google has acquired California-based eye-tracking technology firm Eyefluence. Terms have not been disclosed. More
Research data solutions and technology firm SSI has rolled out a real-time, dashboard-based project reporting and monitoring tool called SSI DataView. More
Research technology and services group FocusVision has appointed Zlatko Vucetic as Chief Commercial Officer of the EMEA and APAC regions; while promoting Oliver Brown to the role of Director of Client Services, EMEA. 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
Research software firms MARSC and MI Pro have announced a merger, forming QuenchTec. The new company promises 'next generation insight tools' to give researchers more agile and automated insight processes. 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
Stockholm-based brand tracking researcher Nepa has partnered with social media channel Tailsweep to launch the 'Bloggpanelen', which will aim to uncover readers' opinions about blogs. 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
Nashville, Tennessee-based MR technology and services firm 20|20 Research is acquiring MR tech developer iModerate, for an undisclosed sum. More
US-based survey technology firm Qualtrics has appointed Microsoft veteran Zig Serafin as Chief Operating Officer, leading operations in the run up to a planned IPO. More
WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed has promoted Andrew Van Wezel to Vice President of Operations and Simon Buckley to Vice President of Sales, both within EMEA. More
In Frankfurt, full service digital marketing agency the NetBooster Group has promoted Thomas Armbruster to the position of Chief Executive Officer, replacing Tim Ringel who has stepped down for personal reasons. More
Digital ad verification specialist DoubleVerify has appointed Steve Brown as Managing Director for the European region, based in London. More
Kantar Health has launched a new big data platform to help clients spot oncology drug opportunities and understand the competitive landscape. Web-based CancerLandscape lets users review more than 2,000 cancer drugs covering more than 175 tumor types. More
Tokyo-based M3, Inc., the parent of healthcare fieldwork firm M3 Global Research, has reached an agreement to acquire global pharma database operator the Vidal Group from Electra Partners' portfolio company AXIO Group, for a reported EUR 100m. More
Social media intelligence provider Linkfluence has raised EUR 12m, with which to continue rapid international growth and investment in R&D. More
Research Now has struck a deal with digital tech services company GlobalLogic, which the MR firm says will increase the quality and speed of its service delivery. More
UK-based market research translation and language services provider GlobaLexicon has expanded its internship programme, which has already brought no fewer than 50 interns to the company over three years. 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
In Westlake Village, California, former Cint US MD Michael McCrary has launched PureSpectrum, a new global marketplace for buyers and sellers of online sample. The company is backed by strategic investments from Research Now and Critical Mix. More
Brighton, UK-based social media analytics specialist Brandwatch has opened a Paris office, its sixth location worldwide; and has appointed Bertrand Saint-Martin as VP for France. 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
Gent-based customer experience management specialist NGDATA has acquired Amsterdam's Rednun, which automates the creation of personalized video to optimize customer engagement. 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
Emerging markets panel specialist Borderless Access has opened offices in Dubai and Munich, adding to its existing operations in the US, UK and India. More
In Germany, Kantar TNS veteran Peter Pirner has added the role of Head of Digital to his existing role as Practice Head, Customer Strategies. He replaces Dirk Steffen, who has taken up the role of Global Account Director for Google, at Kantar in Silicon Valley. More
Paris-based customer service consultancy Academie du Service has opened an office in London, led by co-founder and Partner Claire Bonniol. More
Professional services and consulting giant KPMG has launched an online resource, designed to deliver insights addressing common issues concerning the public sector globally. More
Tim Britton has left his role as Head of Strategy & Transformation for PwC's r2i global data research and insight centre, to take up the position of Managing Director of the Open Research Group at academic publishing company Springer Nature. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has expanded its presence in Latin America through the opening of its first office in Brazil, led by Luca Bon as Sales Director. More
German sample and panel provider respondi has promoted Jennifer Roberton to the role of Managing Director, responsible for the UK office and market. The firm has also welcomed four new members to its Board, while founder and CEO Otto Hellwig continues to oversee management of the firm. More
In London, Harris Interactive has launched a 'rapid concept testing service' called Concept Express, with one option offering results within a day. More
Recently unveiled Kantar Public has launched a new research centre, bringing together a pan-European team of researchers with expertise in political and opinion polling, social and economic trends, and migration. More
In New York, Publicis-owned full-service digital agency Razorfish has hired former Harvard physicist Kevin Mercurio for the new role of Director of Data Science for its COSMOS platform. More
Dentsu Aegis Network has spent an undisclosed sum to acquire French agency Wasabi Analytics, which measures online ad performance and will be added to the iProspect division. The latter also has a new President, while Dentsu Aegis has a new global data R&D center in Singapore. More
French audience measurement firm Mediametrie has announced that its audience analysis division EurodataTV Worldwide has acquired a 52% stake in programme analysis specialist TAPE Consultancy. Joint MDs John Peek and Paul Youngbluth will retain 48% of TAPE's shares. More
German eye tracking technology provider SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) has launched a new framework to enable education researchers to collect behavioral data from up to 40 students simultaneously. 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
Newly announced Kantar Public is to open a Behaviour Change Academy in Sydney early next year, and in Amsterdam in the spring. The new venture will be led by long-time TNS exec Kathy O'Donoghue. More
WPP's Kantar has unveiled a new global operating brand, pooling expertise to offer advice on the delivery of public policy, services and communications. More
Research data solutions and technology firm SSI has appointed former Lightspeed exec Ute Jaeger-Wolfe as Managing Director for Germany. More
WPP's healthcare panel and patient community solutions provider Lightspeed All Global has appointed industry veteran Jennifer Carrea as Chief Executive Officer. She also joins the Lightspeed Board of Directors. More
Shopper insight specialist Kantar Retail has partnered with eye tracking firm SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI), to create a virtual shopping experience that provides shopper data via a controlled environment. More
UK-based business information, insight and events group Centaur Media has agreed to acquire specialist marketing consultancy Oystercatchers, and will add its strengths to those of its own Internet research and training business Econsultancy. The deal is valued at up to £3.35m. 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
Publicis comms division MSLGROUP has launched a platform called Conversation2Commerce, which identifies influences, creates content and ideas, and offers targeting, amplification and measurement services. More
Toluna has added a concept testing tool, PowerConcept, to the Automated Insights suite within its QuickSurveys platform More
Google has acquired location-based analytics firm Urban Engines, which will be incorporated into its Maps product. More
Commodities and energy price information provider S&P Global Platts has completed its acquisition of New York-based PIRA Energy Group. More
A new body supported by major corporations and ad associations will seek to 'improve consumers' experience with online advertising', basing its strategy on consumer research and aiming to counter the rise of ad blocking. 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
US-based sampling and data collection provider Critical Mix has appointed Colin Turner-Kerr as Managing Director, UK, in charge of leading the development and expansion of the business throughout Europe. More
In the UK, Ipsos Connect has partnered with Partnership Audits & Consulting (PACL), to provide evaluation services for brands involved in sponsorship or marketing partnership activities. More
US-based audience-driven ad and media analytics firm Samba TV has rolled out its 'Sync and Retarget' digital ad buying platform in the UK market. To support this move, the firm has set up a London office as its European HQ, where it has appointed Hitesh Bhatt and Jay Fowdar. 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
Bloomberg Media has hired former Dentsu Aegis Network exec Michelle Lynn as Global Head of Data Science and Insights, responsible for leading initiatives, and managing Data and Research teams globally from its office in New York. More
In the US, research technology and services group FocusVision has promoted Zhana Baleva to the role of Regional Head of EMEA, while also promoting three other members of staff. 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
UK-based media and marketing insights firm Ebiquity has launched a platform called Portfolio, enabling clients to view, sort and analyse competitor advertising creative and spend, across fifteen European countries and up to 80 territories worldwide. More
WPP's digital ad targeting specialist plista has acquired Oslo, Norway-based real-time content analytics company Linkpulse. Terms of the deal have not been 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
Mobile device-level data platform Ogury has raised $15m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use to open a new office in New York later this month, while continuing to invest in technology, R&D and recruitment. Existing offices are in London, Paris, Milan, Rome and Madrid. More
MR language and translation specialist GlobaLexicon has reported its third consecutive year of over 50 percent revenue growth, and says it has increased its headcount from 39 to 61 in the past twelve months. 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
Family-owned agricultural and industrial commodities giant Cargill has appointed CPG veteran Chuck Gitkin in the newly created role of CMO of its North America protein business - with a remit to help shift its focus to a customer-centric, insight-based strategy. More
In the US, pharma data giant IMS Health and healthcare consultancy Quintiles have confirmed details of the new senior management team to be established following their planned merger. More
Research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has opened an office in San Francisco; its fifth location in the US and second on the west coast. Deputy CEO Richard Thornton is relocating from London to head up the new office and build the team. More
US-based location data management firm Yext has appointed former Criteo MD Jon Buss as Managing Director of its recently launched UK and Northern Europe operations. More
European ad visibility analyst Meetrics has completed a third funding round, which it will use to open offices in Italy, Poland and the Nordic countries. 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
US-based mobile campaign analyst Kochava is opening a European headquarters in the heart of Dublin, and has hired Fred Thuard as EMEA Director of Sales. More
Tokyo-based panels and technology company dataSpring is opening an office in London, where it has named Arjen van Duijvenbode as Director of Business Development EMEA. 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
WPP continues to buy comScore shares, with another 120,000 purchased this week at an average cost of $28.39 per share. 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
The Supervisory Board of GfK has elected Ralf Klein-Bölting as its new Chairman - he succeeds Dr. Arno Mahlert on September 13th. 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
Technology media company TechTarget has rolled out its B2B purchase intent data service, IT Deal Alert Priority Engine, in the EMEA region. More
US-based sampling automation provider Lucid has launched an independent, third-party-verified quality assurance and measurement program, which allows market researchers to test multiple characteristics of more than 40 major sample panels. 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 CEO Matthias Hartmann is to leave the company at the end of December, as a result of 'differing views' regarding the long-term direction of the business between himself and majority shareholder GfK Verein. The firm has also confirmed lower sales and income for the first half of 2016. More
Marcoms group Dentsu Aegis Network is to acquire a majority stake in data-driven consumer insights and analytics specialist Merkle, replacing previous investor Technology Crossover Ventures (TCV) and other shareholders. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
London-based big data privacy and analytics specialist Privitar has raised £3m in a funding round, which it will use to accelerate growth in the UK and expand across Europe. More
Research and advisory group ISG (Information Services Group) has reported a 13% increase in second quarter revenue to $60.4m, compared with $53.4m in the prior year period. More
App store analytics firm App Annie has launched a product called 'Marketing Intelligence', to help app publishers acquire and engage more mobile users. 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
Online MR software company Confirmit and predictive dialing specialist Sytel have jointly developed a series of new CATI features (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing), promising improved productivity and flexibility. More
US-based IT industry analyst Gartner has reported a 17% constant currency increase in second quarter revenue for its Research division, to $449.2m. 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
Iberian and Latin American online panel specialist Netquest has appointed Joana de Lacerda as Country Manager in Portugal. More
IT industry specialist Forrester Research has reported a 5% increase in second quarter Research division revenues to $55.0m from $52.6m in the prior year period, while revenue rose by 9% from $30.2m to $32.8m in its Advisory Services and Events arm. More
WPP's audience profiling and targeting division Xaxis has promoted Nicolas Bidon to the role of Chief Executive Officer, EMEA, with Jana Kusick taking his old role as Global CEO of ad targeting subsidiary plista. 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
US telecoms giant Verizon Communications Inc. has agreed to purchase the core web assets of Yahoo!, for around $4.8bn. Stakes in two other businesses worth around $40bn between them are not included in the deal. 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
Global management consultancy Accenture has acquired digital services firm MOBGEN, which offers advanced analytics, mobile strategy and usability testing. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. 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
German-based product, pricing and marketing consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced first half revenue of EUR 116 million, up nineteen percent versus the first half of 2015. 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
The Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) division of broadcaster Turner has hired Channel 4 insight exec Pedro Cosa for a newly created role, Vice President Insights & Analytics. He will join the firm in September. More
WPP's marketing foresight consultancy Gain Theory has promoted Alan Bloodworth to the role of Chief Executive Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa. 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
Netherlands-based customer feedback specialist Mopinion is set to expand, after receiving an undisclosed amount of investment from Capital Mills. The funds will be used to further develop Mopinion's technology and roll it out to other European countries and the USA. More
Former ESOMAR President Dan Foreman has taken on another Non-Executive Director role, this time with Amsterdam-based consumer insights platform Veylinx. More
Netherlands-based community research software provider CMNTY has added a Virtual Reality module to its platform, to enable companies to measure consumer retail experiences, gather product feedback, and understand opinions about public spaces. 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
Healthcare research and online physician community Sermo has promoted Eva Laparra to the role of Managing Director of Europe. 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
Israel-headquartered behavioral analytics specialist CoolaData has raised $5.4m in a round of funding, which it will use to drive worldwide growth and extend its reach into Internet of Things (IoT) and enterprise applications. More
WPP has acquired French consumer data specialist Conexance for an undisclosed sum, as it seeks to expand in continental Europe in the wake of the UK's vote to leave the European Union. More
In London, predictive analytics specialist Black Swan Data has closed a £6.2m Series B round of funding, which it will use to accelerate international growth and expand its proprietary platform, known as 'The Nest'. More
Social media communications platform Tencent has partnered with marcoms network Publicis Groupe, to connect behavioral data, co-invest and co-create content, and launch a 'Drugstore' incubation facility. More
Amsterdam-based online research technology provider Crowdtech has expanded to central London, with the appointment of former Instantly exec Kieren Unwin as UK Director, tasked with spearheading the firm's expansion across the territory. 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
Gent, Belgium-based consumer intelligence specialist NGDATA has expanded into the Asia Pacific region, with the opening of an office in Singapore. The new operation is led by Frank Weyns, who has joined as Head of APAC Operations. More
US business information and analysis specialist Neustar has partnered with Twitter in Spain, to help the country's marketers evaluate the impact social media has on TV and in-store sales. More
Online specialist InSites Consulting has expanded in Europe with the opening of an office in Düsseldorf, Germany, from where it will support local clients, as well as those in Switzerland and Austria. More
Ad network Havas has rolled out its Adcity out-of-home OOH and geolocation-based communications division globally, with 300 local experts based in 35 offices across Europe, Asia, North America, and Latin America. More
The EU and US have agreed changes to the Privacy Shield data protection framework. The revised version gives more detail on specific conditions under which US intelligence services might have to collect data in bulk, and introduces a new, independent privacy official. More
Sir Martin Sorrell and other senior figures from the marketing and ad industry have been reacting to Britain's decision to leave the EU, most with alarm but some mixing this with relish for the challenge and possible long-term opportunities. More
MR presentation and visual analysis specialist Dapresy is opening a London office, its first in Britain, and has appointed Marc Chester as Director, UK. More
UK-based medical MR firm Field Scope International has opened an office in New York, adding the US to its existing broad coverage of Western and Eastern European markets. More
Reputation management technology company Qnary (pronounced 'Canary') has opened its first European offices in Madrid and Barcelona. More
Nielsen has launched its Marketing Cloud in Europe. The platform, which combines analytics, data management, planning and marketing activation, will be available immediately in the UK and France, to be joined soon by Germany, Italy and Spain. More
Online healthcare specialist 42 market research has launched an online panel for pharmaceutical research in Luxembourg. More
Twitter has introduced a solution called Emoji Keyword Targeting for its Twitter Ads service, allowing advertisers to target people who have recently tweeted or engaged with Tweets featuring emojis. More
London-based agency Cello Health Insight has hired former Ipsos exec Maria Eletskaya as a Director in its European quant research 'IQ' team. More
In London, data-driven CRM specialist Merkle has appointed Azlan Raj as Vice President, Digital Analytics, responsible for helping expand its Digital Analytics practice in Europe. More
Research software firm Confirmit and facial analysis specialist Affectiva have partnered to help clients understand the role of emotion in driving consumer spending and loyalty. More
Netherlands TV industry body Stichting KijkOnderzoek (SKO) and Kantar Media have rolled out what they describe as the 'first TV currency in the world' to deliver reach and GRPs (gross ratings points) for ad campaigns and commercials across all screens. More
Microsoft is to buy LinkedIn Corp for $26.2bn in cash, a premium of just under 50 percent to its Friday closing share price. The firms say LinkedIn will retain its distinct brand, culture and independence. More
Online information tracker and publisher eMarketer is to be acquired by German publishing giant Axel Springer in a deal valuing it at more than $250m. More
Big data modeller Media iQ has announced a global partnership with audience data specialist Eyeota, and will use its segments to help clients optimise their ad campaigns. More
Software firm S4M has been granted Media Rating Council (MRC) accreditation for its mobile ad metrics; and says it is the only company so accredited for a number of mobile post-click functions including landings for browsers, and installs and opens for apps. More
Kinesis' European MD Tariq Mirza has left the business, following its recent takeover by US research technology and services group FocusVision. He is now looking for his next challenge. 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
Procter and Gamble (P&G) veteran Mahmoud Ghazal has joined qualitative social media research start up Bakamo.Social as Global Head of Operations and Delivery, and will also lead the firm's newly-opened office in Geneva, Switzerland. More
Netherlands-based data collection firm GDCC has appointed Simon Glanville as Managing Director of its newly established 60-seat CATI facility in London. More
GfK has appointed Stacy Bereck as Managing Director of its Market Opportunities and Innovation team in North America. More
Ipsos Healthcare has launched a syndicated PD-L1 Testing Monitor, to measure and track awareness, perceptions, and detailed usage metrics around specific testing across all solid cancer types. More
New York and Athens-based mobile survey network Pollfish has launched an in-app survey tool, with which it says users can create surveys in minutes and get results in hours. More
Digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics has raised $16.1m in a Series B round of funding, earmarked for scaling its services and expanding its operations globally. More
Danish software product OfficeReports, which converts Microsoft PowerPoint and Word into 'a complete data analysis and reporting suite for surveys', has introduced a function which links data from Excel ranges to PowerPoint tables, charts and shapes. More
GfK has appointed Gavin McLauchlan as Business Development Director, Global and UK Media. More
Rotterdam, Netherlands-based telephone sample and SMS survey specialist Sample Solutions has created a new management team by promoting Sebastian France to Head of Data, Daniel Boonman to Head of the Client Services division, and Vesna Markovska to Lead Developer. More
In New York, GfK has promoted media research veteran Gregg Lindner to the role of Managing Director of its media and consumer research division GfK MRI. More
Mobile survey technology specialist Lumi has released a new version of its Meetoo real-time messaging and polling app, allowing anonymous feedback and a range of customisation features. More
Berlin-based SEO and analytics software firm Searchmetrics has announced almost $8m in new financing, for use in growing the company. 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
WPP's audience profiling and targeting division Xaxis has launched its digital ad targeting specialist plista in the US and Canada. More
New York-based B2B purchase intent data provider Madison Logic has acquired Dublin-based Internal Results, which provides B2B lead generation solutions for IT and technology companies. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
WPP digital data collection firm Lightspeed Group has hired former Hall & Partners EMEA CEO Caroline Frankum with the same title, plus a seat on the Board. She will replace Martin Filtz, who moved into the post of CEO, Asia Pacific in January. 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
US-based social media analytics firm NetBase has expanded in to Europe with the opening of offices in London, Paris and Heidelberg; all led by Jose Puyol who currently serves as VP and General Manager of the firm's Agency and Digital Practice. More
Paris-based ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo has opened an office in New Delhi, where it has appointed Ajeet Kandachar as Managing Director of India. 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
Dublin based agency RED C Research & Marketing has appointed Millward Brown veteran Conor Murphy as a Director. More
Research data solutions and technology firm SSI has launched a service called Smart Cell Sample, centred on a cell phone database of 480 million numbers, through which researchers can target US participants by geographic and demographic variables. More
GfK has unveiled a tool called Connected Consumer Index, to provide a single measure of how much, and on what devices, consumers in 78 countries and eight regions connect with each other and with digital content. More
US-based online physician community SERMO has grown its platform to nearly 600,000 members in 30 countries, with the addition of physicians in Germany, Austria, Poland Switzerland, Greece and Hungary. More
MR tech specialist Dapresy has updated its data visualization and integration software, with the addition of a Templates Library to help users save time building dashboards; and an Instant Infographics capability providing access to thousands of icons and shapes that can be tied to data. 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
Stamford, CT-based Information Services Group has announced revenue flat at $49.9m for the quarter ended March 31st. The profit measure adjusted EBITDA fell from $4.6m to $3.3m, reflecting investment in new opportunities - forecasts the year were raised. More
Online marketplace eBay has acquired big data analytics firm Expertmaker, which specializes in helping clients with their optimization, prediction, and personalization initiatives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Cint has opened its first office in New York City, adding to its existing US operations in Princeton, Los Angeles and Atlanta. 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
Berlin-based mobile app attribution and analytics company adjust has opened new offices in Singapore and São Paulo, Brazil. More
Online marketplace provider Cint has launched a real-time insights tool, Cint Connect, which it says offers 'the world's first self-serve eco-system for audience and ad effectiveness measurement'. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has reported a 20 percent increase in staff numbers, supporting 'mass customer adoption of its digital research platform'. 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
Enterprise data and analytics firm Acxiom has partnered with marketing software firm Pointlogic, recently acquired by Nielsen. Acxiom's audience data will be integrated with Pointlogic's media planning and buying solution Commspoint. 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
Technology-focused Forrester Research has announced first quarter revenue of $77.4m, up 3 percent on Q1 2015. 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
In Australia, Ipsos has appointed Shaan Tainton as Head of its Business Consulting division, which it is relaunching in the country. More
Acxiom subsidiary LiveRamp has expanded its data onboarding service to the UK, France and Canada. Last week the firm appointed Jeff Smith as its new CMO and teamed up with DigitasLBi. More
Facebook has three new partners verifying metrics on viewings of its photo and video ads: comScore, Nielsen and Integral Ad Science. The firms will start verifying ad viewability and attention metrics 'in the next few months'. 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
WPP has acquired the remaining 49% stake in Taylor Nelson Sofres ICAP Market Research (TNS ICAP) in Greece. 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
The European Parliament has adopted new data protection legislation, following four years of sometimes tortuous negotiation. Meanwhile European data regulators have expressed doubts about the Privacy Shield framework for data transfers with the US, laid out in February. More
US-based data collection agency Azure Knowledge Corporation continues to expand with the launch of offices in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Moscow, Russia; and has appointed Danielle Ribeiro de Souza and Ernest Khodzhaev, respectively, to lead them. 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
Dublin, Ireland-based research agency Behaviour & Attitudes has promoted Luke Reaper to the position of Managing Director, replacing Ian McShane, who becomes Executive Chairman. More
Behavioural ad targeting and technology specialist Phorm is to cease trading, having been unable to secure the additional equity and/or debt funding it needed to continue operating. In almost a decade, the company has run up debts of more than $300m. More
Stockholm-based brand tracking researcher Nepa has announced the launch of an Initial Public Offering (IPO) to fund the global roll-out its ActionHub platform. Separately, Cint founder Bo Mattsson has joined Nepa's Board of Directors. More
US-based sampling automation provider Lucid has appointed former Research Now MD Ben Hogg as Managing Director, EMEA; while promoting Brett Schnittlich to the role of President and CTO, and Andy Ellis to Chief Operating Officer. 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
German sample and panel provider respondi has acquired French market research, data science and IT company House of Common Knowledge (HCK). Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK has announced a number of Supervisory Board member changes, which will come into effect at this year's Annual General Meeting on May 20th. More
Nielsen has launched its own 'Marketing Cloud', allowing clients to deliver targeted promotional and engagement initiatives to their customers across multiple platforms. 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
WPP division MEC has launched a specialist content division, MEC Wavemaker, pulling together its diverse existing services in the area into one unit. The insight- and data-driven unit will operate initially in ten markets across Europe, Asia and the Americas, and will be led by MEC's global COO Alastair Aird. More
Media and comms research specialist Millward Brown has launched a new version of its Link ad copy-testing solution, allowing B2B marketers to assess the performance of their ads against brand and sales objectives. More
Finnish competitive intelligence provider M-Brain has acquired media monitoring and analysis company Opoint, which has offices in Norway, Sweden and Estonia. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Global panel marketplace provider Cint has promoted Richard Thornton to the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer. His remit includes driving corporate business development in future markets. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has launched a suite of study templates for common research topics, offering a rapid and lower-cost solution for business decision-makers, but still with input from a researcher. 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
Toluna has combined its QuickSurveys DIY survey and analytics platform with its Toluna.com online panel community, to create a service which guarantees more than 1,000 nationally representative survey responses in 21 countries within hours. More
Industry association Commercial Radio Malaysia (CRM) has appointed GfK as its official research partner, to provide radio audience measurement across the country. More
Global panel marketplace provider Cint has appointed Greg Dunbar as Vice President of Sales, EMEA, based in London, and Dag Magni as Chief Financial Officer, based in its Stockholm headquarters. More
Video ad platform Mediabong has launched a video re-targeting tool, based on actual individual user attention and interest levels. 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
Nielsen is planning to expand Digital Ad Ratings to eight new markets globally by the end of 2016, adding to seventeen countries where it is already available. More
Harris Interactive has launched a new service called Harris 24, to provide survey design, audience reach, analysis and reporting in less than 24 hours to clients in the UK, US, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. More
US-based energy and environment information giant IHS has announced it will merge with financial data company Markit. The all-share transaction is a mega-merger for the sector with an estimated equity value of more than $13 billion. 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
Google has unveiled a new suite of analytics solutions, including four new and two rebranded tools, intended as an 'enterprise-class' platform to help developers and marketers with the challenges posed by a multi-screen world. More
Data-driven marketing agency Merkle has reported 2015 net revenue of $435m - up 14% on the previous year. Growth reflects a number of acquisitions designed to expand the company's global reach. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has appointed former WPP exec Gary Laben as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Kurt Knapton who resigned last October. Meanwhile John Rothwell has added the title of President to his existing role as Chief Operating Officer. More
Millward Brown has launched a real-time communications measurement tool called AdNow, to help marketers evaluate campaign performance for multiple pieces of advertising across digital media channels. 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
Stamford, CT-based Information Services Group (ISG) has announced the acquisition of Experton Group AG, a subscription-based research, advisory and benchmarking firm based in Munich, Germany. More
Berlin-based reviews, ratings and CEM company eKomi has acquired online reputation manager Reputami, for an undisclosed sum. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has launched a new panel management platform, while expanding its capacity across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific through the addition of nineteen new panel partners. 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
In the UK, TV broadcaster Channel 4 has promoted Sarah Rose to the role of Director Consumer Insight, following the news that Gill Whitehead is leaving to join Google as Senior Director of Market Insight, EMEA. More
Global panel marketplace platform Cint has introduced a new feature called Ad Hoc Supply, allowing clients to add sample from different sources into its platform, and run all their research from one single system. More
Multi-screen measurement firm Verto Analytics has opened an office in London and hired former comScore UK MD Michael Read as Managing Director. The firm has also appointed Alison Murdock as SVP, Marketing in the US. More
Marcoms group Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired Czech Republic-based Adexpres Group, which provides a full range of digital services across online media planning and buying, monitoring and evaluation, and consumer targeting. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Shares in audience measurement specialist comScore plunged 35% to $26.52 yesterday, after the firm disclosed that its Audit Committee has not finalized an ongoing review of 'certain potential accounting matters'. More
WPP has reported total 2015 revenue up 5.3% on a like-for-like basis, with headline EBITDA of £2.002bn, up 7.7% at constant currency. Revenue in pounds was up 6.1% to £12.235 bn. The insight-focused 'data investment management' division (DIM) remained flat for the year, although slightly improved in Q4. More
Janet Oak has joined Ipsos as Senior Vice President of the Millennials, Kids & Family Center of Excellence, based in New York. More
Nielsen has acquired marketing modelling specialist Pointlogic, whose software is used by the media planning functions of agencies, media owners, and advertisers. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK is bringing its Consumer Choices and Consumer Experiences divisions closer together in North America, and has appointed Gary Cofer as Managing Director responsible for both sectors in the region. More
US consumer insights and analytics specialist Merkle has acquired Bristol, UK-based CRM, marketing and decision management solutions provider Comet Global Consulting. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK has begun civil proceedings in the District Court of Nürnberg-Fürth against former CEO Klaus Wübbenhorst, and former CFO, Christian Weller von Ahlefeld, to recover damages relating to tax irregularities in Turkey. More
Millward Brown has partnered with on-demand online community specialist GutCheck to launch a qualitative tool called Pre-LinkNow, which offers a copy-testing framework to help marketers better understand ad performance. More
Research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has launched OpinionAPP, an app for use by the nineteen million panellists who can be accessed through its OpinionHUB marketplace. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based Tobii has reported fourth quarter 2015 sales of SEK 287 million ($US 33.5m), up 29% after adjusting for currency effects; and SEK 967 million ($US 112.9m) for the full year, up 41% on the same basis. More
Berlin-based mobile app attribution and analytics company adjust has expanded in Europe with the opening of an office in Paris, France, where it has hired Aline Reiniche as Country Manager. More
In the Netherlands, WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed GMI is relocating its 's-Hertogenbosch-based office to a larger facility, to facilitate growth of the company's European operations. More
Digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics has launched a mobile app audience measurement solution, to help understand consumer behaviour across every device, app, screen, and platform they use. More
Netherlands-based online specialist MetrixLab has added a digital analysis and reporting tool to its insights platform, to enable users to access survey data early in the fielding process, and track or manipulate this data after the study closes. 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
Mobile marketing company Beintoo has spun off its business intelligence (BI) services into a separate US-based firm called Cuebiq, to help businesses understand consumers' offline behavior and purchase intent. The new firm has already launched a footfall attribution dashboard called VisitQ. More
Global business research agency B2B International has introduced a platform called 'B2B Spotlight', which enables respondents to use video to capture feedback at any time, across any device. More
Ipsos has reported a 4.7% rise in four quarter revenues to EUR 524m compared with the prior year period, while full year 2015 revenue rose 6.9% to EUR 1.8bn. Revenue in the recently formed Ipsos Connect media measurement business was described as 'weak'. More
Instantly's former European MD Ben Leet has joined mobile survey specialist Dalia Research in the newly created position of Chief Commercial Officer, based in London. 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
Technology specialist Forrester has reported revenue of $313.7m for the full year 2015, $81m of it in the fourth quarter. In constant currency terms Research revenues rose 5 percent while advisory services and events were up 2 percent. More
France's data protection authority the CNIL has given Facebook three months to stop tracking non-users' web activity without their consent, and says the company must stop certain transfers of personal data to the USA. More
Frank Møllerop, CEO of Enterprise Feedback Management specialist Questback is moving to work in the company's New York office this month, reflecting an increased focus on expansion in the US market. The firm says its enterprise revenues rose 40% in 2015. More
Last week, the European Commission and the US agreed a new framework for the transfer of data between the two, known as the EU-US Privacy Shield. Under this, US companies and government agencies will have new obligations to guarantee protection for personal data. More
Belgian-based advanced analytics company solutions-2 has changed its name to boobook (a type of small Australian owl), and says its team aims for a 'more distinctive' positioning as 'advanced analytics and smart online reporting experts in a rapidly evolving market'. 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
IT industry research and analysis specialist Gartner has reported a 10% rise in fourth quarter revenue to $643.8m, driven by a 13% revenue increase in its Research division to $420.5m. For the full year 2015, Research revenue was up 10% to $1.58bn. More
IBM has launched a cloud data portfolio with more than 25 services for app developers and data scientists. More
Cross-device targeting technologist Tapad is to be acquired by Oslo-based telecoms giant Telenor Group, which will pay $US 360m for around 95% of shares. More
Oslo-based fieldwork group Norstat has appointed Tue Meier-Poulsen as its MD in Denmark, replacing company 'legend' Jesper Platz who has decided to leave after nine years. 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 industry body ESOMAR has teamed up with Kantar, comScore, GfK and Nielsen to launch an initiative called 'Research Choices', which aims to help the general public understand how their data is used for audience measurement research. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now is preparing to roll out an automated, template-based suite of survey solutions for those with limited budgets. More
Ipsos Healthcare has launched a new syndicated study called the 'Pan-Cancer Testing Monitor', which measures and tracks the usage of pan-cancer tests designed to assess a wide range of cancer types. The study currently covers the US but will be rolled out in other markets at a later stage. 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
In The Netherlands, research software firm Nebu has appointed Otto van Linden as Managing Director, responsible for the day-to-day running of the company. In this role, he will free up CEO Eric van Velzen to focus on the market, customers and promoting Nebu. More
Communications tech firm Ericsson has announced plans to buy US TV data company FYI Television for an undisclosed sum. It has also launched a vendor-agnostic video analytics toolkit, to provide big data insights into subscriber viewing habits. More
Ipsos InnoQuest has appointed former Mondelez exec Linda Lee as President, Global Solutions, based in New York. More
WPP-owned digital agency POSSIBLE has acquired German full-service digital agency Conrad Caine. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has expanded its presence in the Asia Pacific region with the opening of its first office in Malaysia. The new operation will be led by Christine Tan, Senior Director, Southeast Asia. More
Oslo, Norway-based fieldwork group Norstat has appointed Antanas Nasutavièius as Managing Director for the Lithuania market. He replaces Rasute Kazakeviciute, who is leaving the company. More
US research technology and services group FocusVision has acquired software firm Kinesis Survey Technologies, and renamed it KinesisPanel. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Kantar Health has promoted Michel Murino to the newly created role of Chief Executive Officer for Europe. More
Netherlands TV industry body Stichting KijkOnderzoek (SKO) has announced that it is now working with data scientists from Kantar Media to deliver daily online TV ratings to the market. 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
US-based energy and environment intelligence specialist IHS has agreed to acquire Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), which reports prices for the oil, natural gas and biofuels industries, for $650m. 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
Palo Alto, CA-based DIY online survey platform SurveyMonkey has appointed Zander Lurie as its new Chief Executive Officer, less than six months after hiring former HP exec Bill Veghte to replace CEO Dave Goldberg, who died suddenly last May. More
US-based data collection specialist Azure Knowledge Corporation has appointed former MRops MD and Ronin General Manager Rafal Gajdamowicz as Managing Director of its European business, based in London. 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
Online exchange provider Cint has been acquired by investment firm Nordic Capital, with terms of the transaction undisclosed. 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
WPP brand, media and comms researcher Millward Brown has introduced a solution called Digital Behavior Analytics (DBA), which uses data drawn from search patterns and social media conversations to provide insights on brand health and marketing campaign performance. 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
Christopher Morasch, former MD UK of Respondi, has joined German MR agency Management Consult. 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
After several years of prevarication, the EU looks set to approve its raft of data protection measures, having at last agreed on the wording in mid-December. They include strict requirements for data protection compliance and heavy fines for breaches. More
Public and private sector organisations are elevating the importance of data with the appointment of Chief Data Officers. Among others, December saw new CDOs at insurance group AXA and at the U.S. Marshals Service. More
IBM has opened the global headquarters of its Watson Internet of Things (IoT) centre in Munich, Germany, where it plans to launch a series of new offerings which will extend cognitive computing to the billions of connected devices, sensors and systems that comprise the IoT. More
Cinema management, film distribution and customer analytics software firm Vista Group International has acquired a 50 percent stake in cinema intelligence specialist Share Dimension. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
GfK has announced that based on its financial performance for the first eleven months of this year, it is no longer likely to achieve its predicted annual guidance for AOI margin (adjusted operating income based on sales). More
Women's non-profit MR networking group WIRe has launched an initiative which aims to increase the number of female speakers at industry conferences and events. More
B2B marketing software firm Azalead has raised EUR 4.5m in a new round of funding, and launched an ad retargeting solution using cookies and machine learning to determine the names of companies from which visitors access a site, even if they visit from unregistered IPs. More
WPP-owned online panel provider Lightspeed has announced the promotion of Martin Filz to Chief Executive Officer, Asia Pacific, effective January 1st, 2016. President and Global CEO David Day will temporarily take over Filz's former role as CEO for EMEA. More
In Australia, Ipsos has announced a partnership with indigenous communications and research company Winangali, aimed at increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic participation and providing employment opportunities and business partnerships. 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
Ipsos has named Simon Wake Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, replacing Hamish Munro, who has been promoted to the position of CEO of Ipsos South East Asia. They will take up their new roles in January. More
Paris-based predictive marketing specialist Tinyclues has raised EUR 5m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use for growth and international development. More
Online MR software company Confirmit has embedded technology from facial expression analysis firm Emotient into its survey platform, to enable researchers to add emotion detection to any online or mobile research project. More
European firm Bilendi, which combines MR and online loyalty services, has opened a new office in Cologne, Germany, where it has appointed Andreas Knappstein as Sales Director for the DACH countries. 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
More than one-third of insights providers agree with the statement that '50% of full-service market research suppliers will be out of business within five years', according to findings from the latest GreenBook Research Industry Trends Report (GRIT) *. 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
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has added several new features to its DIY sampling platform SampleXpress, including the ability to schedule project field, or select 'rush' to expedite project completion. More
In London, digital data collection specialist Research Now has promoted Aaron Simmons to the role of Senior Vice President, Northern Europe Client Development. More
GfK has appointed corporate attorney Anna Maria Vitek as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the Americas, based in its New York City office. More
Business intelligence software provider BOARD International has set up a Spanish subsidiary, with a new team and office in Barcelona. More
Zurich, Switzerland-based customer intelligence provider SandSIV has introduced an app called PRISM CX, to help determine the level of customer experience a company is delivering both online and off-line. 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
Global marketing activity continued to grow in November, with European execs the most optimistic and those in the Americas least so, according to the Global Marketing Index (GMI) compiled by World Economics. More
Information solutions giant Experian Marketing Services has rolled out its data-driven Marketing Suite in France, Spain and Germany, to help local clients deliver consumer campaigns in any channel, via any device. More
Research industry bodies ESOMAR and GRBN have introduced updated guidelines, to clarify researchers' responsibilities when using online methods for collecting data. More
Former Millward Brown Ireland CEO Richard Waring and marketer Dan McGuiness have launched an online marketplace called the Research Exchange, to connect buyers and suppliers of market research. More
MR software provider Dapresy has named Alexander Skorka as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO), adding to his responsibilities as MD for its DACH Region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland). More
US-based sampling automation provider Lucid has launched a digital marketing tool called Proof, which promises to combine measurement of audience exposure with reaction across mobile and non-mobile platforms. 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
Data-based digital marketing firm MediaMath is buying out partner firm Swisscom from their joint venture programmatic ad solutions company Spree7. The latter's Berlin office will become MediaMath's regional hub for DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), and CEO Viktor Zawadzki its Regional Manager. More
Media agency Maxus, part of WPP's GroupM, is to acquire Dutch media buying agency Helder Marketing & Communicatie B.V. More
US-based company Information Services Group has announced constant currency revenue growth of 4% for the third quarter of 2015, led by strong performances in Asia Pacific and parts of Europe including the UK and the Nordic countries. Reported revenue was $51.4m. 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
Norwegian MR and customer feedback software firm MI Pro AS has launched a tool called Superdig, which enables users to spot trends and personalise analysis of raw data. 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
Mobile segmentation and analytics specialist Swrve has closed a $30m round of funding, which it will use to expand the business, further develop its products, and hire new staff. In addition, the firm has acquired mobile data automation platform adaptive.io for an undisclosed sum. More
Research technology and services group FocusVision has promoted MD Richard Collins to the role of Managing Director for quant and qual solutions EMEA. He is based in London. More
Ipsos Healthcare has rolled out its Global Oncology Monitor in Indonesia, in response to local and multinational companies' growing need to understand diagnosis and treatment trends in the country. 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
The EU says it expects to replace and improve upon its suspended Safe Harbor agreement with the US within three months; the US FCC continues to consider issues surrounding Do Not Track and TCPA; and some telephone researchers find ingenious ways to survive the latter. 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
US-based IT industry researcher Gartner has reported an 8% increase in revenue for its Research division - to $396.2m from $365.3m in Q3 2014. More
Digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics is piloting a new syndicated service called Cross-Media Watch, measuring consumers' second-by-second media behaviour and use of mobile, online TV, radio, and print via a single solution. More
Kantar Media and TNS Gallup have won a continuation of their contract to provide the currency for measurement of TV audiences in Denmark. The new deal will run for five years from 2017, with the option to extend until 2024. More
John Wright, SVP at Ipsos Public Affairs (Canada), is retiring from the company at the beginning of next year, to focus on publishing a book with the firm's CEO Darrell Bricker. More
In New York, tech media and services company IDG Communications has partnered with Google to introduce a new program which the firms claim will provide 100% viewable ads. 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
IBM is not just partnering with The Weather Company, but buying most of its assets. Data from its B2B, mobile and cloud-based web properties will be integrated into IBM Watson's new IoT Unit and IoT Cloud platform. 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
Gent, Belgium-based consumer intelligence specialist NGDATA has closed a $10.2m Series B round of venture funding, which it will use for further company expansion and to continue development of its customer experience management solution, Lilly Enterprise. 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
Santa Cruz, California-based SaaS business intelligence platform Looker has opened an EMEA headquarters in London, to support client demand for its solutions across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. More
Computer comms giant Cisco has acquired Cologne, Germany-based ParStream, a company focused on big data analytics for the Internet of Things (IoT). Terms were not disclosed. More
Ipsos Healthcare has teamed up with HoneyB Health, a company spun out of Arizona State University (ASU), to develop new insights across the connected health device market. 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
Cross-device ad targeting and analytics specialist Adelphic has opened an office in London, where it has appointed former Facebook / Microsoft exec Nicholas Mills as General Manager, EMEA. 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
Online insights and analytics specialist Macromill-MetrixLab has agreed a joint venture with emerging markets-focused mobile marketing firm TTC Mobile, bringing the latter's panels into the former's sample ecosystem to massively extend its global reach. More
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is restructuring its leadership along more collective lines, as it both gears up for forthcoming changes in EU data protection law and reacts to recommendations in the high profile Leveson enquiry. More
European-based events company AIM Group International has launched a Consulting division, which will analyse and advise on trends in the healthcare and other sectors. 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
European social media intelligence provider Linkfluence has acquired Chinese competitor ActSocial. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now is looking for a new President and CEO, following Kurt Knapton's decision to resign for personal reasons. He will remain on the Board of Directors once his successor has been identified. More
In London, GfK has hires James Howitt for the newly created role of Digital Lead, UK, driving the promotion of its digital media research capabilities and solutions. 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
Nielsen has added mobile campaign measurement to its Digital Ad Ratings service in five more countries - Australia, France, Germany, Italy and the UK - and will add Brazil by the end of the year. 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
Online specialist MACROMILL-MetrixLab has appointed Scott Ernst as Chief Executive Officer. He replaces Han De Groot, who will remain as a member of the Board and provide advice to the leadership team on portfolio choices and strategy. More
WPP's Data Alliance has expanded its reach to Mumbai, India, where it will draw on expertise from group companies to help clients activate eCommerce, mobile and social media data strategies. More
Kantar has moved Efrain Ribeiro into the role of company-wide Chief Research Officer, replacing Renee Smith who is leaving to join Colorado-based research company GutCheck (see today's DRNO). Ribeiro will take up the new role on November 1st. More
Global panel marketplace provider Cint has opened an office in Hong Kong, moved to larger premises in Tokyo, and appointed former Toluna MD James Rogers to lead its continued expansion in Asia as Regional Head of Supply Acquisition & APAC MD. 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 promoted Ivar Michaelsen too COO of its Consumer Experiences segment in the UK, Nordics and Baltics, replacing Ben van der Werf who is leaving 'to pursue new opportunities' More
Indian audience measurement body BARC has partnered with French media research specialist Médiamétrie, to integrate Indian TV audience information into the latter's Eurodata TV Worldwide service. More
Digital analytics specialist comScore is to buy film and TV measurement firm Rentrak in an all stock deal valued at around $732m. This acquisition, which will create a new giant in cross-platform measurement, is expected to close in early 2016. 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
Global communications network Havas is to acquire Paris-based digital marcoms agency group FullSIX. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but sources close to the acquisition are suggesting a figure of around $75m. More
Multi-screen digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics has appointed Tom Butler as Senior Vice President of Sales, Eastern US; and John McLaren as Vice President of Sales, Western US. Additionally, Matti Aksela joins in Finland as Senior Vice President of Technology. More
GfK has announced that Debbie Pruent will retire at the end of December, and will be replaced by David Krajicek as Chief Commercial Officer for the Consumer Experiences sector. In addition, Alessandra Cama will take up the new role of Chief Operations Officer. More
Research software firm Confirmit has added a range of enhancements to its Horizons solution, supporting large-scale programs for omni-channel feedback capture, and personalized, role-based analysis. More
Berlin-based mobile user data specialist zeotap has appointed former InMobi VP Neeraj Singh to lead its Advertising division in India. In addition, the company has recruited several new members of staff at its Global Technology Center in Bangalore. More
Former Nielsen exec Istvan Hajnal has joined GfK to lead its Marketing and Data Sciences team in Belgium. 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
Online community and survey tech provider Toluna has received a $10m investment from its holding company ITWP Acquisitions, for use in promoting its QuickSurveys DIY online consumer insights platform. 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
WPP has extended its strategic partnership with marketing software giant Adobe, to provide solutions to clients through six specialist WPP agencies called 'the WPP-Adobe Alliance'. Separately, WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell has spoken about the 'very low standards' of some online audience measures, including Facebook's. More
Global ad giant Publicis has acquired South African marketing services firm The Creative Counsel Group (TCC), whose brand solutions are 'based on real market insights' and 'an intimate understanding of the African consumer at every level'. 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
Research software firm Confirmit has developed a location and beacon triggering solution, to help clients understand 'in-the-moment' customer behaviour. The company has also ammounced its official launch in Australia. More
Online research company Lightspeed GMI has announced a global roll-out for its survey programming platform, QuestionArts, backed by a newly strengthened leadership team. More
German mobile audience data and targeting specialist adsquare has launched a self-service mobile-based audience management platform (AMP), allowing advertisers to create their own audience segments. More
Fieldwork services group Norstat has appointed digital media industry consultant Nina Kulås as the Managing Director of Norstat Norway. She replaces Hans Peter Wøien, who has become Managing Director / Partner at research advisory company Barcode Intelligence. More
Podcasting platform Acast has partnered with brand tracking specialist Nepa, to launch what the firms say is the first research panel to exclusively engage podcast listeners in Sweden. More
Veteran online company AOL has acquired end-to-end mobile platform Millennial Media, Inc., whose services include ad targeting and analytics. The deal, $1.75 per share of the acquired firm's common stock, values it at around $US 238m (£156m). 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
Berlin-based social media analytics specialist Searchmetrics has appointed Volker Smid as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Tom Schuster who has left the company. More
Czech Republic-based social media monitoring company Sociabakers has appointed Robert Lang as its new Chief Executive Officer, replacing co-founder Jan Rezab who takes on the role of Executive Chairman. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has introduced the 'Mobile Member App', allowing users to participate in surveys while on the move, and post their own questions to the firm's community of nearly nine million members. More
Ipsos Healthcare has launched a new syndicated Molecular Diagnostics (MDx) Monitor, focusing specifically on hematological malignancies. 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 CEO Sir Martin Sorrell is urging Rentrak and comScore to join forces and find a solution to what he describes as 'faulty measurement' of digital ad views and viewability. 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
Technology industry B2B data and insights provider Aberdeen Group has announced major enhancements to its CI Technology Data Set, following the company's change of ownership in April. More
GfK has announced it will launch its Crossmedia Link tool in a first Asian country, Indonesia, in September. The tool measures consumers' multi-screen media consumption habits. More
In London, DIY survey software firm Qualtrics has appointed Ian McVey as Head of Enterprise Sales for Northern Europe, responsible for setting up and staffing the business in the UK. 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
European EFM solutions provider Questback has announced it is raising some £12m in capital from existing investors, in order to support an ambitious programme of expansion. More
Ipsos MORI has appointed former Kantar Health MD Jim Needell as Managing Director, Marketing. 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
A busy two weeks for Google: alongside the high profile announcement of a new CEO and the creation of a parent company, Alphabet, the search and advertising giant has signed new metrics deals with comScore and Nielsen, and registered a new ad viewability patent. More
UK-based LivingLens is integrating its video data mining and analytics platform with advanced cognitive services from German firm Market Logic, to help extract meaning from its video content, and combine it with other consumer-facing data sources such as survey and social media data. 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
Marcoms giant WPP is planning to bring together its agencies in eleven locations in Madrid, Spain, into the former Telefonica headquarters in the Chamberi neighbourhood of the city. The move brings more than 40 companies and around 2,500 people under one roof. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has appointed three new client directors at its offices in the UK. More
In New York, GfK has promoted Maria Lange to the position of Business Group Director for its Pet POS Tracking team. More
A committee of MPs is assessing whether the UK Government is doing enough to help UK businesses make the most of their big data, while looking at issues around consumer data protection and privacy. More
Berlin-based mobile user data specialist zeotap has raised $6.4m in a Series A round of funding, which it will use to drive international growth plans and to expand its technology centre in Bangalore, India. 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
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 16% pro forma increase in second quarter revenue to $91.3m, and first half revenues up 15% to $178.3m. More
Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) software firm Questback has appointed Edward Chatham to lead the company's growth in the UK market research sector. More
US-based full service agency Radius Global Market Research (GMR) has appointed Jeanette Vivier for a new position, Director of Radius Europe, responsible for directing the London-based team. More
Pharma research giant IMS Health has reported second quarter revenue up 5.2% on a like-for-like basis, allowing for currency changes and the acquisition of assets of Cegedim. Reported revenue was up 12.0% to $742m, equivalent to a 24.6% rise at constant currency. More
US-based data science company 4C has acquired real-time television analytics and cross-screen marketing specialist Teletrax for an undisclosed sum. Alex Terpstra, CEO of previous owner Civolution, joins 4C as Managing Director EMEA but will remain on the Board of Civolution. More
In the US, IT industry analyst Gartner has reported a 5% increase in second quarter revenue to $547.9m, amounting to a 12% increase at constant currency. More
WPP's Wunderman Health business has acquired a majority stake in Brussels-based full service digital healthcare agency ABS Creative, whose services include strategy, user experience, creative, design and data analytics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
US data collection firm SHC Universal has appointed former Kantar senior exec Hilary Fischer as SVP - New Venture Acquisition. In this role, she will focus on global product development and corporate acquisitions, while expanding the business development team into Europe. More
German communications scientist and former WAPOR President Professor Wolfgang 'Wolf' Donsbach died on Tuesday following a heart attack. He was 65 years old. 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
Netherlands-based online research and analytics firm MetrixLab has introduced a benchmarking solution called Mobile Norms, as part of its mobile-in-mobile copy testing offer. More
Microsoft has launched Pulse for Market Research, part of its Bing Pulse audience engagement division and billed as 'a [free] self-service solution for surveys, live content rating, and moderated response groups of any size'. More
Cello Health Insight has strengthened its European quant research 'IQ' team with three appointments: Massimo Bufi joins as a Director level Senior Methodologist and Lisa Rollins as an RE; while Richard Kunzmann is promoted to Director. 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
Canada-based privacy specialist Nymity is to open a European headquarters in London, helping companies comply with fast-changing privacy and data protection laws including the upcoming and long-awaited / delayed EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 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
ISP-level ad targeting company Phorm has announced change at the top as it enters a new phase in its development. Out goes company founder and long-time CEO Kent Ertugrul, along with CFO Andy Croxson, and in comes former Arbitron exec Timothy Todd Smith as the new Chief Exec. More
New York-based digital media measurement firm Integral Ad Science has announced office openings in Paris and Tokyo, led by Yann Le Roux and Taro Fujinaka respectively. A 'video GRP' system for France will be launched later this month. More
German-based product, pricing and marketing consultancy Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced further rapid growth in the first half of 2015. At £72m, revenue was 17 percent up on the same period last year. More
Two months after its launch, global alliance The Digital Insight Network has announced five new partner firms, based in the USA, Russia, Italy, Poland and Austria. More
Healthcare research veteran Alberto Herreros has been appointed Managing Director of fast-growing strategic consulting and analytics company Maitems, with a remit to broaden its portfolio of clients in Europe and the US. More
India-based services giant Wipro has announced that its Digital business unit will acquire Denmark-based experience-based strategic design firm Designit. More
Berlin-based ad targeting specialist Sociomantic Labs has expanded into Greater China with the launch of an office in the SunYoung Center in Changning, Shanghai. More
Research software firm Confirmit has acquired Information Research Management (IRM), its exclusive reseller in Sydney, Australia. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Jim Meyer, former Ipsos ASI Chief Executive in North America, has moved into the newly created role of Ipsos' Chief Marketing Officer, responsible for developing and implementing marketing strategy across the US and Canada. More
Ad targeting firm Phorm in its accounts for 2014 has once again reported a colossal operating loss - this time $37.9m (2013: $35.1m) - and tiny revenues of $351k (2013: $280k). The company has closed its operation in Turkey to focus on China, the US - and Russia where some revenue is now arriving. 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
Ipsos has appointed former IAB exec Peter Minnium as President of its newly-formed Ipsos Connect division in the US. He reports to Pierre Le Manh, the group's CEO North America, and Yannick Carriou, Global CEO of the division. More
Flytxt, which offers big data analytics solutions to the telecoms sector, has secured an $11m round of funding, which it will use to market its mobile consumer analytics solutions to new industry verticals, and to double its headcount. More
Belgian audience research body the Centrum voor Informatie over de Media (CIM) has extended its contracts with GfK to deliver both TV and radio audience measurement services until the end of 2017. More
Spanish-language media group Univision Communications has promoted Roberto Ruiz to the role of Executive Vice President, Strategy and Insights. More
In the Netherlands, innovation-driven market research agency Winkle has added an emotion analytics tool called Pansensic to its new product development platform, Concept Screener. More
Ipsos has brought together several of its retail measurement services to form a new Market Measurement business unit, which will be managed globally. More
Oslo, Norway-based fieldwork group Norstat has appointed Francesco Renga as Country Manager for Italy, based in its newly opened office in Milan. More
Ipsos has promoted Rob Myers to the position of Country Manager for Canada, where he will be responsible for the company's business, staff, and client relationships. He replaces Gary Bennewies, who is relocating to Paris to serve as Global Chief Talent Officer. More
Former Nielsen and GMI exec Simon Guy is heading up a new digital research company, DataChefs, based in Davos, Switzerland and with a global partner network. 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
Customer experience management specialist MaritzCX has reported a 9.2% increase in annual turnover in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to $47.3m. 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
Ipsos is promoting Canada President and CEO Gary Bennewies to the newly created role of Chief Talent Officer, from the beginning of next month. More
WPP's GroupM has acquired Netherlands-based firm Greenhouse Group, which provides digital media and marketing services through four operating companies. Among these is Source Republic, whose services include insight and analysis. More
Nice, France-based healthcare fieldwork agency QualWorld, which was launched eighteen months ago by four former WorldOne execs, has opened a US business, based in Pennsylvania. More
WPP has increased its shareholding in Denmark-based TAM analysis software company TechEdge, from 20 to 49 percent. 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
Mobile data intelligence platform AdNear is expanding into Europe, appointing former TrustE Managing Director Ken Parnham as General Manager of Europe, based in its new London office. More
New York-based ad tech company AppNexus has agreed to acquire RealMedia Latin America (RMLA) - its fifth company buy in twelve months - giving it a strong foothold in the continent. Separately, AppNexus has joined comScore's 'Trust' initiative and launched a new tool. More
WIN/Gallup International, the worldwide association of independent market research and polling firms, has announced the election of its new Board Members. More
Nielsen has announced a further secondary share offering by its Valcon holding company, aiming to raise in the region of $400m. More
Retail and healthcare data giant IRI has become a major shareholder in European out-of-home (OOH) information provider GIRA Foodservice. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Stockholm-based brand tracking researcher Nepa has expanded its services to include online qualitative research. More
Around 20% of WPP's investors refused to endorse CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's £43m pay package at this afternoon's Annual General Meeting - quite a lot, 'though quite a lot fewer than in some previous years. More
In the Netherlands, online publishing industry group VINEX and its partner Stichting KijkOnderzoek, (SKO) the body responsible for the reporting and monitoring of viewing behaviour, have expanded their contract with Kantar Media to include measurement of all online viewing behaviour. More
In Germany, mobile survey specialist Dalia Research has received a seven-figure seed (sic) round of funding, which it will use to expand its Data Science and Engineering team, analytics capacities and geographical reach. 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
San Francisco-based online ratings firm Quantcast has acquired Stockholm-based digital ad agency Ad Performance - for an undisclosed sum - and has opened a new office in Milan, Italy. More
Consumer agency Firefish has appointed four new members of staff - in the Netherlands, Marjolein van Ballegooij joins as Joint MD and Noor Berkman as Associate Director; Francesca Ferrara joins as Senior Operations Manager in the US; and Claire Flanagan as Project Manager in the UK. More
WPP's audience profiling and targeting division Xaxis has launched a new 'mobile-first' performance ad business called Light Reaction, which will combine Xaxis data with scientific insight into how audiences perceive, relate and react to ads. More
Facebook has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) research facility in Paris, complementing its existing 'Facebook AI Research' (FAIR) teams in Menlo Park and New York. More
Media and information giant Thomson Reuters has expanded its MarketPsych analysis service, to provide investors with insight about the emotions and perceptions embedded in news, blogs and social media, and their impact on markets and trading strategies. More
Mobile segmentation and analytics specialist Swrve has opened a European Data Centre, where it will retain customer mobile data within the borders of the European Union, to eliminate the risks associated with transferring app users' personal data overseas. More
Luca Belloni, a twenty-year veteran of Millward Brown Italy and currently the firm's Managing Director, is to move to the position of Chairman of Kantar Italy from 1st July. More
Ipsos Connect and Swedish firm MMS have partnered on a project to evaluate whether new TV technologies can boost TV panel sizes within existing budgets. More
Netherlands-based community research software provider CMNTY has opened an office in New York City, which will be managed by digital marketing specialist Zach Katagiri. More
New York City-based full service agency SIS International Research has opened an office in Frankfurt, Germany. The office is led by Federica Sacchi, who has been promoted to the role of Managing Director of EMEA. More
WPP companies Kinetic and GroupM are to acquire a majority stake in French out-of-home (OOH) specialist Poster Conseil. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Nielsen has acquired neuromarketing firm Innerscope Research, which it will merge with its brain specialist company NeuroFocus under the Nielsen Consumer Neuroscience brand name. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Media owners committee PBI (Polskie Badania Internetu) has commissioned GfK to provide Poland's official data for online audience measurement for four years, starting in January 2016. comScore, Gemius, Millward Brown and Nielsen had also made bids. More
WPP digital agency Mirum has acquired a majority stake in German full-service digital marketing agency RSK Group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
US-based DIY survey software firm Qualtrics is to create an additional 100 jobs at its European HQ in the centre of Dublin, where it will employ up to 250 staff by the end of 2016. More
Ipsos Healthcare has launched a syndicated study to highlight the impact on cancer treatment of 'biosimilars' - versions of drugs created by a different manufacturer following patent expiry. More
Harris Interactive UK has promoted company veteran Pete Cooke to head up its new Communities division. More
US text analytics specialist Clarabridge has acquired real-time social media listening and engagement platform Engagor for an undisclosed sum. 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
KPMG Capital, the venture fund belonging to accounting and advisory giant KPMG, has invested in data mining and predictive modelling firm SDART, while also providing funding for KPMG proprietary solutions Astrus and Customer Compass. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. 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
London-based mobile survey tech firm Lumi has announced a strategic partnership with panel marketplace platform provider Cint, combining technologies to create 'the largest mobile-first panel'. More
Market research language and translation service provider GlobaLexicon has opened an office in Antwerp, Belgium, to service a growing client base in the Benelux region. More
SSI has launched a geo-location product, SSI Proximity Sample, which integrates with its mobile data collection app QuickThoughts and survey quality tool QuestTest to provide an end-to-end mobile survey solution. 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
Digital agency group Razorfish Global has appointed former Gravity4 exec Samih Fadli as its first Chief Intelligence Officer, based in Seattle and leading its fast-growing Data Intelligence Practice. More
Ipsos has announced the appointment of Tim Farmer to lead the deployment of its electronic TV and Radio audience measurement service MediaCell, within the newly formed Ipsos Connect division. More
Research software firm Kinesis Survey Technologies has launched a set of enhancements to improve response rates in online panels, including 'Responsive Email Templates' for easier management of multiple communities and brands. More
MMS, a group representing the leading broadcasters and ad agencies in Sweden, has commissioned GfK to produce the country's first currency covering traditional linear and time-shift TV audiences, as well as those viewing video content on smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs. More
A number of research organisations have come together to lead a new industry initiative called 'Insights 2020 - Driving Customer-Centric Growth', with the aim of studying the future of market research, insights and analytics strategy, structure and capability. More
Multi-screen media measurement firm Verto Analytics has launched a platform called 'Verto Content Watch', which claims to be the only service providing a holistic look across the digital ecosystem - from publishers and properties, to individual apps, sites, advertising and games. 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
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has appointed former GfK and TNS senior exec Kimberly Bastoni as EVP North America. 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
Research organisation The Reputation Institute has appointed Ed Coke as Director of Consulting Services and Jason Stokes as Vice President of Sales - both for the UK and Ireland. More
In the North of England, online panel firm ResearchBods has acquired Harrogate-based phone, panel, community and online qual specialist ClearStream Research. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In the UK, Ipsos Healthcare has launched the 'EquityVision Normative Database', which contains seven years' worth of Rx pharma brand health and brand equity research. More
Sports data and content provider STATS has acquired Leeds-based athlete tracking and performance analytics specialist Prozone for an undisclosed amount. More
Digital audience measurement firm comScore has announced the acquisition of California-based digital ad analytics specialist Proximic; and has reported first quarter revenue up 14% to $87.3m, and the profit measure adjusted EBITDA 25% higher at $21.3m. More
SurveyMonkey CEO Dave Goldberg died on Friday whilst on holiday in Mexico with his family, apparently as a result of an accident in the gym. He was 47. 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
Kantar Media has launched a solution to help clients promote media inventory, using insights from its TGI consumer study. More
A group of six independent research companies have set up an international association called The Digital Insight Network, focusing purely on digital methodologies. Members will share best practice and innovations, and assist each other with global research projects. More
comScore and Kantar Media are rolling out their first joint offering for cross-media audience measurement, to key clients. More
Berlin-based mobile audience data and targeting specialist adsquare has appointed Karel Ellis-Gray as Country Manager UK. 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
Pharma data giant IMS Health has announced results for the quarter ended March 31st, with revenue up 7.0% at constant currency, to $632m and profit also jumping - adjusted EBITDA was $216n, up 9.8% at constant currency. 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
European social media monitoring and analytics platform Talkwalker has launched a suite of social media data applications which it says make instant actionable analysis of social media data available to 'every customer facing department in an organization'. More
Digital audience specialist comScore has rolled out its 'Industry Trust Initiative' in Canada; and is shortly to extend its 'Trust Profiles' metrics to a total of 44 global markets. 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
US-based location analytics specialist PlaceIQ has appointed former Microsoft exec Mandeep Mason to spearhead its expansion into the EMEA region. 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
GfK has named Ben van der Werf to succeed company veteran Richard Jameson as head of its Consumer Experiences business in the UK, plus the Nordics and Baltics. Jameson leaves in mid-May after more than 25 years at the firm, to pursue as yet unspecified 'new opportunities'. More
Ipsos has announced a suite of research offerings based on geolocation technology and exploiting the Google Consumer Surveys platform. More
The European Commission has awarded EUR 3.6m to Imperial College London and emotion measurement specialist Realeyes, to develop their technology. More
Marcoms giant WPP has launched a consultancy called Gain Theory, which brings together analytics, technology solutions, and consumer research and insight capabilities from around the group. More
Twitter is planning to cut off access to its data 'firehose' - the stream of tweets and related information it currently provides to third party vendors. More
In New York, former [x+1] CEO John Nardone has joined ad serving, measurement and technology company Flashtalking as Chief Executive Officer. More
London-based online panel and community research specialist Beehive Research has appointed Elke Neuteboom as Research Director, responsible for managing mixed methodology global insight programmes for clients. More
Paris-based social media monitoring and competitive intelligence firm Digimind has launched a measurement tool which can be used to analyze numerous social media accounts in a single interface. More
Iberian and Latin American online panel provider Netquest has launched a mobile app called Nicequest, to capture consumers' opinions through a combination of their survey feedback and their online navigation data. More
App store analytics firm App Annie has launched an internal research team, and appointed IDC veteran Danielle Levitas as Senior Vice President of Research & Analysis, to oversee the new practice. More
German-based TV ad tracking specialist wywy has launched an app to help advertisers measure the effect of TV advertising on web site performance. More
In the UK, WPP-owned digital data collection specialist Lightspeed GMI has hired former Research Now ops exec Emma Beech for the newly created role of Vice President, Operations EMEA, overseeing its operations teams in Europe. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has appointed Ludovic Milet as Managing Director, APAC, based in Hong Kong and leading the business across the region. 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
MR presentation and reporting specialist Dapresy has opened an office in Toronto, led by former Vision Critical exec Jonathon Ware as Vice President, Business Development, Canada. More
Influencer engagement software developer Augure has raised $16m to finance expansion plans for its word-of-mouth (WoM) product, and to fund the opening of an office in New York. More
UK-based agency SPA Future Thinking has dropped the first part of its name, as it prepares for 'aggressive' expansion. More
A lawyer for the European Commission has told European citizens to close their Facebook accounts if they want to protect their private information from being accessed by the US intelligence services. 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
Industry organisations ESOMAR and the Global Research Business Network (GRBN) have published new online research guidelines, which focus on ensuring the integrity of sample quality. More
Social media management and measurement platform Falcon Social has raised $16m in a Series B round of new funding, which will be used to support its plans for product development, innovation and expansion. More
Research software company Confirmit has partnered with translation specialist Language Connect to develop a solution called Connect Survey. The tool promises to save time and money for those co-ordinating MR and VoC programmes in multiple languages. More
Susan Shaw, the co-MD of GIM Suisse, has been elected as President of the Swiss Association of Market and Social Research (Verbands der Schweizer Markt- und Sozialforschung, or vsms). 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
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has appointed brand and innovation specialist Kevin Ford, previously Director of Research at NatCen, in the newly created role of Head of Markets and Products Research in Europe. More
Media giant Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) is expanding its PACE Panel platform, which combines media usage diary data, passive mobile usage data and custom research panel capabilities. 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
Online MR software company Confirmit has introduced a new SaaS environment for its Horizons product in Australia and New Zealand. 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
Research technology and services group FocusVision has acquired Melbourne, Australia-based Insight Marketing Systems, creator of the Research Reporter SaaS platform. The buy is FocusVision's third in the last 12 months, as it seeks to round out its family of research offerings. More
Sampling, data collection and analytics firm SSI has agreed to purchase the majority of the assets of MRops, which supplier end-to-end research operations services to research agencies and consultancies. More
Pharma MR specialist Instar has appointed Art McKee in Philadelphia to head up its new US business unit, and Manfred Eberlein in Hamburg to oversee its new European business division. The firm has also hired ten new research and delivery team members. More
Research and advisory group ISG (Information Services Group) has reported fourth quarter revenues of $53.2m, up 4% at constant currencies. Full-year revenue was flat at $209.6m, with growth in Europe balancing declines in the Americas and Asia Pacific; but adjusted EBITDA rose 5% to $23.2m. More
Energy sector data firm Verisk Analytics is to acquire Edinburgh-based research and consulting company Wood Mackenzie for £1.85 billion in cash (around $2.8bn). More
Marcoms giant Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired Greek digital agency Mindworks, which will now operate under the name Isobar-iProspect Advertising Services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK has bought a stake in US-based MR sector technology provider YouEye Inc, strengthening its expertise in digital research. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. 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
Simon-Kucher's promotion of Dr. Daniel Bornemann, Petra Brunner, Michael Dilger, Robert Dumitrescu, Dimitris Hiotis and Dr. Jochen Krauss to Partner was announced in early 2014 and should not therefore have appeared as news in Feb 2015! Our apologies. More
European-based Bilendi, which combines MR and online loyalty services, has agreed to acquire the Springboard UK access panel from Vision Critical, strengthening its online panels offering in the UK. 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
UK-based media and marketing insights firm Ebiquity has acquired Spanish media auditing firm Media Value (MV) from shareholders, including its co-founder Mauricio Barange, for a total consideration of up to EUR 6m. More
European social media monitoring and analytics platform Talkwalker has opened an office in New York, and hired former Kantar Media exec Todd Grossman as CEO Americas. More
In Japan, consumer insights specialist Macromill has reported a 44% increase in 2014 revenue to 25 billion Yen (EUR 178m), reflecting its recent merger with Netherlands-based online research and analytics firm MetrixLab. Sales for the period were 31 billion yen (EUR 214m). More
In London, Ipsos Healthcare has appointed IMS Health veteran Omar Ehsan as Head of Emerging Markets and Global Clients. More
Paris-based ad targeting and retargeting specialist Criteo has acquired DataPop - a US firm which tailors online ads to each consumer based on their demographics, location and intent. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
The BBC's weather forecasts have come on quite a bit since they stopped putting magnets on their maps 30 years ago this week, Eric Salama told IIeX Europe this afternoon. Our own industry needs to change as well, but the Kantar CEO only gives it five years. DRNO's Nick Thomas reports. More
Dutch research firm DVJ Insights has opened an office in London, led by Roy Patel, who previously served as Lightspeed Research's VP of Sales and Business Development, EMEA. More
Joachim Lenz, who co-founded media auditing firm Fairbrother Lenz Eley (FLE), died unexpectedly last week at the age of 63. More
Media and marketing insights firm Ebiquity has acquired Dietmar Kruse's minority stake in its German business, following his recent promotion to the role of CEO of Continental Europe. More
Pharma research and data giant IMS Health has announced results for the quarter and year ended December 31st 2014, including revenue up 6.2% to $678m in Q4 and 5.9% to $2,641m for the full year on a constant currency basis; and adjusted EBITDA up 8.5% and 9.5% respectively. More
In a deal with some similarities to the recent US tie-in with Rentrak, WPP is to take a 15% to 20% stake in comScore through its Kantar data and insight arm, while comScore acquires a number of Kantar assets in Europe. 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
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 19% increase in its four quarter 2014 revenue to $89.1m on a pro forma basis, while full year revenue increased 18% to $325.2m. More
WPP's global Government & Public Sector practice has introduced a team tasked with driving excellence in communications and research for European Union institutional clients. More
In Chicago, Ipsos Loyalty has opened a Customer Experience practice, and transferred John Carroll to head it up. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 5% increase in Research revenues to $53.8m in the fourth quarter of 2014. The group's Advisory Services and Events revenues rose 3% to $26.9m. More
Netherlands-based software provider CMNTY has launched a solution allowing researchers and marketers to build their own customised online communities for research or engagement projects. More
European fieldwork group Norstat has appointed Marc Leimann as Managing Director in Germany, replacing Christoph Irmer who moves into the group position of Chief Marketing Officer. More
European ad visibility measurement firm Meetrics has completed a round of funding, for use in international expansion and to strengthen the technical and operational teams at its Berlin headquarters. More
Digital data collection provider Research Now has made a number of changes in its executive leadership team, including the promotions of John Rothwell, Kathy Rowley and Melanie Courtright to C-suite and EVP roles. More
European-based MR and online loyalty specialist Bilendi is to acquire Nordic agency M3 Research for an undisclosed sum. In a statement, Bilendi said the transaction should double revenues from its 'Services for Market Research' division in 2016. More
US online sample and research operations company Market Cube has set up an office in London, where it has appointed former Lightspeed Research exec Roy Patel as European Regional Head. More
Oslo, Norway-based fieldwork group Norstat has appointed Knut Aasrud as Chief Executive Officer. He replaces Are Strøm, who has left the company after four years to take up a new role in the construction industry. More
In the UK, 70,000 members of cashback and rewards site Quidco have been integrated into the OpinionHub platform run by panel marketplace operator Cint. 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
Tech research firm Gartner has reported a 12% rise in fourth quarter 2014 revenue to $584.0m, compared with Q4 2013. Revenue in its core Research division also increased 12%, to $373.4m. More
Research technology firm and panel marketplace operator Cint has launched a sample supply management solution called Access Pro, to provide researchers and panel owners with 'total control' of the delivery process. More
Omnicom's DAS Group of Companies has acquired Berlin-based digital consulting and transformation agency TLGG. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
LA-based research technology company uSamp is changing its name to Instantly, Inc. While planning substantial investment in its sample business, the firm says the new name will allow it to grow this in tandem with its burgeoning insights platform. More
German-based product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher & Partners has announced a 13.5 percent revenue rise for 2014, to EUR 172m, and says it has ambitious plans for this, its 30th anniversary year, including revenue of more than EUR 200m and the hiring of 200 new employees. 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
French company Médiamétrie has become the latest ratings supplier to release a Twitter TV Ratings tool, in partnership with the microblogging leader. More
Danish software product OfficeReports, which turns Microsoft PowerPoint and Word into 'a complete data analysis and reporting suite for surveys', has upgraded and is now available within Excel. 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
European firm Stratégir has invested an undisclosed sum in Paris-based qual consumer agency WSA, which will now become Stratégir-WSA. The new company will be 70% owned by Stratégir and 30% by WSA's current managers Pascal Bluteau, Dominique Suire and Jean-Pierre Michel. More
The Havas Creative Group is merging its data agencies Havas EHS and Havas Discovery into a new brand called Helia, which will have combined data-related revenue of more than $70m, and 700 staff including more than 200 data scientists. More
In the US, research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has made a number of staff changes, including the appointment of two sales reps and a marketing specialist, and four senior promotions. More
Berlin-based qual research specialist Point-Blank International (PBI) has developed a new methodology which uses LEGO to help participants communicate during creative group discussions. More
dunnhumby Ventures has participated in a $1.2m seed investment in Dublin-based mobile marketing specialist Pulsate, which uses iBeacon technology to send customers messages and promotions relevant to their current location. More
Stockholm, Sweden-based performance marketing company Tradedoubler has acquired Adnologies, a provider of ad retargeting technology based in Hamburg, Germany. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
European social media influencer network adMingle has expanded to Asia, with the roll-out of its service in Singapore. More
German tech firm Software AG and India-based services giant Wipro have joined forces to develop a platform for streaming analytics providing real-time intelligence for the Internet of Things (IoT) market. 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
In the US, Ipsos MarketQuest President Matt McNerney has left the group to pursue other opportunities. McNerney joined Ipsos seven years ago as President of its Loyalty Division. More
Multi-screen digital media measurement firm Verto Analytics has announced a new service tracking ownership and usage of digital devices, Verto Device Watch. More
Millward Brown has launched a rapid copy-testing solution for TV, LinkNow, promising results in as few as six hours. Based on the firm's well known Link solution, the new product is available through MR app store ZappiStore. 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 Lightspeed GMI has expanded its online respondent validation product Honesty Detector to 27 markets across the Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific. More
MR tech provider Dapresy has opened a new office in Brisbane, Australia, led by former Sprout Research MD Heath Adams. The firm has also hired former TNS director Alexander Skorka to lead its office in Germany. More
Innovation and forecasting business Ipsos InnoQuest has introduced a digital approach to concept testing, which provides consumers with 'swipe-able' concepts, shortened surveys, and a choice of devices. More
European firm Meetrics has been accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for the viewable ad impression measurement in its Ad Attention Monitor product - for both display and video ads. 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
GfK has promoted Kevin Taylor to EVP of Technology, overseeing work for all North America tech clients, and Gary Schanzer takes on permanent leadership of the Digital Market Intelligence (DMI) team, while continuing in his role as Head of Shopper & Retail Strategy. More
Paris, London and Tokyo-based app re-targeting specialist Accengage has raised $3m in funding, which it will use to expand its team and develop new product features. More
SPA Future Thinking's French subsidiary has launched a pharmaceutical healthcare division called Future Thinking Pharma, in Paris, which will be led by Béatrice Chemla, the founder and CEO of healthcare MR agency Listening Pharma. More
Cambridge, MA-based outsourcing advisory and analyst firm HfS Research has hired Fred McClimans for the newly created position of Chief Client Officer, and Bram Weerts as Vice President of Global Business Development. More
TNS has appointed Andrew Lancefield for a new role, Chief Operating Officer of the AMME (Africa, Mediterranean and Middle East) region. More
Marketing services conglomerate Havas has partnered with Universal Music Group (UMG) to develop targeting based on individuals' musical taste. More
UK-based research innovator BrainJuicer Group has announced senior internal promotions in the Americas and Europe and the opening soon of an office in Miami. More
Global research tech and services company 20|20 Research has opened a UK office from which it will service its online qual offerings throughout EMEA. FocusVision veteran David Chandler will head up the new location in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. More
Research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has appointed Morten Strand as its new CEO, replacing Bo Mattsson who it says will 'remain on the board and continue to be a strong influence in the company'. The company plans 'rapid growth' in 2015, led by US expansion. 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
Kantar has announced that Mark Inskip, will take the role of Global CEO of its consulting business The Futures Company, from February. He replaces Will Galgey who is moving to the role of CEO of TNS UK. 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
US research organisation CASRO has launched a Safe Harbor Program to help research companies comply with US-EU privacy regulations. More
Nielsen has announced the forthcoming sale of 20m shares of its common stock, priced recently at $43.77 per share. More
Media and marketing giant Publicis Groupe has acquired Relevant24 (R24), which uses real-time data to create multi-media branded content for clients. The firm will immediately be aligned with Publicis' Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) division, enhancing its existing content solutions. More
Netherlands-based customer insights agency SKIM is to open an office in Singapore in January, led by Director Robin de Rooij. More
Netherlands-based customer feedback specialist Mopinion has launched a new product called 'Conversion Insights' (CI), to alert online retailers when customers abandon the purchase process, and provide insights as to why. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has launched a short-term branded panel product called PanelPortalLight, which can be launched in less than four weeks and host up to 2,000 members. More
An EU Working Party has published new Guidelines on the 'Right to be Forgotten', intended to help search engines to implement the ruling by the EU's Court of Justice (ECJ) in May, which required them to consider requests from individuals for the removal of links to information about them. More
Kantar Media has launched its Twitter TV Ratings service in Spain. The move follows the UK launch of the tool in October and the acquisition of Barcelona-based TV and social media analytics agency The Data Republic in April. More
The Merlien Institute - which runs conferences and events for MR professionals - has launched a new set of Awards to celebrate innovation in the industry and recognize individuals who have achieved 'significant breakthroughs' in mobile market research. More
UK-based digital communications group Next Fifteen has acquired a 75% stake in London-based brand performance researcher Morar, for up to £1.8m in cash. More
Marketing services giant Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired London-based social media agency Tempero for an undisclosed sum. Tempero, whose services include community management and 'listening', will eventually operate as the European arm of the Network's social media division ICUC. More
Switzerland's Mediapulse body has given GfK an extension of its contract to measure the country's radio audiences beyond 2017, using the agency's new Mediawatch platform. More
WPP has extended its relationship with IBM, to expand its use of big data and analytics, and develop new digital services that will be run and managed within a global hybrid cloud infrastructure. More
Panel exchange operator Cint has expanded its supply-API technology with the launch of 'Cint Push Supply', which the firm claims enables both suppliers and buyers to achieve 'significantly increased survey conversion'. 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
Multi-screen measurement specialist Rentrak has completed its acquisition of the US-based TV measurement assets of Kantar Media, in an all-stock deal worth about $128m - c.$30m more than was initially anticipated. More
Norfolk, UK-based consultant Simon Anholt - the man responsible for the Anholt Nation Brands Index - has launched an ambitious worldwide political organisation, Good Country. More
Board members of French ad and PR group Havas have voted in favour of accepting an offer from shareholder Bolloré Group to take control of the business. 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
In Ireland, retail and trade eCommerce solutions firm Magico is to double its workforce to 24, supporting a research and development project to develop a big data analytics tool called Magico DARE. More
Deepak Singh has returned to Ipsos in the newly created role of Executive Director and Head of Ipsos Marketing in India. More
Ipsos Healthcare has announced the US launch of a new study, Oncology Molecular Diagnostics (MDx) Lab Mapping, which delivers a picture of the laboratories involved in cancer biomarker testing. More
Ireland's radio industry has announced that it will trial a new people metering audience measurement system next year, as a possible alternative to the current system used for the Joint National Listenership Research (JNLR) ratings. More
Marcoms holding group Creston has reported a 5% increase in half year revenue to £37.3m, and announced an international partnership with German-owned Serviceplan Group. More
Marketing services holding company Viad Corp has acquired event registration and intelligence firm N200 for an undisclosed sum. More
Online research tech company uSamp has rolled out its Instant.ly Concept Test (ICT) tool in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. More
Intersec, which provides big data technology solutions to 'phone network operators, has raised $20m in a Series B round of funding, earmarked for international growth. More
Ipsos UU has strengthened its Canadian team with two senior appointments: Gayle Lunn as a VP and Christian Arambulo as a Director, both based in the Toronto office. More
Healthcare panel provider M3 Global Research has promoted Roni DasGupta to the role of President of Market Research, Americas and Anton Richter to MD of Market Research, Europe, as it looks to 'accelerate its global growth'. More
TNS has announced the appointment of Will Galgey, formerly of The Futures Company (TFC) as UK CEO from mid-January 2015, following the departure of Maureen Duffy earlier in the week. Separately, Michelle Harrison will become Global Head of Political and Social at the beginning of the year. 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
German-based product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher is promoting another eight members of staff to the role of Partner from January 1st next year. More
UK-based Kadence International has today been sold to full service Japanese MR group CMG (Cross Marketing Group) for an undisclosed sum. More
GfK has unveiled a new concept it calls the 'Emotional Imprint', to help clients address the gap between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. 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
London-based online research specialist DigitalMR has partnered with MRB Hellas to roll out its 'listening247' and 'communities247' services to companies in Greece. More
Yahoo! has acquired video ad firm BrightRoll, which measures billions of video impressions each month using a reporting suite featuring tools from comScore, Nielsen, Vizu and InsightExpress. The deal was valued at around $640m in cash. More
In Malaysia, broadcaster Star Radio Group has commissioned GfK to introduce electronic / mobile diary radio rating methodology to the country, as it seeks 'more holistic insights' into radio listening habits. More
US web analytics and tag management firm Tealium has opened an EMEA headquarters in the UK, from which to service clients across the region. More
MR language and translation specialist GlobaLexicon has opened a new office in Nuremberg, Germany, and says it plans to expand to Asia next year. More
Palo Alto, California-based private equity firm HGGC has become the majority owner of the parent of sampling, data collection and analytics firm Survey Sampling International (SSI). The company was previously owned by two other investors, who will retain minority stakes. More
Research technology and panel exchange operator Cint has announced a new strategic global relationship with DIY online research firm SurveyMonkey. 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
Ipsos Healthcare has launched a new syndicated project, the Biosimilar Impact Study, to help clients understand the potential impact of launches of these drugs, which are rival companies' versions of original products, hitting the market as patents expire. More
Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) software firm QuestBack has parted company 'by mutual consent' with Hilarius Dressen, CEO of its operations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More
Information Services Group has announced third quarter revenue up 3% in constant currency terms, to $53.3m. Revenues in Europe rose strongly (up 10% to $19.7m) while elsewhere they were flat or fell back. More
Marcoms group Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired full service mobile agency Fetch, which offers mobile strategy, media, creative and analytics services. While terms of the deal were not disclosed, it is estimated to be worth around £30m. More
Technology research and analysis specialist Gartner has reported a 15% increase in third quarter revenue to $470.9m. For the Research division specifically, revenue was also up 15%, to $365.3m. 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
In India, former Millward Brown exec Jyoti Malladi has been appointed Executive Director and Head of Ipsos ASI, the global group's advertising and communications research arm. More
Maritz is to acquire customer and employee feedback software provider Allegiance, which it will combine with Maritz Research to create a new company called MaritzCX, with more than 900 employees in eighteen offices worldwide. Terms of the acquisition deal were not disclosed. More
Japanese online specialist Macromill has merged with Netherlands-based online research and analytics firm MetrixLab. The combined firm will now operate under the Macromill brand, and has plans to open new offices in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Russia. More
TV audience measurement body TAM Ireland has begun a pilot scheme to capture data on laptop and PC viewing, using an initial test panel of 60 homes established using Nielsen's Netsight meter. 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
Marketing services network WPP has reported a slower than expected 3.1% rise in third quarter revenue to £2.76bn. Reported revenue in its Data Investment Management division fell 4.7% to £588m, but allowing for currency effects and acquisitions, like-for-like revenue growth was 0.5%. More
Twitter and IBM have formed an alliance to help businesses and institutions better understand their customers, markets and trends. More
Technology specialist Forrester has reported an 8.3% increase in third quarter revenue to $75.4m, with research division revenues up by a more moderate 2%, to $50.6m. 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
Industry association ESOMAR has elected Laurent Flores as its new President for the two-year term from January 2015 to December 2016. He will be supported by newly elected Vice President David Smith. More
In the US, ad and PR giant Publicis Groupe has acquired real-time data management and ad buying platform RUN for an undisclosed sum. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 15% increase in third quarter revenues to $82.1m, but posted a GAAP net loss of $3.3m on the back of a $6.9m impairment charge. The latter relates to the firm's mobile operator analytics division, which it intends shortly to divest or shut down. More
Daily deals site Groupon is to create 100 new jobs for an Engineering & Marketing Centre in Dublin. Skills sought include data analysis, digital marketing and software engineering staff. More
In Germany, mobile audience targeting and measurement specialist adsquare has raised $4.3m in Series A financing, which it will use for international expansion and new product innovations. More
Sampling, data collection and analytics specialist SSI has announced a deal with air loyalty program Avios, which will offer the latter's collectors the option to join SSI's B2B inSSItes panel. 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
Denmark's VIA University College has partnered with Canadian crowdsourcing firm Chaordix, to build an innovation community called VIA Connect, through which businesses can hook up with thousands of students, as well as researchers and tutors. 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
Panel exchange operator Cint has added access to 1.5 million proprietary consumer panellists across seventeen countries to its platform, through a partnership with emerging markets specialist Borderless Access. More
Another fortnight, another NED role for ESOMAR President Dan Foreman, this time with fast-growing Berlin-based technology firm Dalia Research. More
French tycoon Vincent Bolloré is aiming to use a share exchange offer to increase his stake in advertising group Havas to more than 50 percent. More
Publicis strategic communications subsidiary MSLGROUP has appointed Benjamin Koe as Regional Director of Strategic Insight and Impact, based in Singapore. His remit includes the establishment of insight centres of excellence ('CoEs') in India and China. More
Kantar Media has agreed to acquire the audio watermarking unit of digital tech firm Civolution, whose products are used by broadcast channels across the world to track their media content and audiences. Financial details were not disclosed. More
Dutch radio audience survey body NLO has signed an amended contract with current provider GfK, extending the current radio diary deal and simultaneously exploring the use of mobile apps to allow reporting on a minute-by-minute level. 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
Business information and events group Informa has announced that Alfred Moellenbeck, MD of its Euroforum subsidiary for the last 25 years, will retire at the end of 2014. His role will be filled by Ann-Marie Brems, reporting directly to Andrew Mullins, CEO of the group's Knowledge & Networking Division. 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
DIY online research firm SurveyMonkey has announced a new app, allowing users to send and analyze surveys from within the widely used Salesforce platform. More
IBM has opened a New York HQ for its recently-launched Watson Group, housing more than 600 staff of the new self-service analytics division; and unveiled the first five 'Watson Client Experience Centers' for client support and training, in the cities of Dublin, London, Melbourne, Sao Paulo and Singapore. More
Ipsos has appointed Nika Kabiri as MD of its MarketQuest division in Seattle. She was previously a Senior Project Manager with Ipsos Loyalty. More
Business information veteran Dun & Bradstreet has announced a partnership with Lattice Engines, a provider of cloud-based predictive marketing and sales applications, promising clients the ability to identify the customer and prospects 'most ready to buy'. More
The Insight Centre for Data Analytics - a joint initiative between University College Dublin, the National University of Ireland at Galway, University College Cork, and Dublin City University - has appointed Oliver Daniels as Chief Executive Officer. He will join on 21st October. More
Facebook has launched a cross-device user tracking ad product, based on the Atlas software it acquired from Microsoft earlier this year. Meanwhile Ello, a social network which spurns advertising, is reportedly adding as many as 35,000 new users an hour. More
GfK has acquired UK-based online retail and pricing intelligence firm Cogenta, which will now be fully integrated into the German-based group as the GfK Online Pricing Intelligence solution. More
Ipsos has hired Jake Dorn as Senior Vice President - Chief Client Director for Microsoft, based in Seattle, Washington and leading the agency's global initiatives with the software giant. More
San Mateo, CA-based social media analytics specialist Viralheat has opened a European office in London, where it has appointed John Hayes as Marketing Director. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher is opening an office in Barcelona. More
In Germany, GfK is to merge its media analysis specialist firms GfK Enigma and Media Markt Analysen, to form one company which will now operate under the name GfK Media & Communication Research. More
New York-based ad technology firm AppNexus has received $25m in funding from WPP, and in turn, has agreed to acquire the Open AdStream (OAS) ad serving platform from the marcoms giant's audience profiling and targeting division Xaxis. More
Vidya Sen has been promoted to the role of Head of innovation and forecasting business Ipsos InnoQuest in India. More
Online research specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 'relatively flat' first half year, with a 4% rise in revenue to £11.2m (H1 2013: £10.8m). A decline in US and UK turnover was more than compensated by strong performances in Asia, continental Europe and Brazil. More
Media and digital marcoms giant Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired the standalone search and content marketing agency business of US-based Covario. The business offers local SEO, social media automation, and analytic tools. More
US management consulting firm Optimity Advisors has expanded to Europe by acquiring London-based advisory and data management specialist Matrix Knowledge. More
In London, sports marketing researcher Repucom has promoted Jon Stainer for the new role of Managing Director of the UK and Ireland. More
Cross-platform digital media measurement specialist Verto Analytics has raised $2.4m in a second round of funding, which it will use to 'scale up' its cloud-based infrastructure and SaaS-model tools. More
London-based online communities specialist Verve has announced seven more hires, including former GfK execs Rich Preedy and Olly Robinson who will help drive the expansion of its International service. More
Ipsos has appointed Hagop Harmandarian as its new MD in Saudi Arabia, replacing Samir Tass who is leaving after three years in the role. More
Barcelona-based multimedia software provider Fluendo has acquired sports analysis firm LongoMatch, which offers a cross-platform tool through which users can perform real-time analysis on sports game video feeds. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has opened a new office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, focused on South American regional clients. More
Online research tech company uSamp has opened an office in Frankfurt, Germany and hired Susanne Minneker and Catherine Gibbon who will be based there. More
US intelligence provider Aimpoint Research has moved into Europe with the acquisition of Rome's CIELO Research. 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
Survey and reporting software firm Confirmit has launched the Confirmit Panel App, which it says will allow clients to offer a 'seamless mobile experience' to participants in their research and customer panels. More
Berlin-based app analytics and attribution company adjust has raised $7.6m in a series C round of funding, for expansion of its team and technologies, with 50 percent specifically earmarked for the US, Chinese and Japanese markets. More
The global research industry grew faster than inflation in 2013, with turnover for 'traditionally defined MR' passing the $40bn mark, according to ESOMAR's annual report, just released. More
UK-based agency SPA Future Thinking has restructured its senior management team, promoting Richard Barton to Group Managing Director, with four new divisional MDs - Steve King, Neil Aulton, Chris Bland and Claudia Strauss - working under him. More
Oslo, Norway-based fieldwork group Norstat has promoted Matt Reynolds to the position of Managing Director for the UK market. The firm has also appointed Elisabeth Sampaio as Senior Project Manager in the UK. More
In Finland, competitive intelligence company M-Brain has purchased marketing intelligence and advisory group Global Intelligence Alliance (GIA) from investment firm CapMan and a group of GIA's management and shareholders. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Iberian and Latin American online panel provider Netquest has acquired behavioural data collection technology specialist Wakoopa. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Wakoopa is now a fully-owned subsidiary of Netquest. More
Ipsos has promoted Alexandre Guerin to President of Ipsos Loyalty in the US, overseeing the direction of the business across the country. He replaces Matt McNerney, who became US President of Ipsos MarketQuest in January. 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
Paris-based ad technology firm Criteo is once again a target for Publicis Groupe, according to unconfirmed rumours last week from sources including French financial daily Les Echos. More
Data driven CRM firm Merkle has appointed three new Vice Presidents: Yaakov Kimelfeld as Chief Research Officer, Digital Media; Karima Zmerli in charge of the firm's digital data strategy; and Zimm Zimmerman as Personalization Solution leader. More
Ipsos has appointed Diane Dickinson as MD of its operations in New Zealand, replacing Ian Mills who leaves for a role as GM with Data Insights Ltd. More
Polling, research and strategic marketing firm Leger has opened a Travel Research division, and appointed Sheri Lambert to lead it as Head of Travel and Leisure market research operations in the US and Canada. 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
Research and analytics outsourcing firm Evalueserve has acquired German business intelligence provider Beyond Data, for an undisclosed sum. More
WPP division GroupM has acquired data-driven digital media agency Keyade, whose proprietary software Madmetrics Analytics will be integrated into GroupM France's data, research and planning offerings. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
US-based online research and analytics firm InsightExpress has been acquired by WPP's brand, media and comms research specialist Millward Brown. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
WPP's healthcare data company All Global has been integrated into the group's online panels specialist Lightspeed Research, allowing combined access to general population panels and physician and payor panels. More
Audience research specialist Kantar Media has appointed Carlos Sanchez for a newly created role, Director of Social TV. More
Eye tracking specialist Tobii Technology has raised $15m (SEK 100m) to support its continued expansion in existing and new markets, and specifically its acquisition of speech-generating tech firm DynaVox Systems. 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
Global marketers' confidence fell in August despite overall conditions improving across the sector, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI). 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
GfK is to launch a cross-media and cross-device measurement tool called the 'Crossmedia Visualizer', to help clients understand how individuals use their different devices. More
Nielsen has promoted Steve Hasker to the role of Global President, overseeing its business across the media sector, in addition to leading its product portfolio across both Watch and Buy segments. More
San Francisco-based audience measurement and digital advertising firm Quantcast has promoted former Yahoo! exec Matt White to Managing Director of its UK operation, replacing Phil Macauley who has moved up to the position of EMEA MD. More
Digital data collection specialist Research Now has launched a panel focusing on women's health - initially in Germany, with the US, Canada and the UK following rapidly. More
Panel exchange operator Cint has relocated to new premises in Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, where it has appointed Arianne Dumayas as Project and Customer Support Manager. More
Advertising retargeting firm AdRoll has opened an office in London, where it has appointed former Google exec Michael Bertaut as Managing Director of EMEA Strategic Sales. 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
A new service from Twitter promises advertisers the chance to choose their own definition of success, measure performance accordingly, and pay only for the specific results they have selected up-front. More
Ipsos has appointed former Nielsen exec Aldrin Stephen Luiz as Executive Director and Head of its MediaCT business in India, based in the Mumbai office and reporting to MD Amit Adarkar. More
German-based agricultural MR specialist Kleffmann Group has promoted Carolina Coelho to Global HR & Operations Manager. More
US-based holding company Information Services Group (ISG) has announced results for the second quarter and first half ended June 30th, with revenues down 3% year-on-year in constant currency, at $54.9m. More
UK data protection watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has spoken up in qualified support of the European Court's recent ruling, which it says is not a 'Right to be Forgotten' but a reasonable task for Google to address on a case by case basis. More
US-based information and analytics firm IHS has returned to the acquisition trail with the purchase of merchandise trade data provider Global Trade Information Services (GTI). More
US-based fieldwork group Schlesinger Associates has teamed up with Interactive Video Productions LLC to offer EEG-based neuromarketing data collection during in-depth Interviews. The firm already has solutions for facial coding and biometrics labs. More
Online analytics provider Webtrends has lost two senior execs, Bruce Kenny and Eric Butler, having recently shuffled and strengthened its team with three VP level hires and two promotions. More
Digital ad solutions firm Rocket Fuel Inc. is to acquire New York-based online audience targeting firm [x+1] for a neat $100m in cash plus 5.4m shares of its own common stock, valuing the deal at around $230m. Rocket Fuel also reported second quarter revenue up 70% year-on-year to $92.6m. More
comScore is to pay an undisclosed sum for MdotLabs, an agency which 'detects non-human traffic' (NHT) - not by watching the skies, but by looking down at some of the murkier practices inflating digital audience figures. The measurement giant, which announced strong growth today, also appointed Mel Wesley as its new CFO. More
IT research and consulting firm Gartner has reported second quarter revenue of $519.8m, up 17% year on year, or 16% excluding currency effects. Profits jumped likewise: normalized EBITDA also rose 17%, to $105.0m. More
In the UK, advertising division Ipsos ASI has announced three senior appointments: Caroline Walker as MD, Paul Edwards as a Non-Executive Director and Lucy Burnham as a team leader. 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
In the UK, a House of Lords committee has reported that the ECJ's search engine 'right to be forgotten' ruling is 'unworkable' and says it is 'wrong in principle'; while Google has told the EU that implementing it is a hard task, and has asked for clarification on how it should decide cases. 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
US technology research and consulting firm Forrester Research has reported second quarter revenue of $82.9m, up 5% from $79.0m 12 months previously. Revenue for the Research division rose more slowly, up 2% to $52.3m. 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
Ipsos has promoted Amit Adarkar to the position of Country Manager and Managing Director in India, replacing Mick Gordon who will take up a senior regional role within the company. 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
Panel exchange operator Cint has announced an API collaboration with Ghent, Belgium-based online specialist InSites Consulting, which will add access to an initial 1.5 million European and LATAM respondents across 50 countries to the former's OpinionHUB platform. More
European online behavioural targeting technology firm nugg.ad has opened an office in Milan, where it has appointed Enrico Ciampini as Country Director. More
US-based digital marketing services firm MediaMath has opened a new office in Paris, France, from where it plans to build on its existing presence across the EMEA region. 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
Morocco's joint industry committee CIAUMED has awarded GfK a contract to deliver an electronic TV audience measurement (TAM) service. The agency has also won an extension of its radio audience contract in Switzerland. More
Online MR software company Confirmit has launched a new solution called 'Confirmit Genius' for text and social media analytics. 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
Ipsos Co-Chairman Jean-Marc Lech has temporarily stepped down from his role following what has been described by the company as a 'serious health issue'. More
Nielsen has teamed up with marketing modelling specialist Pointlogic, to develop 'next-generation' media planning and inventory management solutions for ads across TV, online and mobile. 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
Japanese e-Commerce giant Rakuten, which owns full service agency Rakuten Research, is to acquire Tokyo-based panel operator and online sampling and data collection firm AIP Corporation. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
US-based fieldwork group Schlesinger Associates has relocated its Chicago office to a newly upgraded research space on the 26th floor of its existing address at North Michigan Avenue. 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
The High Court in Delhi has once again adjourned Kantar Media Research's appeal against new government guidelines imposed on its TAM TV audience measurement service. The case will now be heard on 26th August. More
Stichting KijkOnderzoek (SKO), the industry body responsible for the reporting and monitoring of viewing behaviour in the Netherlands, has awarded WPP firms Kantar Media and TNS NIPO a four-year contract for the provision of cross platform ratings across the country. More
Global consumer insights and marketing analytics provider MetrixLab has appointed digital and media research specialist Angela Morgans as Managing Director in the UK. More
Kantar Media has rolled out its FishEye social media monitoring and analytics solutions to the Irish market. More
GfK has appointed John Carter to lead the Quantitative Research arm of its Market Opportunities and Innovation (MOI) team in North America. More
UK-based Intellection Software has appointed Wojtek Kokoszka as Commercial Director and Charlotte Atkins as COO, plus ESOMAR President Dan Foreman as a Non-Executive Director. More
German TV ad tracking specialist wywy has completed its acquisition of New York-based ad technology and analytics specialist SecondScreen Networks, as it looks to expand its own operations into the US market. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Global marcoms network Publicis Groupe has set up a new digital agency called ROAR, offering a full range of user experience, strategy, creative, media and analytics services. 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
Former Ipsos Country Manager Enrique Domingo has set up a new agency in Madrid called Dialogs&Beyond. The firm's offer will include mobile research, applied neuroscience techniques, marketing and innovation services, and ad effectiveness understanding. More
Sampling and data collection firm SSI has appointed Mark Lepine as Managing Director for the Asia Pacific region, with responsibility for all sales and operations across Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia. More
Netherlands-based community research software provider CMNTY has opened an office in London, and has appointed Alastair Macmillan to lead it. More
Online ad personalisation specialist Phorm has published audited final results for the year ended 31st December 2013, showing another massive operating loss, this time $35.1m dollars on turnover of just $280k. 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
TV audience measurement body TAM Ireland has set out its plans for the extension of its measurement services over the next few years, including its intention 'to measure all forms of viewing across all devices by 2017'. More
Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has opened an office in Sevres, south west of Paris, where it has appointed former Ipsos exec Anne Lavielle to head up the new operation. More
San Francisco-based ad retargeting platform AdRoll has relocated to larger offices in Dublin, Ireland, where it is planning to hire 100 additional staff and more than double its headcount. More
Mobile marketing firm Brandtone has appointed British businessman Peter Bamford as Chairman, to oversee the company's international expansion plans. More
Global business research agency B2B International has opened an office in Düsseldorf, citing Germany as its largest market outside the UK and the US. More
Mobile app attribution and analytics company adjust has opened a new Asia and Middle East headquarters in Istanbul, which it says will support operations and drive rapid growth. Chief Revenue Officer Hendrik Volp will lead the office. More
Netherlands audience measurement association SKO has announced a new contract with Kantar Media Audiences, allowing the measurement of commercials on a wide range of digital platforms and establishing 'a marketwide, transparent, manageable standard'. 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
WPP-owned firm The Data Alliance has partnered with location analytics specialist Factual, giving WPP group companies access to data that maps the known location of mobile phones to physical places, including more than 65 million businesses in 50 countries. 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
Facebook has announced that it will begin tracking users' behaviour on other web sites as well as its own, in order to target advertising more effectively. An opt-out will be available, in addition to the option to see why an ad has been served, and to edit one's own advertising profile. 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
Nokia has announced plans to acquired real-time predictive analytics specialist Medio Systems, which it will integrate with its location intelligence firm HERE. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
US-based cross-media analytics firm MarketShare has appointed former GfK Panel Services MD Lucien van der Hoeven as EVP for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). More
Enterprise data and analytics company Acxiom has hired Starcom Media Vest Group's former EMEA Chief Digital Officer Ian James for the newly created role of European Managing Director. More
In London, Fox International has promoted Christian Brent to the newly created role of Senior Vice President of Global Research and Audience Strategy for Fox International Channels (FIC). 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
Iberian and Latin American online panel specialist Netquest has opened an office in Lisbon, from where it plans to work more closely with the Portuguese research community and develop its business in the country. More
Four weeks on from the European Court's landmark decision granting individuals a 'right to be forgotten' in search results, Google says it is receiving about 10,000 requests for removal each day; and will reportedly flag up removed items in searches, as well as reporting regularly on their total volume. More
Trading solutions provider and online ad marketplace AppNexus has announced the acquisition of French firm Alenty, which specialises in online ad viewability. More
European-based MR and online loyalty specialist Maximiles is to rebrand as Bilendi, 'putting data insights firmly at the centre of its two core activities' as it looks to double the size of its research arm by 2016. More
California-based ThinkNow Research has launched an online Spanish language ad testing platform, assessing 15- and 30-second television ads and linked to a normative database. More
Mobile survey technology provider OnePoint Global is launching an app giving researchers access to regular mobile survey ideas from around the world. 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
comScore is putting up $14m to settle claims that the firm collects personal and confidential information - such as credit card numbers, passwords and Social Security numbers - from consumers' computers without their knowledge. More
Facebook has acquired Finnish mobile data firm Pryte, whose patent-pending technology measures real-time user activity, including app use, to trigger marketing and charging activity. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
UK firm The Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has partnered with Dutch consulting engineer Fugro, integrating its own survey and consultancy services with Fugro's data on highway condition and construction for the benefit of global clients. More
In New York, online research and technology specialist Toluna has promoted John Bremer to Group Chief Research and Strategy Officer. More
George Terhanian has left Toluna to join consumer specialist The NPD Group in the newly created role of Group President and Chief Research and Analytics Officer. More
Global online sample aggregator EMI Research Solutions has opened its first European office, in London. More
US ad analytics and trading tools provider Yieldex has opened of an office in London, and appointed ad industry veterans Mark Williams and Nigel Edmund-Jones to kick-start its European business. More
In Rotterdam, Survey Sampling International (SSI) has appointed Marlies Kerklaan as Managing Director for the Benelux region. More
Social media and text analytics specialist Texifter has entered a strategic partnership with DIY research firm SurveyMonkey, helping the latter's users get to grips with verbatim-heavy survey responses. 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
Nielsen has announced three appointments for senior communications roles, including Ben Billingsley and Flavie Lemarchand-Wood to leadership positions in its Global Watch division, and Kristie Stegen in an expanded role as Global Head of Internal Communications. More
GfK has increased its stake in UK-based Genius Digital, to become the TV viewer data specialist's majority shareholder. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
App store analytics and market intelligence specialist App Annie has made its first acquisition, buying Amsterdam-based rival Distimo for an undisclosed amount of cash and equity. App Annie has also raised $17m in a new round of funding. More
Chris Modzelewski, the founder of online audience research specialist Gemius S.A., has joined New York-based digital media measurement company Verto Analytics as Chief Research Officer. Separately, Timo Smura has joined the firm in Finland, as Head of Research and Analytics. More
Machine data analytics specialist Sumo Logic has raised $30m in a funding round, and will use it for geographic expansion into the EMEA and Asia Pacific regions. More
Stockholm-based customer intelligence integrator Innometrics has moved to larger offices in central London. More
Kantar-owned research technology and panels firm GMI (Global Market Insite) has opened a new office in Frankfurt, and appointed Key Account Director Norman-René Schwalme to lead it. More
UK-based international data collection agency OMR Globus has hired Paul Campbell for the new role of Research Director, in its London office. Campbell will service UK and EU clients, expand qual services in the EU and Asia, and strengthen quant support for global programmes. More
Online intelligence solutions provider Meltwater has acquired Canadian online content analytics firm Strategic Planner. More
Optimism among marketing execs remains high, according to the May wave of the Warc Global Marketing Index (GMI), with respondents generally upping their forecasts for marketing budgets and positive about trading conditions. More
GfK has appointed two new Senior Vice Presidents in its North American Health team: former TNS Healthcare US President Paul Barnes, and former Eli Lilly consultant Cheryl Mulherin. More
Facebook and advertising giant Publicis have reportedly agreed a c.$500m multi-year partnership, to develop ad targeting and measurement products - including the integration of Facebook's data into Publicis' media and mix modeling platform. More
Stockholm-based panel exchange operator Cint has boosted its UK customer service and sales teams with three new hires and the promotion of Jane Attale (nee Mills) to the leadership role of UK Sales Director. More
Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) specialist QuestBack has appointed Paul Barnes to head up its UK operations as Country Manager, managing a team of twenty people. He was previously VP Operations at software provider Eptica. 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
Ipsos' MediaCT division, which specialises in measuring how consumers use and respond to media across different platforms, has opened a Data Science Hub in London. The new initiative is led by Neil Farrer, who takes on the role of Chief Data Science Officer. 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
Customer intelligence integrator Innometrics has announced a $5m Series A funding round, earmarked for sales and marketing to support rapid expansion of its European operations, as well as enhancements to its Profile Cloud solution. More
A ruling this week from the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) places requirements on search engines with offices in the EU to consider requests from individuals for the removal of links to certain information about them. More
US-based data collection company Schlesinger Associates has appointed Matt Campion as an Executive Vice President, charged with developing its quantitative client portfolio in healthcare and expanding its service solutions across the group. More
Ipsos Public Affairs has made three senior management changes in its US team: Clifford Young has been promoted to President and John Vidmar to Chairman of the division in the US, while Julia Clark takes on additional responsibilities as VP leading the team in Chicago. More
GfK has acquired French agricultural tracking specialist TerrEtude, and will integrate it into its GfK Kynetec France subsidiary from this July. More
Online research innovator BrainJuicer has warned in an AGM statement today of an increase in its costs, resulting from increased share based payment charges and the expansion of its account management teams to support long-term growth. Shares were down 21% as of Monday morning. More
IMS Health has acquired Belgian-based business intelligence tech company Forcea, with the aim of enhancing its performance management capabilities for hospitals and life sciences clients. Terms were not disclosed. More
Digital audience measurement specialist comScore has announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Kenneth Tarpey, will retire in August this year. The firm is currently seeking a successor. 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
Research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has announced results for the quarter ended March 31st. Revenues slid 5% to $48.2m (reported and constant currency), with a sharp rise in Europe (up 15% to $19.8m) more than counterbalanced by falls of 14-15% in the Americas and Asia Pacific. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has fully integrated MarketTools and CRM Metrix into its global network, and announced that all fifteen offices in the US, Europe, and Asia will now operate under the MetrixLab brand name. 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
Consumer specialist The NPD Group has promoted Jim Kelley to the role of President of its newly combined Sports and Leisure Trends business. More
US technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 1% rise in research division revenues to $50.79m in the first quarter 2014. More
WPP Chief Exec Sir Martin Sorrell, whose marcoms group would no longer be the world's largest if the planned Publicis-Omnicom merger goes ahead, has told analysts he believes there is a '30% to 50% chance' the merger process will collapse. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 14% increase in first quarter revenue to $76.9m, from $68.9m a year previously, while the firm's net loss fell to $782k from $2.0m. More
Equity company Blue Canyon Holdings has acquired 71.9% of Swedish-owned PR software company Cision, with the allotted time for shareholder acceptance of its bit now expired. A rival and slightly higher bid from US-based PR solutions company Meltwater will now be put to remaining shareholders. More
Three years on from a decision to look into definitions for web users' Do Not Track requests, Internet standards group W3C has put up a draft for public scrutiny; and separately, in Australia, the IAB has announced the formation of a body to combat online ad fraud, the Brand Safety Council (BSC). More
Medical MR firm Field Scope International has expanded its panel of registered Nurses, and now has access to over 5000 across the UK and 'similar figures' in the other big four EU nations. More
WPP's Data Investment Management (DIM) division saw revenues fall 3.8% to £566m in the first quarter of 2014, while net sales dropped 4.5% to £406m. More
US-based digital media buying platform MediaMath has acquired Tactads, a firm providing cookie-less and cross-device ad targeting technologies. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
New York-based digital media measurement specialist Verto Analytics has appointed Arbitron Mobile founder Hannu Verkasalo as Chief Executive Officer, while raising $5.4m in new investment funding. 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
Global marketing budgets continued to rise in the second quarter of 2014, partly driven by planned mobile and digital spend - according to the latest data from Warc's Global Marketing Index. 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
Nielsen is in the 'final stages' of testing for the expansion of its Online Campaign Ratings product to mobile. The new service is scheduled for launch in the summer. 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
Social media research and communities specialist Ipsos SMX (Social Media Exchange) has launched a web app called 'Socialized Research Platform Mobile', which it says will give members a new way to view optimized content, and provide access to insights on any device. More
In a decision which could have far-reaching consequences for new areas of research and marketing, the Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) last week issued a judgement removing the legal foundation for telecoms providers' retention of individual customer traffic and location data. 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
In the US, WPP's Kantar Media has launched an initiative which uses its subscription-only media planning platform, SRDS.com, to help advertisers find and buy suitable digital media slots for their campaigns. 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
Online panel specialist Research Now has appointed BlueKai co-founder Michael Bigby as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and a member of its Executive Leadership team. More
US business intelligence (BI) tech firm Decisyon has received $22m in Series B funding, for use in supporting its expansion plans in the US and Europe. More
Palo Alto, CA-based DIY research specialist SurveyMonkey is moving its European headquarters to Dublin, where corporation taxes are far lower than in the UK. The firm will hire 50 new members of staff in Ireland, and relocate its international team there from its office in Lisbon. 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
Policy and strategy consultancy ComRes has launched a number of new services in preparation for May's European Parliament elections and next year's UK general election. More
London-based mobile research technology specialist Lumi has appointed former Cint MD Daniel Cunill as European Sales Manager. 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
Marcoms giant WPP has launched a global Government & Public Sector Practice to drive 'excellence' in government communications. The new initiative is led by Dr Michelle Harrison, who is also CEO of the group's TNS BMRB agency. More
Nielsen has announced the completion of a Proof Of Concept study in partnership with CBS, on the 'power of combining media buys for major advertising campaigns'; and separately the integration by media technology company Syncbak of its Software Development Kit (SDK). More
US-based PR solutions company Meltwater is bidding 895 million Swedish crowns ($138m) in cash for Swedish firm Cision, trumping by nine percent an offer by equity company Blue Canyon Holdings. Both firms are involved in monitoring and analysis of traditional and new media. More
European online specialist InSites Consulting is extending its moderator network in Asia Pacific and has agreed a long-term strategic partnership with Sydney-based boutique agency Direction First. More
Kantar's online specialist Lightspeed GMI has launched a service called Survey Cycle, which combines its research design and project management skills with Google Consumer Surveys, to deliver 'micro surveys' comprising ten questions or fewer. More
In London, real-time marketing platform SHIFT has appointed former AOL Europe CEO Kate Burns as Managing Director of its UK and European operations. More
Audience measurement specialist Kantar Media has acquired Barcelona-based TV and social media analytics agency The Data Republic. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Digital research agency Gemius has been named as the official provider of Internet audience measurement in Belgium and Luxembourg, replacing TNS which was awarded the contract in 2012. The new deal will also last for two years, with an option to extend further. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has launched a multi-platform audience metric for use across desktop computers, smartphones and tablets. 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
Enterprise analytic data management firm Cloudera has announced another $740m in financing, this time from chipmaker Intel, which becomes an 18 percent shareholder in the booming firm. More
Twitter has announced two further acquisitions in the field of 'social TV', French startup Mesagraph and UK firm SecondSync, both of which provide analysis of social media chat concerning TV programmes. Terms were not disclosed. More
Online MR software company Confirmit has introduced a customer engagement solution called the SmartHub, through which businesses can capture, analyse and respond to customer and market feedback across multiple channels and sources in real-time. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has launched a big data joint venture with marketing intelligence experts Edwin Kooge and Natasha Walk. More
US-based social media solutions firm Lithium Technologies has acquired social media analytics firm Klout for a reported $200m - double the price first mooted in February. More
GfK has appointed Jacqueline Richardson as Regional Director and EVP of Human Resources in North America; leading workforce development, talent management, employee relations, training, diversity and recruitment efforts in the US and Canada. More
Social media intelligence company Replise has appointed Dan Foreman as Non-Executive Director on its Board. In addition, Dominika Poleszak has been promoted to the role of Managing Director in Warsaw and Sven Sperling has been named Managing Director in Hamburg. More
In Sweden, a team of former Spotify engineers has raised $2.2m in seed funding for their Lookback platform, used for mobile app user experience testing. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has launched an automated survey tool called PowerPosition, promising fast-turnaround insights into positioning and communications. More
In the US, online research community builder Communispace has launched a new business unit dedicated to healthcare clients; and has named VP Corey Schwartz as its Managing Director. The firm says more such 'sub-brand' launches may be in the pipeline. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has opened an office in Seoul, Korea, where it has promoted Kayne Park to the position of Country Director. More
Dublin-based RED C Research has launched a new online omnibus called RED Line, which enables users to ask questions in Ireland, the UK, or both markets together. More
uSamp co-founders Matt Dusig and Gregg Lavin have launched a new firm called Innovate, which they say will 'pinpoint' global panelists on demand and deliver sample via connected APIs. More
GfK announced on Friday that its media control GfK INTERNATIONAL GmbH subsidiary will operate under the brand name of GfK Entertainment, with immediate effect. More
US firm IHS, the new owner of automotive researcher R.L. Polk, has reported results for the quarter ended February 28th 2014, with revenue up 37 percent to $524m, including organic revenue growth of around 5 percent. More
US-based big data specialist Cloudera has raised another huge round of funding, adding another $160m to its coffers and more than doubling the total raised to date. More
Online sampling specialist uSamp is launching a system called 'Adaptive Profiling', which involves asking questions to panellists based on their correlated attributes. The firm claims this will reduce the total number of profile questions asked by half, while doubling completion rates. More
Former Aer Lingus Marketing & Sales Director David Kelly has joined customer satisfaction and mystery shopping specialist Catalyst Market Research as a Consultant at its offices in Dublin. More
Described by MRS CEO Jane Frost as a 'brand in his own right', WPP leader Sir Martin Sorrell opened this year's conference with an overview of how his group is moving towards a more 'digital' future. Mel Crowther reports. 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
London-based media evaluation specialist Salience Insight has agreed to acquire the US operations of media content analysis pioneer CARMA International. More
Irish business intelligence (BI) consulting services company DNM Analytics has invested $1.8m in a first North American office, in Toronto. More
Social media monitoring and analytics software company Synthesio has secured $20m in a Series B round of funding, which it will use for research and product development, and for expansion of its teams in the US, Europe and Singapore. More
Research-based PR consultancy PRIME Research has hired Richard Bagnall for its newly created role of Chief Executive Officer in the UK and SVP of PRIME Research Europe. Bagnall will focus on developing the firm's business domestically and throughout the world. More
London-based TV audience measurement startup TVbeat has secured $2m in funding, which it plans to use to develop its real-time big data TV analytics system and roll it out across Europe. More
Technology industry execs Barry O'Sullivan, Joe Smyth and Dan Arra have set up a platform called Altocloud, which uses analytics and machine learning to produce personalized customer communications. The firm has bases in Galway, Ireland and Silicon Valley, USA. More
UK-based big data and behavioural ad targeting company IO Technologies Group has raised £1.7m in venture capital, which it intends to use to open offices in London and San Francisco this year, and New York, Hong Kong and Germany in the future. 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
Multi-platform eye tracking software firm The Eye Tribe has introduced a cloud-based platform called EyeProof, allowing users to collect and analyse data on where people look on a web site or ad, from multiple devices and locations simultaneously. 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
Ipsos Healthcare has extended its Molecular Diagnostics (MDx) portfolio to Japan and Australia, where it will initially focus on oncology, with other therapy areas to be rolled out in the coming months. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has acquired a majority stake in fellow Dutch firm Oxyme, a social media analytics specialist. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
OfficeReports, a data analysis and reporting overlay within Microsoft Office, has now been extended to integrate directly with DIY platform SurveyMonkey. More
WPP Chief Exec Sir Martin Sorrell has received 1.78m shares, worth around £22.7m, under the company's now-discontinued long-term incentive plan, LEAP. More
Research and advisory firm Information Services Group (ISG) has reported an 8% increase in fourth quarter revenues to $53.4m, and a 10% rise in full-year revenues to $211.0m. More
Netherlands-based online research and marketing analytics firm MetrixLab has reported a 22% increase in annual revenue to EUR 49m ($67m), with revenues up 25% in the UK. More
Digital audience measurement specialist comScore has rolled out its MMX Multi-Platform tool in Spain, to provide unduplicated accounting of audience size and demographics across multiple devices. 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
New York-based advertising intelligence specialist Integral Ad Science has expanded with the opening of new offices in Germany and Singapore, supporting local clients, and has hired Olaf Mahr and Stephen Dolan to lead them. More
Innovation and forecasting specialist Ipsos InnoQuest has launched a new service to test ideas and deliver a snapshot of quantitative consumer feedback in around eighteen hours. 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
Swiss market and opinion research firm ISOPUBLIC has changed its name to Léger Schweiz, after the Canadian Léger Group, its majority shareholder. 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
Czech Republic-based social media monitoring firm Socialbakers has opened an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore, and has appointed former Experian exec Simon Trilsbach as Vice President in charge of business across the region. More
Brand and comms research specialist Hall & Partners has promoted Grant Bird to the role of Managing Partner, London, replacing Caroline Frankum whose promotion to European Consumer CEO was announced yesterday. More
Nielsen has acquired Madrid-based shopper marketing and sales intelligence specialist Nexium Customer Solutions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
London-based brand and comms research specialist Hall & Partners has named Caroline Frankum Chief Executive Officer of its European Consumer business. More
Canadian firm Leger Metrics has partnered with Dublin-based Red C Research, in order to extend its reach to Europe. More
Software giant Oracle has agreed to acquire BlueKai, the cloud-based big data audience targeting platform, in a deal reportedly worth between $400m and $450m. More
Millward Brown is releasing a DIY version of eStatic, its copy-testing solution for print and outdoor advertising, available via market research 'app store' ZappiStore. More
Digital measurement giant comScore has announced a partnership with enterprise data firm Acxiom, aimed at enhancing and accelerating their respective audience reporting and multi-channel marketing offers. 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
Modena, Italy-based semantic technology company Expert System has raised more than $27m in an Initial Public Offering on the AIM Italia stock exchange. The firm says it will add sales and technical staff in the US, and open a new office in San Francisco. More
GfK has extended CEO Matthias Hartmann's contract by a further five years, to 30th November 2019. 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
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has opened an office in Madrid, where it has appointed former Ipsos Loyalty exec César Rodriguez as Sales Director for the Iberia market. More
Online analytics pioneer Webtrends has named former Coremetrics CEO Joe Davis as its latest Chief Executive, just five months after appointing David Mitchell to the role. More
Czech Republic-based social media monitoring firm Socialbakers has completed a $26m Series C financing round, and says it will invest in new product development initiatives, while strengthening client support, sales and marketing in the US and other markets around the world. More
In the UK and Ireland, Interpublic's media innovation holding company IPG Mediabrands has created a new Marketing Sciences division, and appointed Yvonne O'Brien to lead its team of twenty insight and analytics specialists. More
San Francisco-based Peanut Labs has set up an office in London, from where it will offer social media sampling services across the UK, France and Germany. Will Carroll and Lewis Reeves join from sister company Research Now, to lead the new office. 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
US-based social media solutions firm Lithium Technologies is to acquire social media analytics firm Klout, in a deal which is reported to be worth at least $100m. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 3% rise in Q4 revenue to $77.5m, despite a 1% revenue drop in its biggest division, Research, to $51.4m. The latter was driven by an 'expected' contraction in the firm's syndicated data business. More
In New York, digital measurement specialist comScore has hired former Arbitron EVP, New Product Innovation Manish Bhatia for its newly created role of Chief Revenue Officer, overseeing the sales, servicing, sales operations and business operations teams on a global basis. More
Research Now Healthcare has launched an Autoimmune Panel in North America, providing access to more than 80,000 US and Canadian respondents with autoimmune-related diseases. More
In Germany, TNS Infratest has named Stefan Stumpp as its new Chief Executive Officer, replacing Andreas Kosters who has already left the company to focus on business interests outside the market research sector. More
UK-based online specialist BrainJuicer has promoted Mark Johnson to the position of Managing Director, Continental Europe, combining Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland and Holland under his leadership. More
UK-based business intelligence provider SPA Future Thinking has bought out French customer relationship specialist Groupe Acticall's share of the two firms' joint venture Future Thinking France, in order to gain full ownership of the JV. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Marketing services giant Omnicom has merged its advanced analytics and predictive modelling agency The Modellers into its ad and brand research specialist Hall & Partners. More
US-based fieldwork group Schlesinger Associates has launched a new panel called PayerPlus, which offers access to executive-level clinical and business decision makers and influencers across the healthcare market. 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
Media analysis and business intelligence firm Commetric has appointed former GMI exec Dietmar Walter as its new CEO, effective today. More
WPP has announced that Xaxis, its audience profiling and targeting division, has agreed to acquire Netherlands-based media trading firm Bannerconnect, whose offer includes real-time campaign optimisation platform Bright. 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
Market research firms Fieldwork Network, i-view London, Viewpoint Europe, and Estudio Silvia Roca have joined forces to create an international alliance called FIVE Research, which aims to provide MR services across 'any city, any methodology, anywhere in the world'. 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
Paris-based social media monitoring and competitive intelligence firm Digimind has opened offices in Singapore and London, as the first phase of a three-year international expansion plan. More
US testing and monitoring firm Keynote Systems has acquired Belgium-based Meucci Solutions, which offers mobile fraud detection and quality-of-service monitoring. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In London, online panel specialist Research Now has promoted Ben Hogg to the position of Managing Director of EMEA, Portfolio Companies. 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
Ipsos has appointed Joanne Van der Burgt to its media research practice in Canada, with a remit to grow the practice across the country. More
US-based fieldwork firm Schlesinger Associates has launched its online service Schlesinger Interactive in Europe, led by James Sallows, who joined the company in September. More
In a trading update, ad targeting provider Phorm has announced the commercial launch of its operations in China, as well as an expansion of its services in Turkey with launches with another five ISPs. 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
Enterprise Feedback Management technology specialist QuestBack has opened a new sales office in Munich - its third location in Germany. More
Twitter and GfK are to introduce a service called 'GfK Twitter TV Ratings' in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, providing insights into the frequency and reach of tweets sent from users about the television programmes and ads they are watching. More
Millward Brown has named Carmen Bohoyo as Managing Director in Turkey, based in its Istanbul office. She replaces Dimitris Mannoussakis, who continues as MD of Millward Brown in Greece. 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
Online MR software company Confirmit has acquired social media intelligence and text analytics specialist Integrasco. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. 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
Angus Reid, the Executive Chairman of research community and survey tech firm Vision Critical, sold $10.5m worth of company shares last month, in a move which one analyst is claiming 'clears the deck' for a potential IPO. More
Pharma researcher Thomas Gleissner has set up a new agency called Research Excellence, in Frankfurt, offering customized market research services to clients in the pharmaceutical, medical technology, and medical device sectors. More
In Germany, TNS Infratest CEO Andreas Kösters has left the company to focus on business interests outside the market research sector. While the company seeks a replacement, his role will be managed by Winfried Hagenhoff and Hartmut Scheffler. More
German eye tracking technology provider SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) has opened an office in San Francisco, California, from where it will serve customers on the US West Coast. More
Data collection and sampling solutions provider SSI has added a further three countries - Brazil, South Korea and New Zealand - to its QuickThoughts mobile data collection platform; and has launched a new business sample source for researchers, SSI B2B inSSItes. More
Panels specialist Research Now has promoted Chris Dubreuil from SVP of Client Development - Northern Europe to Managing Director of Northern Europe. More
UK-based online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 17% increase in revenue to £24m for the year ended 31st December 2013. Pre-tax profit for the period will be around £3.5m, compared to £1.5m in 2012 and £2.8m in 2011. More
Nielsen has increased its offer to buy Harris Interactive from $2.00 to $2.04 per share, valuing the company at around $118.9m. More
Global information services company Experian has selected CEO Don Robert to become its new Chairman, following the resignation of co-founder Sir John Peace, who will step down from his role by the 2014 AGM. CFO Brian Cassin will succeed Robert as CEO. More
Chris Sinclair, the former co-owner of UK agency TORA, has been appointed Regional Director for Ipsos Marketing in Europe and Africa. More
Research community and survey technology specialist Vision Critical has secured a $3.5m share investment from Difference Capital Financial. The firm has also appointed former OMERS Ventures MD Derek Smyth as its first ever Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). More
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has opened an office in France, and has appointed former Annik Principal Consultant Gary Stocks to lead the new venture. More
Havas Global CEO David Jones will leave the company to co-found and lead a new tech start-up to launch next month, combining 'social media and social responsibility'. Yannick Bolloré will take on the role of Global CEO of Havas and Andrew Benett, Co-President Havas Worldwide, becomes CEO of the ad network. More
In Nice, France, four pharma research colleagues from WorldOne have launched a new independent fieldwork agency, QualWorld, specializing in qual market research for the healthcare industry. More
In Paris, former Publicis exec Adrien Cusinberche and PR Guillaume Aoust have set up Fauve, a social media analysis and ad agency for brands active in emerging markets. The firm's first tool is a big data analytics service called Lynx. More
Ipsos' Country Manager for Malaysia, Steve Murphy, has left the company and is replaced by Miranda Cheung, who adds the title to her existing responsibilities as country manager for Singapore. 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
WPP's media investment management unit GroupM has acquired Berlin-based digital ad targeting specialist plista, for an undisclosed sum. More
Rotterdam, Netherlands-based Sample Solutions has released RDD onDemand, an online platform for acquiring Random-Digit-Dialling sample - both landline and mobile - directly from its central database. More
The team at MrWeb / Daily Research News would like to wish all our readers and friends around the world a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. More
Rupert Murchoch's News Corp group is paying EUR 18m (c.$24.6m) for Dublin-based social media news agency Storyful, which offers a combination of journalistic expertise and proprietary technology, including social media dashboards and other real-time discovery tools and feeds. More
Audience targeting specialist eXelate has partnered with Paris-based online targeting specialist SirData, enhancing its platform with the latter's data from six million French consumers. More
TNS South Africa CEO Karin Du Chenne is handing over her role to Rob Powell, and relocating to Istanbul where she will take up the position of Regional Director Business Development for AMME (Africa, Mediterranean and Middle East). More
GfK has reported that a EUR 112.5m adjustment to goodwill on acquisitions is likely to result in a 'significant impact' on its consolidated income. 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
The business outlook for marketers around the world remains positive, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI), which takes into account marketers' expectations for trading conditions, marketing and staffing levels. More
Millward Brown has acquired a 70% stake in Moscow-based custom research firm ARMI-Marketing. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Ipsos has confirmed that former TNS Regional CEO Judith Passingham will join its online data collection arm Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) as Global CEO on 2nd January 2014. IIS was formerly part of Global Operations, led by Stewart Jones, and will now operate as a separate business. More
Digital audience profiling and analysis specialist Effective Measure has launched a new solution called SHOP for the digital retail sector, providing demographic profiles of online audiences at each stage of the transactional process. More
Palo Alto, CA-based DIY research specialist SurveyMonkey is scouting around various German cities in search of a potential location for a new office. More
WPP-owned communications network Ogilvy & Mather has agreed to acquire a majority stake in social media marketing agency Social Lab, based in Brussels, Belgium. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Ipsos Healthcare has launched a multi-client Lupus Therapy Monitor in the top 5 EU markets - the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. 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
US-based survey and panel management software firm Kinesis Survey Technologies has appointed former CfMC Managing Director Daniele Pizzocchero to lead its European Customer Support team. More
US-based fieldwork group Schlesinger Associates has appointed former uSamp director Kristen Tripphahn as Vice President, Global Panels, to oversee their growth and development, and drive best practice in panel management. More
Online MR software company Confirmit has added a 'backchecking' feature to its survey on-demand application (SODA), to enable researchers to verify data collected in the field via mobile devices using a desktop or mobile device, an app, or a browser. More
Data collection firm GDCC has opened a new 30-seat call centre in Istanbul, supporting its existing facility in the Netherlands, where it has promoted Karl Fieldhouse to the role of Operations Manager, and Melanie van Schijndel to New Project Director. More
In London, online sampling and technology company uSamp has promoted Ben Leet to the position of Managing Director for Europe, following the departure of Gaelle Norman who has returned to France to set up her own market research support consultancy. More
Brand tracking and advanced analytics agency Nepa has promoted Research Manager Gabi Clark to the role of Head of Insight for the UK. More
Eye-tracking specialist Tobii has opened an exclusive beta program for a new web-based research solution, Tobii Track, designed to enable users to conduct research in any environment including across the cloud. More
IMS Health has acquired Swedish life sciences advisory and analytics firm Pygargus for an undisclosed sum. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has added geo-fencing capabilities to its TolunaMobile Diary app, enabling users to target respondents based on their location. More
Two years on from its launch, YouGov's French office has announced a substantial expansion of its staff, to date adding Jean-Romain Lehr as Marketing & Business Development Manager, Diane Thebaudeau as Research Manager and Lucie Schweizer as Research Executive. More
WPP has merged audience profiling and targeting division Xaxis with its digital marketing tech specialist 24/7 Media, to form what it says is the world's largest programmatic media and technology platform. The merged firm will keep the Xaxis name. More
Online community and survey technology provider Toluna has introduced a service called TolunaTracking, combining reporting, analysis and visualisation with statistical matching methodologies, to enable researchers to extract insight from tracking studies in real-time. More
Swiss company Sportradar, which specialises in content and information for the sports and betting sector, has acquired US-based statistics and research provider SportsData for an undisclosed sum. More
Ipsos Healthcare has appointed Tom Nolte as Global Head of Innovation, based in the US, to drive the creation and delivery of solutions addressing emerging issues across the industry. More
Predictive analytics company Blue Yonder is to open a 'Data Science Academy' (DSA) in Europe early next year, with the aim of training execs to 'identify Big Data opportunities within their own companies.' More
Former GfK exec Serra Bozkurt has launched Plus Research Solutions (PRS), a healthcare market research agency based in Istanbul and serving both pharmaceutical and consumer health clients and international research agencies. 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
Stockholm-based panel exchange platform Cint has announced two partnerships in Asia: with mobile panel developer Open Survey, and Thailand-based smartphone platform Buzzebees. More
WPP firm GreyPossible has acquired the business and assets of Amsterdam-based digital marketing firm Media Republic, whose services include social media analysis and management via its Social365 unit. 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
Confirmit has announced strong results for the third quarter of 2013, with 'solid double digit revenue growth' and particularly impressive growth in multi-year contracts, up 130 percent for the year as a whole. More
Swiss-based Voice of the Customer (VoC) and Customer Experience Management (CEM) technology firm SandSIV AG has released a new version of its VoC Feedback data capture product. 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
Canadian social media analyst Seevibes, which focuses on TV-related conversations, has acquired French opposite number TvTweet, as the first step in its expansion into Europe. More
Ipsos Australia has appointed Luca Vittaloni as Head of Insights & Strategy - Western Australia, based in its Perth office which is moving to new premises within the city. More
Social media analytics company Socialbakers has added new features to its Social Analytics suite, including a mobile analytics app, and support for Instagram and LinkedIn. More
Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) technology specialist QuestBack has opened a new office in Austin, Texas, its second in the US. More
Cloud-based business intelligence firm BIME Analytics has secured a $4m Series A round of funding, which it will use to expand its teams across France and particularly at its newly opened office in North America. New funding has been led by Alven Capital Partners in Paris. More
Marketers around the world are growing in confidence, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI). The overall index hit a two year high - climbing three points to 57.8 from 54.8 in October, on a scale where values above 50 indicate a positive trend. More
US-based social media insight provider Mass Relevance has opened an office in London's Oxford Street, to help European clients integrate data from relevant social media conversations into their media, marketing and advertising campaigns. More
WPP-owned global marcoms network Y&R has acquired a majority stake in Turkish social media specialist Plasenta Conversation Agency, for an undisclosed sum. More
Sampling, data collection and analytics specialist SSI has rolled out its 'QuickThoughts' mobile data collection platform in seven additional countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. More
GfK has appointed Craig Griffin as Managing Director for the Consumer Choices division at its office in Thailand. More
GfK is preparing to deliver Lebanese TV audience data on a daily basis, using TAM technology to measure live and time-shifted TV consumption. More
Online DIY survey specialist SurveyMonkey has launched Enterprise, an enhanced version of its survey product promising organisations the ability to bring individual users into a centrally managed system. 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
Harris Interactive has reported 'flat' first quarter fiscal 2014 results, with revenue down 1.9% to $32.4m, from $33m in the prior year period, driven by declines in the US and German operations, offset by results in Canada, France and the UK. 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
In the UK, GfK has appointed former TNS mystery shopping leader Oli Bailey as Business Development Director for its own Mystery Shopping division. 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
Online MR software company Confirmit has promoted Tore Haggren to the role of Senior Vice President, Voice of the Employee (VoE). More
Adobe has added a mobile module to its analytics suite the Adobe Marketing Cloud, offering clients better understanding of how users engage with mobile apps. More
Google is working with a number of its advertising clients on the use of Nielsen's Online Campaign Ratings (OCR) in the assessment of YouTube campaigns. The search giant, which already partners with comScore's vCE, said it was offering clients 'objective, credentialed, third-party measurement options'. More
Czech Republic-based 'prescriptive analytics' company Futurelytics Inc has closed a seed financing round of $800k, earmarked for faster product development, new strategic partnerships and international expansion, initially to the US and UK. More
Pharma and CPG giant Johnson & Johnson is moving to a more global approach to market research for some of its major brands. More
Research and advisory group ISG (Information Services Group) has announced third quarter revenues up 11% to $51.4m, fuelled by 19% growth in Europe. 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
comScore and viewability measurement firm Moat have voluntarily agreed to withdraw the claims each firm made during a patent infringement lawsuit brought by comScore last year. More
Advertising giant Publicis has acquired Lille and Paris-based customer relationship management agency ETO, enhancing its own CRM and data mining capabilities, while also expanding its reach in France and worldwide. More
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has opened an office in Amsterdam, where it has appointed former Ipsos EFM Head Otto Vroegop as Sales Director, Netherlands. Separately, the firm has hired past Ipsos MORI exec Ben Phillips as Sales Director, UK. More
GfK has launched a customer experience management (CEM) solution called Echo, which captures real-time feedback and integrates it with transaction and other data and with user experience consultancy, to provide a 'holistic' view of customer satisfaction. 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
Online MR software company Confirmit has partnered with customer-centric consulting firm Futurelab, allowing both companies to offer an enhanced portfolio of customer experience management (CEM) services and solutions to businesses across Europe. 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
Ipsos has continued the restoration of the Fieldwork International name, dropping the Ipsos Healthcare Field Services brand from its data collection businesses in Hong Kong and Spain. More
WPP-owned Kantar Media is extending its partnership with Twitter to Spain, where it will develop a suite of TV analytics tools bringing together social media TV data from Twitter with its own audience research expertise. More
GfK has opened a dedicated user experience (UX) research facility in San Francisco; the firm's third in the US and thirteenth globally. More
Global business research agency B2B International has introduced a new positioning statement, 'beyond knowledge', to define its ability to offer market intelligence gleaned from research, combined with 'opinions, actionable recommendations, and strategic direction'. 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
Gurgaon, India-based MR agency Orchidea Research has re-opened with new owners and with the launch of online panels in the US, Canada, UK, India, China, Japan, Korea, Brazil, Spain, France, and Germany. 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
Brand tracking researcher Nepa has opened an office in Singapore, to further support clients across the Asia Pacific marketplace. More
European online fieldwork specialist ODC Services is now to be known as Norstat UK, following its acquisition by fieldwork firm the Norstat Group last year. 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
In the US, Ipsos Healthcare has launched another in its syndicated Global Therapy Monitor series, this time covering Hyperlipidemia. Coverage will include drug share, future prescribing intentions and attributes that drive doctors' decision-making. 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
Technology specialist Forrester Research has met its revenue guidance for Q3, with revenue up 1.6% year-on-year to $69.6m. However, revenues from its majority Research division fell 1% to $49.8m. More
In the UK, brand tracking researcher Nepa has appointed media research veteran David Brennan as a Partner and shareholder, to coincide with the launch of a new product for evaluating early stage television programme concepts. 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
Internet companies including Facebook, Google, and Yahoo! could face fines of up to EUR 100m (£84.8m) if they break consumer data protection rulings agreed by the EU Civil Liberties Committee yesterday. More
Mobile research technology firm OnePoint Global has appointed Rob Huijboom as Chief Commercial Officer, to build and lead the firm's global sales team, and open eight new offices around the globe. More
In the US, the judge who threw out TRA's patent infringement lawsuit against Kantar has now ordered that decision to be withdrawn from the record. 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
Research Now has released a new version of its Mobile platform, featuring its newly developed 'Relevant Movement' geo-location technology and integration of its Mobile Access Panel. More
Data visualization company Infotools has promoted Ian Murray to the role of Managing Director for Europe, based in London. 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
Stockholm-based panel exchange operator Cint has made nine appointments to support its global expansion plans. More
Manchester, UK-based marcoms agency Foundry Communications has appointed former McCann strategist Julie Neilson to lead its Research & Planning division. The firm has also opened 'virtual offices' in Dundee and Birmingham, and affiliate offices in Europe, the US and Asia. More
In the US, Ipsos Loyalty has appointed Trish Dorsey as Senior Vice President and leader of its Technology and Telecommunications team. More
Séverin Naudet, who previously served as the Advisor to the French PM on Internet and multi-media issues, has been appointed Head of Havas-owned social media unit Socialyse, which creates measureable campaigns based on analysis of consumer data. More
Facebook has agreed to acquire Israeli mobile data company Onavo, whose software helps app users and developers optimise their use of data, and whose Onavo Insights division is billed as 'the first mobile market intelligence service based on real engagement data'. Terms were not disclosed. More
GfK has revealed details of its new measurement system for Commercial Radio Australia, to be known as AudienScope, which it says will introduce quarterly assessments of listeners' response to ads, emotional bonds with stations and motivations for listening. 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
US-based market research and market intelligence agency SIS International Research has opened an office in Berlin, Germany, and appointed Christoph Bodden-Brux as its Managing Director. 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
Netherlands-based customer feedback specialist Mopinion has launched a new solution to help companies collect, analyse and act on direct feedback from customers as they move through their web sites. More
Trend intelligence firm Bottlenose has launched a tool called the Nerve Center, which combines massive data sets, natural language processing and statistical algorithms in order to spot relevant trends emerging across social media and business data. More
Online ad targeting specialist Phorm has officially launched operations in mainland China, and says it is already averaging 4.3 million users per day. More
US-based Qualtrics, which provides software for DIY data collection and analysis, has expanded to Europe with the opening of an office in Dublin, Ireland. The firm has also confirmed plans to create 150 new jobs in the EMEA region within the next 36 months. 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
Nielsen has announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Arbitron, which was finally cleared by the FTC a week ago. Arbitron becomes Nielsen Audio and will be integrated into Nielsen's US Watch business segment. More
Full service research firm AMR, which has its headquarters in the US and offices in Mexico, has announced the opening of an office in Madrid, Spain, and has appointed Alberto Herreros to lead its drive into Europe. More
ISP-level ad targeting pioneer Phorm has announced 'strong sustained growth in revenue and other KPIs', based on its Turkish operations. More
Stockholm-based presentation software specialist Dapresy has opened two US offices, in Boston and San Francisco. 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
GfK has announced a strategic investment in Genius Digital, giving its clients access to the firm's technology for collecting and acting upon customer data from IP-enabled video devices. More
Kantar Media is rolling out an app version of its InfoSys+ TV audience analysis service, allowing broadcast audience data to be viewed on mobile devices. More
Online MR software pioneer Confirmit has moved its EMEA headquarters to the landmark Blue Fin building on London's South Bank, where it will combine staff from its existing City of London and Guildford offices. 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
Panel exchange operator Cint and research software specialist Nebu have announced a partnership, integrating Cint's Link system with Nebu's offering to give the latter's clients automatic access to the former's 10 million double opt-in OpinionHUB respondents, in 57 countries. More
Decrypt, the UK-based wing of US research technology firm Decipher, has announced an agreement with German MR IT solutions provider datab, to distribute the Beacon survey and reporting platform in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 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
Iberian and Latin American online panel specialist Netquest has opened a subsidiary in New York, and appointed Cristián Enríquez to lead business development for it. 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
Google is looking at a system which would replace 'cookies' with a system of anonymous identifiers for individual consumers, according to an official of the company. 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
Aegis Media has acquired Spanish full service comms agency Ymedia, whose offer includes research, strategy, planning and buying, brand content creation, direct response and modeling services. Terms were not disclosed. More
UK-based social media analytics provider Brandwatch has introduced a tool called Vizia, providing visual displays of real-time social media data on multiple screens, including smartphones and tablets. More
Online analytics pioneer Webtrends has named David Mitchell as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Alex Yoder who has left the company for reasons as yet unclear. More
Online panel community and survey technology provider Toluna has launched a DIY sampling platform called SampleXpress, which it says enables clients to select their own survey respondents, assess price, and launch and manage projects from their office or their home. 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
Technology MR firm ABI Research has opened an office in Geneva, Switzerland, to expand its focus on international policy relating to cybersecurity and telecoms issues, while supporting joint research initiatives with its partner the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). More
Ipsos has appointed Evan Borak as Senior Vice President of its media, content and technology division Ipsos MediaCT in the US, and Head of its Audience Measurement Group (AMG). More
US sampling and data collection provider Critical Mix has acquired SurveyMonkey's ZoomPanel community, and will combine it with its own online panel sample in the US, UK, France, Canada and Australia. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In Germany, qual specialist The Psyma Group has set up a new 'Energy & Infrastructure' research division, led by former GfK leader Marion Krämer-Bongartz. More
US-based fieldwork group Schlesinger Associates has created two new senior roles in Europe: Eric Nalpas becomes overall Managing Director, and James Sallows Managing Director of its online data collection arm Schlesinger Interactive. More
Online data exchange BlueKai has opened a new office in London, and appointed former Microsoft exec Zuzanna Gierlinska to lead its European expansion as Managing Director. 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
In the US, healthcare qual specialist Psyma International has opened a West Coast office in the Pacifica region of California. More
Steven Deketelaere, the founder of online qual and quant research firm iVOX, has returned to the company's Belgium headquarters as Chief Executive Officer, after a two-year stint in the US. 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
German firm Software AG, which provides big data, integration and business process technologies, has announced the acquisition of US-based real-time visual analytics provider JackBe Corporation, and says it will shortly launch a new platform making use of JackBe's technology. Terms were not disclosed. More
PR group Edelman has launched its Edelman Berland research and analytics subsidiary in Greater China, and has relocated Fergus Clarke from its Abu Dhabi office to Hong Kong to lead it as Head of Research for Edelman Berland Greater China. More
Vincent Bollore, Chairman of marketing services holding group Havas, has resigned and passed the reins to his son Yannick. More
In Ireland, full service agency RED C Research has rebranded OI Research under the RED C name, two years after the firms merged. More
Marcoms giant WPP has reported a 2.1% increase in second quarter revenue in its 'Data Investment Management' (DIM) arm, previously known as the Consumer Insight division. The total figure of £651m reflects growth in all regions except the UK and Western Europe. 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
UK-based consumer agency Firefish has appointed former GfK design research specialist Rose Tomlins as Qualitative Director, strengthening its technology and service design offering. 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
Ipsos - via its Hong Kong office - has launched a platform integrating data from different stages of the staff recruitment process, branded as the Candidate Experience Optimizer (CEO). More
Apple has introduced a new set of rules to ensure that developers no longer use behavioral ad targeting techniques aimed at those aged under 13. Developers must also ensure that children's apps include a privacy policy and a system for seeking parental permission for in-app purchases. 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
DIY online research platform ZappiStore is expanding to France and Germany, just four months after launching. 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
Bob Carrigan, the CEO of media, events and research group IDG Communications Worldwide, is stepping down from his position at the end of September, when he will be replaced by company veterans Michael Friedenberg and David Hill. More
Software giant Oracle has enhanced its Social Relationship Management tool (SRM) with the addition of listening capabilities for Simplified Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish, in the SE&M module. More
In New York, GfK Consumer Experiences has named Justin Edge as Managing Director of Health, and Tom Neri as EVP of Financial Services, to head the respective North American client teams. More
In Germany, Kai Riedel has been appointed as Managing Director of YouGov Psychonomics subsidiary ServiceRating, which provides analysis and benchmarking of customer service levels. More
Technology specialist Gartner has reported a 12% rise in second quarter revenue for its Research division, which brought in $311.2m. More
The private-equity backers of e-Rewards - owner of Research Now and Peanut Labs - are said to be in discussions to find a buyer, according to sources quoted on Bloomberg, with a price tag of 'at least $600m' according to one contact. More
German-based product, pricing and marketing strategist Simon-Kucher & Partners is opening two Latin American offices, in São Paulo and Santiago de Chile, in order to serve a large existing client base in the region from local hubs. Manuel Osorio is appointed as Managing Partner of both new offices. More
Netherlands-based app store analytics provider Distimo has announced the launch of Distimo App Trends, a resource allowing users to search for and view daily download and revenue trends for the last two weeks for any app worldwide. 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
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported its highest quarterly revenue to date, up 21% on the prior year period to $69.9m. 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
MR software and services firm MarketTools has acquired mobile research specialist RawData, which provides a service to passively track consumer behavior across multiple media platforms. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Forrester Research CEO George Colony has described the firm's recovery as a 'work in progress', while reporting a fall in second quarter revenue to $78.2m, from $79.1m a year previously. More
Ipsos has promoted ad research veteran Gordon Bingham to the role of President at Ipsos ASI in Canada. More
Online panel and survey technology company Netquest has promoted Joan Miró to the newly created role of Managing Director and Iberia Country Manager, to lead the company in Spain and Portugal. More
Ipsos Healthcare has extended its syndicated Cardiovascular Therapy Monitor Portfolio with the addition of a Monitor covering Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation (SPAF). 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
Online sampling and technology company uSamp has closed $15m in a Series D round of funding, with development of its instant.ly survey product one of the priorities for investment. More
Former Toluna exec William Yattah has launched France's first specialist MR recruitment consultancy, Market Research People. More
Life sciences MR consultancy KJT Group has hired Finnish pharma researcher Nicola Guerra as Director of European Practice, based in its Amsterdam office. More
Toluna has launched an app, TolunaMobile Diary, which gathers feedback on consumer activities in real-time. More
Online specialist BrainJuicer is predicting a 4% increase in half year sales (vs H1 2012) and gross profit up approximately 6%, after what the firm describes as a 'difficult end' to 2012. More
Netherlands-based customer feedback specialist Mopinion has launched in the UK with a new London office. More
In France, market and opinion research company BVA has acquired mystery shopping specialist Masters Consultants. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Global ad network Publicis has acquired Chinese social media firm Net@lk, which offers a tool called Buzzreader to monitor, research and analyse most Chinese social media platforms. While terms were not disclosed, Publicis said the deal is part of a five-year $4 billion acquisition spree. More
Few consumers are keen on the idea of the introduction of cameras and sensors which allow TVs to identify who is watching which TV content, according to results of a survey conducted by data and analytics business consulting firm Strategy Analytics. More
The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has told Google to change privacy policies which it says provide insufficient information to users and are therefore in breach of the country's Data Protection Act. More
US-based analytics and business intelligence specialist Yomari has expanded to Europe with the opening of an office in London. More
Paul O'Meara is returning to Ipsos Healthcare as Head of Autoimmune Therapy Monitors, based in NYC. He replaces Sabina Heinz who moves to head up the company's Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Respiratory portfolios, along with a number of new monitors. More
Cello-owned co-creation agency Face has appointed Serena Jacob as Head of Singapore, while former Rockhopper Research CEO Leonard 'Lenny' Murphy has joined the firm's Advisory Board. More
UK not-for-profit body NatCen Social Research has hired former Hall & Partners innovation specialist Kevin Ford as Director of Research, to head the organisations six research departments. More
Satellite sector specialist Northern Sky Research (NSR) has expanded with the opening of a European headquarters in London, UK, while moving its US corporate HQ from Cambridge, MA to Wilmington, DE. More
Software giant Adobe is to acquire Paris-based behavioural targeting specialist Neolane for approximately $600m in cash, in a deal that is expected to close next month. More
London-based online research specialist DigitalMR is making its eCommunity private online communities platform available to marketing and market research agencies in selected countries. More
French semantic tagging specialist TEMIS has acquired US-based advanced analytics and visualization technology firm i3 Analytics for an undisclosed amount. 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
Panel and research technology provider Toluna has opened an office in Singapore, where Julie dePontbriand takes up the role of Director, ASEAN. Meanwhile, the firm's Hong Kong office will shortly be relocating from Sheung Wan to Central. More
Data collection specialist Ipsos Healthcare Field Services has returned to its former name, Fieldwork International, in Italy. More
Cint North America MD Terence McCarron is leaving the company to pursue a new venture, through which he will however 'continue a relationship' with the company. More
John Mackay, the owner of sampling agency Mr Sample, has joined ad optimisation specialist MediaAnlayzer as Business Development Director, to lead the roll out of the company's services across the UK. More
Not-for-profit bodies NatCen Social Research and RTI International have signed a three-year agreement through which they will aim to share knowledge and expertise and build their research capacity and capabilities. More
comScore has promoted Serge Matta to President, after twelve years at the company, most recently as President of Commercial Solutions and leader of the global sales organization. More
Pharma brand and communications specialist Hall & Partners Health has launched a 'patient experience framework', PatientPulse, looking at what people 'feel', 'think' and 'do' before, during and after treatment. More
US information and analytics firm IHS is to acquire PFC Energy, which provides information, insight, and analytical products and services to the oil and gas sector. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In New York, Ipsos has appointed Stephane Goldsand and Jasper Snyder as Vice Presidents in its Strategy Partner Group. More
Berlin-based mobile ad and app analytics firm Adeven has raised $4.3m in Series B funding. The money will be used to continue expansion of current products and eventually to develop new metrics focusing on long-term engagement and customer retention. More
Ipsos has launched a social media research and communities division called Ipsos SMX (Social Media Exchange), to provide clients with new approaches to market research into consumer engagement and interaction. More
The founders of photo sharing site TweetPhoto have set up a DIY mobile survey platform called SlimSurveys, in a bid to take on companies like Survey Monkey which they claim provide a 'terrible experience' for survey takers. More
Paris-based tech firm Sirdata has launched a fully automated third party data collection and profiling platform for use in ad targeting. More
Ipsos Healthcare has launched its Molecular Diagnostics (MDx) Monitor in Europe. The service, gathers data from a wide range of stakeholders including drug-treating physicians and pathologists, will begin with coverage of oncology and be rolled out to other therapy areas. More
Online panel and survey technology company Netquest has expanded its footprint in Latin America by opening an office in Bogotá, Colombia. More
GfK has acquired Sensemetric Web & Social Media Mining, as part of its plans to centralize its existing social media services in a global Intelligence Center. Terms of the buy were not disclosed. 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
EFM and customer experience solutions firm QuestBack has announced revenues up 25% in 2012, to $US 49.54m. More
Pharma data giant IMS Health has acquired SaaS firm Incential Software, as it looks to extend its performance management capabilities for life sciences organizations worldwide. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Energy market information provider ICIS is to acquire Tschach Solutions, a carbon market analytics firm based in Karlsruhe, Germany. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Marcoms giant WPP has agreed a global partnership with Twitter and will use its data to give clients 'more effective campaigns, enhanced targeting, and more real-time insight'. More
Torben Laustsen and Fred Balkenende, the creators of Danish data collection survey software tool TricTrac, have launched a new piece of software called OfficeReports, said to convert Microsoft Office into a complete data analysis and reporting suite for surveys. More
Havas Media Group has followed up last month's acquisition of data analytics firm ElisaDBI by buying big data analyst MFG Labs. More
US-based footfall analyst ShopperTrak has acquired retail data and analytics firm RapidBlue Solutions Oy, based in Helsinki. More
Digital audience measurement pioneer comScore has announced the launch of the 'next generation' Multi-Platform version of its Digital Analytix product, offering clients a broader view of customers' behavior. More
IBM has announced new workforce-related big data software and services, which it says will help organizations build and maintain their global workforce by analysing data shared by employees and finding trends. More
Research software specialist Confirmit has launched Version 12.2 of its CustomerSat solution, which it says brings 'key metrics from multiple survey programmes together in a single dashboard to track performance against corporate goals'. More
Toluna has announced a number of enhancements to its TolunaAnalytics web-based analysis, reporting and visualisation tool. They include the ability to analyse survey data from tracking studies. 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
uSamp has announced the newest version of its iPoll mobile app, which it says offers improved performance and a faster, more intuitive in-app user experience. 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
US web-based software developer Cvent has opened an office in London, from which it will support its existing client base in Europe and continue to expand the business internationally. More
Brand and communications researcher Hall & Partners has appointed Jim Forrest as Global Partner, Digital Innovations, based in New York, with a remit to drive digital strategy and the creation, global roll-out and integration of digital capabilities across the company. More
April Jeffries has been promoted to the role of President of Ipsos UU, Ipsos Marketing's qualitative research arm in the US. She is based in the firm's office in Mahwah, NJ. More
Millward Brown has appointed Travyn Rhall as Global CEO, succeeding Eileen Campbell who is stepping down in mid-July for personal reasons. More
Aegis Media has acquired Amsterdam-based social media agency Social Embassy, which uses research to understand online reputation, survey consumers and interview stakeholders. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Rotterdam, Netherlands-based online research firm MetrixLab has agreed to acquire a stake in US firm Precision Sample, whose panels will be integrated with the former's MarketTools sample ecosystem. More
Ipsos has made several key appointments in its North American leadership team, naming Jeff Cail as Chief Operating Officer, David Parma as President of Ipsos Marketing, and Jim Meyer as CEO of Ipsos ASI. More
Havas Media Group has acquired pan-European data analytics firm ElisaDBI, in a move to extend its media measurement and data collection and analysis services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Emanuel Maxl, the Chairman of Austrian MR body VMÖ, has set up a new consultancy called Context Research, based in Vienna. More
Healthcare consultancy Double Helix has opened an office in Munich, where it has appointed Thomas Becker as 'Head of Germany for Global Market Research'. 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
GfK has announced the acquisition of Australia-based agricultural insights firm Paterson Consulting, and the opening of new offices in Sydney and Melbourne for its Animal and Crop Health team. More
Healthcare data collection specialist WorldOne has expanded Eva Laparra's role to that of Managing Director for UK and Northern Europe, from her previous position as MD Southern Europe and LatAm. More
US-based mobile big data analytics firm Zettics has opened new offices in London and Singapore, where it has appointed Ken Parkinson and Paul Ash to lead sales in EMEA and APAC respectively. More
Research Now has joined online community specialist Vision Critical's Global Partner Program, in order to offer the latter's insight community technologies to its own clients and prospects around the world. 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
Mobile marketing firm Brandtone has signed a one-year partnership with TNS, which will give the research company exclusive access to its database of engaged consumers in developing and emerging markets. The initial partnership will cover South Africa, Turkey, Russia and Brazil. 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
Sampling, data collection and analytics specialist SSI has updated its QuickTake DIY solution to include geographic selection options in European markets including Germany, the UK and France. Latin American and Asia Pacific countries will follow. More
Harris Interactive has reported third quarter revenue down 2% to $33.6m, and bookings down 13% to $34.4m. However, profits climbed and operating income was $1.1m, compared with a loss of $371k a year previously. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported 'record revenues', with first quarter figures up 11% to $68.8m compared with $62.3m a year ago, driven by its Audience Analytics business and mobile and multi-platform products. More
Online research community specialist Vision Critical and full service agency SKOPOS in Germany have hooked up to offer their respective services to clients. More
Technology research specialist Gartner has reported a 10% increase in first quarter total group revenue to $406.8m - with the Research division posting an impressive 13% increase to $310.3m. More
GfK has acquired the remainder of subsidiaries GfK Etilize in the US, media control GfK International in Germany, and GfK UK Entertainments in the UK. More
Alan Gould, the co-founder of IAG Research, has joined online sampling and technology company uSamp as Chief Executive Officer, while the firm's founders Matt Dusig and Gregg Lavin will continue to operate the firm's core sampling business. More
Havas Media Group has acquired London-based marketing insights consultancy SCB Partners. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Nielsen is piloting a new solution, 'Nielsen Digital Program Ratings', designed to measure audiences who view TV content online. More
UK-based business-to-business agency B2B International has posted what it describes as its 'best ever' start-of-year figures, with first quarter revenue of £1.7m, up 108% from Q1 2012. More
Ipsos Healthcare has announced the launch of SEES, a range of disease-specific syndicated ethnographic studies, examining patients' experience and views. Initially available in the UK, France, Italy, Spain and the USA, the firm says the studies will 'bring to life the day-to-day challenges of living with a chronic disease'. More
WPP's Consumer Insight division has reported a 3.2% increase in revenue from £569m to £588m for the first quarter. Like-for-like - allowing for currency changes and the effect of acquisitions - the rise was only 1%. 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 reported a 5.3% drop in first quarter revenues to EUR 359.6m, which equates to a 2.7% drop at constant scope and exchange rates. The firm says these figures reflect a decrease in commercial activity in the final quarter of 2012. More
UK-based consumer insight and strategic consulting firm Future Foundation has expanded its international operations to Stockholm, Sweden, with the opening of a new office led by former GfK leader Anders Brogren. More
Ipsos has been awarded a further year's contract to track Italian radio audiences, using its mobile radio audience measurement system MediaCell. More
Online sampling and technology company uSamp has opened an office in Paris, France, where it has appointed former SSI exec Franck Pernez as Sales Director, to support its expansion in Europe. 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
Eye tracking technology specialist Tobii has introduced a usability testing package called Tobii UX Live, which combines hardware, software, education and support. More
WPP-owned Kantar Health has launched a new solution called 'CancerMPact Future Trends and Insights', which can be used to explore the potential changes in oncology treatment practices in the US, Western Europe and Japan. More
Ipsos Healthcare has given Jackie Ilacqua the additional role of Global Head of Syndicated Services, alongside her existing position as President of Global Oncology. More
In France, Denis Gaucher has been promoted to the position of Managing Director Europe for Kantar Media's recently formed Ad Intelligence arm. More
Liz Musch has been appointed CEO of ad, brand and communications research division Ipsos ASI, succeeding Alex Gronberger who moves to the new role of regional CEO of Ipsos Latin America. She joins the Ipsos Management Board and will report to founder and CEO Didier Truchot. More
Sticky, which uses web-cam based eye tracking technology to measure ad effectiveness, has raised $3m in new funding. More
Full service online research agency mo'web has launched a new consumer panel in Turkey, while also announcing plans to expand into the country's B2B market. More
MarkLogic, which has developed a database platform for big data applications, has raised $25m in growth capital, and says it will use the cash to meet demand for its enterprise NoSQL technology. More
Research Now Mobile has added multilingual capabilities to its research platform, allowing for surveys to be authored in more than 50 languages. A launch scheduler, a quota management system and improved location-based targeting also feature in the new upgrade. More
Digital audience specialist comScore has suffered a legal setback in Illinois, where a federal judge has ruled it could be open to a class action suit over claims of privacy violations. More
Nielsen has rolled out its ad measurement service Online Campaign Ratings to four new markets - Germany, Italy, Australia and Canada. More
In New York, GfK has appointed Dr Mansour Fahimi as Senior Vice President of Sampling Statistics, to serve as chief statistician for the firm's KnowledgePanel, leading methodological innovation and federally sponsored survey projects. 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
In Belgium, NGDATA, which provides solutions for customer intelligence management, has acquired data management and business analytics specialist ENQIO for an undisclosed sum. More
In Germany, Maritz Research has completed the integration of Wiesbaden-based stakeholder feedback management specialist Imagin AG, which it acquired eighteen months ago for an undisclosed sum. Imagin will now trade under the Maritz name. More
Digital audience measurement giant comScore has officially launched its MMX Multi-Platform service in the USA, combining and deduping audience across PCs, smartphones and tablets. More
Online research and polling firm YouGov has reported strong results for the 6 months ending January 31st, the first half of its financial year, with like-for-like revenue growth of 5% and adjusted profit before tax up by 16% to £2.6m. More
For the first time since it was founded in 2000, online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 'poor year', citing a combination of flat sales and cost increases for a 45% drop in operating profit to £1.5m from £2.7m in 2011. Revenues increased very slightly to £20.8m. More
Microsoft has acquired Swiss social listening and analytics specialist Netbreeze, for an undisclosed sum. The firm's services include data mining, transactional and text/language analysis capabilities. More
Otto Hellwig, CEO of sample and panel provider respondi, has been elected Chairman of The German Society for Online Research (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online Forschung - DGOF), replacing Christoph Irmer who has stepped down after a two-year term in office. More
Cello-owned co-creation agency Face has appointed Matt Arnold, formerly of The Nursery, as its first European Head of Qualitative Research. More
Online ad targeting specialist Phorm has raised £3m in funds through the placement of convertible secured loan notes - with £1.5m available immediately, and the balance payable once the company's Turkish operations become profitable. More
GfK has launched its Brand and Customer Experience practice (BaCE) in the UK, and promoted Iain Stanfield to lead it. More
Business intelligence software developer Pyramid Analytics has raised $11.5m in funding, which it plans to use to further develop its products and scale the business. 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
TNS will run the Eurobarometer Qualitative studies for the EC and European Parliament for another four years. 'Believed to be the world's largest qualitative research programme', the EUR 18m win saw TNS beat competition from Ipsos, GfK and Gallup. More
Panel and research software firm GMI has launched a consultative service called Re-Track, to enable clients to determine areas for improvement in the structure and design of their tracking surveys. More
GfK has rolled out its Market Opportunity and Innovation (MOI) service in the UK, with a team led by the firm's former Director of Insight Richard Matthews. More
German online ad visibility measurement specialist Meetrics has opened an office in the UK, and appointed Eyeblaster founder Anant Joshi to lead it. The firm is also opening a South East Asia HQ in Thailand, led by recently appointed Nutchsara Cayir. More
Ipsos has set up a new Employee Relationship Management (ERM) practice in APAC, helping clients with talent attraction, employer branding, leadership development and staff retention strategies. More
Dubai-based online healthcare specialist 42 market research has launched new healthcare panels in Sweden, Norway and Finland. More
In Germany, forecasting specialist Ipsos InnoQuest has appointed sensory and consumer insight expert Josef Zach as Director, Research & Development, Product Testing. 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
Global marcoms network Publicis has acquired Convonix, a Mumbai-based digital marketing agency whose services include a brand monitoring and social media listening platform called IrisTrack. More
TNS has appointed former Ernst & Young Partner Richard Ingleton as its new Global Chief Executive Officer, replacing Eric Salama who previously combined the role with his leadership of Kantar. More
Research and advisory group ISG has reported an 11% increase in fourth quarter revenues to $49.5m, while operating income was $1.7m, compared to an operating loss of $59.9m in Q4 2011. For the full year, gains in the Americas more than cancelled out a decline in European business. 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
Online research software and solutions provider Confirmit has launched a mobile feedback and research app called MyMobile, allowing businesses to feed insights back to stakeholders via any type of mobile device. More
The Ukraine Television Industry Committee (TIC) has awarded Nielsen a new audience measurement contract, apparently cutting short an agreement with previous incumbent GfK Ukraine after unproven allegations that the latter had bribed panellists. More
Toluna has promoted Mark Simon to MD of North America, allowing previous incumbent George Terhanian to focus on his other role of Group Chief Strategy and Products Officer. Paul Twite replaces Simon as UK MD, while former Ipsos exec Julie Paul also joins the firm. More
Experian Marketing Services has announced the launch of Hitwise Mobile, which will provide clients with 'comprehensive data and insights' about mobile consumer behaviour. More
Amsterdam-based Kea Company has acquired London's Lighthouse Analyst Relations, thus becoming 'the world's largest analyst relations firm' independent of the top PR agencies. Kea is also a customer experience analyst and an advisor on go-to-market strategies. More
WPP has announced preliminary results for 2012. Group revenues rose 3.5% to around £10.4bn, and headline EBITDA rose 7% to £1.76bn; but in the Consumer Insight division, like-for-like revenues rose just 0.8%, with gross margin down 1.1%. More
...as bad as you fear, or as good as you hope *. Wise words, or at least a good starting point for a feature on threats and opportunities for the research profession, overwhelmed as we sometimes are by hype and alarmism. This is the last of our seven features celebrating job ad no.100,000. 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
In Stockholm, Hans Gieskes has stepped down as President and Group CEO of comms monitoring firm Cision, with a SEK 8 million reward for completing a successful turnaround programme for the formerly flagging group. He is replaced by North America CEO Peter Granat. More
Automotive customer feedback specialist Vital Insights has opened two new regional offices near Paris and London, complementing its existing offices in Germany and the Czech Republic. More
In Berlin, online search and social analytics company Searchmetrics has acquired search engine technology and web analytics company W3 Solutions, in a move to expand its range of products and services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
The outlook for marketers has continued to improve, according to the latest wave of Warc's Global Marketing Index, which shows a third successive month of improvement. More
Amsterdam-based big data search and analytics firm Elasticsearch has secured $24m in Series B funding, which it says it will use to meet the increase in demand for its products by recruiting further staff. More
Aside from paying the kind of huge sums management consultancies pay, how do we entice bright graduates into the profession? It's a tough question - but we're used to answering tough questions, and surely we know some of the answers already, says Nick Thomas, continuing our features to celebrate job ad no.100,000. More
Online qual specialist Blauw Research has launched a new co-creation tool called 'GameChanger', designed to draw increased insights, ideas and innovations from brand advocates in a focus group setting. More
San Francisco-based audience measurement and digital advertising firm Quantcast has opened a new EMEA Operations Centre in Dublin, Ireland, to support the expansion of the firm's advertising business across Europe. More
Ipsos has appointed former TNS exec Marie Lee as Managing Director of its operations in the Philippines. More
San Francisco-based business planning and analytics software firm Anaplan has expanded in Europe with the acquisition of its UK and Ireland reseller Vue Analytics, and the opening of a European HQ in Paris. More
Not too little, not too much, with three vital ingredients and a splash of flavouring... Continuing our celebrations of job ad no.100,000, Nick Thomas gives a simple but effective recipe for a good job ad. 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
comScore has reported record fourth quarter revenue of $68.4m, up 9% over the prior year period. This was driven by growth across its Media Metrix suite of audience measurement tools, which offset declines in its copy testing business. More
GfK is believed to be planning a move from current New York premises in Chelsea Market to a 75,000 square foot office in the World Financial Center. More
In Belgium, former Nielsen statistician Istvan Hajnal has launched his own market research and big data analytics consultancy, Hajnalytics. More
US-based technology specialist Forrester Research has reported annual revenue up six percent to $202.9m for its Research arm (from $191.5m in 2011). However, its Advisory services business declined two percent to $89.9m, and the firm is planning to make 30 staff redundant. More
Nordic management consultancy Capacent has acquired Swedish customer and business intelligence firm Resight from its parent company A-com, for around 13m Swedish Krona (c.£1.3m). More
Millward Brown has developed a model which it claims 'cracks the code' for how brands drive financial growth for their organisations. More
According to reports in the press, Facebook is in talks with Microsoft to buy the latter's Atlas Solutions media measurement platform, for something under $100m. More
Is it possible to talk about the mass of new skills and techniques bombarding the profession without feeling depressed about the traditional skills of the market researcher? Most definitely, says MrWeb co-founder Nick Thomas, continuing our celebration of 100,000 MR job ads. More
London-based online research specialist DigitalMR has launched a solution called eViewer, to enable any company with an online presence to observe how customers interact with and react to their web sites, video clips, online games, mobile apps and adverts. 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
John 'Jack' Jones, the founder of the Market Research Bureau of Ireland (MRBI), died suddenly last Saturday at the age of 91. More
Pierre Le Manh has stepped up to the role of CEO of Ipsos in North America, replacing Jim Smith, who becomes Special Advisor to co-Presidents Jean-Marc Lech and Didier Truchot. More
Today we reach the milestone of 100,000 job ads on MrWeb. It's taken just over fourteen years and 1,806 different advertisers, and in that time we've seen many changes in the way researchers are recruited, and the skills in demand. Co-founder Nick Thomas starts an in-depth review today. More
Technology specialist Gartner saw revenues in its Research division rise 14% to $300.2m in the three months ended December 31, 2012, while for the full year, they climbed 12% to $1.13 billion. More
WPP's brand development and insight consultancy Added Value has appointed Sandrine McClure as a Director in its Paris office. More
Social media analytics and e-learning specialist Parta Dialogue is to acquire Paris-based social media listening and marketing tech company MyTwatch for an undisclosed sum. 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
Data collection and sampling solutions specialist SSI has promoted Fieke Kreischer to the role of Managing Director, Benelux. She replaces Joost Philips, who has held the position since 2009 and is moving to a new role within the firm. More
Eye tracking specialist Tobii Technology has unveiled a new line of low-cost and lightweight hardware, which it says will open up the potential of the technology to a much larger spectrium of the research community. More
Rosenheim, Germany-based Business Intelligence software company Cubeware has opened a London office, as a focus for its expansion in new countries within the EMEA region; and has promoted company veteran Ingo Diekmann to lead it. 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
GfK says it has uncovered incidents of tax evasion at its Turkish subsidiary GfK Araþtýrma Hizmetleri. The firm's former local management are accused of collaborating to defraud the global group through tax and social security avoidance schemes over several years. More
US-based analytics and research firm AbsolutData has opened an office in the UK, where it has appointed Kulpreet Singh to lead it as Senior Vice President, Europe and Middle East. More
GfK has 'reconfigured' its North American Brand, Customer Experience and Innovation teams, and appointed Eric Villain as Managing Director of the US Brand and Customer Experience (BaCE) division, which now incorporates Customer Loyalty and Brand & Communications. More
Marketing services agency Havas Worldwide New York has brought execs from analytics, community management and content strategy functions together in a new Shared Owned & Earned media practice (SOE), and hired four new staff to add to seventeen joining from within the group. 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
Worldwide marketing budgets have risen for the first time in more than eight months, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI). More
Matthew Bayfield, co-founder of UK-based insight and analysis firm Tree, has left to join WPP-owned OgilvyOne as Head of Data for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. More
Enterprise feedback management (EFM) technology specialist QuestBack has appointed Hilarius Dressen as CEO, responsible for the company's operations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He succeeds Frank Michael, who is leaving to set up as an independent consultant. More
In Paris, Ipsos has appointed former EDS VP Mary Dupont-Madinier as an Independent Director on its Board of Directors, replacing Wladimir Mollof who has stepped down from the role. In a statement, the firm said the move will bring a 'greater diversity' to the Board. More
Heineken UK is restructuring its London/Edinburgh-based marketing team to reflect what it describes as the increasing importance of 'innovation, media, and digital communications'. DRNO sources say that up to 60 posts will be affected by the changes, including some in the Insights team. More
Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has acquired text analytics specialist DiscoverText. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Data collection and sampling solutions specialist SSI has introduced an iPad app called QuickThoughts, which it says offers a 'highly intuitive' interface through which to target difficult-to-reach market research participants - especially young people, IT consumers and professionals. More
GfK MRI Chief Executive Kathi Love is stepping down from her role on 15th February, in order to pursue her interest in psychology and sociology. More
GfK has established 'consistent standards' for global implementation of its new social media analysis (SMA) offer, which combines automated systems with interpretation by human coders. More
Online specialist BrainJuicer has made 9% of its workforce redundant, saving £0.8m in costs following 'disappointing' trading in the final months of 2012. 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
Online specialist Lightspeed Research has announced new roles for three of its senior managers, following the integration of sample and research tech firm GMI. Andrew Cayton becomes Global COO, Martin Filz CEO EMEA and Efrain Ribeiro Global Chief Research Officer. More
In the US, legal proceedings arising from the behavioral targeting trials of NebuAd in 2008 seem finally to be rumbling towards a conclusion. Claims against several of the six ISPs accused with the now defunct ad targeting company have recently been dismissed and/or downgraded. More
Online panel and surveying technology company Netquest has opened a new office in Santiago de Chile, led by Enric Cid and assisted by Jordi Quirós. More
Italian and Russian MR trade bodies Assirm and OIROM are the latest to join european research federation efamro. More
Steve Garton, the former MD of Ipsos MediaCT Asia Pacific, has left to set up his own consultancy. The new firm will base its services around 'holistic communication' and ROI measures, supported by technology 'not previously available in Asia'. More
In London, healthcare research specialist The P\S\L Group has appointed sector veteran Bob Douglas as Chief Strategy Officer. 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
Online audience measurement agency Gemius has partnered with media research firm Marktest to provide measurement in the latter's native Portugal. More
Data collection group Schlesinger Associates has launched new viewing facilities at Passerelles Bastille in Paris. More
According to research conducted by Conversion Voodoo, Americans prefer the term 'Merry Christmas' to 'Happy Holidays' by two to one (64% v 31%). 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
Czech-based social media monitoring firm Socialbakers has bought Croatian social media ad firm SocialBrando, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Thomson Reuters has announced the sale of its corporate management arm, which includes custom media analysis and measurement, to Nasdaq OMX Group, the company which runs the US tech stock exchange of the same name, as well as eight exchanges in Europe. More
Online ad targeting specialist Phorm has welcomed new behavioural advertising laws introduced by the Turkish regulator, which it says 'reduce unfair competition' while having little effect on its business in the country it hopes will finally bring it a profit. 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
Online analytics pioneer Webtrends has launched a digital intelligence solution called 'Webtrends Streams', through which users can gather real-time visitor data across all their digital properties. More
In the UK, web behaviour analytics specialist QuBit has secured $7.5m in Series A funding to help market its new SaaS platform, while further developing its OpenTag tool. The firm will also use the funds to help build its presence in the US and across Europe. More
Marcoms network Publicis Groupe has acquired Mumbai-based business and marketing consulting firm MarketGate, which offers market research services through its MarketGate Dimensions subsidiary. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Global wine and spirit brand Pernod Ricard has launched an internal social network called Chatter, through which employees will be encouraged to generate and share new ideas for the business. More
Social media monitoring firm Socialbakers has announced the beta launch of a new app called 'Fake Followers', to help marketers identify how many Twitter followers are real, fake or inactive. More
US-based big data analytics and business intelligence specialist MapR Technologies has opened a European HQ in London, from which it will provide technical support and a sales resource to accelerate the adoption of its solutions across the continent. More
US-based big data analytics specialist Cloudera has closed a $65m investment round, which it will use to drive global sales, fuel development of its platform, and open a European headquarters in the UK. More
Media agency Universal McCann (UM) is to roll out its digital media data management and insights division Decision Sciences in Europe, via a new London office and a rebrand in Frankfurt. More
US-based social media sampling firm Peanut Labs has launched a new DIY sampling and project management tool called Samplify, which it says simplifies the process of conducting online research. More
Online research software provider Confirmit has introduced an 'Active Dashboards' tool to its CustomerSat feedback platform, to enable users to visualise results and share Voice of the Customer (VoC) data across their enterprises. 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
Online ad association IAB Australia has announced it will retire the 'Monthly Unique Browser' metric (UB) in the country as of February 1st next year, replacing it with the people-based Unique Audience (UA) metric. Nielsen will stop reporting UB within its Market Intelligence product. More
Online customer experience specialist Foresee has appointed Chris Harman as UK Managing Director, following the doubling of both UK sales and research teams over the past year. More
Ipsos has appointed Harald Hasselmann as Country Manager of its South African operation, succeeding Jake Orpen who is leaving the company. More
More money has been pouring into companies expanding in the analytics space, including big data and social media specialists. Two US firms, analytics advisory service IIA and big data start-up BitYota receive $1m and $12m respectively, and European start-up Teleportd $1m for its Nitrogram photo analytics product. More
Digital audience measurement giant comScore has announced the US Beta release of its new tool, MMX Multi-Platform, which promises unduplicated accounting of audience size and demographics across multiple devices. More
comScore has launched Brand Survey Lift Pulse (BSL Pulse), a product for measuring the breakthrough and impact of campaigns in real-time. The tool is part of the AdEffx suite and debuts in 23 markets worldwide. More
India has again urged the European Union to recognise it as a 'data secure' country, improving the prospects for its outsourcing industry, and says such recognition is key to the success of bilateral trade. More
TNS has appointed former Ipsos MORI CEO Mike Everett as Global Head of Stakeholder Management, based in London. 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
Former Nielsen NeuroFocus MD for Europe Thom Noble has set up as an independent consultant with the establishment of a new firm, NeuroStrata, focusing on the application of neuromarketing and biosensory techniques. More
Marketers are growing more pessimistic following cuts to their budgets across Asia Pacific and Europe and stagnant figures in the US, according to Warc's latest Global Marketing Index (GMI) report. More
US-based online and mobile qual research software provider Revelation has expanded its language capabilities to include Polish, Dutch and Swedish. More
Trading in the final months of 2012 is proving 'disappointing' for online specialist BrainJuicer, according to the firm's interim statement issued earlier today. Revenue during the last quarter is likely to fall 'significantly below' 2011 levels. More
UK firm SocialBro - which has developed a web app for the management and analysis of Twitter communities - has raised EUR 500,000 (c.£400k), which it will use to establish a London-based marketing operation and business development team. More
UK-based Aegis Group plc has announced the acquisition of Benelux-based performance marketing agency Netsociety, and will merge it into its existing search and performance marketing division, iProspect. Terms were not disclosed. More
Social media monitoring firm Socialbakers has won another $6m in funding, which CEO Jan Rezab says will be used to continue product development. More
Canadian research software provider Voxco has inked a deal for British survey software developer Merlinco to distribute its products in the UK and Ireland. 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
GfK has announced the formation of a new global Market Opportunities and Innovations practice, which will promise marketing professionals 'the critical foresight needed to successfully tap into future markets'. Marilyn Raymond will lead the new division. More
WPP has announced further details of its proposal to return its headquarters from Ireland to the UK, including a timetable which sees shares in 'New WPP' trading on the LSE at the start of 2013. More
Mobile app optimisation specialist Swrve has raised $6.25m in a round of financing led by Atlantic Bridge Partners and Intel Capital, and says it will create 100 new R&D jobs in its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. 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
Netherlands-based international body the Neuromarketing Science & Business Association (NMSBA) has launched a code of ethics, as part of a drive towards the adoption of international standards. More
Third quarter revenue at US-based Information Services Group (ISG) has fallen to $46.5m, down 2% in constant currency terms. A good performance in the US was more than off-set by a 15% fall in Europe and 17% in Asia Pacific. More
Marcoms giant Publicis Groupe has spun off its VivaKi digital intelligence network as a separate business, with the aim of making its services available both to its own agencies and to external clients. More
Netherlands-based online researcher MetrixLab has opened a new office in Shanghai, China - led by former Ipsos leader Edwin Song - from where it will focus on Chinese and regional clients. More
UK radio research body RAJAR has commissioned Ipsos MediaCT to extend its Radio Listener Panel for a further year, as it continues to evaluate the agency's MediaCell smartphone measurement system. More
Industry association ESOMAR has elected Dan Foreman, currently Head of Business Development at Lumi Mobile, as President for the two-year period beginning January 2013. More
Sports broadcast measurement specialist Repucom has appointed former Kantar Sport Head Bruno Lalande, for the newly created role of Director of Strategy, EMEA, based in Paris. More
Telefónica subsidiary O2 Germany has apparently stepped back from plans to sell anonymous customer location data to the country's retailers, after strong concern from the German government about consumer privacy. It is of course the home turf of its insight partner, GfK. More
UK research provider BDRC Continental has launched a Sports & Sponsorship division and appointed Director Mark Long to lead it. More
Digital measurement specialist comScore has reported a 9% rise in third quarter revenue to $64.3m, a figure it says was held back by declines in its ad copy testing business, which is slated for a possible sale. Net loss was reduced to just over $3m. More
Gartner has reported third quarter 2012 revenues of $284.0m in its Research division - up 11% year-on-year, or 14% excluding currency effects. The Consulting division grew much slower, with revenues up just 1% (4% at constant currencies) to $71.7m. More
The Merlien Institute - which runs conferences and events for market research professionals - has appointed Jens Cornelissen as Managing Director Europe and North America. More
Ipsos ASI has launched a tool called Live|Test, combining behavioural web analytics with survey data to help marketers and advertisers decide on the best way to optimize their digital ad campaigns prior to launch. More
Emerging markets specialist Borderless Access Panels has expanded its client-facing teams with the appointment of industry execs Matt Gershner in New York and Matthew Hurst in London. More
The majority of users of UK web sites are allowing the use of third party ad cookies, according to a recent analysis of the impact of the EU Cookie Directive by data privacy specialist TRUSTe. More
Kantar has appointed Walter Patanella as Chief Executive of Media Monitoring and Evaluation at its Media Intelligence Europe subsidiary, following its recent acquisition of an 87% stake in media monitoring specialist Press Index, where he served as MD. 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
WPP has reported third quarter consumer insight revenue of £591m, down from £593m in the prior year period and up just a fraction ( 0.8%) on a like-for-like basis. More
European online specialist InSites Consulting has unveiled a network of more than 150 experienced qual moderators across 30 countries, to help run its market research online communities (MROCs). More
US technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 2% rise in revenue in its Research arm to $50.3m from $49.2m in the prior year period. However, the firm's total revenues dropped to $68.5m from $69.8m as a result of an 11% decline in its Advisory Services division. 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
US business intelligence firm Actuate has acquired Spanish software company Quiterian, which provides visual data mining, social media analytics and predictive analytics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Ipsos MediaCT Jordan has launched a study to measure and analyze the media consumption habits of Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza. 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
Innovation and forecasting unit Ipsos InnoQuest has unveiled the Archetype IQ System, which classifies CPG innovations into twelve 'Archetype profiles' to help clients gauge the potential for their latest ideas. More
'Holistic' web-based MR firm DigitalMR is moving into a larger London office, reflecting UK headcount more than doubled in the last twelve months. More
Two Americans have been awarded this year's Nobel prize for economics, for work on accurate matching of agents - for example students with schools or donors with needy patients - and the extension of this into the understanding of markets. More
Panel exchange operator Cint is looking for further expansion with the help of EUR 6.9m ($9m) raised from its existing owners, Prime Technology Ventures and Nordic venture capital firm Creandum. 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
US-based digital marketing agency ExactTarget - which recently acquired iGoDigital - has opened offices in Paris, while adding a French user interface across its suite of products. The firm also plans to open in Sweden later this year. More
UK-based YouGov has reported a 4% increase in revenue to £58.1m for the year ended 31 July 2012, up from £55.1m in the prior year period. The US and UK businesses saw strong performances, more than off-setting the effects of disposals in Germany and the end of a major contract in Iraq. More
A new body called the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) has been launched in Brussels, to manage aspects of a self-regulatory programme aimed at making online behavioural advertising (OBA) more transparent across Europe. More
Omnicom-owned consumer intelligence and analytics agency Targetbase has appointed Billy Sewell as Chief Operating Officer, a role overseeing areas including technology, analytics and communications. More
European-based ad platform provider Ebuzzing has launched a dashboard service to measure the reach, impact and sentiment of social media video campaigns. More
The US and Switzerland are the two most expensive countries in which to conduct market research, while Pakistan remains the cheapest, according to the results of the latest ESOMAR Global Prices study. More
Energy pricing specialist Platts has purchased Swiss firm Kingsman, which provides market analysis, research and price information for the sugar, biofuels and biofuel feedstock sectors. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Denmark's National TV Steering Committee and Kantar Media have announced plans to enhance the country's existing TV Audience Measurement (TAM) service with the inclusion of TV viewing on PCs, smartphones, and tablets from 2013. More
France's former President Nicolas Sarkozy has been accused of misusing public funds to pay for private opinion polls on issues such as his relationship with his wife, former supermodel Carla Bruni. More
In Germany, Goldmedia Group has opened a new company in Munich called Goldmedia Consulting, to offer expertise and research services to clients in the film, TV, digital media, and sports sectors. The new business will be led by Managing Director Dr Marcus Hochhaus. More
Crowdsourcing specialist Blur Group has floated on the AIM stock exchange, and raised c.£4m in the process. The funds will be used to develop technology, increase the sales team, and provide support services and marketing. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher has reported a 24% increase in revenues to EUR 107.4m for the third quarter, and is anticipating revenues of EUR 140m for the full year 2012. More
In Germany, full service agency Dr Grieger & Cie has launched online panels in Romania, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Turkey. More
The Belgium-based Center for Body Language has developed an online system which uses webcams to analyze facial expressions, and claims thereby to be able to predict the outcome of the US presidential elections. More
US-based growth strategy consultancy Vivaldi Partners Group – which provides insights on customer demand, industry trends, and competitor dynamics – has opened a new office in Zurich, Switzerland. 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
Online specialist BrainJuicer has opened an office in Paris, France, where it has appointed former Synovate MD Rodolphe Jounot as Country Director. More
Online sampling and technology company uSamp has promoted George Llorens to the role of Executive Vice President, Global Head of Sales, tasked with further driving sales in Europe, where the firm reported growth of 104% in the past year. More
Ipsos has extended its specialist data and delivery business Ipsos Observer to Switzerland, to offer local clients access to the firm's global field and tab services. More
Twitter has partnered with Nielsen to launch a service which will enable brands to create surveys directly within the social networking site, in order to gather data on users' purchase intent and brand awareness. More
Gent, Belgium-based consumer intelligence specialist NGDATA has closed a $2.5m round of funding, which it will use to further develop its personalization products and to establish offices near New York and San Francisco for servicing its US-based clients. More
Ad targeting company Phorm has continued its cash burn in the first six months of 2012, again making little revenue, but says its Turkish operation is performing sufficiently well to at last make the group 'profitable during the next financial year'. More
Networking giant Cisco has acquired location analytics specialist ThinkSmart Technologies, which delivers customer movement information using data from wireless infrastructure and smartphones. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Harris Interactive's former global brand and communications specialist Jeni Lee Chapman has been hired for the post of Managing Director of PR and communications measurement agency Gorkana Group, at its offices in New York. 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
London-based online research specialist DigitalMR has partnered with Italian healthcare comms specialist Brandnew Marketing Communications (BNMC), to develop solutions through which to create insight-driven health and wellbeing marcoms campaigns. More
Silicon Valley-based web analytics and digital marketing specialist E-Nor has opened an office in Florida, from where it will service the needs of local clients and those in the southeastern US region. More
The Executive Board of the European Pharmaceutical Market Research Association (EphMRA) has elected Thomas Hein as its new President from next Monday. He takes over from Rob Haynes who took the role in 2008. More
French ad agency network Publicis Groupe has acquired Amsterdam-based digital marketing agency LBi for EUR 416m (£333m). More
WPP's brand strategy consultancy Millward Brown Optimor has opened a new practice in Shanghai, China, which will offer services across the AMAP (Africa, Middle East, Asia Pacific) regions. More
Audience targeting specialist eXelate has closed a $12m Series C funding round, which it will use to expand its worldwide operations, extend its product lines, and pursue acquisitions. More
GfK has appointed seven leaders in China, Korea, Malaysia and Japan, as part of a strategy to expand its global research solutions across the Asia Pacific region. More
Online sampling and data collection firm Research Now has begun the expansion of its medical MR capabilities to Europe with the launch of a UK healthcare panel. More
The Belgian Federation of Market Research Institutes (Febelmar) and the Swiss Market and Social Research Association (vsms-asms) are the latest trade bodies to join the European Research Foundation (efamro). 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 reported a 14% increase in revenue to £10.37m for the first half of the year, and operating profit also up 14% from £628k to £716k. More
In London, former Kantar Worldpanel MD Michelle Carter has joined panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical as Head of Client Service. More
European online specialist InSites Consulting has set up a new firm called B-Conversational, which will provide 'conversation management' coaching services for clients involved in initiatives such as consumer collaboration, online communities, and social media listening. More
In the UK, Active Media has been renamed Clarus Data, with Yvonne Graves promoted to the position of Managing Director, with full responsibility for the day-to-day operations. More
GfK has acquired usability testing specialist User Centric Inc, to enable it to offer a global user experience (UX) service with more than 150 consultants worldwide. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
In the US, user testing specialist Userlytics has launched a remote mobile testing platform, through which user interaction with apps or web sites is recorded through a webcam view. More
Dublin-based specialist social media and mobile marketing agency Vocal has introduced a smartphone app called SO MOBILE! through which users can monitor their competitors' social media campaigns. More
Travel operator Thomas Cook has hired former confused.com CMO Mike Hoban for its new position of Director of Marketing, Brand and Customer Insight in the UK and Ireland, responsible for all marketing across the firm's brands as well as its customer insight and research. More
Web site tag management specialist Ensighten – which provides a system to simplify third-party services for web analytics, advertising and content targeting – has closed a $15.5m Series A financing round, which it will use to drive its next phase of growth. More
In Germany, online sampling and technology company uSamp has hired former Toluna director Ronald Meier for its newly created role of Sales Director, to oversee growth across Europe. 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
Industry body efamro has agreed to establish a self-regulation system for conducting market, social, and opinion research across 15 countries in Europe. More
Michael Berland has left WPP-owned MR and political polling specialist Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) to join PR giant Edelman as CEO of a newly-named research and analytics business, Edelman Berland, into which the group's existing research firm StrategyOne will be integrated. More
WPP-owned global healthcare communications firm ghg has introduced a new methodology called 'Digital Dx', for measuring, tracking and maximising healthcare firms' brand influence across all digital channels, including web sites, social media, search engines and mobile. More
In Germany, Michael Siewert and Mark Schöne have set up a full service healthcare market research agency called medpirica in Berlin. More
In London, consumer insight technology firm Lumi Mobile has appointed former Insight International CEO Dan Foreman as Head of Business Development, to work alongside the firm's staff at its offices in New York, and Vaasa, Finland. More
According to reports in the UK press, WPP is planning to 'refresh' its Board of Directors, after shareholders voted against a proposed 60% increase in CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's pay package back in June. More
Former Research Now director Johnny Caldwell has joined brand tracking agency Nepa, in the newly created role of Client Services Director in its Soho, London-based office. More
Rochester, New York-based pharma and healthcare researcher KJT Group has announced that it is planning to open a European office in the Netherlands in 2013. More
Survey software firm Voxco has partnered with panel access provider Cint, whose OpinionHUB insight platform will give Voxco clients access to more than seven million individuals worldwide. 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
WPP has reported revenue up just 1.2% to £1.19bn in its consumer insight division in the first half of the year, while headline operating profit fell slightly to £84m. The group has also confirmed that following tax changes, it plans to move its HQ back to the UK from Ireland. More
Data collection and sampling solutions specialist SSI has partnered with Danish online specialist Interresearch to launch a joint venture, SSI Denmark. More
Marketing spend is in decline, not just in Europe, but also in the previously buoyant Asia Pacific region, according to a report from advertising research site Warc. However other indicators, such as general business confidence, were more positive. More
In Germany, automotive customer feedback specialist Vital Insights has appointed Jörg Höhner as Managing Director, EMEA, to focus on accelerating the firm's growth across the region from its base in Hamburg. More
Online research software and solutions provider Confirmit has acquired the CustomerSat enterprise feedback management software business - previously owned by MarketTools - from investment house TPG Growth. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Car manufacturer Volvo has launched a global crowdsourcing study via Facebook, through which it hopes to generate new ideas that will help it design more personalized vehicles. More
Aegis shareholders have accepted the offer made by Japanese ad giant Dentsu to buy the company - including the Aztec retail information and scan-data business - for a total price of £3.16 billion. More
In New York, Ipsos has moved David Lansanah to the position of Global Managing Director of its product research and development arm MarketQuest. 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
Full-service MR agency and panels and online tech specialist Toluna have agreed a deal which will give online community and panel solutions to CMI's clients worldwide. 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
French ad network Havas has increased its stake in UK-based insight and communications group Creston to more than 6%, just days after buying a 5% share of the business. 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
Global ad agency Publicis has acquired Mumbai-based Resultrix, which offers a full suite of digital services covering SEO, web analytics, media buying and social media marketing. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Ipsos Healthcare has appointed Richard Clarke as Global Business Development Director for Syndicated Services, based in Kuala Lumpur. 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
Technology specialist Gartner has reported second quarter revenues up 9% to $397.5m - equivalent to growth of 12% at constant currencies. A very good quarter for the group's Research division was only slightly dented by a flat performance from the smaller Consulting wing. More
Online ad targeting company Phorm is to raise £7m ($10.8m) to fund its expansion in Turkey, announced on DRNO in July; and says impressive numbers have already opted into its operation there. More
GfK has combined two recent acquisitions, KN Dimestore and nurago, to create a new global practice, Digital Market Intelligence (DMI), which promises clients a complete picture of their digital marketing and advertising ROI. More
Google has bought US-based online marketing service Wildfire, reportedly for around $250m (£159m). More
Pharma market access consultancy WG Consulting has opened its first US office, in New York, and appointed Charlotta Norgaard to lead it. More
Swedish eye tracking solutions firm EyeTrackShop has partnered with Asian research agency Majestic MRSS, to distribute its services across Asia and the Middle East. 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
Online advertising data analytics specialist AdMaster has raised an undisclosed amount of funding in a Series B round led by WI Harper and followed on by GSR Ventures. 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
In the US, technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 7% increase in second quarter revenues to $79.1m from $73.5m a year previously. More
Customer loyalty specialist Maritz has set up a Business Services division, to focus on the changes being experienced by service industries as a result of the current economic climate, technological breakthroughs, and changing consumer behaviour. 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
In the UK, a new DIY survey platform called Usurv is to offer a similar service to Google Consumer Surveys, but without the use of cookies to infer demographic information about respondents. More
Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has appointed former Globalpark sales leader Frank Kleinert as a Partner, with responsibility for building the business across the 'DACH' German-speaking region, which includes Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More
Full service agency Market Strategies International (MSI) has launched a qualitative insights boutique, led by former Synovate director Steve Wolf. 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
Enterprise feedback management (EFM) and Social CRM technology specialist QuestBack has launched a social engagement tool, Listen & Act, which will help clients integrate insights from social media with their CRM data. More
Havas Media Asia Pacific has appointed econometric expert Naman Sharma, formerly of OMD and Carat, as its Head of Research and Analytics. 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
Boris von Heesen, founder of German-based Speedfacts Online Research, has launched a new venture called Anywab, which provides feedback from those who view TV through digital devices. More
MR association ESOMAR has launched a guide to help researchers comply with the recently introduced EU cookie law relating to the capture of online visitor information. 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
Ipsos has launched its Online Audience Panel Data service in Jordan, adding to its existing MENA coverage across the UAE, KSA, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Egypt and Morocco. 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
Consumer insight technology firm Lumi Mobile has launched a self-service tool called Lumi SURVEY, which it says can be deployed across all major mobile operating systems. More
European online specialist InSites Consulting has promoted Robert Dossin to the post of Managing Director of its London office, replacing Christophe Vergult who has moved to Belgium to lead the firm's Global Technology and Services team. More
Rotterdam, Netherlands-based online researcher MetrixLab has announced the acquisition of San Francisco-based MR software and services firm MarketTools Research Solutions Inc., from current owner TPG Growth, for an undisclosed sum. More
Austrian market research company Klufamily has gone into receivership after twenty years in business. More
Online ad targeting provider Phorm has announced the launch of commercial operations in Turkey, following an agreement with Turkish ISP TTNET. More
Ipsos ad division ASI has announced an updated version of its Brand Value Creator (BVC) solution, promising advertiser clients a deeper understanding of how they can build their brands. More
Data visualization company Infotools has hired former Hall & Partners MD Ian Murray as Director for Europe, based in London. More
This article was posted in error and has now been removed - our apologies for any inconvenience. 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
US member advisory company The Corporate Executive Board (CEB) is to acquire London-based staff assessment and benchmarking specialist SHL from its owners HgCapital and VSS, for $660m in cash. More
WPP has confirmed it is in the process of buying an 87% stake in media monitoring and analysis specialist Press Index. The price of EUR 6.81 per share values the company at EUR 11.2m. More
US-based Fiksu, which offers an ad targeting platform for mobile devices, has secured $10m in Series B funding. The money will be used to accelerate growth across the European and Asia-Pac regions, develop its optimization platform, and drive partnerships with agencies and brands. More
Web technology provider Apica has raised $5m in Series C financing, for use in product development, marketing support and global expandsion of its cloud and mobile testing and monitoring services. More
Behavioural ad targeting company Phorm has reported another large operating loss, with revenues for 2011 not taking off as expected, but says it believes that 'it will become increasingly clear to investors that the long wait for revenues will have been worthwhile.' More
GfK has launched a new tool called DeliveryControl.dx, which tracks whether an online advertisement is actually visible on a user's screen. 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
Nielsen has announced the launch of its TV Brand Effect service in China and Germany. The service gives metrics on a TV ad's 'breakthrough', or 'resonance', for purposes of real-time or post-campaign optimization. More
The Trust Alliance, the recently formed standards and guidelines partnership for online healthcare data collection has greatly expanded its membership with the signing up of three new firms, Medimix, Toluna and UniversalSurvey (SurveyHealthCare). More
Belgian-based advanced analytics solutions-2 has announced the opening of an office in London, led by Paul Strange, who will join the firm in July from GfK NOP. More
Netherlands-based agency SKIM is opening an office in San Francisco, its second US base, led by Directors Joris Huisman and Eline van der Gaast who are promoted from SKIM Project Manager roles in the Rotterdam and New York offices respectively. 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
Online market research specialist Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) has opened an office in Dubai, where it has appointed former Maktoob Research exec Dima Hijjawi as an Account Manager. More
Nielsen has promoted Mathias Bernhardt to Managing Director in Germany, responsible for developing the firm's Buy consumer purchase behavior segment. More
WPP's global media network Mindshare has launched a data-driven marketing intelligence platform called CORE, which combines its own media data and consumer insight capabilities with sources including Visible Measures, Nielsen, Acxiom and Adobe. More
Online data collection firm ODC Services has launched a panel in the Czech Republic, its eleventh country to date. 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
Panel and research technology provider Toluna has updated its mobile app to enable members of its research community to participate in in-depth 'traditional' surveys. More
Stockholm-based information exchange Mancx has secured $1.65m in financing, which it will use to expand its paid business Q&A community through social networks such as LinkedIn and Viadeo. The firm has also opened US headquarters in San Francisco, CA. More
WPP is in talks to acquire a stake in media monitoring and analysis specialist Press Index, in a deal which would involve buying 87% of the outstanding shares in the company from its founders and other sellers. More
WPP shareholders have voted against a proposed 60% increase in CEO Sir Martin Sorrell's pay package. Separately, WPP says its Consumer Insight arm has been 'stable' in the first four months of 2012, with a 3.3% revenue rise adding to the group's £3.2 billion turnover. 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
MR bodies AIMRO (the Association of Irish Market Research Organisations) and BAMOR (Bulgarian Association of Marketing and Opinion Researchers) are the latest to join the European Research Federation (efamro). More
UK-based researcher SPA Future Thinking is in 'final negotiations' to form a joint venture with French customer relationship specialist Groupe Acticall. The JV will be launched as Future Thinking France and be led by Stéphane Marder, previously Managing Director of French agency LH2. More
Klaus Nadler has been appointed CEO of GroupM Switzerland, effective immediately. He succeeds interim CEO Peter Lammerhuber, who will continue to oversee GroupM Switzerland and remains CEO of GroupM Austria. More
Russian search engine Yandex and Publicis-owned digital marketing agency VivaKi have today launched a new tool for targeting online display ads: Digital Eye. The new product is based on Yandex's proprietary Crypta software and will only be available to VivaKi clients in Russia. More
Kantar has today announced the appointment of Matthias Hartl as Managing Director of Kantar Media Audiences Switzerland, based in Bern and reporting to Regional Director Eitan Kassif. More
Thomson Reuters has completed the $1.25 billion sale of its healthcare data, analytics and performance benchmarking arm to private equity firm Veritas Capital, which has renamed the business Truven Health Analytics. More
Netherlands-based market research agency SKIM is opening an office in San Francisco in the summer, from which it will service its clients on the US west coast and expand its client roster in the tech, finance and telecoms sectors. More
Radio ratings giant Arbitron has appointed former Nielsen exec Derrik Dennis as Director of Sales for its mobile measurement solutions, which include the syndicated Arbitron Mobile Trends Panels. More
Paris-based ividence - whose platform uses behavioral data to deliver targeted e-mail ad campaigns - has raised $4m in a series B round of funding, earmarked for expanding its infrastructure in the US and fuelling company growth. More
Access panel provider Cint has appointed former Cobalt Sky exec Allan Shaw as Senior Account Manager in the UK, to drive new business across the PR, media and advertising sectors. More
WPP's data-driven customer insights specialist KBM Group has agreed to acquire Predictys, a company specialising in digital data and campaign technology. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Social media monitoring firm Socialbakers has expanded its Analytics PRO technology to enable users to measure their performance across YouTube, as well as Facebook and Twitter. More
US-based Federated Sample has appointed former Greenfield Online MD Andy Ellis as Senior Vice President for Corporate Development. More
Janet Harkness, Director of the Gallup Research Center and a leading figure in the development of cross-cultural research methods, died on Monday in Germany at the age of 63. 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
The UK's ICO (Information Commissioners Office) has apparently made significant last-minute relaxations in its guidance regarding changes to the new EU cookie law. Separately, ESOMAR and EFAMRO have attended meetings of the Council of Europe regarding EU data protection plans. 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
European predictive analytics software provider Quiterian has signed a global deal with Indian IT giant Wipro, whose clients will be offered Quiterian's solutions. More
GfK has announced two senior marketing science appointments which it says 'sharpen its focus on rigorous yet innovative analytics'. Knowledge Networks' Ellen Veccia become Chief Marketing Science Officer while Mike Conklin has rejoined from MarketTools as EVP of Marketing Science. 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
State-run business development agency Enterprise Ireland has opened a new Market Research Centre to support Irish companies in developing their export plans. More
Polish MR association OFBOR and Lithuanian body LRSTA have joined European research federation efamro. More
GRBN, the recently launched international community of research federations, has apportioned its activities for 2012-13 between member regions, following meetings in London and Miami attended by representatives of national associations in 17 countries. More
Twitter has announced its support for the US FTC's Do Not Track initiative, which restricts how third parties collect and store data about browsing behavior. More
Ipsos and digital research agency Gemius have been re-appointed as official providers of Internet audiences measurement in Hungary. The four-year contract starts in January 2013 and will for the first time include mobile audience insights (gemiusMobile) and online video data (gemiusStream). More
Kees de Jong, the CEO of data collection and sampling solutions specialist SSI, has moved to the role of Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has been replaced by Chris Fanning, who joined the firm in February as President and COO. 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
Italy-based audience analysis specialist Neodata Group has acquired Newscurve, a Serbian firm which provides web analytics to bloggers, editors and publishers to enable them to measure the effectiveness of their content. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Zodiak Kids, the children's division at Zodiak Media, has created an international research department, 'The Research Lab', and promoted François Vallerian, Research Manager at Marathon Media, to lead it. More
Online research software provider Confirmit has reported a buoyant first quarter for the year with more than $15m in revenues, and strong growth in mobile solutions following its acquisition of Techneos. 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
Online healthcare specialist WorldOne has announced the appointment of Eva Laparra as MD Southern Europe. She joins from Vision Critical in Spain. 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
Big data analytics specialist Teradata and its marketing management firm Aprimo have acquired Munich-based digital marketing agency eCircle. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Echo Research has appointed Robert Takacs as Executive Vice President, based in New York. He joins the firm's leadership team and takes responsibility for expanding its brand within the US, as well as for client service and enhancing its range of services. More
WPP has reported first quarter revenues up 7.4% at constant currencies, to £2.39 bn. Organic revenue growth was 4.0%. However the consumer insight division once again lagged behind with revenues up 3.3% on a constant currency basis, or 1.3% excluding acquisitions. More
Ipsos has announced a number of senior qual appointments in Asia Pacific, including that of Gordon Milne as leader of its Ipsos UU qual business across the region. More
Belgian statistical analysis consultancy solutions-2 has re-located to new offices close to Ooidonk Castle in Bachte-Maria-Leerne, near Ghent. 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
In Belgium, the Centre for Information on the Media (CIM) has awarded Kantar Media-owned TNS its new National Internet Measurement contract, with traffic from mobile devices and online TV viewing figures included for the first time. 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
Information giant Thomson Reuters has sold its healthcare business to private equity firm Veritas Capital in a cash deal valued at $1.25 billion, following a ten-month search for a buyer. More
In the US, IMS Health has acquired San Francisco-based software firm DecisionView, which helps life sciences organizations plan and track patient enrollment for clinical trials around the world. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Ad giant Publicis has acquired India-based digital marketing and technology agency Indigo Consulting, which offers a variety of services such as usability research and testing, search engine optimization, and social media marketing. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Belgian-based online specialist InSites Consulting has relocated its London operation to larger premises in the heart of Clerkenwell, following what it says has been a period of rapid growth. More
Norway-based fieldwork group Norstat has agreed to acquire a majority stake in European online data collection firm ODC Services. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
Online audience specialist comScore has appointed former Microsoft researcher Beth Uyenco as SVP of International Research, to support the firm's initiatives with local market measurement JICs*, including UKOM in the UK. More
In the US, Ipsos Loyalty has appointed research veteran Thomas Gallagher as Vice President in its Financial Services practice. More
India's Hansa Research has partnered with Ipsos to make a joint bid for the new Indian Readership Survey (IRS) contract, which will start in 2013. More
Czech-based analytics firm Socialbakers has launched a new tool to enable clients to identify, engage and track their most important influencers across Facebook and Twitter, while monitoring their competitors. More
The Indian government is taking advantage of current trade talks with the EU to press for 'data secure' status for the country. Officials said India had made significant changes in its data protection laws and that restrictions - which limit the inflow of outsourcing work - should be lifted. More
Martin Filz has been appointed as Managing Director for the EMEA Region at panel and research software company GMI, recently acquired by Lightspeed Research. He was previously MD for EMEA and APAC at Research Now. More
Access panel provider Cint has announced partnerships with Chinese panel Tudou, and News Corporation subsidiary STAR TV of India. The new panels will be available on Cint's OpinionHUB and the alliances are in collaboration with Swedish online tracking specialist Nepa. More
Online panel and survey technology provider Toluna has unveiled a new web site with an upgraded social media voting community. The firm aims to improve community engagement and further promote participation in its surveys. More
Following the acquisition of Synovate, Frank Guo has been promoted to the position of Director, Healthcare China for Ipsos Healthcare, in charge of the division's business across the country. More
US publisher Crain Communications has launched a new division to provide social media marketing consulting services to businesses. More
Creston-owned face-to-face specialist Fieldwork UK has been integrated with sister agency ICM Direct, in a bid to further strengthen its data collection offering. More
In the UK, Radius Global Market Research has appointed Anjul Sharma for its new role as Global Director of Qualitative Research, to lead the firm's qual practice across its client base in the US, EMEA, and Asia from its office in London. More
Global ad network Havas has acquired a majority stake in US-based idea creation specialist Victors & Spoils (V&S), which digitally connects, manages and curates a crowd of more than 6,000 creatives who participate in crowdsourcing initiatives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Canadian research software provider Voxco has acquired French technology firm Sypiens, which specializes in developing mobile solutions for the collection of information and opinions. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has appointed former Synovate North America CEO Scott Miller as President and COO of International Business. More
Online research firm YouGov plc has announced interim results for the six months ended 31 January 2012, with organic revenue growth of 12% and adjusted profit before tax of £2.2m. YouGov expects to pay its first dividend, when full year results are out. More
Google has launched a product combining DIY surveys with access to targeted respondents. Google Consumer Surveys will cost users a fixed fee per response from selected persons accessing premium content pages in Google's publisher network. 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
Interactive marketing technology company React2Media has merged its US operations with semantic targeting specialist ad pepper media USA. More
US-based digital measurement and web analytics company Semphonic has partnered with London-based online business optimisation consultancy AEP Convert to expand its digital measurement service across Europe. More
Martin Filz is stepping down from his role as MD for EMEA and APAC at online sampling and data collection firm Research Now, to 'pursue a new opportunity' within the market research industry. He is leaving as the firm announces several changes in its global executive leadership team. More
In the US, Harris Interactive has promoted Mike de Vere to the post of CEO of its US Business Groups, Todd Myers to Chief Operating Officer of the same division, and Marc Levin to Chief Operating Officer, responsible for European Operations. 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
European MR industry body efamro has elected TNS-Gallup EVP Andrew Cannon as the new President of its Executive Board, for the period 2012 to 2015. More
Media and communications research provider Ipsos MediaCT has rolled out its passive radio audience measurement tool MediaCell across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), to measure which radio stations respondents are listing to in the region. More
London-based online research specialist DigitalMR has appointed Piotr Idzik as Country Director for Poland, with a remit to develop client relationships and drive sales of the firm's portfolio across the Polish and CEE markets. More
Online specialist BrainJuicer has reported results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2011, confirming 27% revenue growth to £20.71m and profit after tax up 25% to £1.85m. More
Ipsos-owned Marketing Management Analytics (MMA) has appointed former MarketShare exec Jude Ryan as Vice President of Analytic Innovation, with responsibility for expanding the division's predictive solutions. More
Adobe has announced a raft of new software and solutions within its Digital Marketing Suite, aimed at simplifying the process of analysing and optimising clients' use of online media. 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
In Germany, co-creation and branding specialist Dialego has announced the launch of an Innovation Consulting division, due to open on 1st April, and the appointment of Detlef Happel to head it up. More
In the UK, social media monitoring company Brandwatch has raised $6m in a round of financing led by Nauta Capital. Carles Ferrer, General Partner at Nauta will join the board, while Al Sisto, Venture Partner, will join as an observer. More
Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has announced revenue growth of 17% to $CAN 72m in 2011. 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
Ipsos, continuing its integration of Synovate, has reorganised its largest global business line, Ipsos Marketing - which accounted for nearly half the group's revenues in 2011 - forming four distinct practices. More
In London, Freud Communications founder Matthew Freud has bought a 3.23% share in online polling specialist YouGov for approximately £2.26m. More
Online sampling and data collection specialist Research Now has enhanced its D-U-N-S Number-based b2b screening tool with data on B2B respondents in Canada, France, Germany and the UK, available to North American clients. More
In the US, the Board of Harris Interactive has authorized a share repurchase program of up to $3m of the firm's common stock over the next 24 months, funded with cash generated from operations. The firm's share price passed the $1 mark this week for the first time in 10 months. More
In the US, panel and research technology provider Toluna has launched a new methodology called SmartSelect, to enable researchers to pick potential survey respondents according to specific demographic, attitudinal and behavioral characteristics. More
US consumer privacy organization TRUSTe has unveiled a solution to help businesses prepare for compliance with the 'EU Cookie Directive', which requires web publishers to obtain prior consent before they store or access consumer information via cookies and similar technologies. 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
Irish broadcaster UTV Media has acquired social media monitoring specialist Simply Zesty from its founders Niall Harbison and Lauren Fisher, and from MR firm SPA Future Thinking which held a stake in the business. The deal is valued at up to £5m. More
comScore's Chief Operating Officer Greg Dale has moved across to the position of Executive Vice President, International, following last year's departure of Wolf Allisat. Cameron Meierhoefer now becomes COO, while Serge Matta is promoted and Tom Karrat hired for divisional President roles. More
London-based app analytics firm Mopapp has received EUR 1.5m in funding from credit reporting and business information firm CRIF. More
Four German associations are backing a new radio ad campaign to promote the public's participation in market and social research surveys. More
Swiss facial imaging specialist nViso has partnered with IBM to offer a 'cloud-based' solution, through which it will provide enterprise-wide access to the emotional reactions of consumers to online ads and media. More
US-based social networking solutions firm Lithium Technologies has expanded its EMEA operations by opening an office in Paris, France. More
French customer behaviour specialist Conexance has acquired US consumer targeting company Marketing 1by1, in a move to expand its services beyond Europe. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
European online consumer researcher MetrixLab has promoted Andy Habgood to the post of Managing Consultant, to lead the firm's UK Brand, Media and Advertising division from its offices in London. More
European, AsiaPac and US market research associations EFAMRO, APRC, and ARIA have partnered to create an international community called the Global Research Business Network (GRBN), aiming to promote adherence to worldwide ethical research practices. More
Manchester, UK-based B2B International has reported its 14th year of consecutive growth with 2011 revenue up from £3.8m in 2010 to £4m. More
In Germany, usability research specialist nurago has appointed former AGOF Services General Manager Marcus Fobus as Director of Product Management in its Online and Mobile Audience Measurement division. More
In Holland, a group of practitioners has formed a professional body called The Neuromarketing Science & Business Association (NMSBA), to promote the collective interests of neuromarketing professionals around the world. More
Mobile social media experience specialist Myriad Group has launched an analytics platform to enable mobile service providers to better understand user behaviour without infringing on consumer privacy. More
In New York, Nielsen has teamed up with business membership and research association The Conference Board to launch a non-profit organization called The Demand Institute, with a mission to provide insight into how consumer demand is evolving around the world. More
TNS Infratest veteran and data collection technology specialist Matthias Thomae died on Saturday at the age of 67, after a long battle with cancer. More
A recent study suggests that in order to attract financial funding, an MR business must be US-based, offer products connected with social media, and feature the word 'analytics' throughout its business plan. Around $1.1 billion was invested in the sector in 2011. More
Research software firm Globalpark has taken on its parent company's name following its acquisition by Norwegian enterprise feedback management (EFM) company QuestBack. The firm will now also trade under the international QuestBack brand. More
respondi CEO Otto Hellwig has been elected as a Director on the Board of the German Society for Online Research (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online Forschung or DGOF), following the resignation of Board Chairman Dr Martin Welker. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has enhanced its QuickTake DIY survey tool to meet the needs of political and public affairs researchers in this year's American election, by adding access to US registered voters through its audience selection criteria. 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
UK-based online specialist BrainJuicer has appointed former Microsoft Market Research Manager Ralph Komen as Client Director in the Netherlands. More
In France, Pearltrees - which provides an interface for finding, sharing and analyzing web content - has raised EUR 5 million ($6.7m) in new funding, which will be used to scale its 'interest graph' product. 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
3D experience and product lifecycle management specialist Dassault Systemes has acquired social media intelligence and monitoring platform Netvibes. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Czech Republic-based social media analytics firm Socialbakers has expanded to the US with the opening of an operation in San Francisco, where it has appointed Chairman Martin Huml as President and COO, and Katrina Wong as Vice President of Marketing. More
In the UK, global research and analytics outsourcing firm Cross-Tab has appointed former ICM Direct MD Gareth Nicol as Associate Vice President, European Client Services, to further expand its presence across the region. More
Schlesinger Associates' fieldwork services agency ConsuMed Research has launched a consumer and B2B panel to provide feedback to a wide range of clients across France. More
Web-based consumer researcher BuzzBack has expanded into the Nordic region with the appointment of TNS Gallup veteran Marie Hayling, who will based in Gothenburg, Sweden. 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
Healthcare CRM and data services company Cegedim reported a 4.2% like-for-like fall in revenue in the fourth quarter of 2011, to EUR 256m; and a fall of 2.8% for the full year, to EUR 911.3m. More
Troubled agency Harris Interactive has announced second quarter results, with net income rising to $1.6m from $0.3m in the prior year period; but revenues falling 13% to $39.1m from $44.9m. More
UK-based shopper analyst Planet Retail has appointed former Mintel exec Frank Weibelzahl as Sales Director for its European division. More
The Dutch radio association NLO (Nationaal LuisterOnderzoek) has extended Intomart GfK's contract for national radio audience measurement for another four years. More
US-based research technology firm Decipher has hired former Confirmit director Richard Collins as Director of Client Development for EMEA, based in the firm's London office. 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
Norwegian enterprise feedback management (EFM) company QuestBack has today announced the opening of its new North American headquarters. Located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the new office is intended as a foundation for 'rapid expansion' across the region. More
Belgian agency InSites Consulting has announced revenue growth of around 28% to more than 16 million Euros; office openings in Timisoara, Romania and in New York; expansion to 120 employees; and a number of senior appointments. 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
In separate developments today, two companies - digital advertising firm CPX Interactive and device identification tech specialists BlueCava - have announced new tools for circumnavigating the Euro Cookie Directive, to be enforced from May 25th this year. More
Japanese research and online panel provider GMO Research/JMI has today announced the opening of its first UK office, and the appointment of veteran researcher Jonathan Sheldrake as European Sales Director. 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
The European Commission (EC) has dropped its legal action against the UK Government, over the latter's decision not to prosecute behavioural ad technology firm Phorm for breach of EU data protection and privacy rules. More
Software firm Comptel has acquired a fellow Finnish company, analytics provider Xtract Oy, for a total consideration of EUR 3.1m. 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
Global management consulting, tech services and outsourcing company Accenture has agreed to acquire Madrid-based predictive analytics specialist Neo Metrics Analytics. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Murray Hardie has re-joined brand and comms research specialist Hall & Partners as US Chief Executive Officer, after a 10-year break spent working in comms planning positions. He assumes overall responsibility for US operations from Global CEO Vanella Jackson. More
German research software firm Globalpark has promoted its MD Frank Michael to the position of Chief Executive Officer, replacing founder Lorenz Gräf who has stepped down following the acquisition by survey software firm QuestBack. More
In the US, online sampling and data collection company Research Now has made changes to its senior team with three promotions: Craig Stevens to CRO for the Americas; Martin Filz to MD for EMEA and APAC; and Konstanze Just to SVP of Global Marketing. More
WPP-owned PR giant Burson-Marsteller has acquired a majority stake in Finnish reputation management consultancy Pohjoisranta, which offers a range of research services including reputation surveys, competitor analyses and stakeholder studies. Terms were not disclosed. More
WPP-owned healthcare panel and data collection agency All Global has appointed Hilary Fischer as Chief Operating Officer, US, and Kerry Haynes as Director of Operations, Europe. More
International online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 26% increase in full year revenue to £20m, for the 12 months ended 31 December 2011. In a trading update, the firm says this increase was primarily fuelled by continued growth in the US. 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
Cint has re-branded its product names to reflect its twin focus on sample access and panel management solutions - and also has a new logo. Separately, the firm has appointed former SSI exec Anita Haddu as Director of Panel Development, Europe. More
Panel and research technology provider Toluna has introduced a new version of its iPad and iPhone app, to enable panellists to participate in its DIY QuickSurveys directly through their mobile devices. More
Online sampling and data collection specialist Research Now has opened a new office in Rotterdam, where it has appointed former Sample Answers exec Kerem Köksal as Client Development Manager, Benelux, responsible for driving growth in the region. More
US-based word-of-mouth specialist Bazaarvoice has relocated Chief Client Officer Mark Riggs to London, where he has taken up the post of General Manager for Europe, tasked with raising the profile of the company's solutions across the continent. More
Nunwood has announced three appointments in its London headquarters - including former Holden Pearmain AD Louise Hawley as Qual Account Director. More
UK-based market research agency Firefish is planning to expand to Amsterdam next month, with the opening of its first international office headed by former Synovate Qual Insights Director Kees Van Duyn. More
Publicis comms division MSLGROUP has launched a global crowdsourcing platform called 'The People's Lab', through which members can share ideas and help clients with co-creation. More
US-based video research solutions provider Qualvu has closed a $1.85m Series B round of funding, which it plans to use to support and expand its European client base, as well as its global operations and processes. More
Hong Kong-based Radar Global has extended its reach into the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) with the launch of an Arabic language division. The firm is also planning to launch a Spanish language operation in the middle of the year. More
US-based qual and quant data collection firm Schlesinger Associates has acquired Schmiedl Marktforschung GmbH, a fieldwork services agency and provider of focus group facilities in Germany. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
European industry body efamro has appointed former Millward Brown CEO Jan Oostveen as Director General, replacing Lex Olivier who stepped down in 2011 after six years in the role. More
In Paris, behavioral targeting provider Neolane has closed a $27m financing round, with which it plans to roll out its technology across North America and into other new regions. More
Every month Daily Research News publishes over 150 stories from the market research industry and 2011's grand total of items was 1,886. So which of them grabbed you? Features Editor Teresa Lynch looks at the most read stories. More
Business customer solutions specialist Swiss Post Solutions (SPS) had acquired Irish customer insights and analytics firm FMC Insights, which operates under the name 20-20 Insights and specialises in customer retention. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
US-based CETRA Language Solutions - which specialises in providing translation and interpretation services to the market research sector - has opened a new European Service Centre in Limerick, Ireland with plans to hire a staff of 20 linguists. 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
Healthcare market research solutions provider Medimix Europe has moved its London operation to new offices in the City, close to St Paul's Cathedral and the Museum of London. 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
Market research sample providers Epocrates and M3 Inc have partnered to create what they describe as 'the world's largest physician and healthcare provider panel' comprising 1.7 million panellists. Separately, M3 owned network Doctors.net.uk has promoted Dr Tim Ringrose to the post of CEO. More
Ipsos has invested an undisclosed amount in online ad monitoring specialist AdMaster, in a bid to better understand consumers' viewing attitudes, habits and responses to digital ad exposure in China and other Asia Pacific countries. More
Nunwood has appointed Harris Interactive's former Head of Marketing Sciences David Herron as its new European Head of Analytics, based in the UK. The firm has also made a number of appointments in both its London and Leeds operations. 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
CIM, the Belgian Joint Industry Committee responsible for the country's audience measurement, has awarded Nielsen a four-year contract to supply its 'TV Events' measurement system, from 1 January 2013. 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
Company acquisitions in the online survey software market will continue apace, according to a new report produced by industry analysis publisher IBISWorld. More
Social media monitoring firm E.life has launched an iPad app called the e.lifemonitor, to help execs monitor their organisations' presence on Twitter. Users can also access an optional support service provided by the firm's team of social media analysts. More
In the US, Nielsen has announced the appointment of Rick Kash as Vice Chair and Mitchell Habib as Chief Operating Officer. Both appointments are effective from January 1st 2012. More
Italy's competition watchdog the Antitrust Authority has fined TV ratings agency Auditel EUR 1.8 million ($2.3m) for abusing its 'monopoly position' and using 'anticompetitive' practices, following a complaint made by Rupert Murdoch-owned broadcaster Sky Italia. More
Ipsos has set up a new operation in Pakistan, led by former MEMRB Country Head Abdul Sattar Babar, who is supported by a team of 30 full-time marketing and media researchers based in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. More
Market research software provider Confirmit has added new features to its Survey On-Demand Application (SODA), which is used for creating, deploying and managing multi-lingual wireless and off-line surveys on mobile devices. More
DIY survey technology firm SurveyMonkey has partnered with equity investment firm TPG Growth to acquire research software and services firm MarketTools. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but sources say that it values SurveyMonkey at roughly $1 billion. More
French PR and reputation management agency Augure has acquired Spanish online and social media monitoring specialist iMente. Exact terms were not disclosed, but Augure recently completed a 5 million Euro investment round to finance the deal. More
Panel and research technology provider Toluna has named Harris Interactive veteran Jim Fredrickson as Group Chief Operations Officer. More
In Switzerland, joint industry committee Mediapulse has awarded Kantar Media the country's Television Audience Measurement contract for a period of six years, starting in 2013. More
GfK has acquired US-based consumer specialist Knowledge Networks. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
In Ireland, Red C Research & Marketing and OI Research have merged to create what the pair describe as one of Ireland's biggest independent research groups. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Healthcare panel and data collection agency All Global has partnered with patient community host Inspire.com, to provide its clients with access to 'difficult to reach patients' across a number of therapeutic areas. More
Munich, Germany-based TrustYou - which provides social media monitoring and semantic technologies for the hospitality industry - has launched a guest survey tool which allows hotels to capture and analyze trustworthy reviews, respond and integrate them into their own web sites. More
Canadian polling firm Leger Marketing has become a majority shareholder of Gallup Switzerland subsidiary ISOPUBLIC. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Swedish market research technology provider Dapresy is expanding its team across Europe, after winning a global partnership agreement to supply GfK with its Dapresy Pro online dashboard and reporting solution. More
GfK has won a series of contracts to provide countrywide audience measurement across Romania, the Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. 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
WPP Chief Exec Sir Martin Sorrrell has told the UK government that its proposed tax reforms do not go far enough to lure his business back from Ireland to its original UK headquarters. More
German market research agency Dialego has launched a new social media division, and appointed Unilever research veteran Annette Stucken to lead it. 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
Concept testing and forecasting software specialist Affinnova says it is re-evaluating its staffing needs following 'rapid growth' and is set to hire 70 new employees in 2012. 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
GfK has announced a global partnership with online and mobile research software provider Revelation, to power and roll out an online qual research solution it calls GfK SocioLog.dx. More
Danish online company Adform - which offers an advertising platform incorporating personalised targeting options - has opened an office in Spain, where it has appointed Miguel Fernandez-Gil as Business Development Director. More
In the UK, user experience (UX) design agency Flow has appointed Rob Varney as Director of Design. Varney will lead the firm's brand refocus exercise following its merger with competitor Foolproof at the beginning of the year. More
Synovate Retail Performance (SRP) has partnered with Norwegian shopper tracking specialist Track & Trace, to provide retailers and brand owners with a behavioural solution for monitoring customer experience and satisfaction. More
In Italy, sports research specialist Immagine & Sport has re-organised, with Nevio Devidè assuming the role of CEO, replacing Marco Nazzari who becomes Managing Director. More
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 Netherlands, the JIC STIR joint industry body has awarded comScore and Intomart GfK a three-year contract to provide the country's Internet audience measurement currency. The first results are expected in 2012 and the deal runs to 2014. More
US-based digital video ad services firm BrightRoll has secured $30m in funding, which will be used to further invest in technology and research, and to expand its senior leadership team across a number of operations and strategic roles. More
Millward Brown has opened a new office in Munich, Germany, adding to its existing presence in Frankfurt and Hamburg. More
Synovate CEO Robert Philpott has left his job as part of a management restructure, following Ipsos' recent acquisition of the firm. It is not yet known what his next career move will be. More
Marketing and technology specialist LBi has acquired insight-based social media and marketing agency Mr Youth, headquartered in New York, in a deal valued at $40-50m. 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
Qual research and technology company Quester has added Simplified Chinese to the language capabilities of its 'virtual moderator' package, Socrates - already available in English, French, German and Spanish versions. 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
US software giant Adobe - which owns web analytics firm Omniture and online audience behavior specialist Demdex - has announced plans to restructure its Digital Media and Digital Marketing teams, cutting around 750 staff in North America and Europe. 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
Online measurement firm comScore has reported third quarter revenue up an impressive 29% to $58.8m, although expenses also grew very rapidly leaving profits little changed. 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
In the US, Gartner's research division has reported record contract value - up 14% to $1,036m in Q3 2011. Revenue rose 17% to $345.8m compared with last year's Q3, while net income climbed 52% to $30.5m. 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
WPP has reported third quarter revenue of £2.46bn, representing like-for-like growth of 4.7%, but says its insight division grew much slower than any other, revenues rising less than 1%. More
Enforcement bodies from twelve countries have announced the launch of an International Do Not Call Network, meeting annually to discuss best practices and 'encourage the development of robust telemarketing laws' worldwide. 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
Google has cut off one source of information for web analytics systems, citing concern for its users' privacy. As of October 18th, 'organic search' queries carried out by end users logged into products like YouTube, Gmail and Google+ will no longer be available to its own or others' systems. 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
Czech Republic-based social media analytics firm Socialbakers has acquired Social RSS, a feed reader app for Facebook; and has added support for Google+. 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
Panel and research technology provider Toluna has announced a proprietary, web-based data reporting and analysis tool, TolunaAnalytics, which will be offered as standard to users of its PanelPortal product and of data collection services. More
Online specialist YouGov has today announced the launch of YouGov France, based in Paris, and appointed Julien Chevignon to lead it. More
In Scotland, Heriot-Watt University has dropped plans to charge agencies £200 to view tender documents relating to its £1.5m marketing services framework, including its £450k market research and £105k media monitoring briefs. More
In the US, software provider Adobe has introduced the Adobe AudienceResearch solution, a tool giving publishers and digital marketers metrics on the size and engagement of audiences for web sites, mobile apps and digital magazines. More
UK-based user experience consultancy Foviance has partnered with German eye tracking specialist SensoMotoric Instruments (SMI) to launch a new web site, through which clients can find out if they have engaged with their online customers on an emotional level. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher has seen a 19% increase in revenue for the first three quarters of 2011, to EUR 86.5m. More
TNS has today announced the appointment of Kristin Sharp as global COO of its qualitative business, starting immediately. She joins from Ipsos' US qual division Understanding UnLtd, of which she was CEO and President. 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
The Czech Association for Internet Advertising (SPIR) has withdrawn its three-year online audience measurement contract with comScore, and given the project back to former provider Gemius and partner Mediaresearch. More
In the US, ad agency network Publicis Groupe has launched CRM365 - an agency offering advanced data analytics, measurement and reporting focused on mobile and social media sources. The new operation will be led as CEO by Seth Solomons, the former CMO of Publicis agency Digitas. More
In the UK, YouGov has announced preliminary results for the year ended 31 July 2011, with revenue growing 26.9% to 56.1m and adjusted operating profit 39.5% to £5.3m. The results reflect organic revenue growth of 9% as well as US acquisitions. 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
GfK has acquired the remaining 26% stake in GfK Egypt; and has strengthened its presence in Japan, buying out one of the partners in its joint venture and acquiring a mystery shopping business. More
Norwegian online survey technology firm QuestBack is preparing to expand its presence in the US market with the appointment of former uSamp COO Suresh Subbiah as President. More
Global pharma data collection specialist WorldOne has appointed former Medefield MD Gerald Wackert as MD for its recently opened German operation. More
WPP is launching its social and traditional media listening arm Kantar Media Cymfony in Europe, with the opening of a new office in London servicing clients this side of The Pond. More
TNS has appointed Research International veteran Mark Kingsbury as Global Head of Marketing Sciences, based in the UK and responsible for building the firm's existing technical capabilities and developing new solutions. More
Czech firm Socialbakers has raised $2m in venture capital, which it will use to execute on 'aggressive' growth plans and extend its social media monitoring platform. More
Former Logica CEO Craig Boundy is to join data giant Experian as Managing Director for the UK and Ireland, responsible for further growing the firm's business across its Credit Services, Decision Analytics, Marketing Services and Interactive business lines. 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
Google has launched a premium version of its web site traffic and marketing tool Google Analytics. The new service will be available for $150,000 per annum and be available in the US, Canada and the UK. More
Research agency BrainJuicer has moved its Dutch office from Rotterdam to Amsterdam in order to be closer to existing clients. More
Harris Interactive's results for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2011 show a further decline in revenues in real terms, and a significant rise in operating loss. Recently appointed Interim CEO Al Angrisani says there is 'not going to be a quick or easy fix' for the company's problems. More
Ipsos has successfully completed the EUR 200 million rights issue it announced three weeks ago, reporting strong demand for the shares. The money will be used to part-fund the company's acquisition of Synovate, alongside existing cash and credit, and a EUR 250m loan. More
Research software provider Voxco has announced three senior appointments strengthening its presence in France and Germany. More
In the US, ORC International has enhanced its suite of CARAVAN omnibus surveys with the addition of a youth service targeting teens and younger adults, and a parent omnibus. The firm has also expanded its Online CARAVAN International service into 12 new countries. More
European agency SKOPOS Market Insight has rolled out its NEKXT mystery shopping service in the UK. More
P\S\L Group company Instar has rolled out its online pharma quant research service Instar OnDemand in Europe and Asia, and appointed former Synovate Healthcare exec Jean-Olivier Marty to spearhead the launch. 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
In the US, Kurt Knapton has returned to e-Rewards as President and CEO, following the recent resignation of Chris Havemann. More
Family, friends and colleagues have paid tribute to former Millward Brown MD Tony Copeland, who died recently aged 66 after a short illness. Copeland is credited with leading the development of the agency's international network of offices in the late 1980s and 1990s. More
WPP's salary body is to consider a fifty percent rise in the basic salary of CEO Sir Martin Sorrell, who in November 2008 rejected a scheduled review as 'inappropriate' for the economic climate. Sorrell's £1m basic, unchanged since January 2007, is a smallish part of his total income from the firm. More
Customer experience specialist Maritz Research has announced a new measurement technique examining 'Make or Break' factors in customer relationships. More
TNS has taken its TRI*M Reputation Manager product into the digital sphere, to help clients analyse online media and take appropriate action. More
In London, online measurement specialist comScore has appointed Laurence Bird as Senior Research Director for the EMEA region. 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
Full service agency InsightAsia has launched in Europe as Insight International, and appointed former ActiveGroup European MD Dan Foreman as Chief Executive Officer, based in London. More
Online panel and survey technology firm Toluna has launched PanelPortal Connect, which integrates its community management platform PanelPortal with Facebook. 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
GfK has partnered with ARA Marketing Research & Consultancy to establish GfK Media Research Middle East (GfK MRME), and to launch a series of studies focusing on media usage across a number of Arab countries. More
International online specialist BrainJuicer has reported a 26% increase in revenue to £9.09m for the six months ended 30 June 2011 (H1 2010 £7.21m), driven by 'strong growth' in the US, which accounted for 33% of total revenues. More
Panel exchange operator Cint has opened a new office in Japan, where it has partnered with technology-based market research firm Borders, to offer access to more than 500,000 panellists across the country. More
Survey reporting and distribution company Dapresy has formed a new global support operation, headed by former Kantar exec Raymond van Loon as Senior After Sales Manager. More
Stockholm-based information exchange platform Mancx.com has launched a new tool, to enable users to match questions on its platform with contacts in their LinkedIn network. More
US-based technology research firm Yankee Group has added new capabilities to its online data visualization platform, including the ability to browse through popular metrics in an index format. More
Ipsos is planning to issue around EUR 200m worth of new shares, to part-fund its acquisition of Synovate. More
ADM Processing has opened a new 72-seat CATI telephone centre in Tananarive, Madagascar, staffed by a team of French-speaking interviewers and supervisors. More
Bielefeld, Germany-based online research specialist Interrogare has opened a new office in Berlin, from which to focus on expanding its dedicated mobile research services. More
Norwegian online survey technology firm QuestBack has launched a new 'Social Insight' tool, to help organisations gain an understanding of the audiences they are engaging with across social media channels. More
Usability and user experience consultancy SirValUse - majority owned by GfK - has opened a new office in Cologne, Germany, adding to its existing operations in Hamburg, Munich and Berlin. More
Online survey and reporting software company Confirmit has acquired mobile survey technology provider Techneos Systems, and will add its solutions to the Horizons reporting tool. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Kantar has acquired research technology and panels firm GMI (Global Market Insite), which it will combine with own online panel specialist Lightspeed Research. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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
Stockholm-based brand tracking researcher Nepa AB says it has made its first senior hiring in the UK, a year after opening the new office. Olly Watts, formerly of Opinium and TNS, joins as an Account Manager. More
German sample and panel provider respondi AG has today announced the opening of a UK subsidiary: respondi Ltd. Christopher Morasch, Chief Sales Officer at respondi AG will take on the role of UK Managing Director. 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
WPP's Consumer Insight division has reported a meagre 2.3% rise in like-for-like revenue (1.3% actual) for the first half of the year, following slower growth in the US, the UK and Japan in the second quarter. However, pre-tax profits rose 37% to £334.3m. More
WPP-owned Lightspeed Research has launched new online panels in Poland and Greece, with more than 12,000 and 5,000 panellists respectively. More
Online physician community specialist M3 USA, the parent company of medical panel specialist MDLinx, has acquired UK-based medical professionals' network Doctors.net.uk. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Online survey and reporting software company Confirmit has appointed client retention specialist Claire Sporton for the newly created role of Director, Customer Experience Management, based in its London office. More
IgnitionOne - the digital marketing technology arm of Japanese ad giant Dentsu - has bought ad exchange AdJug for an undisclosed sum. The agency says the combination should give clients simplified buying, targeting and measurement of online advertising. 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
Research firm Phoenix Marketing International has appointed former Hall & Partners exec Delphine Duchateau as a Group Director, based in its UK office in Richmond, Surrey. 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
Concept testing and forecasting software specialist Affinnova, Inc. has announced sales growth of 44% for the twelve months ending June 2011. More
Echo Research has been appointed as the lead contractor for the provision of EU-related media analysis for the European Commission (EC). The four year contract is valued between EUR 4 million and EUR 7 million. More
The joint industry committee IAB Slovakia has awarded the country's official Internet audience measurement contract to online research firm Gemius, working with partner Mediaresearch. The contract runs until January 2015. More
Aegis Media has launched its specialist econometric and research consultancy ævolve in the APAC region, following its growth in the UK over the past ten years. The new arm will be led by former Nielsen exec Adam Hodgson. More
Norwegian online media intelligence firm Meltwater has acquired US social search engine IceRocket, in a bid to extend its online conversation monitoring and analysis tools. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Nielsen is planning to launch a service which uses gross ratings points (GRP) for ad campaigns on Facebook and other online platforms, allowing comparison with measures of audience reach for television, print and outdoor advertising. More
Synovate has merged its global analytics consulting practice SMA with its Marketing Management Analytics (MMA) division, to provide clients with 'more accurate data and insights' about the behavior and attitudes of consumers. More
US technology researcher Gartner has reported a 16% revenue increase to $365.5m for the second quarter of 2011, while net income has leapt 60% to $32.2m, compared with Q2 2010. 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
Norwegian online survey technology firm QuestBack has acquired and will merge with German panel and survey software firm Globalpark. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but it is expected that the joint company will exceed turnover of EUR 40 million within its first year of operation. More
Online survey and reporting software company Confirmit has opened its first German office in Cologne, to be led by Business Development Director Dan Starkey. More
GfK has named a successor for Professor Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst, who announced his decision to step down as CEO earlier in the year. Matthias Hartmann, 45, is currently Global Head of Strategy and Industries in the consulting division of IBM Global Business Services. More
US-based multi-screen specialist Rentrak has signed its first European client for video-on-demand measurement, Spanish digital television operator Digital+. The firm's burgeoning Advanced Media and Information (AMI) division signed the data tracking agreement last week. More
US technology specialist Forrester Research has reported a 13.6% increase in second quarter revenue to $73.5m, compared with $64.7m in the prior year period. However, net income dropped 20% to $5.5m from $6.9m in Q2 2010. 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
Chris Havemann, President and CEO of e-Rewards, is leaving the business to 'pursue new opportunities', but will remain in his current role until a replacement is selected. It is not yet known what his next career move will be. 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
According to reports in the UK press, Publicis and WPP are both planning to make bids for the remainder of marcoms group Aegis, once it has completed the sale of its market research arm Synovate. More
In New York, Jeff Cail has returned to Ipsos to head US operations as President and Chief Executive Officer. More
TNS has been awarded the Flash Eurobarometer contract by the European Commission and European Parliament, beating four rival bidders. The four-year contract could be worth up to EUR 60 million. More
MR associations CASRO and ESOMAR are to join forces to develop and implement a standard promoting consistency and transparency in the online sampling process. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher has reported a 20% year-on-year increase in first-half revenue to EUR 58 million. CEO Georg Tacke said it was the best first half-year in the firm's history. More
Munich-based online fieldwork specialist ODC Services has opened an office in London, as part of its European expansion plans. The firm has appointed Felix Schindler as Project Manager and Maxine Ellison as Sales Manager for the new operation. More
European online market research agency MetrixLab has appointed former Millward Brown leaders Graham Kerr and Michelle de Montigny as consultants in its US operation in New York. More
US-based survey and panel management software firm Kinesis Survey Technologies has introduced a multi-mode market research online community (MROC) service that operates on both mobile and web devices. More
Online panel and survey technology firm Toluna has rolled out its QuickSurveys DIY tool to a further 20 countries, and added a new 'Ask the Nation' feature which enables companies to link survey results to census data. More
Eye tracking specialist Tobii has launched a service combining technology with 'expert consultation', which it says will give market research firms a new way to offer eye tracking to customers without the need for upfront equipment or specialist staff costs. More
International online specialist BrainJuicer is predicting that it will achieve a 25% increase in first-half revenue compared with last year's figure of £7.2m. The company has also announced the opening of a fourth US office, and the planned launch of operations in Singapore and Milan. More
French co-creation agency eYeka has consolidated its business into three practices, in a bid to better serve its clients and its communities worldwide. More
Multinational directories giant Yell Group has partnered with word-of-mouth agency Bazaarvoice to provide its more than 1.3 million advertisers with analysis of online customer conversations, as well as insights about online consumer sentiment and behaviour. More
Ad research specialist Ipsos ASI has launched a New York-based global practice to help marketers and advertisers better understand the future of digital advertising. The new 'Ipsos ASI Digital' division will be led by former Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange SVP Jim Forrest. More
In Germany, opinion research agency dimap has upped its stake in polling specialist Infratest dimap from 26% to 49%. Infratest dimap is a joint venture formed by dimap and TNS Infratest, which holds the remaining 51% share. More
In London, Synovate has brought together a team of methodologists to investigate the value of non-verbal response techniques, and apply their findings to custom research projects. More
In the Middle East, GfK has promoted Praveen Madawala to the post of CEO, leading the Custom Research business across the region. More
German user and brand research specialist Eye Square has opened a Social Media Unit (SMU) at its headquarters in Berlin, from which it will conduct and further develop behaviour-based social media user research platforms. More
Ipsos has appointed former TNS MD Grant Bertoli as its Regional Director of South East Asia (SEA) and Managing Director for Singapore. More
Google has partnered with Kantar to establish a 3,000-strong opt-in panel which will measure TV and online media consumption in the UK. 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
Internet giant Yahoo! plans to make changes to its terms and conditions to allow its systems to read and analyse users' e-mails and then send them targeted advertising based on their interests and hobbies. More
Kantar Health has promoted Werner Guminski to the position of CEO, Commercial Strategy, a role including responsibility for innovation. He most recently served as the firm's CEO, Global Practices. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) and Opinionology have received regulatory approval to merge under the SSI brand. The firm will be led by SSI's Kees de Jong, who will continue his role as CEO, while Opinionology's CEO David Haynes will serve as President and COO. 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
Database giant Infogroup has sold off its global market research arm ORC International to a group of the firm's senior managers, backed by Chicago-based private equity firm Lake Capital Management. Terms were not disclosed. 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
India's Star TV has added its 75,000-member panel - managed by Indian online research firm Nepa - to Cint's Panel Exchange (CPX). More
Online audience measurement specialist comScore has signed a $50m 'revolving credit' deal with the Bank of America, which it plans to use for working capital and general corporate purposes. More
In Switzerland, facial imaging specialist nViso has partnered with Gordon & McCallum - a consultancy offering specialist services to the market research industry - to accelerate the industry's take-up of its emotional response assessment technology. 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
TNS has hired Martin Lambie-Nairn as Creative Director, a new position with a remit to improve the look and feel of the company's deliverables and work with local and global management to develop their creative capabilities. More
TNS has announced a European partnership with digital ad measurement specialist Alenty, to deliver a solution assessing the business impact of display ads. Initially available France, Germany, Spain and the UK, the service should roll out to more countries soon. More
European physician community Networks in Health has announced an alliance with Australian counterpart e-healthspace.com.au , expanding its medical research resource by 9,000 doctors. 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
Kantar Media has announced the European launch of its online behavioural measurement firm Compete, with the opening of a new office in London. 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
The Board of Aegis Group has confirmed that its talks with Ipsos about the possible sale of Synovate are 'exclusive', following a report in the UK press that it had received an expression of interest from private equity group Cinven. More
Online sample provider uSamp has opened an office in London, to be led by former Greenfield/Ciao director Gaelle Normand. More
Kantar is to roll out MarketTools' TrueSample quality solution across its network, following the breakdown of the Promedius Group, the not-for-profit quality consortium it launched with GfK and Ipsos less than a year ago. More
Global research association ESOMAR has issued a warning to its members about an online research firm called The Research Express, following complaints about the firm's sub-standard levels of service and its refusal to return deposits. More
In the US, Millward Brown has appointed Susan Steele as Global Chief Human Resources Officer, responsible for leading the firm's human resources and talent strategy worldwide. More
Language Connect - a specialist in market research language services - and online qual platform provider VisionsLive have partnered to provide a simultaneous interpreting and moderating service for international online qual groups. 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
Stockholm-based information exchange platform Mancx.com has completed a Series B funding round, bringing the total amount received since its launch in April to $1.1m. The new funds will be used to further develop the platform and drive an 'aggressive marketing push'. More
Irish analytics firm Nathean Technologies has received EUR 800k in funding, and says it plans to hire up to ten new employees, double exports, and increase revenues by at least 50% this year. More
Jeffrey Yu, former Chairman of Asian marcoms agency Bates 141, has joined brand-focused consumer data analytics consultancy Numsight, with a remit to develop the firm's market in China and prepare for its expansion in Shanghai. More
According to a report in the UK press, marcoms group Aegis has received an expression of interest in its market research arm Synovate from private equity group Cinven. More
Online measurement specialist comScore has introduced a new service called 'Device Essential', for measuring digital traffic from 'all devices' - including computers, mobile phones, tables, music players, e-readers and gaming devices. More
Amsterdam-based online usability testing firm Usabilla has closed a $1m (EUR 750k) funding round. In addition to international expansion, the firm will use the money to scale its technology and ensure compatibility with platforms such as mobile, tablets and television. More
US-based comms market specialist Infonetics Research has opened an office in the UK, led by George Stojsavljevic as Senior Account Director for EMEA; and an office in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. 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
Healthcare data collection agency WorldOne has opened an office in Bern, Switzerland - its twelfth location worldwide. The firm has also promoted Corinne Dulles to lead the new operation as Managing Director. 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
Marketing services giant Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire Genedigi Group, one of China's largest independent PR and marcoms agencies, and will align it with its flagship PR business MSLGROUP. Genedigi also boasts an in-house market research centre. Terms were not disclosed. More
Information giant Thomson Reuters is planning to sell its Healthcare business, which provides data, analytics and performance benchmarking services to companies, government agencies and healthcare professionals. More
Panel and sample specialist Cint has promoted Terence McCarron to the role of Managing Director of North America, following the departure of Michael McCrary after just a year in the post. McCarron was previously SVP of North American Sales. More
In the US, the Nasdaq Stock Market has given Harris Interactive another notice of a possible delisting, following a drop in its share price below $1. This news follows last week's shake-up in the firm's leadership, and the departure of Chief Finance Officer Pavan Bhalla. More
US-based product innovation technology firm Affinnova is opening offices in France and Germany, adding to its existing European presence in the UK and Switzerland. In addition, it has hired former Nielsen and Ipsos exec Jerome Simulin to lead its extended European operations. More
US full service agency R/GA has expanded in Europe with the opening of an office in Stockholm. Former Digitas Sweden execs Anders Erlandsson and Kay Höök have been appointed to lead the new business, as MD and Executive Creative Director respectively. More
Former Yahoo! Europe VP Stephen Taylor has become Chairman of Manchester, UK-based call tracking and web analytics firm AdInsight. More
Marketing and customer intelligence software provider smartFOCUS has been acquired by online campaign manager Emailvision, in a deal reported to be valued at £25.3m in cash. More
In Amsterdam, user experience specialist Harald Lamberts has founded an innovation agency called Essense, which aims to help clients use consumer insights to design products aligned with their business strategy and brand identity. More
Brand equity management and research-based consultancy Icon Added Value (IAV), part of WPP's Kantar division, has opened a second German office near Hamburg. Its German headquarters are in Nuremberg. More
WPP Chief Exec Sir Martin Sorrell has suggested that the group may double the amount available for acquisitions this year, as it looks to invest in new media and emerging markets and take advantage of better conditions in the ad industry. More
French-based ad group Publicis has dismissed speculation that it might be considering a bid for Synovate, and reports suggest that WPP is also an unlikely rival for front-runner Ipsos. More
In Germany, Andreas Kösters has been appointed to the management board of TNS Infratest, replacing Bruno Hötzel who steps down to focus on his role as Director of TNS Central Europe. More
UK-based media and marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has acquired a 50.1% stake in its Russian media practice partner, The Joined Up Media Company (JUMC), in a deal worth up to £1.2m. More
Swiss startup nViso has launched new facial expression recognition software which it claims accurately detects and decodes facial micro-expressions and eye movements to track consumer emotions. More
Physician-patient feedback firm InfoMedics has expanded with the opening of an office in Paris and appointments to boost its European, Latin America and Asia Pacific regions. More
European digital marketing agency Adform has launched a 'new generation' of banner advertisements, whose messages can be tailored to the individual user's specific interests. More
Healthcare data collection firm WorldOne has opened an office in Hamburg; and announced the appointment of Rhona Himmelmann as Business Development Manager in Germany. More
Lightspeed Research has unveiled a new custom panels and communities offering, Lightspeed Engage, which promises to give clients 'access to relevant consumer insights wherever, whenever and however they need them.' 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
Online survey and reporting software company Confirmit is to open a subsidiary in Frankfurt, Germany in August, from which it will serve local businesses. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) and US-based data collection specialist Opinionology are to merge to create a new company which will operate under the SSI brand. 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
In London, independent full service research firm IFF has announced the appointment of two Research Managers, Camilla Huckle and Briony Gunstone, as well as four new graduate trainees. 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
Belgian-based research agency InSites Consulting has announced four new hires for its London office. They include two new Business Directors: former senior GfK exec Aaron Rattue, and Simon McDonald, until now a Managing Partner at Australian-based agency The Leading Edge. More
Australian-based qual software developer QSR International has hired leaders for its operations in the Americas and Europe. Rob Calcagni becomes General Manager, Americas and Chris Astle General Manager, EMEA. More
medeConnect Healthcare Insight, the MR division of doctors.net.uk, is the leading force in a new alliance, Networks in Health, billed as the largest alliance of professional physician communities in Europe. The firm has also hired Nicola Miles in a senior Business Development role. 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
Online ad bodies the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Europe and the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) have merged to form a single European trade association combining their membership, research efforts and expertise. More
Online sampling and panels specialist Research Now has introduced a new smartphone app, billed as the first in a series of mobile data collection capabilities to be launched this year. 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
Ipsos has moved its New York HQ from Broadway to the Time-Life Building in Avenue of the Americas, occupying the entire 15th floor of the 48-story building. More
Speech technology specialist VoxGen has been awarded a grant from Germany's Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, to develop tools and processes to help clients design and manage cross-channel customer service strategies. More
Panel and survey software firm Globalpark has released the latest version of its Enterprise Feedback Suite (EFS), which enables market researchers to recruit and gather customer feedback directly in Facebook. 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
UK-based analytics software company Alterian has upgraded its social media monitoring tool SM2, by adding the ability to track conversation sentiment in Greek. 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
Kantar has today announced a partnership with online facilities company ActiveGroup Ventures, giving the research giant worldwide access to facility based research via video streaming. 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
Synovate has reported 'strong growth' in North America and other regions during quarter one, but says 'difficult market conditions' continue to impact the businesses in Southern Europe while the UK market remains 'challenging'. More
Synovate parent Aegis has acquired Qualitè Search Marketing, an agency based in Norway which specialises in search engine marketing and advertising, web analytics and social media. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
European market research software firm Askia has opened a new office in Mannheim, Germany, where it has appointed former Voxco director Dietmar Dzierzawa as Managing Director. More
US-based survey and panel management software firm Kinesis Survey Technologies has expanded its London office with the addition of customer and technical support functions for clients based in Europe; and appointed Paolo Marini to head them up. More
Kantar Chairman and CEO Eric Salama has taken on the additional role of CEO of TNS from Pedro Ros, who now becomes TNS non-executive Chairman. Ros replaces Jamie Hall, who will leave the business 'as planned' at some point in 2011. More
Healthcare specialist M3 Global Research has relocated its UK focus group facility to Hammersmith, London, and opened an office in Princeton, New Jersey. 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
US technology researcher Gartner has reported an 11% increase in first quarter revenue to $329.6m, with a 50% rise in net income to $29.2m, compared with $19.4m in Q1 2010. The company has now seen net income rise in the last four quarters. 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
TV ratings body TAM Ireland has brought in RSMB TV Research to carry out an independent audit on recent audience figures, following complaints about those supplied by Nielsen. More
US-based word-of-mouth (WOM) research and consulting firm Keller Fay has opened a UK office in London, and appointed GfK NOP veteran Steve Thomson to spearhead its introduction to Europe. More
Consumer insight revenues at WPP have risen 3.4% on a constant currency basis, to £552.8m in the first quarter of 2011, compared with £542.5m in the prior year period. 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
Ipsos has reported first quarter 2011 revenues up 9.8% to EUR 260.1m, from EUR 236.9m in the prior year period - equivalent to 6.2% organic growth. More
Netherlands-based online market research agency MetrixLab has appointed former Kantar Worldpanel director Chris Kingsland to lead its NPD & Innovations division in the UK. 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
Indian data collection firm Advaith has opened an office in the UK, where it has appointed former Pulse Group exec Jonathan Sheldrake as Sales Director for Europe. More
Moscow-based Online Market Intelligence (OMI), which provides online fieldwork in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and the Baltic states, has opened offices in Finland and Canada, with expansion in mind. More
Unilever has sold its remaining 13.5% stake in online research specialist BrainJuicer, offloading c.1.68m BrainJuicer shares for £2.35 each, and raising around £3.9m in the process. 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 US, private equity firm Symphony Technology Group (STG) - the parent of retail market intelligence giant SymphonyIRI - has acquired a majority interest in physician panel provider ImpactRx. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. More
French-based global healthcare group Cegedim has reported results for the full year ending December 31, 2010, with revenue up 6% like-for-like to EUR 926.7m and operating income of EUR 107.2m, down 3.9%. More
Online panel and survey tech firm Toluna has announced two senior hires: John Bremer joins as Chief Research Officer (CRO) and Peter Shafer as Senior Vice President, Enterprise Solutions. 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
US-based social media consultancy Converseon has expanded to the Nordic region with the opening of an office in Copenhagen, serving clients across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. 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
The High Court of Justice in England and Wales has today approved the sale of online panel and research technology provider Toluna to ITWP, a firm set up by Belgian investor Verlinvest to oversee and manage the deal. More
European online research specialist InSites Consulting has announced plans to open an office in the US next year, adding to its existing presence in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, the UK and Romania. More
GfK has issued EUR 200m of bonds to institutional and private investors in Europe, the proceeds of which will be used primarily to replace existing short-term liabilities. 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
Panel and survey technology provider Toluna has launched an iPhone app to facilitate survey response from its four million panellists. More
In the Netherlands, web analytics firm Opentracker has released a real-time cloud-based analytics solution which it says can measure and analyze millions of visitors and page views each minute. More
Ipsos has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of the Custom Research division of 'TMG - The Marketing Group', which is based in Central America. Terms were not disclosed. 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
Panels and research technology firm Vision Critical has promoted Kris Hartvigsen to the post of Senior Vice President of Business Development, Direct Sales for Europe. He will be based in London. 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
In France, panel and sample specialist Cint has appointed former Research Now director Ouiza Rebahi as Managing Director of its recently opened office in Paris, where she joins Associate Director Arnaud Papillaud. More
Shareholders of Toluna have agreed to sell the online panel and research technology provider to ITWP, a firm set up by Belgian investor Verlinvest to oversee and manage the deal. More
Cegedim Relationship Management - a division of French pharma and healthcare data supplier Cegedim - has partnered with mobile analytics app provider MeLLmo to develop a worldwide mobile CRM analytics service. More
Online survey and reporting software firm Confirmit has announced the appointment of Michael Wooh as Chief Marketing Officer. 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
Chancellor George Osborne is working hard to persuade Sir Martin Sorrell to move WPP's tax base back from Ireland to the UK, according to reports in the Daily Telegraph. More
Panel and sample specialist Cint has announced two new partnerships centred around its newly acquired DIY mobile relationship marketing platform, Thumbspeak. More
Aegis has reported a return to full year growth in its research arm Synovate, where takings rose 9.8% to £572.6m and operating profit (at constant currencies) increased 19.4% to £45.6m. More
Global business-to-business market research and intelligence specialist B2B International has opened a sales office in Brussels. The firm has also added new recruits in the UK, US and China. More
Sample exchange operator Cint has increased the size of its Irish sample to more than 20,000 through the addition of RED C Research/ICM Newvista Live, Delve Research, and SensorPro consumer panels, as well as the student-focused W5 panel. More
In Austria, GfK has appointed former Ipsos analyst Antonia Furtner to lead its new Marketing Sciences Division. 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 UK, SKOPOS Market Insight has hired former Carphone Warehouse Senior Insight Manager Kevin Macdonald as Director for Digital/Media/Leisure. More
comScore has today announced the launch of Digital Analytix, an 'agile and flexible' package of data analysis tools for in-depth research into site-level activity. The new software is powered by the firm's proprietary Atomix technology which uses un-aggregated data to deliver reports. More
In the UK, next generation digital media platform Specific Media has appointed Chris Worrell, previously Insight Manager at News International, as its new European Research Manager. More
Panel and survey technology provider Toluna is planning the launch of a Tunisian site, 'in support of the country's nascent democracy'. More
Sample exchange operator Cint has announced two partnerships this week, integrating its CPX exchange with DIY online tool SurveyGizmo and with the advanced questionnaire design and data collection services of Action Dialog Partner (ADP). More
Online panel firm Research Now has hired Corinne Villalba as Client Development Director based in Paris. More
In the US, marketing services group Omnicom has partnered with AOL, Microsoft and Yahoo! in order to gain access to their consumer data and provide highly targeted online ads based on information such as users' gender, location and age. More
French media network Havas has appointed former Euro RSCG head David Jones as its new CEO, in advance of a EUR 750m spending spree it has planned for the next three years. More
Plans to take online panel and research technology firm Toluna private have taken another step forward with the approval of the boards of Toluna itself and of ITWP, the firm created to carry through the transaction. More
The Council for the Association of German Market and Social Research has reprimanded Leipzig-based Omniphon for what it describes as a lack of distinction between the firm's market research and interactive marketing operations. More
US text analytics firm Clarabridge has hired software industry veteran Darren Jaffrey to lead its new European headquarters in London. More
Online panel firm Toluna has reported 2010 group revenues of £73.6m, up from £49.5m in 2009 - but on a pro forma basis allowing for the Greenfield ISS acquisition, the rise was just 2%. Profit after tax, however, jumped to £6.6m from £1.6m in 2009. More
UK-based medical professionals' network doctors.net.uk has partnered with coliquio, a firm which runs online physician communities for the German speaking countries of Germany, Austria and Switzerland. More
Marcoms giant WPP has recorded a 4.4% increase in 2010 revenues to £2.43 billion in its Consumer Insight division. Meanwhile operating margins improved by 1.1 points to 9.7%. 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
Online sample exchange Cint has moved to bigger premises in Farringdon, London, having outgrown its previous offices in Oxford Circus where it moved just two years ago. The firm has also relocated its Southern Europe team to new space in Barcelona. More
Paris-based marketing and sales consultancy SalesLab has opened a customer and market research division called SalesLab Insights, which will offer in-depth data based on the work of a network of 2,500 analysts worldwide. 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
B2B International has reported 2010 revenue up to £3.8m from £3.5m in 2009, driven by its US subsidiary which saw 58% year-on-year growth during the period. The company's UK/mainland Europe operation grew 8%. More
In the UK, qual specialist Firefly Millward Brown has appointed Meredith Bourgery as its first Global Qualitative Account Director, to develop and execute initiatives that support brand development strategy for the firm's largest European clients. More
Research software company Confirmit has announced record revenues for 2010, with double-digit organic growth leading to fourth quarter revenue of US$16m. More
In the US, web-based software developer Cvent has updated its online survey solution with the addition of new question and answer formats, enhanced control over presentation and report design, and an 'easier-to-use' interface and functionality. More
GfK rounds off a good year with a strong fourth quarter and describes its 2010 preliminary figures, which show annual sales growth of 11.1%, as 'Excellent'. More
In the US, media advisor BIA/Kelsey has launched a new service dedicated to analyzing the growing social media 'ecosystem', and recommending the best opportunities for driving revenues with social platforms. More
Ipsos has reported a 20.9% increase in 2010 revenues to EUR 1,140.8m, compared with EUR 943m the previous year, while for the period, net profit climbed 25.7% to EUR 66.2m. More
GfK CEO Professor Klaus Wübbenhorst, who has been with the firm for 20 years, has decided that for personal reasons, he will not be extending his employment contract when it expires at the end of July 2012. More
In Germany, full service agency and polling specialist Forsa Society for Social Research and Statistical Analysis (Forsa) has acquired certain parts of market research agency Marplan, which filed for bankruptcy last year. The purchase price was not disclosed. More
GfK HealthCare has appointed three senior researchers for leadership roles across its market access, pricing and reimbursement, and global syndicated divisions in the US and Germany. More
Online measurement specialist comScore has recorded 'record quarterly revenue' - up 52% on the previous year to $51.2m - while reporting a net loss of $494k compared with net income of $1.6m, resulting from acquisition and severance costs. More
TNS Chairman Paul Edwards has left to join Omnicom-owned brand and communication research specialist Hall & Partners as European Chief Executive Officer, with a focus on leading the London office. 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
Marcoms giant WPP has launched a global interactive marketing agency called 'Possible Worldwide', which will offer a data-driven approach, advanced analytics tools, and metrics to help clients assess the impact of their online campaigns. More
GfK Custom Research has promoted Debi Basu to the post of Regional Director for Asia Pacific and the Middle East, and Jean-Christophe Salles to Regional Director for Latin America. More
Online panel and research technology firm Toluna is to be taken private, in a deal valuing the company at £161m ($259m). Toluna's third-largest shareholder, family-owned Belgian company Verlinvest will fund the acquisition from its own assets and has formed a company called ITWP to complete it. More
Global news and information giant Thomson Reuters has returned to revenue growth in 2010, but with heavy investment and acquisitions saw a 7% drop in underlying profit and is reportedly preparing to make hundreds of job cuts in its global Markets division. 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 sample exchange Cint has acquired DIY mobile measurement agency Thumbspeak, just seven months after it was set up by Vovici's former Chairman and CEO Dean Wiltse. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
US online survey management software firm Vovici has established a European presence with the opening of an office in Kingston-upon-Thames in the UK. 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
In the state of Hesse, members of Germany's far right-wing National Democratic Party have been banned from collecting census data following its call on members to volunteer for census-taking duties. More
Kantar Media has launched an Irish sponsorship division, complementing existing offerings in the UK, France, Spain and China. 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
US-based customer feedback firm Mindshare Technologies and Munich-based mystery shopping specialist International Service Check have partnered to launch a new venture called 'Fast Insight', which they plan to roll out across Europe and the Middle East. 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
European-based software and IT services analyst Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC) has expanded in the German market through the acquisition of Berlin-based analyst and consulting firm Berlecon Research. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Millward Brown has announced the appointment of Ronald D. Markham as Chief Information Officer; and the setting up of a Client Advisory Board to keep the company truly customer-focused. More
In Denmark, Gallup has called time on its new analysis product 'Webprofil', after a documentary suggested that opt-in participants had not fully understood their obligations in terms of cookie installation. More
Harris Interactive has announced revenue up 2% at constant currencies to $44.9m, along with a small profit, for the second quarter of its fiscal year 2011. More
In Germany, Kantar Media has acquired Internet audience measurement firm Spring Wirtz und Pischke, which was founded as a spin-off of the German Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in 1995. 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
In New York, Millward Brown has appointed Rob Hernandez for the newly created post of Global Brand Director of its qual research network Firefly - the first of five such roles planned across the company. More
After joining the Millward Brown Group last year, Athens-based Research International Greece is to rebrand as Millward Brown RI - offering consultancy and advice in branding and communications research. 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
Survey reporting and distribution company Dapresy has opened a German office, in Berlin, and appointed Mats Flodin to it as Sales Manager. More
German product, pricing and marketing strategy specialist Simon-Kucher has reported a 19% rise in 2010 revenue to EUR 105.4m - passing the EUR 100m milestone for the first time in its 25-year history. More
Synovate has appointed Amaury de Condé as CEO of Southern Europe and Managing Director of Synovate in France, to oversee all aspects of its business in France, Italy, Belgium and Greece, with the MDs of the last three countries reporting to him. More
A strategic alliance has been announced between UK-based medical professionals' network doctors.net.uk, and Global Média Santé, owner of Egora, a similar community comprising physicians and other health professionals in France. More
In London, Kantar Media has appointed Giselle Bodie for the new position of Chief Operations Officer for Media Monitoring and Evaluation in Europe. More
UK-based insight consultancy Truth has promoted Senior Partners Neil Coburn to the position of Head of Global and Leanne Tomasevic to Head of UK, in advance of further overseas expansion planned for later in the year. More
Qual specialist Firefly Millward Brown has appointed Cécile Conaré as CEO of the UK business and Director of Europe. 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
Online sample exchange Cint has launched a new service to enable smaller business to access its Cint Panel Exchange (CPX) through plug-ins and third party software. The new 'Cint Direct' offering will be led by Stefan Hök, who joins as Senior Vice President. More
Panel and survey software firm Globalpark has launched 'Social Insight Connect' - an integrated Facebook app that collects feedback within the social networking site through a private feedback channel. More
Synovate has appointed Paul Stamper, formerly Deputy Managing Director of TNS Opinion in Brussels, as Head of Qualitative Research based in London. More
In the UK, sponsorship research specialist IFM Sports Marketing Surveys has sold its sports goods business to one of its directors - John Bushell - and the firm's original founder Stephen Proctor. Terms were not disclosed. More
US-based data collection specialist Opinionology - formerly known as Western Wats - has opened a new service bureau in London, to meet an increase in demand for its European research panels. More
US-based survey and panel management software firm Kinesis Survey Technologies has opened a European office in London, and appointed former NEBU and Intellex exec Tariq Mirza as Managing Director of European Operations. More
Sampling solutions firm SSI has appointed former Google exec Christian Michael as Managing Director, Germany, to focus on strengthening its position in the German, Swiss and Austrian markets. More
GfK Retail & Technology has launched the 'Network Intelligence Solution' (NIS), a new tool using data from operators' IP traffic to produce insights into daily mobile Internet usage. More
Ipsos has named a new management team in Asia Pacific, led by Lifeng Liu who was formerly CEO of Greater China. More
US-based data collection specialist Opinionology, formerly known as Western Wats, has launched new panels in Italy and Spain, adding to its existing European panel inventory in the UK, France and Germany. More
US translation and transcription tech firm Language Logic is to establish a presence in the European market, to focus on sales of its Ascribe products and services and its soon-to-be-launched text analytics solution. More
TNS has kicked off the new year with a new 'global positioning' known as DISCOVER, which it says reflects its commitment to 'leading the way in research into new frontiers and making discoveries that help clients to develop opportunities'. More
Panels and MR technology firm Toluna has launched SafeView, a system to ensure the confidentiality of client concepts tested with online survey respondents. 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
In Germany, GfK has upped its stake in user experience specialist SirValUse Consulting and usability research firm nurago to 60%. More
Online research specialist YouGov's German arm YouGovPsychonomics has disposed of its subsidiary 'Great Place to Work Deutschland' (GPW Germany) through a management cash buy-out of shares valued at c.£800k. More
In the UK, marcoms consultancy Smye Holland Associates is planning further overseas expansion in 2011, following the appointment of Onno Jol as General Manager of its operations in The Netherlands. More
In Germany, online sample exchange Cint has moved its existing Berlin-based team to new premises, and opened a new office in Augsburg. 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
Last week's 'Festival of NewMR' broke new ground in various ways. DRNO Features Editor and virtual conference-goer Teresa Lynch looks back at 24 hours of leading edge thought and trailing edge fashion... More
GfK has appointed Joe Staton as Director and General Manager for its Roper Consulting business, responsible for the day-to-day running of the London office, and for innovation in its global consumer trends and insight offer. More
Software firm Dub has enhanced its IdeaStream online qual research platform with support for Dutch, Czech and Cantonese, bringing its total to fifteen languages. More
US-based cleantech market research and consulting firm Pike Research has opened a European HQ in London, where it has recruited a number of industry analysts and business development staff. 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
Ipsos has unveiled what it describes as the 'largest research-based call centre in Africa'. The firm's decision to invest in building up the English-speaking call centre in Randburg, South Africa was taken in late 2008. More
US-based qual and quant data collection firm Schlesinger Associates has acquired fieldwork services agency ConsuMed Research and focus group facilities provider Passerelles, both based in Paris. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
GfK Custom Research North America has promoted Thomas Finkle and David Krajicek to the role of Co-President, responsible for providing strategic leadership and day-to-day management. More
In the US, Cheskin Added Value has appointed Added Value France Chief Exec Jonathan Hall as EVP, Managing Director, while announcing that CEO and co-founder Darrel Rhea is leaving to 'pursue his passion for organizational consulting'. More
Ipsos Nigeria has partnered with local news provider THISDAY to conduct political polling in advance of the April 2011 elections. Ipsos says this is the first time a research agency has conducted political polling in the country on such a large scale. More
In France, research agency CSA has appointed Euro RSCG's former CEO Bernard Sananes as President. His role will include building relationships with sister firms in the Bolloré Group. More
Hamburg's Data Protection Authority has fined German savings bank Hamburger Sparkasse (Haspa) EUR 200k, for illegally profiling its customers, and allowing its customer services rep access to this data. More
comScore has introduced its online video measurement service in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Spain. More
US agency Radius Global Market Research has opened a new London office, dedicated to serving clients in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The venture is being led by former Ipsos Director Michael Fodor. More
Pharma and healthcare insight firms SDI and Cegedim Strategic Data (CSD) have announced the joint launch of a tracker for sales activity in the oncology therapies market. More
Offshore business process outsourcing (BPO) firm WNS has opened a European HQ in London, to support its expansion in the region. More
European research agency InSites Consulting has appointed social media and trend specialist Polle de Maagt, to support the addition of marketing consultancy to its portfolio of services. More
Harris Interactive has launched 'Flash Poll' - a service which provides representative research data on up to 1,000 respondents in 36 hours. Each research project commissioned using the service is treated as a unique piece of custom research. More
London-based EMS Research is to be acquired by M3 USA, the parent company of medical panel specialist MDLinx. M3 says the deal will create 'the largest verified provider of physicians and other healthcare professionals in the world'. More
Global PR firm Weber Shandwick has launched a social media crisis simulator, FireBell, which offers those clients who dare 'an authentic, real-time experience of being under attack on social media channels'. More
Online sample exchange Cint has announced growth in the Netherlands with the appointment of Maurice Wassen as a Senior Account Manager based in its new Amsterdam office; and the addition of the Motivaction panel. 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
WPP is merging its business advisory and public opinion research firm Public Strategies with its international communications agency Hill and Knowlton (H&K), to offer joint capabilities in public affairs, research, digital and financial services. 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
Lightspeed Research has moved its global headquarters from Basking Ridge to Warren, also in New Jersey. 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
Synovate parent Aegis Group has reported organic revenue growth of 9.7% in the third quarter, and 5.2% for the nine month period, but has warned of slower growth in the fourth quarter. Synovate outperformed the media division with revenue up 11.5% for the quarter and 5.7% over 9 months. More
Stockholm-based Tobii Technology has launched a new product which will allow its clients to run eye-tracking experiments directly from MATLAB, the widely used MathWorks research software. Separately, neuroengineer Emotiv has announced a new headset with potential research uses. More
Synovate has launched a global analytics consulting practice, Synovate Management Analytics (SMA), promising clients the ability to make holistic, strategic decisions by integrating research, analytics and data sources for each project. More
Research and measurement consultancy StrategyOne (S1), part of the Edelman group, has opened a Brussels office to focus on public affairs work at the EU and national levels. Antoine Harary, Director for Continental Europe, will head it up. More
Texas-based researcher Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is to open a European Operations centre in the Ballybrit Business Park, Galway, Ireland, creating fifty new jobs over the next five years. 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
Global research association ESOMAR has appointed Dieter Korczak as President and Mike Cooke as Vice President for the 2011/2012 period, following a recent vote among its 4,800 members in 120 countries. More
Online sampling and data collection firm Research Now has appointed Marc-Antoine Jacoud as Managing Director of Southern Europe, responsible for leading client development in France, Italy and Spain. More
US-based data collection specialist Western Wats has changed its name to Opinionology, in a move which it says better reflects its global presence and expanding service offering. More
Omnicom-owned insight-led marketing services group Adelphi Worldwide has invested in Cologne-based healthcare communications agency Face to Face GmbH, to extend the latter's capabilities into market research. Terms were not disclosed. More
Healthcare specialist Kantar Health has expanded its online Epi Database platform, to enable users to access epidemiology data for commercial planning purposes in Mexico and Turkey. More
Kraft Foods has invested $14m in a gum and candy research lab in Switzerland, housing a team of product and package specialists who will focus on innovation and new product development. More
French audience measurement firm Médiamétrie has launched a quarterly service, which provides ratings for sites, portals and applications viewed via mobile Internet technology. 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
Ipsos has reported a 27.9% increase in Q3 revenues to EUR 283.6m, compared with EUR 221.8m in the prior year period. The firm is already projecting that for the first time, annual revenues will exceed the one billion euros mark. More
Eye tracking specialist Tobii has launched the 'Tobii Application Market'; an online portal through which scientists, researchers, students and anyone interested in eye tracking can share ideas, information and custom software applications. More
In the UK, Chris King has joined Synovate Healthcare as Head of the European Oncology Monitor. More
FocusVision - which provides online video transmission and analysis for qual market research - has introduced High Definition (HD) VideoStreaming, to provide a clearer view of respondent facial expressions, higher quality clips, and enhanced projection on to larger screens. More
In the UK, auto research specialist Lorien Customer Focus has been snapped up by US training firm TTi Global, with the aim of helping clients measure the impact training is having on customer retention. More
Canadian-based research software firm Voxco has partnered with UK sampling and panel management specialist MARSC to provide clients with a fully integrated online panel management solution. More
Virtual community and social game teen site Habbo Hotel has introduced the Habbometer; a new monthly poll to find out what teenagers 'think is hot' and what they 'think is not'. 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
German user and brand research specialist Eye Square has opened a new office in London, led by usability specialist Gareth Tuck. More
In the US, Synovate has appointed sector specialist Paul Villa as Senior Vice President of Payer and Market Access Research at Synovate Healthcare. 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
Online ad trade association IAB Europe has warned its members they should not use technology that 'respawns' cookies after consumers have deleted them, calling it unacceptable and probably illegal. More
Research Now has opened an office in Milan to provide its 'greatly expanded' base of Italian clients with skilled local account management. Client Development Manager Robinson Leoni will head up the office. More
YouGov has announced preliminary results for the year ended 31 July 2010, with a good second half performance bringing full year results in line with expectations after a fall in late 2009. One-off items led to a substantial reported operating loss of £9.6m (2009: £0.7m). 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
Synovate has named Peter Huijboom as its second CEO of Geographies, following last week's news that former Synovate Healthcare CEO Michael Spedding had rejoined the firm to take up a position with the same title. 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
Norwegian online survey technology firm QuestBack has acquired Finnish data collection software specialist Digium Oy. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition is expected to create a business with a combined turnover of 22m Euros. More
TNS has re-organised its operations in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa (APMEA) into two separate regions - TNS Africa and Middle East (AME) led by Kim Macilwaine and TNS Asia Pacific (APAC) headed by Chris Riquier. More
US-based online video research solutions provider Qualvu has opened an office in Dublin, from which to serve its European clients. The new operation is led by former ad agency account planner and research consultant Anne-Marie O'Sullivan. More
In France, brand development and marketing insight consultancy Added Value has appointed former Moët Hennessy client Mark Whiting as a Director. More
TNS has formed a new central division called Corporate Development, incorporating a number of current areas of marketing and strategy expertise. Matthew Froggatt, until now Technology Sector Head, has been appointed to lead the new unit as Chief Development Officer. More
Maritz Research has bought St. Louis, USA-based evolve24, which combines analysis of traditional media and social media to provide clients with quantitative metrics on the perception of brands, products and services. Terms were not disclosed. More
Kantar Media has introduced DirectHEAT, a new subscription service delivering custommised multimedia ad intelligence to media sellers. More
The IAB and other digital and ad industry bodies are working with the EU Commission to develop a pan-European self-regulatory framework for behavioural targeting of ads, following a meeting last week over the future of the practice. More
Panels and MR technology firm Toluna has hired former Harris Interactive leader Dr. George Terhanian as its Group Chief Strategy and Products Officer. 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
GfK is restructuring its healthcare management team under a single brand with the appointment of Stephen Hearn to the newly created post of Global Head of GfK HealthCare, and the transition of Richard Vanderveer from CEO of the division to a consulting role. More
Sample marketplace firm Cint has opened offices in Los Angeles, Princeton and San Francisco and is moving to larger premises in Atlanta and Toronto to accommodate its expanding sales and operations teams in North America. More
e-Rewards, the parent company of online panel specialist Research Now is to acquire US-based social media sample provider Peanut Labs in a deal expected to complete next month. Terms were not disclosed. More
Panel firm e-Rewards, Inc. has announced that it is adopting the name of its recent acquisition, Research Now, on a worldwide basis with immediate effect; and is introducing a new corporate identity. 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
UK-based agency BrainJuicer has formally announced 49% revenue growth to £7.2m for the first half of 2010. Operating profit was up 119%, and profit before tax 108%. More
Business analytics firm Anametrix has announced a partnership with French IT services company Hub'Sales, offering a 'comprehensive' real-time digital measurement system covering multiple online and off-line sources. More
Vision Critical has promoted Monique Morden to the role of President of its Global Partner Program and Chief Operating Officer for National Panels, and says it aims to expand the Program rapidly. More
Synovate has today announced major organisational changes in China and in Scandinavia, with a number of senior moves and appointments. More
George Terhanian, Harris Interactive's long-time European chief and more recently in charge of its US Centers of Excellence, is to leave the firm at the end of the month 'to pursue another career opportunity'. More
Online panel and technology firm Toluna has reported a 164% increase in revenues to £36.2m for the six months ended 30 June 2010, which it says reflects the successful integration of Greenfield Online ISS into the group. More
In the UK, global data collection agency Field Facts Worldwide has been put up for sale by administrator and business recovery specialist Leonard Curtis. Sources suggest that overseas facilities belonging to the firm have closed. More
Sample marketplace firm Cint has secured a $13m investment, earmarked for expanding the business in both new and existing markets, extending its product portfolio and strengthening its team. More
US online measurement giant comScore has appointed Wolf Allisat as Executive Vice President, responsible for overseeing international expansion strategy in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. More
WPP-owned Millward Brown has brought all its global qualitative agencies together under a single brand, Firefly Millward Brown. More
US-based data collection firm Western Wats has launched online research panels in Germany and France. More
Market research software provider Confirmit has signed a reseller agreement for a further three years, with Australia-based Information Research Management (IRM), which will continue to sell and support the Confirmit product suite in the Australian and New Zealand markets. 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
Austrian online research agency Marketagent.com has opened an office in Maribor, Slovenia, its fourth country to date. More
ESOMAR has released its annual report on the global market research industry, painting a sobering picture of the first decline in MR turnover since it began measuring in 1988, but also striking a positive note. More
Advertising division Ipsos ASI has launched its 'Big Idea' service in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). More
The world's Top 25 research organizations had a 'dismal' year for revenue in 2009, according to market research industry authority Jack Honomichl. During the year, total revenues for the 25 firms who made this year's list were down by 3.1% to $17.4bn. More
Synovate has promoted Enrique Domingo to the position of CEO for Iberia and Latin America: he was previously MD for Iberia. He replaces Ignacio Galceran, who is leaving the firm at the end of this month. More
Marketing scientist and consumer behaviour specialist Andrew Ehrenberg died last week at the age of 84. More
US-based online measurement giant comScore has acquired Dutch web analytics and video measurement firm Nedstat for around $36.7m. 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
In the Netherlands, the Rotterdam branch of online research firm InSites Consulting is moving to larger premises next month, to provide space for an increase in staff numbers, and room for hosting industry events. 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
In the UK, brand research specialist Millward Brown has hired former Yahoo! HR leader Kerstin von der Brelie for its newly created post of Chief Talent Officer - Europe. More
Insight consultancy Nunwood has expanded its analytics practice with the appointment of Frank Hedler as European Analytics Director and Stephanie Young-Helou as US Analytics Director. More
Revenue and profits in WPP's Consumer Insight division rose in the first six months of 2010: the former slowly, up 2.4% on a like-for-like basis from a low comparative, but the latter more rapidly with headline profit before interest and tax (PBIT) up 22% to £83.7m. 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
Dutch market research agency SKIM is planning to open a new focus group facility in Rotterdam called Triggerpoint. More
Harris Interactive has announced fourth quarter and full-year fiscal 2010 results. In the latter, revenue fell fully nine per cent, showing the scale of problems, but operating loss of $56.4m in fiscal 2009 was all but wiped out following moves to restructure and stabilize the business. More
Mobile phone giant Nokia has agreed to acquire privately-held US-based data collection and analytics firm Motally Inc. Terms were not disclosed. 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
UK-based healthcare communications and market research company InforMed Direct has been acquired by Irish pharma firm United Drug in a deal worth £11.4m cash, with an additional £5.9m to be paid on agreed profit targets during the next three years. More
Online specialist Michalis Michael has opened DigitalMR, an agency focusing on web-based market research, with headquarters in London, UK and Nicosia, Cyprus. More
Online panel and survey technology firm Toluna has expanded in Europe with a new office in Madrid, Spain, headed by former Nielsen executive Carlos Hidalgo de Morillo Jiménez. More
Online panel and survey technology firm Toluna has rolled out its UPS (Unified Panelist System) globally. Separately, in the US, the firm has hired Jeff Scott as President and promoted Ron Franscella to the post of Chief Revenue Officer. More
Cegedim Dendrite - the division of French pharma and healthcare data supplier Cegedim which provides CRM solutions for the life sciences industry - has partnered with competitor TAKE Solutions to expand its presence to India. 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
Interactive research and technology firm Vision Critical has announced results for the first half of 2010. On a constant currency basis, total revenues rose 43% versus a year earlier and CEO Angus Reid says the company is 'on track to earn approximately $70 million in revenue in 2010'. 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
WPP insight division Kantar has appointed former Yahoo! EMEA VP of Human Resources Helen Russell as its new Global Talent Director, reporting to Chief Executive Eric Salama. More
Publicis Groupe announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire AG2, one of the largest independent digital agencies in Brazil and a specialist in competitive intelligence. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
French-based online loyalty and rewards specialist Maximiles has agreed to acquire Panelbiz Gmbh, one of the major players in the German online panels market, with the biggest access panel in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. More
UK-based online researcher YouGov has announced that operating profit for the year ended 31 July 2010 was 'significantly ahead' of the prior year period. The firm has also appointed Camilla Parker Bowles' nephew Ben Elliot as a non-executive Director. More
Indian-based KPO group Annik Technology Services has announced the opening of a Middle East office located at Abu Dhabi, UAE, and the appointment of key personnel in Japan and North America. 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
comScore has announced record revenues of $42m for the second quarter of 2010, up 34% year-on-year. Adjusted earnings also rose by around 28.5%. More
Two of the research industry's top four firms, Kantar and GfK, have announced an initiative aimed at promoting and assuring online data quality. The firms will seek 'broad industry participation' in their not-for-profit consortium, the Promedius Group. 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
UK-based healthcare research specialist Adelphi Group and German healthcare comms consultancy 'face to face GmbH' have partnered to launch a new qual and quant agency - Adelphi Germany - offering healthcare and pharma research from its base in Cologne. More
Online sampling and data collection specialist Research Now has expanded its team in Munich, Germany, and moved to new office in Hallbergmoos, near the city's airport. More
Ipsos MORI has restructured its operations team. Rowland Lloyd is promoted to the post of Regional Director, Western Europe and South Africa Operations, while Jane A'Court and Sarah Michell become Joint MDs of Operations in the UK. More
ESOMAR has revoked Tom Anderson's status as its US representative, following his public criticisms of the introduction of ISO quality standards to the US. The body is now urging its global representatives to sign a charter agreeing they adhere to its 'mission and values'. More
Infegy - the developer of social web analytics platform Social Radar - has opened a European sales and support office in Birmingham, UK, and appoined Gray Dudek as European Managing Director. More
TNS has promoted Margit Huber to the position of Global HR, Talent Manager & Culture Director, with a remit to create an 'inspirational culture' across the group. More
In the US, hotel research and data specialist STR has acquired Gerard Murphy & Associates (GMA), known for its METROPOLL and EUROPOLL market research studies on the meeting industries in both North America and Europe. Terms were not disclosed. 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
US-based panel company e-Rewards has issued $6.75m worth of stock options and incentives to a number of its directors and executive officers. More
US-based data collection agency Universal Survey and its partner Survey Healthcare have established physician and healthcare professional panels across the major European, Asian, and Russian markets, in addition to their existing US and Canadian panels. 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
Market research software provider Confirmit has launched a new SMS Survey extension, to enable users to reach more people with tailored text-based cell phone surveys. More
US behavioral targeting technology firm AudienceScience (formerly Revenue Science) has acquired German rival Wunderloop. Terms were not disclosed. More
Central London-based Jigsaw Research has appointed Monique Rotik as Director in charge of the Media and Communications practice, and a member of its senior level research team. More
Online audience specialist comScore has opened an office in Madrid, from which it will service the Spanish and Portuguese market. The new operation will be led by media specialist Jaime Agulló as General Manager for Iberia. More
In the UK, Harris Interactive has moved its headquarters and 120 staff to offices in the landmark Vantage West building in Chiswick, London, from its previous location in Brentford, Middlesex. More
In the US, Ipsos has launched the Open Thinking Exchange - a new organization dedicated to 'opening the exchange of ideas and information between marketers and their consumers'. More
Panel, community and survey software firm Globalpark has acquired Internet application and business portal design specialist WP-Experts. 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
Kantar-owner WPP has reported improved results for the first five months of the year. Both Group revenues and those for the Insight division rose around 2% worldwide on a like-for-like basis while growth in May was well over 5%. More
In Spain, Nueva Investigación has acquired fellow healthcare researcher Compass Research, for an unspecified sum. More
Social media sampling provider Peanut Labs has announced two new online panels, for Italy and Spain. Each will profile an extensive online population of social media users. More
Are mobile surveys more intrusive? Will ICE change the face of online panels? Why don't we entirely trust Neuroscience? And should we now be a bit less worried about Google? From today, join the debate on the big issues in our MRT section. 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
US-based business analytics technology provider Anametrix has opened sales and technical operations in London and Amsterdam, while striking deals with resellers in Spain, China, Australia and Israel. More
In Hamburg, Germany, researchers Dr Felix Eggers and Björn Goerke have set up QLT insights, which will use technology to standardize research processes, while also offering configurable DIY survey tools. More
Market research software provider Confirmit has partnered with technology specialist Annik to embed Flash components into its survey software. 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
SaaS social media specialist Attentio SA has named Vincent De Gennaro as Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and has announced the official opening of its new Asian headquarters in Singapore. More
Synovate has launched a new research system offering clients a better understanding of customer experiences, attitudes and behaviours. 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
In the UK, online medical network Doctors.net.uk - parent company of medeConnect Healthcare Insight - has hired Gareth Thomas for its newly created role of International Development Director. More
The German Society for Online Research (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online Forschung or DGOF) has appointed several new members to its Executive Board including Dr Martin Welker as Chairman, replacing Olaf Wenzel who has stepped down for personal reasons. More
A number of leading panel firms have joined with MR technology firm Imperium, to launch an industry-wide user group focused on driving optimal sample quality. More
Finnish mobile analytics firm Zokem has raised 2m Euros ($2.4m) in equity funding, which it plans to use for 'aggressive global expansion'. 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
In France, panels and research technology firm Vision Critical has appointed Magali Musarella and Yaël Bensoussan as Director of Research and Client Services Director in its health and pharma division, while Anthony Malka joins as Business Development Manager. More
German market research firm ABH Marketing Service has taken over the automotive research division of BBE Retail Experts. Terms were not disclosed. More
Custom panels and research technology firm Vision Critical has opened a new office in Barcelona, Spain, and appointed Eva Laparra to run it as Senior Vice President, European Operations and Managing Director. 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
The German Society for Online Research (DGOF) has partnered with IT security organisation TeleTrusT to develop scientifically accepted standards for conducting online research using secure anonymised processes. More
Millward Brown has moved Tim Wragg into the new position of CEO - Europe, following last year's integration of its UK and Ireland business with mainland European operations, and the formation of a pan-European Board. More
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
Sample marketplace firm Cint has expanded its business in the US with the appointment of former Greenfield Online executives Michael McCrary - as Managing Director to head up the US team - and Terence McCarron as SVP Sales. 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
Market research networking group The Research Club is to host its inaugural US event in New York on Thursday 17 June; a week after its debut in Italy. 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
Ipsos has rolled out its Social Research Institute globally, to provide clients with an international understanding of social policy and research methods, while drawing on the firm's extensive knowledge of social research conducted in the 64 countries where it has offices. More
Swedish television research specialist MMS plans to offer unified measurement of web-based TV from some of the country's major broadcasters, through a partnership with Dutch web analytics provider Nedstat. More
Online survey technology and panels firm Toluna has reported revenue of more than £17m during the first three months of 2010 and says both revenues and profits in the quarter were slightly ahead of budget. 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
Online medical network Doctors.net.uk has today announced a strategic alliance with Medcenter Holdings Inc., an online healthcare marketing company in Latin/Central America and Iberia, for cross-selling and co-marketing. More
IBM has announced new services and products to help companies analyze what it calls 'Big Data'. Grouped under the brand name of 'BigInsights' and part of the IBM Info Sphere offering, the services use open source technology Apache Hadoop to tackle datasets too large for normal analysis. More
Social media sample provider Peanut Labs has launched a sample for France, profiling users from an online population of over 3 million unique individuals; and says it will shortly roll out its Social Media Gamers Sample in the country. More
Social media monitoring and engagement firm Visible Technologies has announced the opening of a London headquarters to lead its expansion into Europe. 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
US-based web audience measurement specialist Quantcast has expanded into Europe, and appointed former Yahoo! Director Philip Macauley to spearhead the venture as UK Managing Director. 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
AOL has made three key marketing appointments, including the promotion of Scott Joslin to Director of Research and Business Intelligence, based in London. More
GfK claims to be back on track with an increase in both Q1 sales and income. During the first quarter of 2010, the global group reported a 6.1% sales increase to EUR 280.9m from Q1 2009, up 5.2% in organic terms. Income rose 71.2% to EUR 25.3m during the period. More
In the UK, The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has invested EUR 500k in Irish social media firm Simply Zesty, to add a 'new level' of social media to its research capabilities. 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
Now that contacting the mobile-only demographic is becoming a core sampling issue (23% of all households in the US and rising) ESOMAR has published guidelines on research via mobile phone. More
Custom panels and research technology firm Vision Critical has relocated its French headquarters to accommodate staff numbers, which have quadrupled in the last 12 months and are set to expand further. More
In Germany, GfK is expanding its digital strategy by taking a 40% stake in user experience firm SirValUse Consulting and in usability research specialist nurago. More
In the UK, Nielsen has appointed AOL Europe's former Director of Insights and Sales Strategy Andrew Bradford, as a new member of its European online division. More
Barcelona-based online panel specialist Netquest has opened a new office in São Paulo, Brazil, to offer panels and advanced survey tools to local clients. More
Synovate Healthcare has acquired Netherlands-based Firm United Healthcare (FUH), a consultancy which offers market research, marketing and communications support to firms in the health market. More
TNS has appointed Fabrizio Giordano as Managing Director of its Portuguese office, supported by Teresa Veloso as Client Services Director. 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
Harris Interactive has announced improved results for the third quarter of its fiscal 2010, with bookings well up on 2009 and operating loss cut from $7.3m to $0.9m year-on-year. However, President and CEO Kimberly Till says the company 'still has more work to do' to complete its recovery. More
Berlin-based jovoto - which has developed an online community providing creative ideas and insight - has opened its first US office, in New York. 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
Manfred Eberlein, currently Country Manager for Synovate Healthcare in Germany, has been named as the company's new 'Leader' for Western Europe. More
Sports broadcasting network Eurosport has launched a new TV audience measurement system, while claiming to be the first media owner to offer a pan-European audience panel. The firm has also introduced a new system to measure mobile Internet and mobile consumption. 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
In Cyprus, Raoufeh Kemal has launched Insight Scouts; a full-service boutique market research agency working across the Middle East, North Africa and Central/Eastern Europe. More
Brand and communications research consultancy Hall & Partners has opened its ninth office, in Berlin, Germany, headed by former Sony insights specialist Michaela Bergenthal. More
Netherlands-based online market research agency MetrixLab has strengthened its International Media and Advertising business unit by expanding into the US market. More
Cint has launched Sample Direct, a service promising those doing their own online research 'access to quality panels of consumers at the click of a button' and offering fully automated sampling and send-out procedures. More
Munich-based online fieldwork specialist ODC Services has appointed former Lightspeed Research executive Tom Meyritz to drive its expansion in the UK market. More
WPP's CEO Sir Martin Sorrell says the firm may return its tax domicile status back to the UK if a new government guarantees it will not subject overseas profits to UK tax. Since relocating 18 months ago, the firm has saved around £50m by avoiding tax on its 'foreign profits'. More
In the UK, full-service market research agency MASMI has named former Synovate director Michalis Michael as Managing Director for Western Europe. 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
Online researcher YouGov has announced a decline in both turnover (down 6% to £21.3m) and operating profit (down 16% to £1.35m). More
The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has revealed plans to expand beyond its UK home with new offices in North America and mainland Europe in the summer; and has shuffled its senior management to ready itself for the move. More
Pollster Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann - described by Chancellor Angela Merkel as 'the driving force behind the polls in Germany' - has died at the age of 93, after a long illness. More
In Germany, researcher Thomas Krüger and social networking entrepreneur Oliver Skopec have set up the Berlin Institute for Innovation Research (BIFI), to use social media and trends research to support product innovation. More
Sample marketplace firm Cint has opened an office in Amsterdam, where it has appointed Arjen van Duijvenbode as Managing Director of its Cint Netherlands operation. More
Marcoms giant Publicis Groupe has acquired Toronto-based pharmaceutical and healthcare customer insight agency, In-Sync. Financial terms were not disclosed. More
US technology specialist Yankee Group has raised $10m for the expansion of its research into the impact of global connectivity. The firm is also looking for a new CEO, following promotion of Emily Nagle Green to the post of Chairman. More
Online panel specialist Research Now has launched a new B2B and Affluent Consumer research panel in Spain, where it has also partnered with Iberia Airlines to offer Iberia Plus members the ability to earn points in exchange for sharing their opinions. More
Entertainment broadcast production firm FremantleMedia - which holds the rights to Simon Cowell's X Factor - has rolled out its iCount TV viewer research panel in Germany, under the name of UFA Medienexperten. More
Online physician data collection specialist Medefield has appointed Anne-Beatrice Clidassou as Managing Director for its office in Lyon, France, and Gerald Wackert as MD in Hamburg, Germany. More
Online panels and software firm Toluna has announced the US launch of Panel Portal, the firm's custom panel technology. More
Online panels and software firm Toluna has announced final results for the year ended 31 December 2009. Underlying profit before tax of £7.6 million is well ahead of market expectations, while the integration of Greenfield Online is transforming its global position. 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
Panels specialist Toluna has added community features for its panellists in fifteen more countries, bringing the total to 34. More
Eye tracking software company iMotions has struck a reseller deal with Objective Digital, bringing local customer service and support for the former's Attention Tool in Australia and New Zealand. 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
Market research software providers Confirmit and MRDC Thailand have announced a reseller partnership which will extend the former's reach into Asia. More
Synovate has reported a 13.7% fall in net revenue on an organic basis during 2009, while describing the research sector as 'much weaker than expected from historical precedent'. 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
In the UK, healthcare specialist WorldOne Research has appointed former SSI UK Joint MD Kim-Fredrik Schneider as Senior Vice President, to strengthen its European presence. 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
In Germany, YouGov Psychonomics has bought the remainder of ServiceRating, a firm which offers analysis on the quality of service and advice provided by companies across the insurance, financial services and utilities sectors. More
Brand and communications research consultancy Hall & Partners has opened a new pharmaceutical division in Paris, headed by Clarissa Guengant Del Pup, who joins from Synovate Healthcare. More
Ipsos Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has appointed Mustapha Tabba as Chief Operating Officer for the region. He retains his existing roles as MD for Jordan and Regional Director of Ipsos Loyalty. 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
Research technology firm Voxco has appointed Juergen Hessdoerfer as MD of its German subsidiary Voxco GmbH. He will oversee Central and Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and Asia Pacific sales and operations. More
Swedish researchers have started a fund to assist market researchers in poor countries, at the country's Market Research Day in Stockholm. More
Online market researcher BrainJuicer has reported rapid growth in 2009, with full year pre-tax profit up 21% to £1.66m; revenues up 27% to £11.8m; and operating profit up the same percentage to £1.65m. More
In Turkey, three former Synovate Directors have formed strategic market research consultancy Sia Insight, based in Istanbul. More
Canadian research and social media intelligence firm MediaBadger has opened an office in west London, to co-ordinate all UK and European clients and projects. More
Indian IT outsourcing giant Satyam has reached agreement over two of its three acquisition-related disputes, reports indicate. More
Marcoms giant WPP saw revenues in its insights division fall 9.5% on a like-for-like basis during 2009, whilst on the same basis gross margin fell by 7.7%. More
TNS Gallup, Finnish subsidiary of TNS, has partnered with mobile customer experience management startup QAim, to offer Finland-wide tracking of mobile web site usage metrics. More
Two former Directors of automotive specialist JD Power & Associates have launched brownsauce Group, a full-service UK agency which offers research design, brand interpretation and project management services to clients in the automotive industry. More
In the US, health care research giant IMS Health has announced completion of its acquisition by investment firms TPG Capital and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), for $5.2bn. 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
Despite a 3.6% decline in revenues to EUR 943.7m, Ipsos says it is 'ready for battle' in 2010, with plans to simplify management structures, increase effort in innovation, and extend its presence among a larger number of clients. 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
In the first quarter of 2010, Maritz Research has created more than 50 new jobs at its European and Asian offices, including around 20 in Hamburg. 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
Kantar owned TNS and Compete have launched a web evaluation service, which identifies areas of a brand's web site that are underperforming, and goes on to recommend how the client can enhance the site for optimal performance. 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
Technology research giant Gartner has reported a 5% fourth quarter 2009 drop in total revenue to $328.8m, while rival Forrester Research posted a revenue decline of 2% to $61.5m, compared with the same period in 2008. More
Global information giant Experian has rolled out its Hitwise online audience measurement service in France, to report on 75,000 web sites across more than 160 industries. More
In the US, online measurement specialist comScore has appointed former AOL ad technology leader Chris Nicotra as Chief Technology Officer, responsible for overseeing software and data application engineering, and the infrastructure technology teams. More
Pharmaceutical research giant IMS Health has received clearance from the European Commission (EC) to proceed with its sale to US investment firms TPG Capital and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for $5.2bn. 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
Web analytics firm Webtrends has released a new tool to measure and quantify how customers are engaging with both mobile web sites and mobile applications. More
A new online research business has been launched by six agencies, offering online services across 15 European countries with access to more than 1.4 million European panellists. More
Market research trade associations efamro and ESOMAR have submitted a response to the European Commission (EC) regarding its consultation on the protection of personal data. More
Panel and technology services provider ToLuna has released a trading update for the year ended 31 December 2009. Revenue is expected to exceed £49m, slightly ahead of market expectations, with underlying pre-tax profit of at least £7m. More
US-based MDLinx has announced a new Omnibus offering for international pharmaceutical market research, among specialty physicians in eight treatment areas. More
Nicole Ndoumbe-Myers has been appointed Head of Ipsos-ASI for Ipsos South Africa and sub-Saharan region. She relocates from Ipsos' head office in Paris. More
Ipsos has acquired LA-based hi-tech entertainment research specialist OTX (Online Testing Exchange) for an undisclosed sum. More
TNS has integrated its US-based employee and customer behavioral research division The Foresight Group into its Global Stakeholder Management division. More
In its second rebrand of the week, Kantar has re-named the TNS Worldpanel network as Kantar Worldpanel. Earlier in the week the group rebranded its media assets. More
In the US, Ipsos and Spanish language media firm Telemundo have launched a poll to find out more about the attitudes and opinions of Hispanic citizens. More
After eighteen months of losses, Harris Interactive has posted net income of $1.3m on revenue of $44.6m for the quarter ending December 31. More
In the US, Millward Brown and its digital unit Dynamic Logic have partnered with Kantar sister-firm Cymfony, to integrate analysis of discussions on social media sites, blogs and message forums into their suite of digital, media and marketing solutions. More
In a move that should please privacy advocates and regulators including the EC, Microsoft has announced changes to its data storage policy for the Bing search engine. Bing will now keep search data including IP addresses for just six months. More
Ipsos has completed the acquisition of polling and research firm The Market Research Bureau of Ireland (MRBI) from WPP, and branded the firm Ipsos MRBI. More
Ipsos has appointed Yannick Carriou as Managing Director, France, replacing Giorgio Caporusso who has joined confectionery manufacturer Ferrero in Italy. More
Digital marketing solutions firm ADTECH - whose Helios IQ software enables web publishers to evaluate online ad campaigns - has passed the Media Ratings Council's (MRC) auditing process and been granted accreditation. More
Former Research International (RI) CEO Marc Papanicola has been appointed Managing Director of Synovate France, based in Paris. More
Online market research specialist BrainJuicer is anticipating revenue growth of around 26% to £11.7m (2008: £9.3m) for the year ended 31 December 2009, when it announces its full results on 9 March. More
UK-headquartered dmrkynetec - which specialises in market research for the crop protection, biotech and animal health industries - will now operate as GfK Kynetec, following its acquisition by GfK Group. More
The UK government has missed its deadline for a response to the EC over Internet privacy concerns arising from the Phorm / BT ad targeting controversy. More
US neuromarketing research specialist Sands Research Inc (SRI) has opened its first European office in Surrey, England, and appointed retail specialist Joe Oliver to its Board of Directors. More
Cegedim Dendrite - the division of French pharma and healthcare data supplier Cegedim which provides CRM solutions for the life sciences industry - has acquired US healthcare data and research firm SK&A. Terms were not disclosed. More
US-based ActiveGroup, which provides video streaming to the market research industry, has hired former Opinium MD Dan Foreman to lead international business development from its London office. More
US-based JD Power and Associates has promoted John Humphrey to the post of Head of Global Automotive Operations, in a move to align operations globally and enhance and extend its industry benchmarks. More
dunnhumby has acquired KSS Retail, which provides price modelling and optimization solutions for retailers worldwide. More
Database giant Infogroup has announced a rebrand, aimed at providing clients with 'a more unified approach'. MR subsidiary Opinion Research Corporation is among the major brands keeping their identity while strengthening their positioning as an Infogroup company. More
Business intelligence giant Thomson Reuters has acquired Discovery Logic, Inc, a provider of customizable analytics and decision support solutions for scientific research. Financial terms were not disclosed. More
Media buyer Carat Ireland and market research firm iReach have launched a new monthly study examining Irish online consumer issues and trends. More
US-based e-Rewards has completed its £85.1m acquisition of UK-headquartered online panel specialist Research Now. More
Jack Noonan, the CEO of MR software firm SPSS, has been replaced by IBM veteran Deepak Advani, following the firm's acquisition. More
Agricultural market reseasearch specialist Kleffmann Group has reported a 5.2% increase in turnover to $28.5m in 2009, and is predicting a positive outlook on growth prospects for 2010. More
Dutch market research agency SKIM is expanding with the opening of an office in London, in order to better serve its clients' UK qualitative research needs. More
IBM has introduced a subscription-based analytics offer that mines diverse data sources from customer service interactions, to deliver a single view of customer sentiment. More
In the UK, research technology provider nurago has appointed former TNS Global Interactive MD Arno Hummerston for the new post of Managing Director, responsible for its international expansion strategy, as well as developing new products and business divisions. More
Kantar's web analytics firm Compete and WPP's Media Innovation Group (MIG) have linked up to enhance the latter's B3 ad optimization product through the addition of the former's online consumer data. More
The Nielsen Company is selling eight publications including Billboard music magazine and The Hollywood Reporter, to a newly formed media investment group, e5 Global Media LLC; and is discontinuing two other titles. More
The Ukraine faces the prospect of having no independent exit poll for its forthcoming elections, despite the fact that such polls played a key part in exposing fraud and overturning the election result in 2004. More
Business and financial information giant Bloomberg has announced the acquisition of news, data and analysis firm New Energy Finance (NEF), whose services include custom research as well as database and subscription-based insight products. More
Online MR software provider Confirmit has struck a deal with automated telephony solutions provider Plum Voice to offer North American customers 'a complete data collection platform'. 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
European advertising firm Bark Group Inc. has announced two partnerships aimed at enhancing its ad campaigns through research and analysis: with neuromarketing research company Mindmetic and digital campaign analyst Glass box ApS. More
Sample marketplace firm Cint is moving its global sales headquarters to the UK, and has promoted UK MD Richard Thornton to the role of Global Sales Director. More
WPP Chief Martin Sorrell has told a Reuters summit that with 'vicious' price activity in the market, he expects the group's 2010 revenues to be flat. Sorrell says new business activity in his media businesses is strong, but in MR and creative functions there is less cheer. 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
IT research giant Gartner, Inc. has agreed to acquire supply chain specialist AMR Research, Inc. for approximately $64 million in cash. More
Technology consulting group Forrester Research has announced the acquisition of the Strategic Oxygen business from Massachusetts, USA-based Monitor Group, for an undisclosed sum. More
Harris Interactive has regained its compliance with the Nasdaq Stock Market listing standards, which require listed firms' stock to be valued at a minimum of a dollar per share. More
US-based healthcare market research provider Decision Resources is expanding its Physician and Payer Forum product line to include primary research on European attitudes towards cancer drugs on the market. 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
In Germany, data protection officials are claiming that Google Analytics web tracking service is in breach of the country's privacy laws, because it gathers detailed stats on web site visitors without their explicit consent. More
In Belgium, social media monitoring and analytics firm Attentio has raised €525k which it will use to support its global expansion plans. More
TV sports network ESPN and TNS have extended their ESPN Sports Poll service to measure the attitudes and behaviors of sports fans in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. More
A new non-profit organization has been set up to educate research buyers and suppliers on the practice of offshoring, and establish offshoring disclosure standards for firms that deal with clients' customer survey or database information. More
Business intelligence and data integration software firm EMANIO has developed two tools to help small and medium sized companies evaluate not just what has happened in the past, but also anticipate what's to come in the future. More
In the UK, Aegis-owned Synovate has posted an 11.5% drop in organic revenue for the first nine months of the year, while reporting a 9% year-on-year decline for the third quarter. More
UK-based GuestTek International has sold its 360Ý customer insight tool GuestMetrics to the Shot Spirits Corporation in the US for $5m of the drinks company's shares. More
FMD - the Association of Market Research Institutes in Denmark - is to discontinue operating after 41 years as the country's main market research association. Chairman Asger Nielsen announced the news at a seminar run by SMRN (Scandinavian MR News) this morning. More
In Germany, business information firm Hoppenstedt has acquired IT market research and analysis specialist RAAD Research. Terms were not disclosed. More
UK-headquartered global insight consultancy Nunwood has announced plans to open four new offices early next year, starting with New Zealand and Australia and following up with launches in both The Netherlands and California later in the first quarter of 2010. More
Communications software firm GMC Software Technology has promoted Peter Mnller to the position of President of its new subsidiary GMC Analytics. More
Research software provider Confirmit has created a new framework through which clients and partners can quickly create new data collection and reporting applications, which can then be added to the firm's own market research platform. More
The GfK Group has reported a 3.9% drop in third quarter sales to €282.7m, and a 4.9% decline in sales for the first nine months of the year to €840.2m (prior year €883.8m). More
In Canada, Customer Experience Management (CEM) solutions firm Empathica has launched a product that allows customers to provide instant feedback to retailers via text messaging. More
Canadian crowdsourcing technology firm Chaordix has formed a partnership with crowd-based innovation firm InnoCrowding, to deliver its software to companies in Italy. 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
Healthcare intelligence provider IMS Health is planning to launch an analytical tool that enables firms to assess treatment opportunities and guide commercial decisions in the $48bn global oncology market. More
GfK Romania has conducted a research project on tourism web site Virtual Bucharest, using the Second Life social networking platform. More
In Ireland, web consultancy iQ Content has opened a purpose built usability studio where web, Internet and advertising firms will be able to conduct market research. More
Ipsos has reported a 3.9% drop in revenues to €669.6m for the first three quarters of the year, and a 5.3% decrease in third quarter revenue to €221.8m. More
Market research social networking group The Research Club, is planning its inaugural event in the Middle East on Thursday 10 December at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Dubai. More
Pharmaceutical research giant IMS Health has agreed to be sold to private equity firm TPG Capital and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for $5.2bn. 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
comScore has partnered with non-profit organization the Wikimedia Foundation to improve understanding of the reach and impact of free knowledge on the web. More
In Ireland, a group of former ad agency executives have set up 'Boys and Girls', a new marcoms agency which offers clients 'simple, effective ideas' via creative services such as brand positioning, market research and consumer insight planning. 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
WPP has reported a like-for-like revenue decline of 8.7% for the third quarter - a smaller drop than was seen in the second quarter. Consumer insight revenues stayed depressed although margin was better. The firm also pointed to strong regional differences and predicted a 'LUV' shaped recession. More
French-owned media group Havas has issued a $519m bond offer, giving rise to renewed rumours that it may bid for UK-based rival and Synovate parent Aegis. More
In Germany, Ciao Surveys Managing Director Alberto Abisso is leaving after five years, following Toluna's acquisition of Ciao's parent company Greenfield Online. More
In the US, KantarHealth Joint CEO Elaine Riddell has decided to leave the company to 'pursue other opportunities': Joint CEO Lynnette Cooke assumes sole global CEO responsibilities with immediate effect. More
Online panel specialist Research Now has opened its seventh European office in Madrid, to provide a local service for Spanish clients. More
In South Africa, former Synovate Director Ian Jeffrey has joined Ipsos Markinor as Chief Executive Officer, replacing Shirley Benney who has taken up the post of Chief Operating Officer. More
Less than two days after it was announced that e-Rewards was considering buying online panel specialist Research Now, the firms have agreed on the terms of a cash acquisition, which values Research Now at around £85.1m. 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
UK-based data integration agency Cognicient has partnered with German research software firm 2x4 to roll out their respective product lines in Germany and the US. More
Pharma market research giant IMS Health has reported a 6% drop in third-quarter revenue to $540.8m, compared with $573.7m a year earlier. The news follows reports earlier in the week that the Board of Directors is considering selling the company. 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
Ipsos and its online panel firm Livra are to launch an online community for users to share and gather opinions. More
US-based e-Rewards has made an indicative approach to online panel specialist Research Now, which may lead to an offer for the latter's entire share capital. The price would be not less than £4.30 in cash per share. More
Online panel management supplier Globalpark has appointed Toluna's former MD for Germany, Boris von Heeson as Managing Director for Enterprise Feedback Solutions. 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
Online data collection featured heavily in this year's London Stock Exchange AIM Awards, with Toluna and Research Now both taking major trophies at last night's award ceremony. More
Synovate Healthcare has expanded the reach of its Global Oncology Monitor to eight new markets in the Americas, Europe and Asia. More
In New York, Nielsen has hired Steve Hasker to fill the newly created position of President, Media Product Leadership and Advertiser Solutions - a new business unit set up to help advertisers 'deliver the right messages to the right consumers'. More
Research software provider Confirmit and text analytics specialist Clarabridge have formed a partnership aimed at refining the value of open-ended customer responses. More
In Sweden, market research technology firm Dapresy has partnered with research software provider Action Dialog Partner, to integrate the latter's survey tool into its own Research Management service. More
Digital marketing agency iCrossing has released a social media monitoring application for the iPhone, that enables users to search Twitter, Digg and thousands of forums and blogs. More
In Amsterdam, global MR organisation ESOMAR has appointed market research veteran Finn Raben as its new Director General. More
Data collection agency Field Force has become the first firm in Australia to join the 'Panel Exchange' sample marketplace operated by Swedish software firm Cint. 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
Ipsos Marketing in Poland has launched sales potential estimation tool 'NOVACTION NextGen' - billed as the first of its kind in the country. 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
In Germany, former Synovate Director Lenard Goedeke is about to open LeGo Research, a new consultancy which will supply customer management, brand and communications, and price and product research, primarily to clients in the financial services sector. More
Netherlands-based community insight agency CreativeCrowds has announced a partnership with Canadian crowdsourcing technology firm Cambrian House. Using the latter's flagship Chaordix product, the partners will design and deliver crowdsourcing platforms to organizations in Europe. 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
In the US, regulators have given graphic design software giant Adobe the go ahead to proceed with its acquisition of web analytics firm Omniture for around $1.8 billion, or $21.50 per share. The offer deadline for shareholders is October 22. More
Former Ipsos operations head Efrain Ribeiro has joined online panel specialist Lightspeed Research as Chief Operating Officer, based in the US and responsible for global online operations. More
IBM has completed its $1.2bn acquisition of MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS. The completion was announced on Friday after SPSS shareholders gave their approval. More
Three agencies, Acrobat Research, Cimigo and EuroInterview are combining to create a new global operations business called Cido Research. 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
Eastern and Central European online specialist BrainActive Market Research has expanded its reach in Russia, Turkey and Poland through the recruitment of new panel members in each country. More
GfK has expanded its custom research network with the launch of a joint venture in Japan and the acquisition of a majority stake of Conecta Asociados S.A.C. in Peru. More
Online specialist Research Now is to offer Experian's consumer segmentation tool Mosaic, across its panels globally. More
The practice of 'digital fingerprinting' may breach Canadian privacy laws - and by extension those of many European and Asian countries - according to a statement today by Canada's Marketing Research and Intelligence Association. More
WPP agency Added Value is launching three new initiatives to help clients address strategic marketing questions facing their business and brands. The first, AV-id(TM), uses the principles of social networking to help clients develop and refine conceptual marketing ideas in real time. More
MR software giant SPSS has announced that it has settled its trademark case with company founder Norman Nie over use of its name. The company is due to put its $1.2 billion acquisition by IBM to shareholders' vote this Friday, while the litigation was due to come to trial the following Monday. 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
In Germany, GfK has appointed Pamela Knapp as its new CFO and Human Resources Director, for a period of three years from 1 November 2009. More
UK-based online research specialist BrainJuicer has confirmed 22% revenue growth to £4.85m (H1 2008: £3.97m) for the six months ended 30 June 2009. More
Online panel specialist Lightspeed Research has promoted Andrew Cayton to the post of Chief Executive Officer of its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business. More
US web analytics firm Omniture and online measurement specialist comScore have partnered to deliver what they describe as a 'unified digital audience measurement system'. More
Panel and online research software provider Toluna has reported strong revenue and profit growth and increased market share in all European territories in the first half of 2009. Revenue grew 67% to £13.7m and first-half operating profits were up 21% to £1.6m. More
Graphic design and display software giant Adobe Systems Incorporated is to acquire web analytics and online business optimization firm Omniture, Inc. for around $1.8 billion. More
In Cyprus, an MP and a trade union leader have clashed publicly over the latter's apparent DIY conduct and publication of a survey of public opinion, allegedly showing massive concern over the state of the island's civil service. More
Marketing services firm Acxiom Corporation has hired Stephen Whyte as its CEO for Europe. A former CEO of McCann Erickson London, Whyte has underlined his belief that 'The future of marketing lies with analytics-driven insight'. More
In the US, professional association the CMO Council has announced the launch of 'Pause for a Cause', a program which aims to direct millions of dollars in funds to good causes in exchange for survey responses. Major charities and corporations are among those backing the initiative. More
MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS has reported second quarter revenues of $69.7m, down 8% from the previous year period. Revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2009, totalled $141.8m, also down 8% from the same period in 2008. More
European agency SKOPOS has launched Netnography, a social media measurement tool, and a web site analysis solution called Webalyzer. More
Global market research revenues grew 4.5% to $32bn in 2008, according to the ESOMAR Global Market Research Report. However, the organisation says that this equates to a net increase of only 0.4% after taking into account inflation. More
Austrian full-service agency INTEGRAL Market and Opinion Research has bought a majority share in German psychological and sociological research specialist SINUS Sociovision. Terms were not disclosed. More
GfK has launched EMO Sensor, a system which measures the emotions that consumers experience when coming into contact with a brand, for example when viewing a TV commercial. More
In Sweden, market research technology firm Dapresy has appointed former GfK NOP executive Anders Brogren as a Senior Advisor, to support the development and promotion of its Survey Manager Software-as-a-Service tool. 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
Online measurement firm comScore has appointed industry veterans Anne Hunter as Vice President of Advertising Effectiveness Products, and Daryl McNutt as Vice President of Marketing Solutions, Media. More
MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS will be holding a special meeting of shareholders on 2 October, to provide them with an opportunity to vote on selling the company to IBM. More
German communications evaluation firm ASC is launching a call centre quality monitoring solution, integrating speech analysis with emotion detection. More
Aegis-owned Synovate has appointed Robert Philpott as its new Global Chief Executive Officer, replacing Adrian Chedore who will retire on 1 September. 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
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has introduced a number of outreach programs that engage and recruit in-demand, hard-to-reach segments of the population, such as African Americans, Hispanics, males and teens. More
Ipsos has reported a 3.2% decline in first half revenues to €447.8m, compared with the same period in 2008. The firm says it would be unrealistic to hope for the second half of 2009 to be much better. More
UK marcoms giant and Kantar-owner WPP has reported a 47.9% drop in first-half net profit to £108.4m from £208.2m a year earlier, but predicts a brighter performance for the rest of 2009. Like-for-like consumer insight revenue was down 10%. 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
Analysts expect ad giant and Kantar owner WPP to cut its sales forecast again this week. However the firm's debt position and strategic focus are considered solid, while buoyant reports in the UK press suggest business confidence in general has turned the corner. More
Harris Interactive has announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2009, showing a 23% decline in annual revenue. 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
Researchers who joined together to form the Association Collaborative Effort (ACE) last September, have announced their first combined effort - a set of terms and definitions for online research. More
Online feedback and panel management supplier Globalpark has reported a 35% increase in second quarter revenues to €2.5m. 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
UK-based healthcare market research agency The Planning Shop international has launched a panel which it claims provides access to the market shapers of the future. 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
In the UK, full service agency Opinium Research has reported a 350% increase in sales for the trading year 2008/2009. More
Finnish web analytics firm Snoobi Oy has opened an operation in Basel, Switzerland to support the German-speaking area of Europe. More
Prior to agreeing to IBM's $1.2bn acquisition offer, MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS rejected approaches from two other companies, and two initial offers from IBM itself, according to an SEC filing on Monday. More
German agricultural MR specialist Kleffmann Group has partnered with XS Inc - a firm which produces North American ag retailer point-of-sale data - to develop a new suite of market research and intelligence services. More
Revenues for the top 25 global research firms increased 3.9% last year, to $18.9bn, according to the new Honomichl Global Top 25 ranking, to be published in the AMA's 'Marketing News' this month. Allowing for inflation, the figure equates to a tiny real increase of 0.6%. More
Daily Research News has today launched a page for short summaries of breaking news items. Readers interested in items appearing can register their email address to receive a link to the full story if and when it is published at the end of the day in the main DRNO bulletin. More
Media services giant Publicis Groupe has acquired digital agency Razorfish from Microsoft for around $530m. Razorfish, which joined the software giant as part of its acquisition of aQuantive in 2007, places a strong emphasis on insight and analytics. More
Business and professional information giant Thomson Reuters has reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, showing revenue growth and margin expansion, with continuing progress on the Reuters integration. Today, shareholders gave it the OK to drop its London and Nasdaq listings. More
Canadian-based custom panels and communities specialist Vision Critical has announced a 75% increase in first-half gross revenue, versus the same period in 2008. More
In the UK, ad-supported mobile phone network Blyk - which launched a research service for its users in December - is to close at the end of August. More
An investigation is being conducted by SPSS shareholders who believe that the firm's recent acquisition by IBM 'appears to be unfair'. 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
The McGraw-Hill Companies has reported Q2 revenue down 12.4% to $1.5 billion. Revenue and profit in its Business-to-Business Group, which includes research firm J.D. Power, were hit by weakness in the automotive sector and by deferments due to methodology changes at the vehicle research giant. 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
Ipsos has agreed to acquire 100% of Market Research Bureau of Ireland Limited (MRBI) from WPP, which was required to sell it for competition reasons by an EC ruling. Terms were not disclosed. More
Computer giant IBM is to acquire SPSS for around $1.2 billion. The deal should close later this year, subject to shareholder approval, regulatory clearances and other conditions. More
Dallas, Texas-based online panel firm e-Rewards, Inc. has opened an office in Paris, France, to serve its growing European client base. Sales Managers Katia Levy and Virginie Le Rat join the firm in the new location. 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
US-based online market research panel operator e-Rewards has appointed former TNS Director Mark Walton as Senior Vice President of International Operations, responsible for Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. More
B2B specialist Kadence International has reported a 40% climb in UK revenue to £4m during the financial year 2008-09. More
The Web Analytics Association (WAA) has merged with its Spanish equivalent, the Asociaci=n Española de Analftica Web (AEAW), in order to build buzz and education programs around analytics and develop strong local analytics networks in Spanish-speaking countries. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell has extolled the virtues of organic growth; of helping ad budgets to follow consumers online; and of a balance between local and multinational clients, as he looks five years into the future of WPP. More
Media services firm PR Newswire has announced the EMEA launch of an intelligence tool, Social Media Metrics. The tool is powered by Sentiment Metrics, a real-time analysis system and dashboard breaking down mentions of brands and companies by sentiment, demographics, influence and authority. More
US-based healthcare and government researcher Abt Associates has promoted Kathleen Flanagan to the position of President and CEO, succeeding Wendell Knox who is to retire from the post he has held for the past 17 years. More
ToLuna CEO Frederic-Charles Petit has welcomed the staff of the Internet Survey Solutions (ISS) division of Greenfield Online to his firm, following the completion of its acquisition from Microsoft. 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
WPP-owned media communication specialist MediaCom has promoted Carsten Lind to the role of Regional Head of Insight for EMEA, supporting local insight departments and developing new insight tools across the region. More
TNS Gallup has extended its contract with the Norwegian Media Businesses' Association (MBL) for Internet audience measurement in Norway. A fresh four-year period will commence in early 2010. More
The Open University (OU) has been awarded €1.49m by the European Commission to co-ordinate a new research project to examine the link between the financial sector and the real economy across Europe. More
Kantar Health has hired Scott Davies as General Manager of China, to direct the group's growth strategy in the region. Kelly Wong has also been appointed as Business Leader and Head of Research, China. 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
Information services giant Experian has seen an 8% decline in first quarter revenues and reported poor performance across all regions, particularly in the UK and Ireland. The group is expecting little organic growth during the first half. Separately, the firm has upgraded its Mosaic segmentation tool. More
In the US, Nielsen has launched what it describes as the industry's 'most advanced panel and platform' for measuring Internet audiences - increasing its measurement of web sites from 3,000 to more than 30,000. More
Directors at panels specialist ToLuna have given the thumbs up for the purchase of the Internet Survey Solutions (ISS) division of Greenfield Online from Microsoft. More
French pharma data firm Cegedim Strategic Data (CSD) has launched a suite of products that combine its patient, promotion and communication tracking analyses for specific therapeutic markets. More
UK-based surveillance expert Dr William Webster is to lead a four-year Europe-wide study to examine the impact of living in a 'surveillance society'. More
Hispanics in the US, especially those who are more recent arrivals, give higher ratings in product surveys than their non-Hispanic counterparts, according to a study designed by Jeffry Savitz, President of Savitz Research. More
In Germany, the TNS Infratest Group - which includes TNS Emnid - has announced that it is to shed 35 staff positions at its Bielefeld site. While 20 employees have been made redundant, 15 others have been offered jobs in the firm's Hamburg office. More
UK-based online research specialist BrainJuicer has reported revenue growth of around 22%, in its trading update for the first six months of 2009. More
In Germany, Miriam Keilbach has joined online panel firm panelbiz as Managing Director, while the firm's CEO Oliver Weyergraf has taken on the additional role of CEO of online rental marketplace Erento. More
Robert Louis-Dreyfus, former CEO of pharma MR giant IMS Health and the main shareholder in French soccer team Olympique Marseille, has died at the age of 63 after a long battle with leukaemia. 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
In Belgium, social media analytics firm Attentio has promoted Amaia Lasa to the position of CEO, in place of co-founder Simon McDermott, who has taken on the role of UK Country Manager and Chief Communication Officer. More
In the UK, TNS has told 'a small number of employees' in its Custom division that their jobs are at risk, and has made a more general request to employees to take a fortnight's unpaid leave during the second half of 2009, as it tries to avoid further cuts. More
US ratings giant Arbitron has told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that it has no authority to impose regulations on its Portable People Meter (PPM) system, which replaces previously used paper diary-based methods for logging radio listening habits. More
In the UK, Ipsos MORI has opened the Research Methods Centre (RMC), billed as a hub of expertise in sampling, survey methodology and advanced data analysis. More
TV research division GfK Fernsehforschung has upgraded its tool for analysis of TV consumption in Germany, to include measurement of time-delayed, time-shifted and out-of-home TV viewing. More
In Italy, digital satellite TV network SKY Italia has appointed former TNS executive Andrea Mezzasalma to the newly created position of Head of Audience Research and Insights based in Milan. 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
Online research and panels specialist Research Now has beaten its predictions for first half revenues, growing them 24% to £23.6m (2008: £19.1m). More
French pharmaceutical CRM and healthcare industry data supplier Cegedim has acquired the Nomi Group, which provides pharma business intelligence in the Nordic region. Terms were not disclosed. More
Following the merger of TNS and RI earlier in the year, the company has announced that TNS Infratest will now be known in Germany as TNS Infratest RI. More
French-based advertising company Publicis Groupe is feeling acquisitive, according to remarks made to Dow Jones Newswires at Cannes last week by CEO Maurice Levy. Market research companies may be targets. 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
Peterborough, UK-based marketing and PR consultancy Smye Holland Associates has opened an office in The Netherlands, with the aim of helping clients with their export marketing. More
Microsoft has sold the survey division of Greenfield Online to panels specialist ToLuna for a cash consideration of $40m (just over £24m). The french-based company will use a placing and subscription to raise c.£26m net for the acquisition and other investment. More
TV ratings data supplied by AGB Nielsen for the Turkish market is the subject of corruption claims. After complaints filed by the country's Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), the Television Audience Research Committee (TÝAK) has apparently said it will change the system, and the supplier. More
Alec Gallup, who previously served as Co-Chairman of the Gallup Organization, has died at home of a heart ailment at the age of 81. 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
Following the recent launch of Bing, Microsoft is linking up with marcoms giant WPP to conduct research which will explore the dynamics between search engine marketing and brand building. More
In the UK, Phyllis Macfarlane has taken on the new role of Chairman of GfK NOP, while Richard Jameson steps up to her previous position as Managing Director, and joins the global Board of GfK Custom Research. More
A new company has been launched to assess the market share of German-language services, including social networks; national news portals; and women's, cinema and health web sites. More
Online research and panels specialist Research Now has launched a 'family' of mobile survey products called Momentum. The new technology offers quick polls using SMS; and online surveys using WAP, GPRS and 3G connections. More
Nielsen has partnered with French media agency MTdiamTtrie to launch a study of French mobile phone consumer behaviour. More
US research revenue was up 1.6% to $8.98bn in 2008, according to the annual report by Jack Honomichl. This compares with growth of 6% in 2007. More
Marketers using social media such as Twitter to reach their target audiences should be subject to tighter regulation, according to European regulators quoted in a report in the Financial Times. More
Online market research agency InSites Consulting, headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, will be opening offices in London, UK and Geneva, Switzerland in July. More
Reputation analysis and comms research specialist Echo Research has launched a fully automated online media monitoring, evaluation and benchmarking service. More
French media research agency MTdiamTtrie has launched a service to measure Internet radio streaming and podcasts on a monthly basis. More
Technology giant IBM has announced plans to invest $100m in a five-year program to conduct research into mobile communications. More
Nielsen and secure identity solutions firm Digimarc are to launch two joint ventures that will combine the latter's solutions for deterring fraud, counterfeiting and piracy with the former's consumer and business data. The ventures replace a more informal agreement in place since 2007. 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
Millward Brown has announced the launch of a new structure for its Europe business, merging the UK/Ireland and Continental Europe regions. Seven Directors are named for a new European Board. More
In the US, the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) has reported findings from its 'Foundations of Quality' (FoQ) project, examining the key issue of quality of online survey response. More
European agency SKOPOS has launched the m-Suite(TM), a collection of mobile-based qual and quant research tools, giving respondents simple access via their own mobile phones to surveys, interviews, diaries, video and other research features. More
The UK market research industry grew 6.22% to an estimated £2.16bn in 2008, while revenue from international research increased by 12.5%, according to the Market Research Society's (MRS) annual report on the state of the sector. More
Mike Everett, formally CEO of Ipsos MORI in the UK, is to become Global HR Director for the Ipsos Group in July. More
David Day will become Global CEO of Kantar-owned online panel specialist Lightspeed Research, following the departure of Anne Hedde, who is leaving to pursue a different role with a competitor. More
Global MR organisation ESOMAR has launched a series of revised guidelines, to take account of recent developments in technology and increasing public concern about privacy and control of personal information. 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
In the US, web-based research software firm Revelation has upgraded its online qualitative tool Revelation Project so that it can be used for Latin American Spanish, continental French and German projects. More
GfK-Nnrnberg e.V - GfK's non-profit market research promotion arm - is developing a process that records and analyzes human emotions via the software-based detection of facial expressions. More
At today's AGM, WPP shareholders gave the thumbs up to a scheme which could see CEO Sir Martin Sorrell receive a £60m bonus over the next five years. Meanwhile Sorrell announced a 6.7% dip in like-for-like revenues for the first four months of the year, which sent shares tumbling 4.8% to 456.25p. More
Microsoft is hoping to boost its search engine market share with the launch of 'Bing', billed as a next generation search helping customers to make faster, more informed decisions. More
Online measurement giant comScore has announced the arrival of Media Metrix 360, a 'panel-centric hybrid' solution to digital audience measurement. More
Online panel specialist Lightspeed Research has launched a sample de-duplication platform that prevents respondents from retaking a survey from the same computer, through either multiple panels or by using multiple identities. More
Qual and quant agency GIM Russia has outgrown its existing offices and moved to new premises in Moscow's Suschewsky Business Center, near Red Square. More
Finnish web analytics firm Snoobi Oy has continued its international expansion with a localised Latvian offering. The service, provided in the Latvian language, which be distributed via subsidiary operation Snoobi Latvia SIA. More
In Germany, seven Directors and Partners at qual/quant agency Produkt + Markt have bought the firm, following the retirement of co-founder Dr Paul Pottebaum. More
Shareholders at marcoms giant WPP are opposing a scheme which could result in CEO Sir Martin Sorrell receiving up to £59.7m ($95m) worth of free shares during the next five years. More
In Germany, BVM Chairman Wolfgang Dittrich has opened a media consulting and market research agency called d.core. More
Ben Page is set to become the new Chief Executive of Ipsos MORI in the UK and Ireland, replacing Mike Everett who takes on a new global role on the Group Management Board. More
Research software provider Confirmit has delivered double-digit organic growth during the first quarter, and won a seven-figure contract with a global retailer for its customer feedback program. 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
UK-based media group Aegis has announced organic decline in revenues for the first quarter for both its main divisions. With currency and acquisition effects revenue rose 4.8% for Aegis Media and 9.6% for MR division Synovate; without them it fell 13.1% and 9.1% respectively. More
MR industry supplier companies from three countries have combined to create a global VideoDiary(TM) research panel. QualVu, EasyInsites and Cint, of Denver, Stockholm and London respectively, say the panel will give brands instant access to screened participants for qual research. More
Customer analytics provider iPerceptions Inc. has reported results for the first quarter of 2009, including a 35% increase in revenue and a rise in gross margin as a percentage of revenue to 62% from 48% in Q1 2008. Panels and software firm Globalpark has also announced a good Q1 performance. More
Online panel marketplace provider Cint is opening a German office in Berlin. German CEO Michael Henrich will manage the office and will take responsibility for customer development and support in all German speaking countries, including Austria and Switzerland. 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
Ipsos has reported global revenues down 4.6% in Q1 2009 to €207.3m compared with the same period in 2008, with negative organic growth of 5.1% and a negative currency effect of 2.3%. The firm says it has held up well in an exceptionally difficult environment. More
WPP-owned healthcare data collection agency All Global has integrated the TNS JStreet panel into its online physician panel across the US and Europe, thus boosting its number of active physician participants by 50% across key specialities. More
Harris Interactive is to offer clients access to the opinions of families in Europe through a panel to be launched in the summer. More
MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS is rolling out PASW Collaboration and Deployment Services 4, which it says provides an integrated platform for sharing, managing, automating and integrating analytic assets directly into business processes. More
In the UK, Harris Interactive has appointed Robert Salvoni as UK and European Managing Director, replacing George Terhanian who took up the post of President of Global Solutions earlier this year. More
Harris Interactive has reported a 30.4% fall in revenue for the third quarter of 2009; from $57.3m in 2008 to $39.9m this year. The revenue decline impacted nearly all the firm's geographic regions, including the US, where revenue was down 33% for the quarter. More
Harris Interactive has amended its credit agreement in a move which President and CEO Kimberly Till says will provide it with 'the financial stability and flexibility needed' as the firm continues to implement its strategic plan. More
In the US, IBM veteran Christopher Caine has launched Mercator XXI, which will help clients export their success globally. As well as market access and market research, the new firm offers advice on government relations and public policy. More
In the US, GfK Healthcare has launched a syndicated research service offering data on physicians' brand preferences, current and anticipated prescribing practices, patient treatment algorithms and other insights across more than 30 diseases. More
Marcoms giant WPP, which eliminated 3,600 positions in Q1, is planning to make 6% of its global workforce redundant resulting in the loss of 7,200 posts in all this year. More
Online research and panels specialist Research Now is predicting first half revenues will rise 23% to £23.5m (2008: £19.1m), ahead of its interim results which are due out on Wednesday 1 July 2009. More
Nearly a third (31%) of marketers say they have decreased their use of market research as a result of the recession, compared with 14% who have upped their investment in this area, according to an online survey conducted by B2B International. A number of positive trends also emerge. More
ORC parent and database giant infoGROUP has reported a 17% drop in first quarter revenue to $127.5m from $153.3m in the prior year period. For the quarter, reported net loss was $9.3m compared with net income of $6.6m in 2008. More
First quarter revenue at online audience measurement firm comScore increased 16% to $30.6m from the prior year period, but the firm has cut its 2009 full-year revenue growth forecast to 10-12% from its previous prediction of 15%. 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
Ipsos' shareholders have approved the appointment of five new Board Directors, including Pierre Le Manh who is Global CEO of Ipsos Marketing and Chairman of the CEEA and MENA regions. 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
UK marcoms giant WPP has reported a 5.8% fall in Q1 revenues, excluding the impact of acquisitions and currency fluctuations. The firm says this reflects a cut in client spending in reaction to the global financial and economic crisis. More
GfK Healthcare has announced the launch of FlashPoints(TM), a custom quantitative mini-study focused on delivering topline information on physicians' perceptions and behavior, with survey results delivered in just one week. 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
US pharma research giant IMS Health has seen total first quarter revenue fall 8% to $526.9m from $574.2m as the strong dollar impacts on overseas sales. Nevertheless, the quarter saw a sharp rise in net income. 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
Synovate parent Aegis has disclosed in its 2008 report and accounts that former CEO Robert Lerwill has been paid a total of £2.1m following the termination of his contract last year. More
Stephen Hughes, formerly EU Commercial Director for CfMC, has joined recently launched Cint UK as Sales Director. More
EFAMRO, the international federation of MR associations, has announced a new strategy, to be implemented by a new executive board. The move recognises the 'urgent' need for more professionalisation, and for a more pro-active stance on European legislation. 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
New Zealand's Unite union has published the Memorandum of Understanding it agreed with Synovate earlier in the week. This includes the terms relating to pay rises for call centre workers which were interpreted in different fashions by the two parties yesterday. More
Canadian-based Mob4Hire, which offers crowd sourced mobile application testing and market research, is targeting growth across the Atlantic with the appointment of Chantelle Hyde-Lewis as Director, Business Development, UK & EMEA. More
In New Zealand, Synovate has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the union Unite which ends the lockout of workers. The company says the MOU establishes a working party which has six weeks from 14th April to reach a deal over a performance pay scheme for interviewing staff. More
Panel firm ToLuna Plc has reported results for the year ended 31 December 2008, another year of strong growth with revenue up 74% to £21.7m (35% excluding the effect of acquisitions), and profit before tax up 48% to £4.7m. More
GfK Asia is expanding its automotive coverage in five key regions of Korea. Subsidiary firm GfK Korea will start tracking the market for tyres and is planning to add engine oil and other spare automotive parts in future. Separately, GfK is to consolidate two of its Manhattan offices. More
More than 30 call centre workers at Synovate in Auckland, NZ, were notified by text on Good Friday that they were locked out of the office, after turning down a pay increase of 20 cents per hour. More
The European Commission has launched legal action against the UK Government, over its failure to force behavioural ad technology firm Phorm to comply with EU data protection and privacy rules. More
German market and social research firm IFAK has opened a new office in the UK, to enable it to provide its service to clients in the British market. This is its second international subsidiary, following the launch of IFAK Ukraine in early 2008. More
GfK has expanded its Retail and Technology network by increasing its stake in shelf-analysis specialist IFR Monitoring Group by 24.2%, to 100%. Terms were not disclosed. More
TNS has beaten IPSOS, Gallup and Synovate in a pitch to win what it describes as 'one of the largest market research contracts ever commissioned' - a four year €65m EU project to provide a measure of public opinion in Europe. More
MR software giant SPSS has created a new and distinct brand for its predictive analytics products, PASW (Predictive Analytics Software). More
In the UK, online market research firm YouGov has reported a 54% drop in headline pre-tax profits to £2.4m (2008: £5.2m) for the six months to the end of January. Thirty of the firm's 420 staff will be made redundant, in an effort to save £2.5m a year. More
In France, healthcare researcher Cegedim Strategic Data (CSD) has expanded its patient and medical research to provide longitudinal patient data in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. More
In Switzerland, market research consultancy CBC has acquired 34% of consumer and social analysis firm Konso AG (Institut fnr Konsumenten und Sozialanalysen). More
ESOMAR, the global organization for market research professionals, has introduced the 'Young Researcher of the Year' award, as part of its Developing Talent initiative designed to enhance skills and expertise in future market research professionals. 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
The European Union will step-in to counter surfer profiling and breaches in data privacy, according to its Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva. Kuneva believes that online users' privacy rights are being abused by advertisers. More
In the UK, Bob Douglas has been promoted from Head of Synovate Healthcare's global custom business to overall Global Head of Synovate Healthcare. 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
Swedish eye tracking firm Tobii Technology has launched a new high definition widescreen eye tracker. The tool promises market researchers, usability professionals and scientific researchers the ability to conduct widescreen eye tracking using large stimuli. More
infoGROUP Inc. has entered into an agreement to sell social research specialist Macro International Inc. to ICF International for $155 million in cash. Macro was acquired with ORC in December 2006 but is not considered to be 'a strategic fit' with the Group's other business. More
In London, former Research Now Director Charles Pearson has today announced the launch of a new research agency, EasyInsites, focusing on custom panel solutions and using technology from Cint AB. Research Now's former Client Development Director Jo Winning joins him in the venture. 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
In France, healthcare researcher Cegedim Strategic Data (CSD) has launched a new service which promises to integrate its various data sources and deliver comprehensive analysis. More
Marcoms giant WPP is preparing to make thousands of staff redundant this year, in response to declining revenues and its £1.1bn debt-financed acquisition of TNS. Credit agencies S&P and Moody have downgraded the firm's rating from stable to negative. More
GfK has announced that Christian Weller von Ahlefeld, CFO and Human Resources Director of GfK SE, will leave the company on December 31, 2009. Von Ahlefeld was one of the architects of the firm's planned merger with TNS. More
Ipsos has announced a deal with Thomson Reuters to provide 'regular intelligent information about behaviours, attitudes and opinions of consumers and citizens', based on regular multi-country polling on a wide-range of topics. More
TNS has announced further changes to its senior management team, following its recent merger with Research International. The latest appointments cover global roles, North America and Europe. More
TNS has appointed a new Regional Operating Board for the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa (ALM) region, led by former TNS Regional MD Jamie Hall, who assumes overall responsibility for the region as ALM CEO. 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
Ipsos has posted organic growth of 7.8% and operating margin up 8.2% for 2008, despite a financial crisis which it describes as 'unprecedented in its scale since the modern economy took shape'. More
Ipsos has acquired Punto de Vista, described as the leading company in Chile for customer satisfaction research and quality measurement. More
French media research agency MTdiamTtrie has teamed up with software developer Jungo to create a solution for collecting data relating to the user habits and preferences of those living in 'digital households'. More
Synovate has announced an agreement with Canadian software provider Vision Critical, to power its online community panels around the globe. More
Martin Sorrell has talked of 'big, big opportunities' and 'a tsunami of funds... waiting for the recovery' in an interview with the BBC. The WPP chief also discussed his views on headcount reduction in a recession, on Google, and the future market share of different advertising media. More
Harris Interactive has made a further 90 staff redundant - 16% of its US full-time workforce - in a bid to make $10m in cost savings. The firm saved $9.5m through headcount reduction in October and December last year. More
In Belgium, two former Google execs have opened a firm dedicated to web analytics and search engine marketing. More
US-headquartered neuromarketing research agency NeuroFocus has acquired brainwave measurement specialist Neuroco in the UK, as part of its strategy to expand into Europe. Terms were not disclosed. More
European panels firm Toluna has partnered with technical solutions provider nurago to launch a service which enables advertisers, planners and media buyers to analyse the response of more than half a million of Toluna's panel members to campaigns in six European countries. More
In the US, Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) has promoted Robin Lake to the post of Vice President of Research, in charge of all research and related analysis for the group. 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
US research software firm Vovici and high-profile London-based start-up Verve have announced a strategic partnership to provide fully serviced customer communities and advisory panels for corporate clients in Europe. More
WPP has reported healthy results for the full year 2008. Like-for-like revenue growth of 2.7% came from a combination of a strong first half and slower second half. Insight division Kantar provided 17.1% of all WPP revenue and 12.8% of operating profit. More
Global agency GfK has announced that it has increased its share in UK agriculture and animal health research specialist dmrkynetec by 49% to 75%. More
In case you're wondering, French financier Vincent Bollore is 'still thinking' about a possible merger between his advertising group Havas and Synovate owner Aegis, according to Reuters. Bollore has recently said that Aegis 'seems to be in good hands'. More
Harris Interactive has hired Stefan Schmelcher as President of its Global Loyalty Solutions practice, with primary responsibility worldwide for developing and implementing the strategy and tactics for the division and its recently-formed center of excellence. He will be based in Munich, Germany. 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
Brand research specialist Evo has closed its UK office, and eight of its personnel including three directors have moved to Clerkenwell, London-based Prescient, part of Loewy Group. More
Millward Brown Germany has promoted Bernd Bnchner to MD, replacing Manfred Tautscher who has left the company. Bnchner has been Deputy Managing Director since joining MB in 2007. More
Online feedback and panel management supplier Globalpark has appointed former SPSS exec Kelly Anson as Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. More
Millward Brown has acquired Copenhagen-based qual agency Alsted Research for an undisclosed sum. 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
Specialist MR recruiter Elizabeth Norman International (ENI) has promoted Emy Rumble-Mettle to MD of its UK operation, and has announced a partnership with US-based Morgan Search International, as it expands its international presence. 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
YouGov executives have considered taking the company private following its share price tumble this month, according to private equity sources quoted in the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper. More
Most web surfers are not happy with having information collected about them in order for advertisers to provide them with more tailored ads, even where the info is not personally identifiable, according to study results from ad technology firm Burst Media. More
In the UK, phone giant BT is still being questioned about its use of customers' data without their permission, during a trial of Phorm's online ad targeting platform 'Webwise' back in 2006. 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
Marcoms agency Prompt Communications has launched a market research service to provide quant and qual insights into market conditions, demands and opportunities for B2B firms. Its focus at present is on technology companies across Europe, the US and Asia Pacific. More
New London-based technology, telecoms and media research provider Verve has hired former Synovate CEO/CFO Peter Chopra as Partner, Strategic Finance and International Development. 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
Online research and panels specialist Research Now has added four new tools to its Rich Media toolkit, which provides clients with Flash survey enhancements. More
Former Ciao Europe MD Richard Thornton has joined Sweden-based panels firm Cint as UK MD, managing its expansion into the UK market. He will start by opening an office in London and recruiting sales and support staff. 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
Panels and technology firm Toluna has reported a revenue increase of more than 70% to £21m for 2008, from £12.5m in 2007. Excluding the effect of acquisitions, revenue rose by just over a third. More
Forrester Research has reported revenues of $62.9m for the fourth quarter, up from $58.2m the previous year, while for the year ended December 31, 2008, total revenues increased to $240.9m from $212.1m a year before. More
Ciao Surveys has extended its partnership with Yuseo, a specialist in the ergonomics of interactive systems. The firms' e-Performance Observatory solution will now analyse users' experience of e-commerce high-tech web sites in the UK, Germany and France. More
Synovate is strengthening its Brazilian business from March by giving new roles and responsibilities to Manuel Lopes; and to Jesus Caldeiro who returns from Spain. More
Harris Interactive has announced a steep decline in revenue for the second quarter of its fiscal 2009, to $50.7m from $62.7m a year previously. An already substantial operating loss for the quarter looked a lot worse after a write-down of $40.3m for goodwill impairment. More
WPP's new partner Omniture has announced results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. Revenue of $296m is more than double the 2007 figure - on a like-for-like basis it grew 113%. More
Pharma research leader IMS Health has announced full-year 2008 revenue up 3% at constant currencies to $2,329.5m. Income grew slightly (2%) and EPS respectably (11%) in real terms. Chairman and CEO David R. Carlucci said the firm was 'positioned to perform well in a slower growth environment'. 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
Technology market research firm Gartner has posted a 1% increase in fourth quarter profit to $347.3m, helped by good growth in its research and consulting segments. For the year, the firm has posted a 9% revenue increase to $1.28bn. More
Nielsen is about to roll out its store layout and category space management solution my.spaceman, across more than 100 markets. More
Private equity firm Apax Partners and research firm GfK have edged nearer to making a bid for Aegis's market research arm Synovate, according to an anonymous source cited in The Daily Telegraph. More
Research International (RI) has launched a simulated test market system designed to provide sales predictions within the consumer packaged goods category. More
In the UK, Mike Read has been promoted to the post of Senior Vice President and Managing Director of comScore Europe, responsible for all EMEA commercial activities. He will also oversee the firm's European offices in the UK and France, with Germany soon to come. More
Online market research agency YouGov is bringing together all its solely-owned international operations under the YouGov brand. More
GfK's holding company GfK AG has become a European public limited company, and will now trade as GfK SE. The firm says the change will better reflect its international perspective and structure. More
Research software provider Confirmit has launched a new platform allowing clients to conduct surveys using a variety of data collection methods and channel them into in a single feedback program. More
Online research and panels specialist Research Now has announced a 60% increase in group revenues to £41.2m for 2008, compared with £25.8m a year previously. Profit before tax was £5.7m, compared with £0.3m in 2007. More
In Ireland, digital research agency Sponge It is building a community network of consumers through which brands can obtain feedback about their products or services. 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
Marcoms giant WPP has announced a partnership with US web analytics firm Omniture to provide clients with 'more effective insights' across both digital and traditional media channels. The deal involves WPP investing $25m in Omniture stock. 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
Omnicom-owned brand and communications research specialist Hall & Partners has appointed Deborah Mills as CEO of its Europe business, based in the London office. 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
In Germany, the GfK Association – GfK's main shareholder – has passed a resolution to ensure that any future bids to buy the group must first be authorised by its new Members' Council. It has also appointed four new members to its Executive Board. 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
For the first time, the number of people worldwide aged 15+ using the Internet in a single month has passed the one billion mark. Online audience measurement firm comScore says the milestone was passed in December. More
In Belgium, Insites Consulting has launched an online tool which allows users to conduct in-depth interviews and online user experience testing through remote desktop technology and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). More
Global communications group WPP is planning to move away from its role as a traditional media and advertising supplier, to concentrate on becoming a more insight-led organisation, says CEO Sir Martin Sorrell. More
Despite the global downturn, GfK has booked nearly a quarter of its expected revenue for the year, says CEO Klaus Wübbenhorst – almost precisely in line wth figures for this time last year. More
Scientific publisher Elsevier had introduced illumin8, a web-based natural language processing system designed to help researchers extract meaning from its scientific content, millions of patents, and eight billion web pages. More
UK-based online quant research specialist BrainJuicer Group Plc has issued a trading statement with 2008 results ahead of market expectations. Reported revenue rose more than 40% to £9m – all organic growth - and operating profit was up by 45% to over £1.2m. More
The USA is viewed favourably by a majority of people in India (72%) and Poland (53%), and in America itself, but not in nineteen other major economies in a survey conducted by Ipsos for Reuters. Meanwhile other polls show the country's high hopes for its incoming President. More
In France, cell phone operators Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom have partnered to develop their own system for measuring mobile Internet audiences. 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
UK headquartered 'online buzz' research specialist WaveMetrix has reported its third consecutive year of 50% growth in turnover. More
After almost exactly two years at the helm of SSI, Jim Follett has departed the company and is replaced by Bloomerce founder Kees de Jong. Dennis J. Beckingham meanwhile joins the firm as President and CFO. More
In Hamburg, Germany, Research International has appointed Frank Gollnick as CEO, with a remit to lead the firm's expansion in the country and position it as a 'leading innovation agency'. More
Richard Thornton has resigned as Managing Director of Ciao Surveys after five years at the firm, saying in a statement that 'it was a natural time to move on'. He leaves today. More
GfK and venture capital group Apax Partners could be possible buyers for Synovate, while Havas Chairman Vincent Bolloré nets the remainder of Aegis, according to reports in the UK press. More
WPP's insight and consultancy division The Kantar Group has made what it claims is an industry first appointment, with the naming of George Pappachen in the newly-created role of Chief Privacy Officer. More
Omnicom-owned brand and communications research specialist Hall & Partners has acquired a majority stake in Jigsaw International, a custom qualitative research agency based in Shanghai, China. Terms were not disclosed. More
Netherlands-based Blauw Research has moved its London office to larger premises in Soho, and opened a new viewing facility there which offers high definition recording with real time online streaming. More
In what is being billed as 'India's Enron', the head of IT outsourcing giant Satyam has admitted to inflating the firm's cash and bank balances by 70bn rupees ($1bn) in an effort to forestall a takeover. More
In Paris, former Millward Brown/Added Value CEO Liz Musch has been appointed as Global Chief Executive Officer for Ipsos Loyalty. More
Research software provider Confirmit has partnered with call recording/outbound dialling technology firm Magnetic North to deliver a hosted telephony platform that enables market research firms to reduce the cost of telephone research projects. 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
In the US, CRM outsourcing firm ICT Group has announced that it will no longer be providing market research services, and that it will be closing or partially closing six of its contact centers in the US and Canada, and offshoring much of the work from those in Europe and Australia. More
ESOMAR, the global association for market and opinion research, has appointed US-based Gunilla Broadbent as its President for the period 2009-2010. She is the second woman to hold the position and the first President who resides outside Europe. More
A report in the UK's Observer newspaper which outlined WPP's plans to cut thousands of jobs in Western Europe and North America has been denied by a company spokesperson. More
British marcoms group Aegis has commissioned a review of the business which could result in the spin-off of its market research arm Synovate, according to a report in UK newspaper The Sunday Times. More
In the US, Vin Gupta – the founder and former CEO and Chairman of ORC parent and database giant infoGROUP – claims he is exploring a proposal to acquire all the firm's outstanding shares and take the company private. More
Some of the world's biggest advertising groups have this week announced thousands of job cuts. However, their MR firms seem to be relatively little affected so far, as do PR subsidiaries, while ad agencies themselves bear the brunt. More
Pharmaceutical companies are turning to MR departments to help them run leaner organizations in troubled economic times, according to a new report from sector specialist Cutting Edge Information. More
Cello has announced that Group Executive Chairman Kevin Steeds died last night, after a four month battle with cancer. More
Harris Interactive's new President and CEO Kimberly Till has implemented a series of restructuring initiatives, including a net loss of 51 US jobs, c.8% of the total US full-time workforce; the formation of new vertical teams; and changes in senior management. 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
Medical fieldwork agency Healthcare Landscape has rolled out its patient and caregiver panel to agencies in the US. More
In Germany, MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS has launched a statistics blog to provide users with a source of information on various aspects of statistics in market research, marketing, financial services and other sectors. More
Through its business information subsidiary ENCODEX, GfK has bought a 51% stake in Etilize; a US firm which aggregates product data from thousands of manufacturers, and delivers it as ecommerce-ready web content to online retailers, distributors and resellers. No terms were disclosed. More
France Telecom-owned mobile and broadband provider Orange has launched a 'Technocentre' in Britain, where 'twenty-first century' services will be developed for its customers. More
French financier Vincent Bolloré has said that if combined, his Havas Advertising Group and rival British marcoms group Aegis could 'do better'. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of 60% of the Strategic Puls group. The company makes more than 90% of its turnover (c.8m Euros in 2007) in Serbia and Croatia, but is also established in five other Balkan states. More
Sonoma, California-based energy research firm RLW Analytics, has been acquired by energy and utility consulting business KEMA, which has North American headquarters in Burlington, Massachusetts and global headquarters in Arnhem, the Netherlands. More
In the UK, youth mobile phone network Blyk has launched a research service for its target group of around 200,000 16 to 24-year-olds who use the free service. More
Panels and software firm Toluna has launched a new polling service that enables companies to launch online surveys, access its panel community, and receive real-time poll results 24/7. More
Custom online panel firm Vision Critical has announced a new branch in Sydney, Australia, extending its presence into the Asia Pacific region. Kris Hartvigsen will lead the operation as MD, Australia. Last week, the firm announced the release of its newest online research platform, Sparq. More
In Switzerland, Nielsen Online is to partner with NET-Metrix, the online industry committee for Internet audience measurement, to provide online research data for the Swiss market. More
Online research specialist MarketTools has conducted research which it says conclusively demonstrates the connection between fraudulent survey respondents and skewed survey data. More
US-based Market Strategies International has confirmed news of its expansion into Europe with the official opening of an office in London, UK, headed by former MASMI UK MD Bob Qureshi. More
Online research and panels specialist Research Now is forecasting results ahead of previous market expectations, including reported revenues up more than 55% to £41m, and operating profit up 120% to around £6.2m, for the year ended 31 October 2008. More
Research software provider Confirmit has announced its most successful quarter to date for new business revenue, along with revenue growth of 51% for the nine months ending September 2008. More
Havas' Vincent Bolloré is more confident of securing his two boardroom seats at rival Aegis, after a recent meeting with interim CEO John Napier, according to sources quoted in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper. More
Analysts are watching Aegis closely following yesterday's surprise departure of CEO Robert Lerwill. Initial speculation about easing conditions for a Havas merger has given way to caution, and the share price has not continued its rise after a brief morning surge. More
Robert Lerwill is to stand down as group CEO of Synovate parent Aegis, at the end of this month. Chairman John Napier will take on his responsibilities on an interim basis. Aegis shares leapt 17% today as rumours linked the move to a possible merger. More
TNS has beaten Ipsos, GfK and others in a major qual competitive tender from the European Commission and the European Parliament. TNS says the deal covers all the body's qualitative studies and is 'believed to be the world's largest qual research programme', valued at some 15m Euros over four years. 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
MR software provider Confirmit says it will integrate its new platform more closely with the Ascribe software of partner firm Language Logic, which provides simple coding of open-ended responses. The platform is due for release in early 2009. More
French business intelligence firm BIMA Consulting has signed an agreement with customer insight provider Speed-Trap to sell the latter's technology and solutions as part of its marketing optimisation services. More
In the US, automotive specialist JD Power and Associates has named Finbarr O'Neill as its new President, succeeding Stephen Goodhall who is retiring after 30 years with the company. More
Global information services group Experian has posted a pre-tax profit of $318m for the first half of the year; up from $270m for the same period in 2007. Organic revenue growth varied widely by region with North America and the UK up just 1% but Latin America more than doubled. More
In the US, physician network Epocrates has expanded its opt-in panel to include physicians and pharmacists in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. 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
French-based pharmaceutical CRM and healthcare industry data supplier Cegedim has announced consolidated revenues of Euros 607m for the first nine months of 2008, a 16% increase. For continuing operations at constant exchange rates the figure was an even healthier 21%. More
Netherlands-based Intellex Dynamic Reporting is launching two research software products, the new Dynamic PowerPoint© Generator and an upgrade of its Data Dynamic Reporter. More
Microsoft will for the time being remain the owner of Greenfield Online's Internet Survey Solutions (ISS) business, after potential buyer ZM Capital failed to meet financing conditions. President and CEO Al Angrisani will stay on in an advisory capacity while a new home is sought. 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
Despite painting a grim picture of an unfolding 'financial, economic and ideological crisis' around the globe, Ipsos has reported Q3 revenues of Euros 234.2m, a 5.9% increase compared with Q3 2007. Organic revenue growth was 8.2%. More
Synovate has appointed Klaus Friis Mikkelsen, a former employee of its parent group Aegis, as Managing Director for Synovate Denmark. 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
In the UK, Omnicom-owned brand and communications research specialist Hall & Partners has promoted Vanella Jackson to the post of Worldwide CEO. She replaces Terry Willie, who is leaving at the end of the year to pursue private interests. 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
MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS has announced third quarter revenues up 4% vs Q3 2007 to $74.9m and net income up 25% to $10.5m. However, the firm intends to respond to the global downturn by cutting costs, including a ten per cent staff reduction. More
Troubled group IPT Holdings has sold off two more of its businesses, UK-based research firms Integra Insight and RWCEL. The latter includes subsidiaries Tpoll and The Simulating World Research Company. More
Mobile phone giant Nokia has announced it will cut around 600 jobs – 450 are to go in its Market unit and 130 in its Nokia Research Centers. The firm's Turku research facility in Finland will close. More
Online research and panels firm Research Now has promoted Sébastien Croizard to lead its French business as MD. He was previously Commercial Director for the office. More
Online audience measurement firm comScore has reported a 37% Q3 revenue increase to $30.7m, while launching a new service to track distributed web content across third party sites. More
The European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) and the Internet Advertising Bureau Europe (IAB Europe) have officially launched their industry-wide survey into the use of online audience and traffic measurement techniques; and appointed Elizabeth Van Couvering to help guide the initiative. More
Harris Interactive has reported a first quarter loss of $2.3m, compared with a profit of $1.1m a year ago, which it attributes to deepening economic turbulence in the US combined with the anticipated decline in its hHealthcare revenue. More
WPP-owned healthcare data collection agency All Global has named Tony Burke its new CEO, responsible for running the company worldwide. More
UK-based full-service agency ORC International has partnered with survey processing and statistical analysis software firm Le Sphinx Développement in France, to offer the latter's products in the UK. More
In the UK, Maritz Research has appointed Millward Brown's Roger Sant as Divisional VP of Brand Research Europe, to work closely with the firm's offices in Europe and the US and take responsibility for development of new customer experience measurement methodologies. More
In the US, TNS Healthcare has introduced a multi-country oncology market tracker that provides an in-depth look at any indication or patient segment. More
Canadian-based research software firm Voxco has launched a division to focus on the quality and speed of response it provides to its international client base. Emmanuel Greciet has been promoted to lead the group. More
Television Audience Measurement Ireland has awarded AGB Nielsen Media Research a further five year contract to supply television audience measurement for the Irish markets. The extension begins in September 2010. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has added a new wireless / mobile telephone sampling capability to its online sample ordering system SSI-SNAP. More
Pharmaceutical research giant IMS Health has reported third-quarter revenue of $574m, up 6%, or a modest 3% year-on-year on a constant dollar basis. However, net income and EPS grew 33% and 41% respectively in the quarter. More
Harris Interactive has announced that President & CEO Greg Novak is leaving the firm, to be replaced by former TNS North American CEO Kimberley Till. The company has also announced today that it will make around 30 US staff redundant. More
Marketing communications group WPP has now received acceptance from shareholders representing 91.72% of TNS, for its offer to buy the UK market research agency. More
Online market research agency MetrixLab has developed a new eye-tracking technique to measure how people look at entire web sites. 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
The venture capital company run by the founder of Big Brother and Deal or No Deal producer Endemol has taken a 30% stake in European online MR agency MetrixLab. More
Social networking site 'Hey! Nielsen' is to close. The research giant says it is 'working on a new consumer site' but has not yet given details of the reason for the closure or the nature of the new offering. More
Finnish research provider Global Intelligence Alliance (GIA) is merging with three of the companies in its GIA Network: East Asian-based Fusion Consulting, Gayer Consulting in Germany, and DeskResearch Nederland. More
Online audience measurement firm comScore has doubled the number of web sites it reports on worldwide, to offer more robust and granular site audience data and improve its trending capabilities. More
WPP-owned media investment network MediaCom has acquired 75% of JLM Holdings, the parent company of business consultancy Data Intelligence. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has launched a new strategy for expanding the availability and diversity of panel members worldwide and improving the quality of sample provided to clients. More
GfK has received a break fee of around €13m (£10.6m) from TNS as compensation for the abandoned 'merger of equals' deal planned earlier in the year. The German firm has also reported a bulging order book. 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
Research International (RI) has announced an alliance with STAT'COM to launch a new simulated test market product named MicroTest Nouveau, integrating state of the art modelling of market conditions with a global database of over 40,000 records in order to put results into context. 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
US-based online market research panel operator e-Rewards has attracted a $60m minority investment from private equity and buyout firm TA Associates. 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
Direct marketing and data group IPT (Interactive Prospect Targeting) has sold the majority of its UK operations for 1.3 million pounds to investment company Volvere Plc. More
WPP has again extended the deadline for acceptance of its TNS bid to next Wednesday, October 8th, with 61% of shareholders accepting. However, major TNS shareholder Cedar Rock has taken its holding past the 10% mark, which may impact the ad giant's options. More
European online research agency MetrixLab has boosted its UK team with the appointment of former Synovate Director Darren Lewis, as Managing Consultant NPD. More
WPP says its current offer for TNS is final and will not be increased unless a rival bidder emerges. The ad group has also sent TNS shareholders information clarifying its intention to create a new UK-listed but offshore-based parent company. More
SKOPOS market insight has doubled its global sales and profit in two years – the former to around £5 million - and has appointed two new senior staff, Scott Dodgson and Anna Galicia, to its Research & Insight team in the UK. 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
WPP has again extended its deadline for TNS shareholders to decide on its £1.2bn bid - to this Friday, October 3rd - but has now received acceptances from 33.8% of them - up from just 11% two weeks previously. More
GfK has appointed Dr. Arno Mahlert to replace Hajo Riesenbeck as Chairman. Stefan Pfander replaces him as Deputy Chairman. More
Global research turnover rose in line with expectations last year to just over US$28bn, according to statistics from ESOMAR, revealed at last week's annual Congress. The rise from 2006 figures was 6.5% or 3.9% after adjustment for inflation. More
Software giant SPSS has unveiled Viz Designer(TM), which uses 'leading-edge' graphic technology to display results from its Predictive Analytics software more clearly and intuitively. More
Online audience measurement firm comScore expects to double its revenue to $200m in the next two to three years, according to President & CEO Magid Abraham. More
TNS has today issued its shareholders with a new statement urging them to reject WPP's offer for the firm, underlining its strength as a standalone group. More
TNS is to adopt research software provider Vovici's Enterprise Feedback Management (EFM) Platform and Community Builder Model as its standard platform for building custom online panels and communities for its customers. More
WPP has received a qualified approval from the European Commission for its offer to buy TNS. The deal will comply with EU merger rules, provided two divestments are made. More
For the first half of the year, European panels and software firm Toluna has posted a flat pre-tax profit of £1.39m, despite revenue growth of 36% to £8.2m million and organic revenue up 32%. More
European agency SKOPOS Market Insight has partnered with web marketing and development firm Nitro Digital to create a new web site analytics and research service. More
US analysis firm Global Insight is to be acquired by HIS, which provides information and insight on the energy and security markets, the environment and product lifecycles. More
TPI, the outsourcing data and advisory firm owned by Information Services Group (ISG), has launched a new business unit with an independent management team which will provide information and insights to outsourcing and offshoring service providers. More
Panels and software firm Toluna has expanded into the Asia Pacific region with the opening of a new office in Sydney, Australia. Mike Billingsley will head it up, bringing more than 20 years of market research experience. More
The UK Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) has OK'd the use of Phorm's controversial user-behaviour ad-serving technology, stating that the system does not break EU data protection laws so long as users are given an easy option to opt-out. 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
It's a good week for panel launches in Belgium. Yesterday Lightspeed, now European online data collection firm ODC has announced one, as well as launching a new tool to keep panellists motivated. More
Online panel specialist Lightspeed Research has launched a new panel in Belgium which will enable respondents to conduct surveys in either Flemish or French, according to CEO for Europe David Day, who discussed the firm's plans and strategies with DRNO. More
Direct marketing and data group IPT (Interactive Prospect Targeting) is to sell off its UK business, including its research agencies Tpoll and Integra Insight. The firm is already in talks with potential buyers regarding various options for the sale. More
After 12 years with the firm, Giorgio Caporusso has been named General Manager of Ipsos in France, following the departure of Joint MDs Pierre Giacometti and Stéphane Truchi at the end of last year. 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
Hajo Riesenbeck is to resign from the Supervisory Board Chairmanship and Presidency of GfK Nürnberg e.V. Riesenbeck was closely associated with the TNS bid, while CEO Klaus Wübbenhorst is said to have been more convinced of the firm's ability to grow on its own. More
WPP said today it would extend its offer for TNS shares to September 26th. Only 11% of shareholders had accepted the offer by today's 3pm London deadline, already an extension. More
In response to pressure from European Union data protection officials, Internet giant Google has halved the length of time it will retain personal search data; pledging to anonymize IP addresses after nine months. More
Microsoft has revealed that it is selling the Greenfield Online Internet Survey Solutions (ISS) business to ZM Surveys, a 'shell' organization affiliated with media-focused private equity firm ZM Capital. Terms were not disclosed. More
Full service agency Market Probe has extended its international footprint with the acquisition of UP-Point China in Beijing. The company, which will be renamed Market Probe China, has annual revenues of $8m RMB (USD $1.2m). Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
UK researcher Matthew Lawrence has set up his own agency in Cyprus, offering all aspects of qual data collection and project management. More
WPP-owned global agency Millward Brown (MB) has partnered with research group Shiluv in Israel. More
Dutch cable operator Ziggo is recruiting for what it claims will be one of the largest consumer panels in the Netherlands, with members offering opinions about its existing products and services, and providing input on future product development. 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
UK-based online market research agency BrainJuicer has confirmed significant organic growth for the first half of the year, with revenue up by 37% from £2.9m to £3.9m. For the six months ended 30 June 2008, operating profit increased 33% to £196,000. More
In Germany, InfoCom has updated its market intelligence tool, which provides information for companies doing business in the telecoms sector. More
US-based healthcare data collection agency All Global has launched a new Palliative Care Panel, providing access to more than 18,000 physicians, nurses, pharmacists and healthcare professionals across 39 countries. More
The European Commission has extended by ten working days its investigation into the potential effect on competition of communication group WPP's takeover bid for global agency TNS. 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
WPP has extended its offer to buy shares in TNS to 3pm London time on September 12th. The company's original deadline passed on Friday with only 8.61% of TNS shareholders accepting its offer. TNS continues to recommend rejection. 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
Australia-based research software developer QSR International has added Spanish and Chinese language versions to its flagship NVivo qualitative research software tool. More
In the UK, employee-owned investment firm Cedar Rock Capital – the largest shareholder in TNS - is understood to have rejected ad giant WPP's latest £1.1bn offer. 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
Ipsos has acquired 100% of Alfacom, a Brazilian firm specialising in research and customer relationship management in the Latin America automotive sector. Terms were undisclosed. More
Billionaire investor and Havas Chairman Vincent Bolloré has bought another $376,000-worth of Harris Interactive shares, bringing his stake in the business to nearly 13%. 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
Harris Interactive has announced results for its fourth fiscal quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2008. Annual revenue was up 13% to $238.7m, but pro forma organic revenue was down 1%, with a decline of 3% in North American more than cancelling out good growth of 6% in Europe. More
WPP has announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30th June 2008, showing good revenue and profit figures in all regions and for all divisions including insight. While his own firm may be healthy however, CEO Sir Martin Sorrell says the current merger process is 'not doing [TNS] much good'. More
Company founder Vin Gupta is to receive $10m as part of a severance agreement from ORC-owner infoGroup. The company filed its delayed second-quarter earnings report with the SEC yesterday, revealing that soaring costs reduced quarterly net income by almost 32% to $4.3m despite a 17% increase in revenue to $187.2m. More
OTX Europe has hired Andy Davidson as Director. He will lead the company's trends and youth specialisms and strengthen the Media, Entertainment & Insight division. More
Lieberman Research Worldwide (LRW) has appointed two senior consultants, Mark Hartstone and Soumya Roy, PhD, to their European HQ in London. More
Less than a month after removing Vin Gupta from his role as Chairman of database giant and ORC parent infoGroup, the firm's Board has announced his resignation as CEO. More
In the UK, B2B specialist Information Arts has been given sole rights to sell DM company Harte-Hanks' Ci Technology Database (CiTDB). A number of Harte Hanks staff will join the firm, which is also introducing a new range of data and insight services for users of the database. 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
Central London-based Jigsaw Research has opened a new office in Amsterdam, to support its growing international client base and to develop relationships with companies headquartered in the Netherlands. More
TNS Gallup, in partnership with industry body the Norwegian Media Businesses' Association, is launching a new tool to measure usage of the mobile Internet in Norway. More
GfK will use the time available to it before making any offer for TNS, according to CEO Klaus Wuebbenhorst. This is likely to mean September, while WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell will see TNS shareholders vote on his proposals on 29th August. More
UK-based pharma consulting specialist J&D Associates has announced a licensing deal in Europe for ADSAM®, a proprietary technique for measuring emotional response. More
Panel operator e-Rewards Europe has announced a partnership with travel loyalty firm AIRMILES, whose members will receive miles for enrolling in the panel and participating in online surveys. 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
Ipsos has posted a 4.5% increase in revenue to Euros 462.8m for the first half of 2008, and organic growth of 8.4%. Four of the firm's business lines reported double-digit organic growth during the period. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell says GfK is misleading the market about being able to pull together the resources to buy British rival TNS, and about having access to an 'unidentified but substantial source of capital'. More
In the UK, online market research agency YouGov has warned that 2008 profits will be impacted by a one-off £1.2m cost it incurred by terminating merger talks. However, the firm said gross margins will be slightly ahead of market expectations and detailed a range of recent initiatives. More
In the US, Greenfield Online, which has recently received two takeover offers, has seen a decline in net income to $2.1m, compared with $3.1m a year earlier. More
Database and information services giant Experian has promoted Holger Dittombée to the post of Market Head of Germany for its Decision Analytics division; charged with driving the introduction of new products, stronger consulting services and increased capabilities. More
GlobalNR, a multi-country consortium of independent research agencies, has extended its reach across 21 countries with the addition of seven new members to its network. 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
Former ACNielsen Exec Terilyn Reber has established an international coalition of data collection agencies, to offer CATI/WebCATI and online research to clients around the world. More
In the US, Greenfield Online has announced that in addition to the offer made by investment firm the Quadrangle Group to buy the company, a second offer has been submitted by an unnamed party to acquire its stock for $17.50 per share. More
GfK is reportedly in talks with private equity house Apax Partners about funding a cash bid for TNS, which last night outlined in a shareholder document why its Board had rejected WPP's most recent hostile bid. More
Audience measurement system manufacturer TruMedia has announced that Spanish firm VENCO Electronica is the first to integrate its iCapture audience measurement tool into digital signage screens, to track out-of-home exposure to media and advertising. More
Indian-based market research outsourcing firm exëvo has launched a Global Technology Panel, comprising more than 125,000 dedicated business and consumer panellists across 15 countries. Meanwhile, Research Now has launched an online panel in India. More
UK-based healthcare fieldwork agency WorldOne Research has unveiled a European and US GP omnibus. The service taps into the firm's Global Physician Panel which includes more than 320,000 physicians and 60,000 allied healthcare practitioners worldwide. More
WPP has posted TNS shareholders a formal offer for the company, valuing it at $2.28bn. It includes news of an option to sell TNS' television monitoring arm TAM to Ipsos, if required to meet EU competition law. More
In Belgium, neuroimaging firm Imagilys and neuromarketing agency Brain Impact have joined forces to uncover the unconscious behaviour of consumers, which they say may represent up to 95% of the decision-making process. More
In the US, technology research and consulting firm Forrester has acquired rival JupiterResearch and its parent company JUPR Holdings for $23m in cash plus assumed liabilities. In addition, Forrester has posted Q2 revenue of $63.5m, compared with $55.2m last year. More
With just a week to go before the start of the Beijing Olympics, Knowledge Networks (KN) has announced it is to provide overnight data about time spent consuming Olympic content across more than a dozen NBC Universal properties. 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
GfK's discussions regarding a possible offer for TNS are 'progressing positively' the company said today, as it announced a strong order book from the first half of 2008 and a two-week delay in financial reporting. However, TNS has reportedly been talking to Sir Martin Sorrell and scouting for other possible buyers. More
Global PR firm Weber Shandwick has launched the CorpComm Optimizer(TM), a new, proprietary consultative service designed to help Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) make the best of their role driving business strategy and building corporate reputation. 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
TNS' Technology division is rolling out its ComTech study across Europe, giving customers access to 1.2 million interviews a year across the UK, France, Germany, Spain and Italy. The research measures the converging markets of mobile telecoms, fixed line, broadband and Pay TV. More
MR software provider Confirmit has launched its web-based survey analysis package Confirmit Pulsar as an On-Demand (ASP) service, to enable users to access the tool from a shared, secure environment via the Internet. More
The Board of database giant and ORC owner infoGroup has removed Vin Gupta from his Chairman's role following an investgation which has found him guilty of 'excessive spending'. In support of the finding, the firm has introduced a new policy which limits directors' use of company funds. More
IT specialist Springboard Research has expanded in the Middle East & Africa region with the appointment of Hicham Bouguejja as Research Manager at its research center in Casablanca in Morocco, and Burcu Sezen as an Analyst based in Istanbul, Turkey. More
IMS Health has announced second-quarter revenue up 12% (4% at constant currencies) to $600.7m. Operating income rose 11% (1% at constant currencies) to $131.4m. Net income on a GAAP basis was $77.7m, compared with $73.4m in the year-earlier quarter, an increase of 6%. 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
MR software provider Confirmit has increased revenue in the second quarter by 80% to $11.0m, and operating profit 154% to $1.2m. More
The GfK Group has acquired a 26% stake in UK agriculture and animal health research specialist dmrkynetec, increased its holding in GfK Danmark in Denmark, and formed GfK Albania to cover the central and east European regions. More
GfK is understood to have had talks with European private equity firm Cinven about finance for its bid for TNS. Such a partnership is likely to be treated with caution by major shareholder the GfK-Verein. More
GfK will not take 'unreasonable' financial risks in bidding for TNS, according to Klaus Wuebbenhorst. The CEO has played down the pressure on his firm, which is said to be in talks with 'other wealthy German families' in addition to the Herz family. More
Panels and software firm Toluna has been named the fastest growing company in France by the publication 'L'Entreprise'. The company saw turnover growth of 970% in the period 2004-2007, and since floating on AIM in May 2005 has more than tripled in value from £25m to £84m. More
GfK is said to be discussing financial backing for its counter offer for TNS with Mayfair, the Hamburg investment vehicle owned by billionaire siblings Günter and Daniela Herz, who inherited their wealth from their coffee magnate father. More
German market research agency GfK has stressed today that there is no certainty it will make an all-cash offer for UK rival TNS, after the pair scrapped their plans to merge yesterday. More
Danish firm iMotions, which develops emotional response and eye-tracking software, has raised $2m (DKK 9.5m) in funding, which it plans to use to accelerate sales. The company has also appointed Peter Schmidt as Director of the Copenhagen office and COO of European Operations. More
GfK, backed by an as-yet unnamed investor, is preparing to make a counter-offer for TNS in response to WPP's £1.08bn ($2.1bn) hostile bid announced this morning. More
In the UK, privacy watchdog the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has chosen not-for-profit research organisation RAND Europe to carry out an assessment of the future of data protection law in Europe and identify areas for reform. More
2007 was a mixed bag for US research providers, some reporting impressive growth and others struggling, according to figures in the latest Honomichl 50, just out. Overall, growth was a respectable 6%, the mean of the two previous years, achieved despite a US workforce reduction of c.1,300 among the top 50 firms. More
Despite approval from the Board of the GfK Verein, the 'merger of equals' with TNS continues to face pressure from two sides: Sir Martin Sorrell, who has one more day to decide for or against a 'hostile' bid; and workers and a former Chairman at the German firm he describes as 'very traditional'. 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
The Administrative Board of GfK-Nürnberg e.V. has approved the firm's merger with TNS, leaving the vote of Verein members on 21st July technically unnecessary, 'though 'important'. Meanwhile, the bosses of TNS and WPP have been exchanging increasingly hostile comments. More
TNS has fended off a third approach from communications giant WPP, stating that the bid still substantially undervalues the company. More
The proposed $426m sale of Greenfield Online to media and communications investment firm the Quadrangle Group is being hampered by complaints from investors Springhouse Capital and Pennant Capital that the agreed sum undervalues the company. 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
In the UK, the Panel Executive, an independent body which administers the City Code on takeovers and mergers, has ruled that marketing firm WPP must clarify whether it intends to make a firm offer for TNS by 9 July. More
In the UK, Harris Interactive plans to make between fifteen and twenty full-time employees redundant. The firm says the move will help align the cost structure of its UK operations with the evolving needs of the business. More
In the UK, Andrew Cooper, Founder and Group MD of online panel firm Research Now, is to step down as part of a restructure designed to streamline management during the firm's next phase of growth and development. More
Online on-demand research specialist MarketTools is rolling out its online sample quality system across Europe, commencing in the UK. More
In the UK John Napier, the former CEO of market research agency AGB, will join Synovate parent Aegis as Non-Executive Chairman from mid-July, when he replaces Colin Sharman who is retiring after nearly nine years in the role. More
The proposed 'merger of equals' of GfK and TNS faces political opposition in Germany, reports suggest, with some German local authorities represented in the company's majority shareholding 'Verein' saying they will oppose the deal at next Friday's key meeting. More
Panels and Research Process Outsourcing (RPO) firm The Pulse Group has announced its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the PLUS markets in London, with trading commencing today. 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
Ipsos is to acquire Buenos Aires-headquartered research firm Livra Panels, which provides online panels and data collection services for market research agencies in the Spanish and Portuguese speaking markets. Terms were not disclosed. More
Oslo, Norway headquartered fieldwork group Norstat has acquired the data collection arm of Hermelin Research, based in Finland, to create a new company known as Norstat Finland. More
In Paris, Research International (RI) has promoted Douwe Rademaker to the newly created position of Worldwide Director of Marketing. He was previously MD of Continental Europe. More
Buenos Aires-based research firm Livra Panels has launched a new online platform for recruiting panelists. The new site combines the features of social networking sites with online surveys and product reviews. More
In the UK, former NOP owner United Business Media (UBM) has pulled out of talks to buy information group Informa, which acquired Datamonitor last year. More
French financier and Havas Chairman Vincent Bolloré has said he is unlikely to make a sixth attempt to obtain two seats on the Board of Synovate parent Aegis this year. More
European panel and survey technology provider Toluna has bought US-based panel management firm Common Knowledge for an initial $8.49m in cash and a deferred cash sum of $2.16m. 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
Research and predictive analytics software giant SPSS has launched a text mining tool to enable users to analyze unstructured data from social media, consumer blogs, community boards, e-mail, call center notes, RSS feeds and surveys. 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
TNS Chief David Lowden has today met with WPP's Sir Martin Sorrell to present him with the data his firm has already disclosed to GfK as part of the nil premium merger announced in April. 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
Gfk Nürnberg eV – GfK's non-profit association – and employee Holger Dietrich have received the German market research innovation award for developing a tool which can be used to optimize the design of new products and services. More
Less than a month after revealing plans to axe 250 executive jobs in Ireland, technology firm Dell has announced it will be recruiting 20 staff for its new ISG (Industry Solutions Group) in Dublin and Limerick; some of whom will focus on market research and R&D. More
In the UK, insight consultancy Truth has reported rapid growth since its launch last year – with client billings for 2008 forecast to exceed £3.5m. The firm is also considering opportunities for an overseas presence in Asia and the US. More
Synovate has launched a division which will offer an integrated approach to clients across the company's different service areas, to help them develop more profitable relationships with their customers. More
WPP has refuted TNS's claim to have provided it with the same information given to GfK as part of the recent merger agreement. Sir Martin Sorrell's firm says it has only been given access to a subset of the information provided to GfK Verein, GfK's controlling shareholder. More
French-based data extraction firm Qosmos has launched two new applications which it says will help researchers monitor and extract information in real-time and conduct more 'granular' audience analysis. 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
Former NOP owner United Business Media (UBM) is in preliminary talks with publishing group Informa, which acquired Datamonitor last year, over a merger that could create a FTSE 100 global b2b media group worth £3.1bn. More
Sir Martin Sorrell is said still to be considering this week's GfK-TNS merger announcement and whether or not to come back with a fresh offer for TNS. Quoted in the UK's Guardian newspaper, the acquisitive WPP boss described the GfK-TNS proposal as 'a defensive merger'. 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
Online research specialist Lightspeed has made five recent European appointments including hires in its London, Paris and Hamburg offices. More
The partners of online feedback software and services firm Globalpark GmbH have announced a decision to convert to a public company, with immediate effect. Dr. Lorenz Gräf, previously MD, will become CEO of Globalpark AG. More
GfK is making waves in the burgeoning area of linking FMCG purchases and online ad campaigns, with the launch of a new service, Web Efficiency Panel (WEP). WEP has been developed in partnership with technical solutions provider Nurago and boasts Google as a 'technical advisor'. 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
infoGROUP, until this week known as infoUSA, is combining two of its market research businesses, recently acquired Guideline and Opinion Research Corporation (ORC), and has placed ORC President Gerard Miodus in charge of all operations for the new unit. More
Reports in the UK press have suggested the GfK-TNS merger may be 'under threat' after TCS Capital Management, a US hedge fund, reportedly offered its 6% shareholding in the group to would-be TNS buyer WPP Group. More
MR software provider Confirmit today announced the debut of version 12.5, the latest update of its flagship product. In addition to immediate benefits, the firm says it lays the foundation for big changes in the future releases. 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
Nielsen has extended its online audience profiling service to the mobile Web. The new service provides marketers and publishers with lifestyle and demographic information for the audience of more than 200 mobile web sites. 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
Harris Interactive has announced the UK launch of two solutions, the Customer Commitment Model and Employee Ambassadorship, at a seminar in County Hall, London. More
At its 2008 AGM, shareholders of Synovate parent Aegis Group plc have rejected the appointment of the nominees of Havas Group Chairman Vincent Bollore for the fifth time in two years. It's another win on points, but it may not be the last in the franchise. More
Pharma and biotech specialist MattsonJack has appointed Thierry Devevey as Director, Europe, based in the group's Paris office. More
GfK's proposed 'merger of equals' with TNS could take place this year or early next, according to comments from CEO Klaus Wuebbenhorst at the German-based firm's AGM yesterday. Meanwhile shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour of converting GfK to a European 'SE' style company. More
MrWeb, the world's busiest daily news and jobs service for market researchers, has expanded with the appointment of Chris Jensen as Marketing Executive. Initially, his focus will be on building the site's Asian and US job listings, and its UK and international audience. More
Automotive specialist RL Polk & Co has extended the reach of its PolkInsight tool to Europe. The tool provides access to a wide range of European auto information for analysts and marketers working in the sector. 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
Ipsos North America has concluded the acquisition of media research specialist Monroe Mendelsohn Research (MMR), which it says will further strengthen its global media research team, particularly in the North American market. 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
WPP boss Sir Martin Sorrell has increased his offer for TNS from £948m to £996m (($1.9bn), but has been rejected for a second time by the market research group's Board. More
In France, information extraction software firm Qosmos has closed a third round of fundraising worth €7m (US$10.8m), led by venture capital firms Sofinnova Partners and Alven Capital, along with MR agency GfK. More
Greenfield Online, Inc. has reported first quarter results, with rapid revenue growth for its Comparison Shopping business (up 60.3% year-on-year to $10.8m) masking a 3% decline for its Internet survey solutions segment. Greenfield has also agreed in principle to settle a pending class action lawsuit regarding 'false and misleading' projections. More
Business information provider D&B last week reported results for the first quarter of 2008, ended March 31st. Revenue rose 8% on the year (excluding currency effects) to $414.7m, of which the Sales & Marketing Solutions division accounted for $109.7m, up 5%. More
GfK CEO Klaus Wübbenhorst has told employees of the German-based global agency that the proposed merger with TNS would mean more jobs, not fewer. Prof. Wübbenhorst said comments suggesting the contrary from WPP's Martin Sorrell were 'morally reprehensible'. More
European online MR agency MetrixLab increased revenues 76% to €14.5m in 2007 and is anticipating further growth to €19m in 2008 and €27m in 2009. To support this organic growth, the firm is planning to hire up to 40 new MR professionals this year, and expand with a US office in 2009. More
UK-based EPG Health Media has launched a new online panel of healthcare professionals in Europe, for regular participation in clinical and scientific surveys. The company also says it has 'ambitious plans to provide global reach'. More
Kantar-owned pharma and biotech research firm MattsonJack has formed a 'co-operative agreement' with LifeScience Consulting Group (LCG), based in Karlsruhe, Germany. LCG becomes the firm's associate partner conducting research in the German-speaking countries. More
WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell has said that he is surprised and disappointed by TNS' 'cavalier' rejection of his £1bn part-cash / part-share offer to purchase the firm. More
Harris Interactive has reported third quarter fiscal 2008 results showing consolidated revenue up 11% to $57.3m, with a very good performance from newly acquired companies in Asia, France, Canada and Germany. However, due to declines in the US and UK, consolidated pro forma organic revenue dropped 4%. More
US online measurement firm comScore has reported Q1 revenue of $26.4m, up 41% from $18.6m in Q1 2007. Pre-tax net income rose by 165% to $4.2m, net income by 64% to $2.5m and adjusted EBITDA by 104% to $5.6m. More
In the US, Survey Sampling International (SSI) has conducted a study to analyze the motivating psychological factors behind survey participation using a new principle called self-determination theory or SDT. More
In the US, an institutional investor has filed a law suit against ratings giant Arbitron, charging the firm with 'false and misleading statements' regarding the roll out of its Portable People Meter (PPM) service. More
RAND Europe has opened an office in Brussels to support the not-for-profit research organisation's growing portfolio of work with policy institutions in the city. Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau heads up the new office. More
UK-based panels firm Research Now is anticipating total revenue for the six months ending 30 April 2008 to exceed £18.5m versus £9.9m last year – a leap of 85%. Operating profit is expected be £2.3m, up from just £300,000 a year ago. 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
Last year saw a 3.5% increase in the number of focus groups and other qual market research interviews conducted worldwide, according to FocusVision's annual 'Focus Group Index'. The figure matches the previous year's growth. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has opened a new office in Stockholm, Sweden, as a hub for servicing its existing clients and developing new business in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. More
WPP has announced first quarter like-for-like revenue growth of just under 5%. Reported revenues were up 14.1% to £1.56bn for the group and up 11.3% to £227.1m for Kantar, the group's information, insight and consultancy arm. More
Online research software firm Confirmit has launched Confirmit Data Central; an enhanced tool which streamlines data processing functions. More
Indian company Satyam Computer Services has bought the market research and customer analytics operation of Caterpillar Inc. for $60m (c.£30.2m); and Belgium-based consulting firm S&V Management Consultants for $35.5m (£17.8m). 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
German ad metrics and testing firm MediaAnalyser has entered the US market by opening a New York office and clinching a deal to work exclusively with the magazine publisher Condé Nast. More
Online research software company Confirmit has delivered 76% first quarter revenue growth to $11.4m, up from $6.5m for Q1 last year. More
German-owned media content analysis firm iPharro Media has entered the US market with its online TV content detection service. The service enables media professionals and research agencies to monitor when a specific piece of content is aired on a particular TV channel. More
Finnish research agency Kuulas is to become a Millward Brown licensee. The new operation, known as Kuulas Millward Brown, will offer research solutions to clients in Finland and the Baltics. 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
Online measurement firm comScore has announced the availability of its Video Metrix service in four new markets: the UK, France, Germany and Canada – and has released some initial results. The service was launched in the US more than two years ago. 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
Nielsen Online has appointed four new senior members of staff in the UK to support its growth in EMEA markets. More
Vincent Bolloré, Chairman of communications group Havas, will make a fifth attempt to secure representation on the Board of Synovate's parent company Aegis, in which he is the biggest single shareholder. 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
For the year 2007, European panel and survey technology provider Toluna has reported sales growth of 49% to £12.5m, and pre-tax profits up by 42% to £3.2m. More
In the US, TNS Healthcare has introduced a new service to help pharmaceutical and biotech companies measure the effectiveness of their own and competitive sales calls. More
New-York headquartered online customer satisfaction specialist iPerceptions has opened a permanent office in central London to provide a 'gateway' for its services into the UK and the rest of Europe. More
California-based iSuppli, a provider of electronics industry intelligence, has acquired German market intelligence firm Wicht Technologie Consulting (WTC) for an undisclosed sum. 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
Online survey firm QuestBack AS Norway is launching a Canadian operation, QuestBack Canada Inc., led by John McTrusty as MD. More
Gallup has announced the official launch of its 'World Poll', an annual global survey of opinions and behaviours via interviews in 140 countries representing 95% of the world's adult population. The firm says it has has committed to conducting the study for the next 100 years. 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
Luc Rens, Research International's (RI) Regional Director of Qualitative Asia Pacific, has been given an expanded role as Lead Co-ordinator and Spokesperson for the firm's worldwide qualitative team. More
Harris Interactive has appointed Stephen Wallace as its new Chief Information Officer, responsible for infrastructure and information security. More
In the UK, B2B marketing and research firm Quadriga Consulting and MR agency Blauw Research have joined forces to offer a global research resource for IT and telecoms assignments. More
Ipsos has acquired agricultural and animal healthcare research firm Forward Research, and also created a joint venture to develop business management consulting in Indonesia. More
Media and market research groups Aegis and Cello, and global MR agency Ipsos have all beaten industry analyst predictions and recorded healthy profits for 2007. More
Ipsos is to acquire 100% of US-based Monroe Mendelsohn Research and its subsidiary Mendelsohn Media Research from current President and CEO Walter McCullough. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
In the US, Ford Motor has appointed Anne Bélec as Director of Global Marketing, responsible for marketing strategies and processes, brand positioning and consumer insights. 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
No evidence of an economic squeeze in today's financial news from online researcher BrainJuicer. Audited results for the year ended 31 December 2007 show organic revenue up 42% to £6.57m and operating profit up 77% to £844,000. More
M:Metrics has launched its M:Ad competitive tracking service for mobile advertising in the UK, four months after its successful rollout in the United States. The company says the service will be rolled out to the major European markets during 2008. 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
In the US, Gallup and healthcare support provider Healthways have forged a 25-year agreement to measure and track the well-being of communities and companies, as well as the effectiveness of programs implemented to improve health, well-being and productivity. More
Ipsos has appointed Research International South Africa's former CEO Cees Faber as Director of its marketing strategy in Central and Eastern Europe and Africa (CEEA). More
Online panel specialist Lightspeed Research has launched a new weekly omnibus to provide clients with fast access to consumer opinion across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. 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
Online panel community and survey technology provider Toluna has announced the launch of a Japanese panel community, currently at 25,000 active members and forecast to reach 40,000 by June 2008. More
MR software firm Voxco has concluded a partnership agreement with the French company Prylos, which develops mobile applications, giving it the ability to offer clients data collection via mobile phones worldwide. 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
Nielsen Online has appointed Rene Lamsfuss to the newly created role of Senior Director, Product & Methodology EMEA, where he will work alongside European industry bodies to tailor the firm's suite of Internet measurement technologies to the needs of the regional market. 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
Nielsen Online has signed a contract with a consortium of Bulgarian media companies to develop a common audience measurement currency in the country. 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
TNS has bought Stockholm-based financial services specialist Prospera Research, and says the buy will help it to further develop syndicated services for extension across the Nordic region and then elsewhere in Europe. 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
The management of Rotterdam-based Global Data Collection Company (GDCC) has established a majority shareholding in the company. The team increased its holding from 33 to 75% with an acquisition from BBI Group, for an undisclosed sum. More
Global b2b research specialist Kadence has reported revenue growth of 18% in 2007, reaching $9.3 million. The group says all its established international offices performed strongly while new locations were launched in Malaysia and Indonesia. More
Danish firm iMotions, whose Emotion Tool(TM) measures emotional response to visual stimuli, has partnered with Edinburgh-based user experience consultancy User Vision to launch its software in the UK. More
Just eight months after joining as Chief Operating Officer for Synovate in Southern Europe, Finn Raben has been promoted to CEO Southern Europe, responsible for France, Italy and Belgium. More
Aegis Media has launched Ævolve, a new unit bringing together the firm's forty data and insight specialists from the UK and Ireland. More
Research Process Outsourcing (RPO) firm Pulse Group has opened an office in London headed by Jonathan Sheldrake, who joins as Associate Director for Europe. More
WPP has launched a new research tool to evaluate sponsorship within the arts, music, film festivals, entertainment and sports markets. More
Greenfield Online has reported a net revenue increase of 30.2% to $38.4m for the fourth quarter of 2007 compared with $29.5m in the same period last year. Although the comparison shopping business grew faster, the firm's Internet Survey solutions segment recorded an impressive 19.2% rise to $26.7m. More
Synovate has announced the formal integration of its business in Belgium, combining research operations in Ghent with the local Synovate Censydiam practice in Antwerp. More
While Internet ratings firm comScore has posted a 39% increase in Q4 2007 revenue to $25.3m, its forecast of lower-than-expected profit for both Q1 and 2008 led to shares tumbling more than 11% in after-hours trading last night. More
US-based media research consultancy Interpret has opened an office in London and appointed Christina Costa as European Research Director. More
European panel and survey technology provider Toluna says it expects to report 2007 growth of more than 45% in both sales and operating profits. More
UK-based Holden Pearmain Research has opened an office in Geneva and appointed pharma research specialist Gavin Jelic-Masterton to lead it. More
German consultancy IFM International Sportanalysen GmbH (IFM) has acquired a majority stake in the UK's Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS). More
Research and predictive analytics software leader SPSS has debuted the latest version of its Dimensions(TM) software suite. Dimensions(TM) 5.0 promises to improve response rates, access to respondents, advanced survey creation and interactive results delivery. More
Harris Interactive has released results for its second quarter and first half of fiscal 2008, ending December 31. Acquisitions drove the overall Q2 revenue figure up 13% on the year, but pro forma organic revenue dropped 2%, mainly due to a 5% decline in North America. More
GfK has paid UBM, the former owner of NOP World, around 10 million Euros in an out of court settlement of a dispute arising following the 2005 acquisition. 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
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has appointed Marjon de Bruin as Director of European Client Services and Delivery, reporting to Suresh Subbiah, Vice President of Global Client Services and Delivery. More
London-based panels firm Research Now has ended the 2007 financial year with a 168% rise in revenue to £25.8m, and has doubled its organic revenue, now £19.2m. More
New Jersey-headquartered consulting and research firm Kline & Company has appointed Luca Raffellini as Director of Kline Europe, based in the firm's recently opened European headquarters in Oxford, UK. More
Media and marketing holding group Omnicom has launched a new BrandScience division to focus on the measurement of marketing and media effectiveness. More
Research International (RI) is continuing its leadership re-shuffle with the appointments of Kirk Ward to the newly created position of Global Product Development Leader, Andrew Wish to the new title of Worldwide Infrastructure and Operations Director and John McHarry to Chief Information Officer. More
CINT, the Swedish online sampling and panel management solutions firm, is to open its first overseas office in Atlanta, Georgia next week. More
Online research software firm Confirmit has posted a 68% increase in revenue for the final quarter of 2007, including 38% organic growth. The Q4 total of $12.8m includes $2.5m consolidated revenue from the acquisition of MR software firm Pulse Train. 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
In the UK, Maven Research has appointed Natalie Allen as Associate Director, and Ursula Oberembt and Benjamin Trump as Senior Research Executives. More
Information services provider The McGraw-Hill Companies has given details of restructuring carried out in the fourth quarter of 2007, with the loss of 600 jobs, c.3% of its workforce. Research company J.D. Power and Associates, a subsidiary, lost around the same proportion of its staff. More
Panels and online research firm Research Now is to open its third office in Germany on 1st March, in Munich, and has appointed Client Development Manager Oliver Tjarks to lead it. More
Sir Bernard Audley, whose UK-based company AGB Research became the world's second-largest market research firm behind AC Nielsen, has died at the age of 83. 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
In London, GfK Healthcare has appointed Dr Lolita Banerji as Associate Director in the International client team, while Julian Shepelev and Tega Gbenedio join as Research Manager and Research Executive in the Market Access team. 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
Pharma specialist Manhattan Research has rolled out the latest version of its 'Taking the Pulse Europe', a syndicated multi-client study and advisory service covering physicians in the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. More
Global marketing communications group Havas has signed an agreement with TNS Media Intelligence (TNSMI), ending its contract with Nielsen Monitor-Plus and making TNSMI its primary provider for competitive advertising intelligence. More
TNS says it expects revenue growth of more than 5% for 2007, based on strong performance in Europe and the Asia-Pacific regions. Also this week, TNS Media Intelligence has acquired Irish media analysis firm MediaMarket for an undisclosed sum. 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
European online data collection firm ODC Services has rolled out new panels in Austria, Poland and the Netherlands to meet the growing needs of its clients. 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
Greenfield Online-owned Ciao Surveys has hired Chris Watson as Senior Director, Client Development for the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands; and promoted Leslie Abell, Christophe Deguignet and Cedric Maury. More
Kantar-owned pharma and biotech research consultancy MattsonJack has appointed Dr Pierre Anhoury as Senior Vice President and Business Leader, to support the expansion of the firm's cancer and non-cancer qual and quant services in Europe. More
In the Philippines, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has dismissed the 'ratings cheat' case brought by television company ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp against ratings firm AGB Nielsen Media Research (AGB), citing the requirement for notice periods in the contract between the two companies. More
UK-based TMN Group plc, parent company of panel operator iDFactor and Internet specialist ICD Research, has made its first overseas acquisition, Dutch digital DM company TAPPS B.V., for up to £7.94m. More
Global pharma research firm IMS Health has announced plans to cut staff numbers by 10% during 2008 in an effort to save money and improve efficiency. More
Greenfield Online will be launching its Real-Time Sampling(TM) virtual panels in the UK and Canada later this month, and plans to launch in Germany and France in the first quarter. More
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has launched a new beta service to make it easier to locate relevant statistical data stored in its multiple databases. More
Recently launched online panel and community research consultancy Beehive Research has appointed former Confirmit Senior Solutions Consultant Rune Wennesland as Head of Operations. More
Synovate Belgium MD Hans Raemdonck has taken up the new post of Global Head of Decision Systems, overseeing the firm's international team of statisticians, data analysis executives and research consultants. More
Norwegian investment group Altaria Private Equity has purchased 93% of the shares of fieldwork group Norstat, reports Scandinavian research site SMRN. Altaria aims to buy the remainder and take the company private – it is currently listed on the Oslo stock exchange. 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
Pharmaceutical and healthcare insight firm Decision Resources, Inc. has acquired Arlington Medical Resources, Inc. (AMR), a provider of market intelligence for the pharma and diagnostic imaging industries. More
Research Now has added three more online panels to its global offer – in Mexico, Chile and Argentina. The firm already operates panels in the US, Canada and Brazil, as well as Europe and Australia. 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
Filipino broadcasting firm ABS-CBN has filed a lawsuit against AGB Nielsen Media Research Philippines for gathering and releasing what the firm describes as 'erroneous' TV ratings data, following the 'bribing' of respondents by one of its competitors. More
The MrWeb site has had its first major overhaul and redesign in several years, including a new logo and frame-free html. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has promoted Debi Hart to VP Global Panel Solutions based in the Netherlands, and Jackie Lorch to VP Global Knowledge Management, working in the firm's headquarters in Fairfield Connecticut. More
Ipsos France has announced that its Joint MDs Pierre Giacometti and Stéphane Truchi are about to leave the group. Giacometti says 'strategic differences' with Co-Presidents Didier Truchot and Jean-Marc Lech will mean a quick exit. More
Canadian online panel firm Vision Critical has expanded into the European market with the opening of an office in central London. The firm has also launched the latest release of its survey authoring, support, panel management and reporting and analysis system, Panel+. 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
Sampling solutions provider Survey Sampling International (SSI) has appointed three new VPs to strengthen its global operations. Kim Giangrande will manage Global HR; Suresh Subbiah, Global Client Services and Delivery; and Harold Kelley, Global Marketing. More
US translation and transcription technology firm Language Logic is to integrate the Verbatim Coding System (VCS) and text categorisation software developed by Italian body ISTI into its own verbatim management system, Ascribe(TM). More
Online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now is aiming to raise £7m by placing 2.33 million shares with institutional investors. 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
SPSS has announced an agreement with recently acquired business intelligence (BI) solutions Business Objects, which will offer customers the use of SPSS predictive analytics data mining technology as part of its BusinessObjects XI platform. More
WPP's insight division the Kantar Group is restructuring its media businesses, in response to 'a rapidly changing media environment'. A newly formed Kantar Media Research (KMR) unit will bring together the media audience measurement assets and talent from across Kantar. More
Global group Ipsos has bought a controlling share of India's Indica Research and acquired advertising, marketing and CRM specialist ResearchPartner in Norway. More
In Australia, following a three-month review of how online audiences should be measured, the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) has announced that a panel-based methodology should become the industry standard. Nielsen Online has branded the decision 'a step backwards'. More
The European Union's Article 29 Working Party, which examines data protection issues, is to investigate privacy concerns connected with targeted online advertising. More
French audience measurement firm Mediametrie is planning to capture data tracking consumers' complete media usage habits in early 2008, and use portable tracking devices by 2011. More
European fieldwork specialist EMS Research has upgraded its German operation in Berlin with the launch of two new research studios, and a major extension of its European CATI centre. More
UK-based Vox Pops International has launched its own Internet TV service, with access to an archive of filmed consumer interviews; and a youth service comprising video interviews conducted with 15-21 year-olds across China, Germany, Mexico, India, Russia and the USA. More
European panel and survey technology provider Toluna has announced an exclusive cooperation agreement with b2b information provider Incisive Media Limited, to build panels across the latter's vertical markets including financial and professional services. 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
Recently acquired business intelligence (BI) provider Business Objects has launched Edge Planning, a planning, budgeting, and forecasting solution specifically for the mid-market. 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
Online panel provider Lightspeed Research has strengthened its UK team with the appointment of Anna Morgan, Donna Franklin and Eunice Vicente. 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
Software giant Oracle has launched a 'Data Masking Pack', to help organisations who share information with researchers and others, to hide confidential or sensitive data. 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
Online research software firm Confirmit has announced the release of its Confirmit 12 product, which includes what it calls 'the world's first engine for concurrent sampling'. More
European online MR agency MetrixLab has appointed Sam Latifi to head up its Automotive Business Development and New Product Development team. 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
Greenfield Online has reported a 29.9% Q3 net revenue hike to $32.3m, and a 25.4% climb in profits. The firm's Chairman Peter Sobiloff will step down at the end of the year to be replaced by Joel Mesznik, who has served as a Board member since 1999. 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
Harris Interactive has reported fiscal first-quarter revenue up 17% to $55.2m, mostly due to the inclusion of $6.1m from acquisitions made earlier in the year. Organic growth year-on-year was 4%. More
Microsoft has begun beta testing its new Google Analytics competitor, intended to offer web publishers and adCenter advertisers advanced tools for measuring how people found their sites, and their behaviour once there. 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
Online measurement firm comScore has reported a 39% increase in revenue to $22.4m for the quarter ended 30 September 2007. This compares with an increase of 8% for the second quarter of the year. More
TNS has announced a global quality programme for its panels, Six Degrees of Online Quality - to begin next year. More
Technology consultancy Gartner, Inc. has reported results for the third quarter, with rapid growth in its Research business segment. The segment represents almost two thirds of its revenue and in Q3 saw contract value rise 18% year-on-year to a record $704.7m, following investment in its sales force. More
Global agency Fieldwork International Healthcare has launched an online panel in Japan, providing access to more than 150,000 physicians. More
Two European online ad bodies, IAB Europe and the EIAA, are to collaborate to develop 'standard, comprehensive international definitions' for interactive audience measurement. The standards will cover site-centric, user-centric and combined measurement systems. More
Research agencies NPD, IRI and IMS have linked up to launch a twice-yearly study of the French beauty products market. More
European-based panels firm Toluna has launched what it calls 'the world's first Web 2.0 online panel community'. The new 'widget' format system, available initially to UK panellists, enables them to conduct their own research including polls, opinion reviews and debates. More
Paris-based software firm Askia has released a new product, askiasurf, which aims to save researchers 'hundreds of hours of data processing work' on trackers and other multi-wave surveys, thereby cutting costs and reducing human error. More
European-based online panel provider ToLuna has hired Lowell Ricklefs as Group Chief Operating Officer, to assist the firm with it's global ambitions. More
IT and BPO outsourcing firm Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation is to acquire NJ-based Life Sciences analytics firm marketRx, Inc., for c.$135m in cash. 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
WPP has reported third quarter revenues up 4.9% to £1.48 billion – a rise of 8.1% in constant currencies. The Information, Insight and Consultancy division underperformed the group as a whole but grew a respectable 4.8% at constant currencies, to £218.5m. More
In the third quarter of the year, MR software firm Confirmit has increased its revenue by 82% to $8.9m, while operating profits were $833,000, 50% higher than in Q3 2006. More
Marketing intelligence firm Xtract has appointed former Microsoft Finland MD Martti Mehtälä as Chair of its Board of Directors. Alan Moore from SMLXL and Canadian management advisor William Greenberg also become members of the Board. More
TNS has announced two global leadership appointments. Leendert de Voogd is promoted to Global Sector Head, Political and Social, replacing Marita Carballo who leaves to pursue 'academic and other interests'; while former Dell man Renaud Collery is appointed as Head of Global Operations. More
B2b specialist Kadence has made ten new appointments, reflecting significant business growth across its worldwide operations. Two people join the firm's UK headquarters in London and eight more are added to offices in Boston, Malaysia and India. More
Synovate has announced three key promotions to leadership positions in its Global Qualitative function. Steve Hales becomes Head of Clients; Sue Phillips Training and Development Director; and Steve Wolf, Commercial Director. More
Software developer Noldus Information Technology has launched FaceReader(TM), a product billed as 'the first automated software system capable of automatically detecting and analyzing human facial expressions'. More
In the US, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has announced the release of final guidelines for ad impression measurement in Rich Internet Application (RIA) environments. It also published a report on the state of in-game advertising. 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
Business software giant SAP AG is to acquire French-based Business Objects S.A. in a cash and shares transaction totalling just over €4.8 billion. The deal includes €42.00 in cash per ordinary share. 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 Healthcare has launched a new syndicated service which it says will provide clients with a holistic view of pharma companies' relationships with their key stakeholders. More
Swiss GfK subsidiary IHA-GfK has acquired market research and management consultancy CFI Trustmark. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Synovate Censydiam co-founder and former CEO Jan Callebaut has left his part-time consultancy post with Synovate after just four months. More
Mike Page, who left his role as Synovate's Director of Operations for Western Europe last year, is about to re-launch his firm Cognicient in New York. More
After 11 years in the UK, former Nielsen//NetRatings marcoms and PR specialist Andreas Gutjahr has returned to Germany to head the new consultancy division of research communications agency Faktenkontor. 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
The biggest challenges faced by data miners are dirty data, data access, and explaining data mining to others, according to a survey of more than two hundred professionals worldwide, by Rexer Analytics. 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
Consumer psychology research specialist Synovate Censydiam has developed a suite of interactive tools. They include a panel of respondents with shared contextual motivations, and a tool for conducting pre-field interactive chat sessions. More
The Gfk Group has acquired ad campaign research firm Daphne Communication Management in the Netherlands and mystery shopping specialist SATISTEME in France. More
In Germany, defacto Research has hired Thomas Plennert as Research Consultant. He previously worked clientside at art supplies firm Faber Castell, and before this at home electronics manufacturer Grundig Intermedia. 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
UK researchers scooped four of the five ESOMAR annual excellence awards presented at the final session of the association's 60th Congress in Berlin, with David Smith of DVL Smith Group taking home the top John Downham Award and a prize of €10,000. More
Researchers worldwide expect another year of increased use of online data providers and access panels, according to the Online Research Barometer conducted by Greenfield Online and Ciao Surveys. The firms also highlight the healthy state of the b2b research market. More
At the second day of the ESOMAR Congress in Berlin, two UK research veterans talked about the changing skill sets and training needs of research professionals. David Smith predicted a boom in online learning; while Phyllis MacFarlane gave some ideas about new ways of training graduates. More
Ipsos has acquired a 70% stake in Markinor, South Africa's leading independent MR firm, and has confirmed its excellent first half results previewed on August 16th. More
Mobile comms giant Nokia has announced an agreement to acquire Enpocket, a specialist in mobile advertising solutions whose services include measurement and optimisation of campaigns. More
Deniz Ozerdil, formerly of GfK Turkey, has resigned and set up her own agency, Istanbul Research. The firm will focus on offering local field and tab services for international clients. More
Ziment has announced the worldwide launch of 'Benchmark Discrete Choice', its system for determining the market potential of pharmaceuticals compounds in early- and late-stage development. 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
Online specialist Toluna has launched the latest version of its online panel community management solution, PanelPortal, which 'for the first time' offers marketing and MR professionals 'an end to end online data collection solution'. More
The 60th ESOMAR Congress has kicked off at the Intercontinental Hotel in Berlin, offering an astonishing variety of fare including a children's choir, researchers both navel- and future-gazing, a very tall and celebrated film director, and three Scottish ladies on MR's contribution to the 'joy' of 'doing it with the lights on'. More
French business intelligence software maker Business Objects SA has announced 'Information OnDemand' an online store for 'easy-to-analyze external market information'. Meanwhile French newspaper Le Figaro says the company is seeking a buyer. More
TNS has unveiled BriefScape, a research product for the early stages of brand communications development. The global agency says its range of offerings in the area now constitute 'a research solution for the complete brand communications lifecycle'. More
Papers at today's ESOMAR Congress looked at 60 years of the development of research within electronics manfacturer Philips; and at the successful repositioning of the sagging SlimFast brand. More
In the UK, holding company Optimisa has launched a cash offer for marketing services group EQ worth £6.4 million. More
Dutch online reporting specialist Intellex Datamanagement has appointed Tariq Mirza to lead its business development in the UK, as he returns to the industry after a year out. More
Global fieldwork agency Fieldwork International Healthcare has opened a new office in Paris to house its qualitative unit. Anne Peyretout has been appointed as Senior Project Manager in charge of the new division. More
UK-based online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has developed a standard toolkit for quick and easy Flash survey enhancements. 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
European online panel provider ToLuna has posted first half year organic revenue of £6 million, up from £3.6 million in the first half of 2006. More
European agency SKOPOS Market Insight has seen its turnover increase by 72% in the first half of 2007. The company says an extended high-end analysis offer, including the launch of 'Ultra-Analysis' and a new Kwal(TM) department, has contributed. More
MR software firm Confirmit will be releasing its new Confirmit 12 On-demand / Software-as-a Service (SaaS) upgraded products on November 3. The release promises improved methods for data collection, processing and reporting. More
Web-based US consumer researcher BuzzBack has opened in Europe, appointing Martin Oxley, formerly of Ipsos and TNS, as Managing Director for the region. More
Business intelligence software provider Business Objects is to acquire German-based data quality firm FUZZY! Informatik. The firms say the combination will offer clients a 'best of breed solution' to applying data quality processes to customers, products or region-specific data. 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
Synovate parent, The Aegis Group has posted an 8.7% increase in first-half pre-tax profits, while confirming that Synovate continues to outperform expectations, having grown almost twice as fast as its market. More
US-headquartered online and mobile research technology specialist Invoke Solutions has opened a London office to serve its clients in the UK and throughout Europe. More
Software and panels provider GMI has partnered with Amsterdam-based MR firm DervalResearch to launch SLIC (Second Life Interview Corner), claiming to provide a new perspective on conducting one-to-one research interviews in a virtual environment. More
Harris Interactive has announced the rebranding of its German and French subsidiaries, MediaTransfer and Novatris, as of September 1 – both will now operate under the Harris Interactive name. More
Less than a month after leaving Synovate, Dr Nicos Rossides has joined London-based MASMI as Partner and Group CEO based in Cyprus, while bringing former Synovate colleagues Savvas Kyriakides and Andreas Christopoulos with him. More
Database giant Experian has launched a new global image and identity which includes a re-vamped logo and tagline. The firm has also appointed Tony Pullen as Managing Director of its Business Information Division in Nottingham, UK. More
Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) has appointed former NPD Senior VP Operations Jean Marie Davis as Vice President – Global Integration, based in the firm's New York office. More
Marketing services group Omnicom has acquired majority ownership of Consultech, a healthcare market research, marcoms and strategic planning consultancy based in China. 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
Kraft Foods European Analytics Director Tom Lloyd has left to found what he describes as 'a new type of analytical consultancy' to help clients gain maximum value from the data they already buy. More
Nielsen has announced it will shortly begin the syndicated measurement of professional healthcare web sites. The research giant says the move will create a new standard for measuring healthcare professionals' activity on the Internet. More
Digital marketing solutions firm ADTECH – whose Helios IQ software enables web publishers to evaluate online advertising campaigns – has appointed Lawrence Chmara as Sales Manager for the UK and Ireland. More
Measurement firm comScore has been suspended from online privacy organisation TRUSTe's Trusted Download Program (TDP), after a comScore distributor broke its rules on getting user consent for downloads. More
Massachusetts-based search engine firm Northern Light has launched an IT analyst research solution called Analyst Direct to help technology marketers search reports from multiple research firms simultaneously. 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
In London, Ipsos MORI has hired Sarah Phillips to lead its healthcare division. She joins from Research International where she was European Healthcare Director and a Board Director; and worked previously at Harris Interactive. 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
Harris Interactive has announced results for the fourth quarter and its full fiscal year 2007, ending 30th June. Fourth quarter revenue declined to $57.1m – down 3% from the same period a year ago – and full year revenue was $211.8m, similar to figures a year ago and well down on forecasts made then, of $230-240m. 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
comScore has updated its qSearch analytics suite to encompass market share measurement of the five major US search engines; the top 50 most trafficked properties where search activity is observed; and vertical search locations such as eBay, Amazon and Expedia. 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
As promised to shareholders in July, panels firm Research Now has appointed a CFO, Nathan Runnicles – he will join the Board on 19th November 2007. 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
Online research is cheaper but more profitable, says WPP, and that's why its research division's revenues are stagnant while its margins are buoyant. The Group's information, insight and consultancy firms saw organic growth of only 1.3% in Q2, but gross margin improved 5.9%. 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
US-based Phoenix Marketing International has hired pharmaceutical research veteran David Luery as Executive VP and MD of its international healthcare division. 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
London-based SKOPOS Market Insight has hired Andy Gallacher as Head of Insight Consulting to grow the firm's marketing consultancy practice and add new areas of expertise to the senior management team. 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
In the UK, Guardian News & Media has bought public sector research, publishing and event services company Kable and will add it to its Guardian Professional division. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. More
Synovate has announced the departure of its CEO for Central / Eastern Europe and the Middle East (CEEME), Nicos Rossides, after 25 years with the company and its predecessors. His replacement is Kurt Thompson, previously MD of Synovate Korea. More
Mark Cranmer, who replaced Roger Banks as Global CEO of Research International only last year, will himself be leaving the post by the end of 2007. Bob Meyers, currently completing his term as CEO of Millward Brown, will replace him. More
The Nielsen Company has launched NielsenHealth, offering clients 'consumer centric' analytical tools to more effectively understand and address the attitudes, behaviors and needs of patients and physicians. Matthew Dumas becomes its MD. More
Private equity firm SV Investment Partners has acquired FocusVision Worldwide, Inc., which provides video transmission and digital recording technologies for the qualitative MR industry. SV's partners include former NOP boss William 'Jay' Wilson. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. More
Lightspeed Research has announced the launch of a new GB Sports Panel. The panel pre-identifies consumers on the basis of sports watched and participated in. More
IMS Health has named Kevin Knightly in the new role of Senior VP, Business Line Management, and promoted Adel Al-Saleh to replace him as President, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). More
The world's pharmaceutical companies have been hiring market researchers at a rapid rate in the last year, according to a report from sector specialist Cutting Edge Information. Overall MR headcount is reportedly up an average of 21%. 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
Ciao Surveys has promoted Richard Thornton, currently VP Client Development Europe, to manage the whole of its European sales operation as Head of Client Development. 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
Greenfield Online, through its subsidiary Ciao, has expanded its presence in the Asia Pacific region by adding Greenfield-Ciao in Shanghai to existing offices in Sydney, Australia and Gurgaon, India. More
Automotive research specialist R.L. Polk has agreed to acquire a majority interest in ROADTODATA, a supplier of real-time automotive price and specifications data with operations in Europe, South America and Australia. More
Synovate Healthcare has opened an office in Istanbul, its first in Turkey, with a dedicated team offering Turkish clients both ad hoc and syndicated research services. More
Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) has launched a global division that will focus on research using client supplied or specialist sample data. More
YouGov has announced its first acquisition in Europe, conditionally agreeing to buy German-based consultancy psychonomics AG for an initial consideration of €20.75m (c.£14m) and a maximum consideration of €23.75m (c.£16m). 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
Kantar, WPP's Information, Insight and Consultancy division, has appointed leading design consultant Aziz Cami as its first Creative Director. He takes up the position next week. 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
Swiss digital MR firm ArgYou AG has partnered with German-based TNS Infratest to promote its ArgYou tool, which allows clients to align the content of their web sites with the search terms most frequently used by potential clients. More
American Matthew Fagan, accused of killing Research Now Finance Manager Cathy Marlow, pleaded not guilty to the murder at the Old Bailey in London on Friday. His trial will now commence in the last week of February next year. 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
Google yesterday reported a 58% year-on-year increase in Q2 revenue, but a decline in profits saw its share price fall more than 6.5% in the day. Recent comScore figures for search engine share show a rare dimple in the market leader's long-term growth, with Microsoft the main beneficiary. More
Pharmaceutical and healthcare intelligence giant IMS Health continues its recent growth, today announcing second-quarter revenue up 11% on the year (8% at constant currencies) to $537.5m. More
Synovate is restructuring its Asian business with future growth in mind. To support the changes, in August the firm will be making a number of senior promotions in China, North Asia, South Asia and Korea. More
In the US, marketing solutions firm Questus has hired Peter Sorgenfrei as Director of Research Strategy. More
MR software and panels firm GMI (Global Market Insite) has appointed Matt Shepherd as Managing Director of UK Sales based at its EMEA headquarters in London. More
Pharmaceutical companies have decreased their US MR budgets by an average of 22.7% since last year, but increased them elsewhere in the world, according to a new study by Cutting Edge Information. More
A Netherlands-based firm whose developers hit the headlines recently for a scientific analysis of the Mona Lisa's smile, is hoping to add to the toolbox of consumer researchers. Visual Recognition's software 'recognises' facial expressions to gauge the real feelings behind respondent comments. 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
Synovate owner Aegis Group plc has appointed Chantal Restivo-Alessi, formerly of EMI, as Head of Strategy and Corporate Development. More
MR software companies Confirmit and Pulse Train have completed their previously announced merger and announced increased revenue of 34% and pre tax profit of 65% for the second quarter 2007. More
Harris Interactive has hired former MD of Ipsos Russia & Ipsos Ukraine, Jeff Stewart, to head its global account development strategy for both the US and European account teams. More
Netherlands-based Blauw Research yesterday held a party in the firm's private members club in The Strand, officially opening its central London office. More
NetRatings has announced the addition of 'Total Minutes' and 'Total Sessions' metrics to its syndicated audience measurement service NetView, in line with changing attitudes to what constitutes a successful web site. 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 fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has reported a pre-tax loss of £235,000 in the first half of its financial year, but also a strong start to the second half with record sales in May and June. More
In Sydney, GfK has announced that it has promoted Neville Ray to the position of Senior Account Director covering consumer electronics, imaging and telecoms accounts. Meanwhile GfK-Nürnberg's Dr Raimund Wildner has been named the German MR Personality of the Year. More
Synovate Healthcare has launched an online Psychoses Therapy Monitor, its first venture into coverage of psychiatric treatment. Initial waves in the five biggest European economies will be followed by a US launch soon. More
GfK NOP has launched a new brand, 'beyond', in response to client calls for greater ROI from insight. 'beyond' aims to use the experience of people who have 'been there and done it as clients' to ensure research is turned into actionable solutions. More
Research Now has seen its share price plummet by around half in the space of two days, after a profits warning with the identification of further unrecorded costs of £0.6m in the first half of the year. 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
Panels provider Research Now has launched a multi-country online qual focus group facility, offering clients online groups in a chat-room-style environment similar to that seen in online communication tools such as MSN Messenger and Skype. More
Database giant infoUSA has entered an agreement to acquire customised business research and competitive analysis firm, Guideline in a $41.6 million deal. The transaction is likely to contribute to earnings in 2007 and is expected to be completed by the third quarter. 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
Reuters has announced plans to buy London-based Feri Fund Market Information (FERI FMI) and its German fund database unit FI Datenservice (FID) from Feri Rating and Research. The terms of the transaction have not been 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
Harris Interactive has introduced GlobalSynch(SM), an integrated, web-based platform giving fast and easy real-time access to research data collected anywhere via any method. More
French multi-millionaire investor Vincent Bolloré has told the UK's Financial Times he is looking at increasing his investments in the market research sector. More
Global spend on business information will grow at 5.8% a year to around $111bn in 2011 from $83.5bn in 2006, according to research by PricewaterhouseCoopers. More
Synovate has appointed Marina Navarro as Head of Qualitative in Madrid – the latest in a string of senior hires in Europe and the Middle East. More
EUREKA, the pan-European network for encouraging market-led, collaborative research and development projects, will hand over its chairmanship from Italy to Slovenia in July. More
Online analytics firm WebTrends is buying Stockholm-based web analytics services firm Webcontrol in a move which the firm says will help it establish a Nordic hub and centre of excellence. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
Ciao Surveys has announced the launch of two rapid response products within its Express-It! Suite – the Express Incidence Checker and the Express Poll. 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
Advertising industry pioneers George Wiedemann and Kenneth Lomasney have established Wiedemann & Lomasney (W&L), a holding company aimed at creating a 'customer centric marketing services firm'. The partners plan to announce a first buy before the end of the month. More
WPP's online panel provider Lightspeed Research has appointed Olaf Siemen as Account Director for Germany, working from the Hamburg office. More
MR firm Synovate has appointed Thierry Pailleux and Georges Guelfand as co-Managing Directors of Synovate France. The firm aims to become as 'powerful in the French research sector as its sister [company] Carat is in French media.' More
Online panels and fieldwork firm Research Now has appointed Falk Rehkopf, previously of SPSS and Forrester, as Head of Client Development in The Netherlands. More
Google has cut the length of time it keeps users' personal search data from '18-24 months' to a maximum of 18 months, following questioning by European Union data protection officials. The firm says the limit balances privacy with considerations of 'security, innovation and compliance'. More
Having announced its plans to go public earlier in the year, online audience measurement firm comScore has now confirmed its initial public offering of 5 million shares valued at an estimated price of between $14 and $16 per share. More
Database company and ORC owner InfoUSA has survived an attempt to unseat three of its directors at last week's AGM; but continues to attract heated criticism from minor shareholders including Dolphin Limited Partnership and Cardinal Capital, who last month filed a mismanagement lawsuit. 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
The CMO Council, a California-based association of senior marketing professionals, has signalled an intention to expand its activities in Europe by partnering with German marcoms agency, Matchcode. More
A study sponsored by the Web Analytics Association (WAA) suggests that in most organisations (82% of those polled) the subject is poorly understood, and those who interact with web data do not understand what the data actually means. 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
Ipsos has appointed former AOL Time Warner HR professional, Lisiane Droal as Global HR Executive VP, and former ACNielsen Executive Tom Markert as CEO for Ipsos Loyalty. 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 announced the appointment of Finn Raben as COO for Southern Europe, based in the Paris office. 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
US professional body MRA (Marketing Research Association) has launched an online rating system, the Exchange Evaluation Program (EEP), allowing researchers and client companies to rate their experiences with suppliers, products and services. 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
Synovate has appointed former Research International qual researcher, Rossana Dell'Isola, as MD Qualitative, Italy and as a member of its Global Qualitative Leadership team. More
Euroean-based online panel provider Toluna has announced the launch of its 15,000 strong Chinese panel community. More
Aegis investors today rejected Vincent Bolloré's fourth attempt to seek representation on the firm's board, as the group reported first quarter 2007 revenues up 4.6% (10.8% at constant currencies), led by market research arm Synovate. 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
MR software companies Confirmit and Pulse Train are to consolidate their businesses and product portfolios. 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 Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) will work to 'educate' the marketplace about the different ways of measuring web site traffic, the body revealed this week. The commitment was made as NetRatings and comScore both agreed to audit timetables at their recent closed doors meeting. More
Pharma research firm Decision Resources has announced that Providence Equity Partners has acquired majority control in the company. The firm says it will use the cash to fund its growth. More
A month after Google bought DoubleClick for $3.1 billion, Microsoft's plans to acquire Internet ad agency aQuantive for $6 billion will provide its Ad Center clients with insight on which ads and keywords are most profitable. More
LRA Worldwide, a customer experience management firm which conducts mystery shopping exercises in the hospitality sector, has promoted seven staff to the post of Senior Consultant or Account Manager. 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
European-based online panel provider ToLuna, which last month announced it had trebled its revenue and profit, is to launch a panel in Brazil. 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
London-based academic and business publishing and events group, Informa, has agreed to buy rival market intelligence firm Datamonitor in a £502 million ($993 million) cash deal. More
Online audience measurement firm Hitwise has launched a new service, Hitwise To Go, an RSS-based service providing updates on online consumer activity and statistics. The firm say the key audiences are journalists and academics. 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
Havas Chairman Vincent Bollore has taken a break from rocking boats at regular Aegis shareholder meetings to provide one for newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The right wing leader is celebrating his win with several days in the Med on the investor's 200-foot yacht. More
The UK's Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is to partner with MR consultancy Wine Intelligence, to offer members a free quarterly consumer insight report based on monthly online surveys. More
Nielsen//NetRatings has launched a new syndicated measurement service dubbed VideoCensus, which combines panel and census methodologies to gauge audience size, demographic composition, engagement and competitive activity for video content. More
The man accused of murdering Research Now Finance Manager Cathy Marlow appeared briefly today at London's Old Bailey. US citizen Matthew Fagan entered a plea, the case for which will be heard on June 29th. One count of burglary was added to the murder charge. More
Harris Interactive CEO Greg Novak has apologised to shareholders as the company reduced its earnings projections and reported a mere 1% rise in Q3 revenue totals. However, he told DRNO this afternoon that 'Our strategy is working' and outlined the well-targeted acquisitions he believes will help. More
Online panels firm Research Now has made an interim financial statement reporting sales growth on target. Operating profit missed its target due specifically to the £500,000 cost of relocating after the murder in January of Finance Manager Cathy Marlow. More
Offshore MR services agency Markelytics has announced plans for expansion into Europe. Former ESOMAR and Nestle research chief Fredrik Nauckhoff joins to lead the expansion as Head of Sales in France. More
The Nielsen Company is to acquire the remainder of word-of-mouth media tracking agency BuzzMetrics, of which it already owns 58%. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. More
After a 13 year career with ACNielsen, Robert Tomei has joined TNS as Global Head of Access Panels to establish, lead and deliver a growth strategy for the firm's global access panel business, 6thdimension(TM). More
Global news and information company Reuters has enhanced its machine-readable news service to include analysis of news sentiment, driven by linguistics software created by text analytics firm, Corpora. More
Panels and MR software firm, GMI, has made nine appointments including two senior hires - Daniel Fitzgerald as MD Sales, Central USA, and Christopher Spaniac as VP of Tax, both based in Seattle. More
Specialist MR recruiter RPCushing Recruitment has announced the rapid expansion of its team with eleven appointments in the past two months. The hires cover marketing communications, PR and business development sectors, and strengthen the support team. More
Swedish eye tracking firm Tobii Technology has launched a new analysis tool, Tobii Studio(TM), to collect and analyse 'gaze' data. More
Information Services Group (ISG), the acquisition firm chaired by former VNU man Michael Connors, is to buy outsourcing advisory firm TPI for $280m in cash. As part of the agreement, TPI's management team will invest 30% of the proceeds in ISG stock. More
UK recruitment consultant pricejamieson is to be acquired by Boston-based Aquent. The combined firm will be a global force in the marketing and communications staffing arena and plans to grow its already substantial MR division. 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
German-owned online survey software firm, Globalpark, has hired Dan Coates to oversee its North American development, with a remit to generate sales, extend local support and promote the brand throughout the US market. More
US trade association the Interactive Advertising Bureau has sent an open letter to two of the major Internet audience measurement firms, comScore and Nielsen//NetRatings, asking them to submit to a third-party audit of their measurement processes by the MRC. 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
Marketing giant WPP has reported first quarter revenue growth of 4.3% on a like-for-like basis, excluding acquisitions and currency. Due to an 11% decline in the US dollar against sterling, group revenue fell 0.7% to £1.366bn and that for the Information, Insight & Consultancy division fell c.5% to £204m. 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
Arbitron, Confirmit and IMS Health have all reported buoyant first quarters, with revenues up 7.9%, 14% and 35% respectively. More
Synovate has agreed a worldwide partnership with GMI giving the former access to over six million panellists across the globe. The move reflects changing attitudes to panel 'ownership' according to Synovate Global CEO Adrian Chedore. More
New York-based competitor intelligence (CI) firm, Sedulo Group, has acquired two CI and MR firms – Sharp & Associates in Shanghai and Perspicacite de Strategie in Paris. The move will more than triple the size of Sedulo's consulting offer. 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
Online researcher Invoke Solutions has hired Josh Mendelsohn as its new Director of Marketing. He joins from Chadwick Martin Bailey, and takes over from Joanne Manley who moves to manage the company's Europe's strategic alliances in London. More
Synovate has appointed Mark Berry as Executive Vice President of its Consumer and Business Insights unit in the US. More
Alex Vayslep has rejoined Maritz Research as VP Technology/ Telecomunications Sector, having led the agency's Telecom Research Group sales and operations during the 1990s. More
Following its £12m flotation in December, online MR agency BrainJuicer has leapt into the black, listing a post-tax profit of £291,000, up from a £38,000 loss a year previously. 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
Harris Interactive has revised its forecasts for the second half of the year following sales bookings around $8m lower than expected in the third quarter of its financial year. The firm also chose today to announce a new loyalty tool, the Commitment Model. More
US Internet ratings provider comScore has moved its European HQ to larger London premises, opened a marketing suite in Paris and announced the latest worldwide rankings from its World Metrix service. More
Retail and consumer information firm, NPD Group, has bought TNS's foodservice tracking businesses in the UK and Spain, and integrated them into its CREST® food purchase information service. More
For the third time in ten months, shareholders of Aegis plc voted decisively at today's EGM in London to reject the appointment to the board of two directors nominated by Group Bollore. 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
Greenfield Online, Inc. and Frost & Sullivan have announced a partnership to create a new business-to-business panel. Respondents will be offered access to the latter's research reports as an incentive for sharing their own business expertise. 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
Harris Interactive has bought Hamburg-based online FMCG MR firm, MediaTransfer AG Netresearch & Consulting, for a cash price of EUR 9 million (c.$12 million). 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
Online panel provider ToLuna has announced full year results ahead of market expectations. Pretax profit for the year to 31st December 2006 is up 220% from £0.7m to £2.2m, while revenue grew 180% versus pro forma figures for 2005, to £8.4m. More
WPP-owned online panel provider Lightspeed Research has acquired global employee research firm, Foresight International, for an undisclosed sum. 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
Panel and software provider, GMI (Global Market Insite), has increased the size of its panels in China by 65% and in India more than fivefold. Meanwhile senior Board member Larry Schack has left the company and the west coast, reportedly to work for his previous employer, PSB. More
Global group Ipsos has published results for the full year 2006 showing organic growth of 6.5%, above the industry average but below its own high expectations. Revenue increased 19.4% to Euros 857.3m, with the majority of the rise due to acquisitions. 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
Research Now has extended it online fieldwork service OmniTaxi(TM) to the Scandinavian market. The Research Now Nordic OmniTaxi can be hailed in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland and promises a faster and more flexible alternative to traditional omnibus. More
The latest Financial Times/Harris Poll suggests that in four of the five largest European countries, pluralities of adults believe life is worse since they joined the European Union (EU) - the exception is Spain. The poll also records dim views of the Euro and its impact on economies. More
Boston-based Strategy Analytics has organised its services for suppliers in the key markets surrounding new media convergence into five syndicated research programs, some new and some rebranded and/or restructured. 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
Aegis Group Plc has announced strong results for 2006, including rapid organic and other growth for its MR arm Synovate which grew its share of Aegis' total revenue from 38 to 40%. Synovate revenues were £401.2m and operating profit £30.8m, both up more than 20%. Group CFO Jeremy Hicks is leaving on this high note, to be replaced by Alicja Lesniak. More
Internet audience measurement provider, comScore Media Metrix, has designed a new set of metrics to measure the frequency with which a person views web content. The launch of 'visits' comes as reliance on page view stats declines among Internet properties and advertisers. More
In an exclusive interview with DRNO, Mike Connors admits the quarter billion dollars raised last month for his new acquisition company is 'burning a hole in our pockets' and that ISG will base its strategy on buying one information services firm worth $200-700m, within eighteen months tops. More
Technology specialist IDC has appointed Roberta Bigliani as EMEA Research Director of its Energy Insights company. Her role covers European research-based advisory and consulting services for both utilities and oil & gas segments. 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
Technology analyst Forrester Research Inc. will rewrite its old accounts, as it continues to put its own house in order following its discovery of financial irregularities in December. This week, it also released results of a study of innovation round the world, listing Switzerland among five leaders in the field. More
Norwegian MR software business, Future Information Research Management (FIRM) has changed its name to Confirmit, matching its flagship web-based survey, feedback and reporting software product. 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
Ireland's Ulster Bank Group has promoted insight professional Glynis Hobson to the role of Head of Strategic Planning & Communications. Hobson will be responsible for all marketing communications and strategic planning across the Ulster Bank and First Active brands on the island of Ireland. More
Austin, Texas-based word of mouth research and promotion specialist Bazaarvoice is opening a London office, its first venture outside the USA, and has appointed Shareen Campbell to lead the office as Sales Director. More
Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) has merged its North American and European organisations into one global online research body, to be managed by CEO Andrei Postoaca. 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
TNS has launched TNSInsightTvLive(TM), an interactive online platform which allows respondents to see a survey moderator via a real-time video link, and enables him or her to demonstrate visual material while at the same time, analysing survey responses. More
Compiler of Internet trend forecasts, eMarketer.com, estimates that while US online advertising spend has risen by more than 30% each year for the past three, the 2007 increase will be just 19%. Not that that's bad... but it's certainly a change of pace. More
Ambitious online agency MetrixLab has announced that its revenue and profit before tax more than doubled in 2006, to Euros 8.2m and Euros 3.3m respectively. The firm hopes to use strong organic growth and acquisitions to hit the Euros 50m revenue mark by 2009. 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
WPP, parent of MR agencies including Millward Brown and Research International, has announced preliminary results for 2006. Reported revenue is up almost 10% to £5.9bn and like-for-like revenue up 5.4%, while profit before tax is up more than 15% to £682m. More
The Nielsen Company has a new CFO, Brian J. West. West has spent the last sixteen years in senior financial management positions within the global GE organization, most recently as CFO at GE Aviation, Infrastructure. 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
Technology analyst IDC has reported results for 2006, with worldwide revenues up 12% to $297 million. Twenty new countries were added to its coverage in the year, bringing the total to 93. More
Steve Oliver, Head of the Customer Department at Honda (UK) for the last five years, has moved agency side. He joins channel marketing and research agency Aura as Project Director in charge of a key Pan European customer satisfaction project for Mazda. More
GfK has acquired and retained several TV research contracts around the globe, increased the size of a number of its TV panels, and developed and installed new metering technology. 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
Research and predictive analytics software giant SPSS has reported a record 36% increase in its 2006 fourth quarter operating income, to $11.7m. The firm's annual revenue was up 11% from $236.1m in 2005 to $261.5m in 2006. More
Synovate Healthcare has announced five senior promotions, following strong growth in 2006 and continuing integration. They include Bob Douglas as MD, Global Custom and Marianne Purdie as MD, Europe Custom, plus HR Director Virginia Mount's elevation to the Global Exec Committee. More
Research consultancy and online survey software provider Enalyzer A/S has begun trading on the First North exchange, which comprises 86 companies in Denmark, Sweden and Iceland. More
Founder and CEO Rob Monster is to leave the helm of panels and software provider GMI, to pursue other interests. Monster will continue to serve as a board member and will participate in the selection of a new CEO, while the Chairman's role is taken by Enrique Godreau III, current GMI board member and MD of one of its major investors Voyager Capital. 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
US digital marketing agency iCrossing has bought UK-based Spannerworks. Both firms specialise in search engine marketing (SEM) but both have a growing interest in insight and analytics, including the measurement of online 'buzz' surrounding brands and its impact on client firms. More
Panel company Greenfield Online has reported quarterly and annual financial results, showing a profit of c.$8.5m in 2006. President and CEO Albert Angrisani says the firm has re-established growth for its Internet survey solutions business and is in 'the last stages of solidifying its overall turnaround.' More
US automotive research and forecasting firm CSM Worldwide has formed a strategic alliance with the German firm Feri Rating & Research GmbH. In addition to pooling forecasting and database expertise, the partners plan to conduct joint research into automotive decision-making. More
While people's drinking habits vary considerably across the world, Europeans have the highest levels of alcohol consumption, according to the latest from Global TGI (Target Group Index). Latin Americans and Turks prop up the table, whereas for many in the UK, the reverse may be true. More
Synovate Healthcare has opened for business in Germany with the launch of a Hamburg office. Manfred Eberlein, formerly Director of Ipsos Insight, has been appointed Country Manager to lead the new operation. 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
WPP has acquired data collection company All Global Ltd, for an undisclosed sum. The London-based firm, whose services include healthcare panel research, telephone recruiting and qual interviewing, employs 44 people and had revenues of £7.3m for the year ended 30th April. More
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) has announced the acquisition of Turkish advertising intelligence company Bilesim Medya. Financial details were not disclosed. More
Accounting and professional services firm Ernst & Young has launched a media performance auditing unit, part of its Marketing and Advertising Risk Services (MARS) practice. 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
Panels company Research Now has announced the acquisition of Samplenet e-Research Solutions, which trades as OpenVenue. The price for Canada's largest specialist online fieldwork company is a maximum of C$47.5m (£20.5m), subject to performance. More
The EMEA market for Business Intelligence (BI) platforms will grow at an annual compound growth rate of 9.7% to reach 1.9bn Euros in 2010, according to Gartner. However, the analyst warns pure play BI companies to expect a strong challenge from software's 'mega vendors'. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) has announced a number of senior promotions to support its worldwide expansion, following the recent appointment of Jim Follett as CEO. Among them, MD Europe Kees de Jong is promoted to Director of Globalization with COO Europe Michel Guidi stepping up to fill the MD Europe role. 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
Synovate has acquired Amsterdam-based Interview-NSS, The Netherlands' largest independent full-service market research company – and its European Data Collection Centre (EDCC). The buys will be integrated with Synovate's existing operations in the country and led by MD Carlo Stokx. More
Milwaukee-headquartered Market Probe has acquired Brussels-based MR firm, Ask, to enhance its global agricultural capabilities. The announcement follows last year's purchase of St-Louis crop and dairy sciences specialist Marketing Horizons. More
Pharma and healthcare research giant IMS Health has promoted Gilles Pajot to COO and Leslye Katz as Senior VP and CFO. The firm has also been in a federal court this week, defending the right of companies to see prescription data from individual physicians. 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
A trading statement from online panel firm ToLuna suggests sales and operating profits for 2006 will beat market expectations. The firm anticipates turnover of not less than £8.3m, almost trebling versus a pro forma £3.0m for 2005. More
Online survey software provider, FIRM (Future Information Research Management), has reported 2006 revenue up 26% to $21.8 million, and a 13% EBIT margin. 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
The Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) has launched a survey to measure European corporate SEM spending and highlight key trends in the European market. 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
Satellite and wireless research and consulting firm NSR has made two senior appointments. Yannick Lafue joins in France as Analyst, Satellite Communications and Dr. John Stevenson in the US as Senior Advisor. More
European-based Evo Research has hired Matt Watts, formerly of Added Value, as a Research Manager. He has particular expertise in sponsorship research. More
Consumer research and consulting firm, OTX (Online Testing eXchange), has hired Dave Kaye from Flamingo International, to head its newly launched qualitative arm in Europe and Asia. More
European MR agency SKOPOS has found a novel way to promote the launch of its new Media & Music Insight Division – the simultaneous release of a video, single and album via web site, YouTube and myspace. More
Online fieldwork provider Research Now has announced its Final Results for the year to 31 October 2006, with turnover nearly trebled to £9.6m (2005: £3.6m) and profit before tax more than trebled to £1.6m (2005: £0.5m). More
MRS Chairman Simon Lidington talks to DRNO about the challenges facing the organisation and the industry, and about the recent decision to join the international association of MR associations, EFAMRO. Today, the prospects for international co-operation; tomorrow a look at the MRS' domestic plans. More
Jim Follett, former COO of NOP World, is to replace Bev Weiman as Chief Executive Officer of panels firm Survey Sampling International (SSI). Weiman, who co-founded SSI along with Tom Danbury in 1977, cited personal reasons for her departure. More
Online survey professionals need to choose the right day and time to send invitations to potential respondents, according to a study by Lightspeed Research. Invites sent on a Monday afternoon got the best response rates (up to 39%) while for Friday afternoon mailings the rate fell to 28%. More
As the MRS reveals that 'happiness expert' Richard Reeves is to deliver the opening keynote slot at its annual conference in March, US provider Luth Research has published results of a survey into happiness around the world, highlighting the differences between countries and regions. 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
Most of the world has made New Year resolutions for 2007, according to ACNielsen. An online survey of more than 22,000 consumers in 46 countries found 56% of respondents resolved to do or change something, with exercising more and improving work–life balance topping the list. 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
The 'next Bill Gates' is more likely to come from either China or Japan (49%) than from the United States (21%), according to a poll by Zogby International and 463 Communications. The poll also looked at perceptions of the Internet and its effect on work and society. More
At a time when a BBC survey shows that a minority (44%) of UK children know that Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, a Financial Times (FT)/Harris Poll shows Americans more likely than Europeans to believe in God, but also more likely to support the right of Islamic women to wear the veil. 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
TNS has further boosted its North America Custom management team under Kimberly Till with the appointment of Enzo Micali as Chief Information Officer. Micali previously held the same role at 1-800-FLOWERS.COM. More
India-based research outsourcing firm Dexterity is to expand its range of offers with Finalyzers, a division specialising in financial research and analysis. More
VNU has begun what it calls a 'major corporate transformation' including the phasing out of its existing group structure and the cutting of up to 4,000 jobs in 2007. NMR CEO Susan Whiting is promoted to a new group-wide EVP role while Frank Martell and Steve Schmidt will leave the company. More
VNU says it will sell 'substantially all' of its Business Media Europe (BME) group to European private-equity and venture capital company 3i. Operations in the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany and Belgium are included although France is still under discussion. More
David Pryor, currently head of the Product Planning and Market Research group at Porsche Cars North America (PCNA), will join the firm's Executive Committee and assume the role of Vice President of Marketing from January. 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
A substantial majority of people in Asia (59%) believe that expenditure on space exploration is justified, according to a CNN/TIME poll conducted by TNS. Still more (68%) believe that Asians countries should take a more active role in space exploration. 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
Online survey firm Ciao has launched a 'Career Profile' option. The new data allows clients to use job categories to select samples from its panelists in 23 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America and Australia. More
The Internet has become the number one medium for data collection for quantitative physician studies, used for 43% of studies according to research by specialist US provider Medefield. Online research made strong gains versus face-to-face and telephone research for the third year running. 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
GfK HealthCare Asia has launched Image Radar, a tool to help clients benchmark their sales representatives and corporate image against the competition. Available now in Malaysia, the new service will be progressively launched in other Asian markets soon. 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
Digital media and panels firm Ciao has appointed ex-TNS Director, Ross Broadbent, as New Product Development and Product Management Director. More
UK agency SKOPOS Market Insight has appointed Rob Horton, previously of Harris Interactive, in the role of Director of Research / Insight. Horton will take up the role in early January. More
Can results from online panels be trusted? Gian Fulgoni, Chairman of US-based comScore Networks set alarm bells ringing at this year's CASRO Conference with statistics about three-a-day survey respondents; but panel firms say the industry is taking a mature approach to the issue. More
Shareholders of Synovate parent Aegis Group Plc have once again voted down an attempt by Havas Chairman Vincent Bollore to get his nominees appointed to the group's board. Percentages for and against at today's EGM were much the same as at the June AGM. More
Online MR software company FIRM will pre-launch version 11 of its Confirmit MR suite at the ESOMAR Panel Research conference in Barcelona next week. The new release includes a new Community Panel module which promises to enhance panellist engagement and response rates. More
Panel and research technology provider Toluna is to expand into the Asia Pacific market with the launch of an Australian panel community, currently at 30,000 members. More
World populations may be ageing, but consumers don't feel their age in the same way they used to, according to findings from ACNielsen. Majorities agree with the research firm's premises that 'your 40s are the new 30s' (60%), 'your 30s are the new 20s' (54%) and 'your 60s are the new middle age' (56%). More
European online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has opened a Chicago office and appointed Mike Gray, Vice President – Client Development, to build the Chicago team. Nine other staff join the agency's US team. More
Ipsos has announced a successful first nine months of 2006 with organic revenue growth of 8% over the year earlier period, and overall growth of 24.9% to Euros 613.2m. Third quarter growth was slightly slower at 22% (organic 7%). 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
Ipsos has announced the opening of offices in Egypt and Iraq, both located in the capital cities and both resulting from acquisitions. The global agency says this 'completes its geographical coverage through the Middle East and North Africa region'. More
Japanese market intelligence firm Data Garage Inc. and US-based iSuppli Corp. have announced a merger to create a worldwide specialist in analysis of the electronics industry. More
Synovate Healthcare has announced the expansion of its Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C Global Therapy Monitors, the former to cover Poland, Greece and Turkey and the latter, currently US-only, to the five biggest European economies. More
Pioneering Australian agency The Leading Edge (TLE) has launched a new strategy called '20/10 Vision', and hinted at expansion in 'Northern Europe, the US and North Asia' in the coming months. More
Greenfield Online has reported results for the third quarter of 2006, ended September 30. The figures show improvements over those for the previous year and President and CEO Albert Angrisani says there has been progress 'in many areas of the business' but that the management are 'not satisfied'. 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
Australian market research provider Global Reviews has recently announced the opening of its European headquarters in London. Adam Goodvach, co-founder of Global Reviews, will head the company's London-based office. More
Harris Interactive has just taken on Tom Perrott as Research Director for the company's European Technology Research Practise based in London. He has specific responsibility for delivering on 'Insights,' a new division-wide role supporting collaboration among account leaders, researchers, solutions consultants and business issue experts. More
Nielsen Media Research and News Corporation have announced an eight-year agreement for audience measurement services. Relations between the two firms had been troubled since News Corp company Fox TV questioned Nielsen's methods in 2004 and at one point called for government regulation of TV ratings. More
Online research software company FIRM has announced third quarter results with organic revenue up 32% year on year, from £3.7m to $4.9m. EBIT margin rose to 11% from just 2% in Q3 2005. More
Hong Kong, Madrid and Singapore are among the best cities for underground train travel, while New York and Paris are friendly but otherwise lagging behind, according to Présence Mystery Shopping. The quality of the welcome and service was measured from the perspective of foreign tourists in 12 cities, with London not included. More
Motorola has appointed Kenneth C. 'Casey' Keller, Jr. as Executive VP and Chief Marketing Officer, reporting directly to Chairman and CEO Ed Zander. Keller most recently served as Chairman and CEO of Heinz Italy. More
Online audience specialist NetRatings has expanded its patent enforcement program with the filing of lawsuits against four companies, including WebTrends, Inc., alleging infringement of patents it owns or controls. More
GfK has announced that, with the integration of NOP World running well and reduced net debt, it has arranged syndicated credit facilities of EUR 430 million and US$ 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
Harris Interactive has launched a European unit for its Service Bureau. HISB Europe will offer MR firms in Europe a range of services including telephone, face-to-face and online data collection, the SynTrack Online survey transitioning service and Integrated CATI-WAPI (ICW), among others. 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
Newly-private VNU is proposing to acquire the remainder of the shares in NetRatings, Inc., a company it majority owns (60.5%) with the rest publicly held. The firm is offering $16.00 per share in cash. The NetRatings board is meeting this afternoon to discuss evaluation of the proposal. More
Ciao, the European company of online survey solutions provider Greenfield Online, has hired a new Director of Panels, Cyril Stern, and promoted several key sales and marketing executives within its European organization. More
GfK has acquired a majority stake in Latvian provider InMind, which will now be known as GfK Custom Research Baltic. In June, the global group established GfK Marketing Services Baltic, which like the new acquisition is based in the capital, Riga. More
US-based researcher Abt Associates has announced a global partnership with Outcomes International, an independent consultancy based in Basel, Switzerland. More
GfK NOP has hired Richard Matthews for the new role of Director of Insight for its Technology division, tasked with developing a suite of services to integrate insight into client processes. Matthews worked client side in senior insight functions at Vodafone and Nokia for nearly ten years. 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
US-based panels and software firm GMI has passed another busy month, with the opening of a Netherlands office, seven appointments including an MD, Business Development, and the news that its Chinese panel now includes roughly 1 in every 1,000 of the population. More
'BRIC' countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) will account for 40% of all near future growth in the car assembly market, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. Meanwhile a report from Strategy Analytics predicts that competition in the industry will increasingly be centered around smart vehicle software and hi-tech features. More
Online survey software company FIRM (Future Information Research Management) has announced the formation of an advisory board for its Confirmit product. The Board is made up of prominent executives from research providers, including TNS' Tony Cowling. More
Advertising assessment specialist MediaAnalyzer has announced a US expansion with new headquarters in New York City, and has named media veteran Charles Boyar as VP to lead its US business. More
ACNielsen and consumer goods company Henkel have announced the completion of Minerva, 'one of Europe's most comprehensive and powerful data warehouses'. More
Our review of this week's ESOMAR Conference continues with Phyllis Vangelder's look at Tuesday's papers. They include suggestions for reconstructing research for the 21st Century, and a review of the challenges of opinion polling in Iraq. 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
It may be another six years before London hosts the Olympics, but we've limbered up with this year's ESOMAR Congress... The annual flagship event of the worldwide association of research professionals has just concluded, sampled by our correspondent Phyllis Vangelder. More
Ipsos has confirmed its revenue for the first half of the year as Euros 407.7m, and announced a 36.2% rise in operating margin to Euros 32.7m and Group net profit up 35.7% to Euros 14.2m. Buoyant predictions are made for the next five years. 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
Eleven senior and high-profile figures from the MR world, all of whom are now offering consulting *to* MR providers, have pooled their skills to form a network spanning three continents. 'gravitas' is billed as 'the world's first ever global consulting group dedicated to the market research industry'. More
MR software and panels provider GMI has launched an initiative aiming to protect the online research industry from fraudulent panelists. PureSample.com offers online MR firms the opportunity to match panelists against a database of 'known offenders', and report offenders of their own. More
Global MR turnover topped US$23.3bn in 2005, according to ESOMAR's Industry Report, launched at its annual Congress today. France overtook Germany to become the third biggest world market, while China grew at 25% and will break into the global top 5 markets in 5-6 years if current growth continues. More
Yankee Group Research has acquired emerging technology specialist Trendsmedia, Inc., which also produces the WiMAX World conference. Trendsmedia founder and President Eliot Weinman joins the Yankee Group Board in the new role of President of the Events & Publishing Division. More
President and CEO Mario Mrvica is leaving MR software company VOXCO after four and a half years at the helm. Company founder Raymond Cyr will now take the position of CEO while shareholder Louis Lessard becomes Chairman of the Board and CFO. More
Bollore Investissement, a company controlled by French financier and Havas chairman Vincent Bollore, this week acquired a 40 per cent stake in the holding company of French opinion polling and market research group CSA-TMO, with the option to increase to a majority holding by 2008-9. More
Online audience specialist Hitwise has launched a Data Centre for easy access to the latest UK Internet stats, giving top-line competitive intelligence data. Meanwhile Ipsos Insight has launched a site section giving easy access to its 'Face of the Web' consumer studies. More
European online panel specialist ToLuna has announced strong results for the six months to 30 June. Revenue for the six months is £3.6m, already twenty per cent up on full year pro forma 2005 figures. More
Research faces a future of constant change, but recent legislation is unlikely to hinder its continuing growth, according to the 2006 Research Industry Trends Report. Last week we looked at data collection methods and world regions - this week, legislation, changing suppliers and the general outlook. More
Online health information provider MDLinx has announced the expansion of its market research panel to 240,000 global healthcare experts. Following its recent merger with Sony Group company So-net M3, MDLinx says it has 'exceptional reach into the Japanese and Korean physician markets' with 50%+ and 86% respectively. More
The Internet is leaving CATI far behind as the research industry's main data collection method, but also contributing to a move towards 'richer and more rewarding interactions among clients, providers, and the public', according to the 2006 Research Industry Trends Report. More
Greenfield Online subsidiary Ciao has announced the launch of a global media panel, which will give clients the ability to target survey respondents based on their preferences for various media including television, radio, newspapers and magazines. More
Another European-based panel provider is expanding across the Atlantic: ToLuna PLC has today announced the opening of a New York office, to act as the hub of its US and Canadian operations. The news follows ResearchNow's announcement yesterday of a new US office and staff. More
Synovate parent Aegis Plc has announced impressive half year results to 30th June 2006, with both research and media businesses strong contributors. Synovate saw worldwide revenue up 25.9%, with rapid expansion in EMEA (excluding Western Europe) and in Asia Pacific. More
UK-based online fieldwork company The iD Factor has announced a series of deals with local panel providers, giving its clients access to a network of panels in 41 countries on five continents. More
Research Now has followed up news of multiple UK appointments with the announcement of a new San Francisco office, the expansion of its existing US office in New York, and four senior hires. 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
UK-based online specialist Research Now has announced senior appointments for its London team, with Chris Dubreuil joining as Client Development Director and Paul Botje as COO. Also arriving are twelve staff for the client development, panel analytics and delivery teams. More
Live video transmission of focus groups is taking off, with one third of end clients in a survey by FocusVision Worldwide saying they use it on a majority of their qual projects. Well over 400 focus facilities are installed with the technology worldwide. More
Residents of, and commuters to London will no doubt be astonished to hear that a poll by US-based TripAdvisor(TM) has voted their transport system the best in the world. More
Carmaker Audi AG has announced the funding of a new research centre at the University of St Gallen in Switzerland. The 'Audi Lab for Market Research' will be headed by leading MR and marketing academic Prof. Dr. Andreas Herrmann, who will work with a core team of six scientists. More
TNS has today announced the launch of a Global Interactive business unit, led by Arno Hummerston as MD, and bringing together three co-ordinated areas – commercial, development and Computer Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) support. 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
Harris Interactive has released its financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter (Q4) and fiscal year ended June 30, 2006. Revenue for Q4 was up 11% year-on-year to a record $60.0m and for the fiscal year up 10% to $216m. Net earnings leapt almost 500% to $9.5m or $0.15 per share. More
ToLuna has announced a dedicated panel for European mobile telecommunications, to be drawn from its core European panel of 1.1 million active members. TolunaMobile(TM) is described as 'Europe's most highly profiled online mobile telecoms research panel'. 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
WPP Group has reported half yearly results. Headline profit before tax rose over 24% to $566m (£316m) and like-for-like revenue was up a respectable 5% year-on-year. The Group's Information, Insight and Consultancy companies performed well although slightly behind other sectors on some key measures. More
Synovate Healthcare has announced developments in the European arm of its Global Tandem Oncology Monitor. The study will increase its report frequency from quarterly to monthly, matching the US arm; and will give immediate access to monthly data online using SPSS' mrTables software. More
Research Now has announced the launch of four more of its proprietary research-only panels. The addition of Portugal, Greece, Belgium and the Netherlands brings the online specialist's total coverage to eighteen European countries, plus Australia. More
Ipsos has reported an excellent first half for 2006. Revenues are up 26.7% to Euros 407.7m, due mostly to organic growth of 8.6%, while the acquisition and integration of MORI, Understanding Unlimited and Camelford Graham contributed most of a 'scope of consolidation' rise of 14.1%. More
CATI fieldwork provider Global Data Collection Company (GDCC), is expanding its CATI facility in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, from 105 to 150 seats. The company expects to take on at least six new permanent staff to support the growth, which it says is due to increasing demand for international CATI fieldwork into the EMEA markets, mainly b2b. 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
A group of big-spending advertisers will insist on audited ratings from their online media from mid-2007 and measurement certified numbers by 2008, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced yesterday. More
Second quarter results for online survey solutions provider Greenfield Online show net revenue down to $24.5m from $26.3m in Q2 2005, and operating income down to $3.7m (15.1% of revenue) from $4.5m (17.2%). However, the firm's 'turnaround' is said to be underway and some forecasts have been raised. More
Synovate has announced a restructure to reflect its recent growth. Smaller business unit groupings will replace the current regional structure; functions such as IT, HR and Operations will work more globally; and senior management will be grouped in more focused leadership teams. More
VNU has named Michael Marchesano to lead its Project Forward business transformation program, a major three-year initiative to reduce costs and enhance its margins and competitive position. Five leaders for specific initiatives within the program have also been named. 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
GfK Group has acquired a majority stake in two custom MR businesses, Consumer Research China (66%) and Indian company Mode (51%). Total turnover for the two is expected to be around Euros 4.7m in 2006. More
Greenfield Online Inc. and its European subsidiary Ciao have announced the establishment of an Indian panel. 24,000 panellists are already recruited and is planned to reach a target of 75,000 respondents by the end of the year. More
NetRatings has announced results for the quarter ended June 30. Revenues were $19.9m, up 17% on Q2 2005. Net income for the quarter was $931,000, turning round a $2.3m net loss in Q2 2005. The company has also appointed Louise Ainsworth as MD of its European business. More
Satellite and wireless technology specialist NSR has hired Claude Rousseau, a veteran of the space industry, as Analyst, Satellite Communications, based in Strasbourg, France. More
IMS Health has announced a multi-year alliance with oncology information provider IntrinsiQ Research. IMS gains an exclusive license to incorporate IntrinsiQ's US-based anonymized patient-level information with its own IMS Oncology Analyzer(TM) to create one of the largest oncology information sources. More
MR software and predictive analytics giant SPSS has announced record results for the quarter and six months ended June 30. Second quarter revenues were $63.5m, up 9% from $58.1m in the second quarter of 2005. New license revenues were up 20% to $29.3m. More
MR software and panel provider GMI has announced a worldwide restructuring, gearing up for further growth following its recent closing of $35 million in venture capital. The moves include senior promotions for Dr. Larry Schack in the US and Dietmar Walter in London, and a new Asian leadership team chaired by Tatt Chen. 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
ESOMAR has revealed top line results from its 2005 Global Market Research Report, showing global MR turnover up 4.3% to $23 billion in 2005, with Europe cornering 45% of the global market. Meanwhile, online research's share of data collection revenue has grown from 11% in 2004 to a staggering 20% in 2005. 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
The two MDs of Ciao, Max Cartellieri and Gunnar Piening, have resigned and will be replaced by Nicolas Metzke. Ciao's parent company, Greenfield Online, Inc. also announced that it will begin the formal separation of Ciao's two main businesses, Internet survey and comparison shopping operations. More
Technology specialist Forrester Research has announced results for the second quarter, ended June 30, with total revenues were $48.5million, up nearly 24% from $39.2m for the second quarter of last year. The firm also published results from a report on Asian adoption of broadband and other technologies. More
Mandy Pooler and Lucy Gill have joined Rosi Ware in charge of developing WPP's research division, Kantar. The two new arrivals replace Fiona McAnena, who has joined PepsiCo in a senior innovation role. More
TNS has today launched a Travellers' Panel, the fifth sub-panel of its 6thdimension service. The new panel provides access to 500,000 international respondents across 6thdimension's half dozen European countries. More
MR software provider Conversoft has a new Chief Technology Officer. Jean-Baptiste Guillois will be responsible for defining and managing the firm's survey design, CATI, CASI and CAWI management software. 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
Survey software development specialist Voxco has this week announced the appointment of Nicolas Roullier as Sales Manager, and Murielle Majesté as Technical Support Specialist, at the company's French operation. More
Online MR software specialist FIRM has announced second quarter revenues up 31% on the year. Sales totalled US $4.6m in the second quarter of 2006 compared to $3.5m in Q2 2005. More
Maritz Research has announced strong growth in Europe, with first quarter 2006 turnover approximately 35% higher than for the same period last year. The company has also appointed Laurence Curtis to its UK board. More
Online fieldwork specialist Research Now has announced the launch of a sub-panel screener creating a detailed automotive profile for 900,000 selected consumer panel members. The screener has been designed to be used in a consistent manner across the five biggest European markets. 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
The worldwide qualitative fieldwork market passed the equivalent of half a million focus group sessions for the first time in 2005 according to the Focus Group Index 2005, compiled by FocusVision Worldwide. The firm says that around $2.44 billion was spent on groups and depths. More
TNS' UK share price looks more stable today after a dramatic fall on Thursday and Friday last week. The drop followed a warning on full year operating margin and comments by Chief Executive David Lowden, who blamed problems on the 'unacceptable' performance of the American custom business. More
Survey software provider Voxco has hired Gilles Bernasconi as Managing Director of its Paris office, with the intention of strengthening its presence in France, Western Europe and Africa. More
European online fieldwork agency Research Now has announced that its proprietary online consumer research panels are now available in the Nordic region. Alex Sunnerstam will lead the team, supported by Victor Bergh who joins from Lightspeed Research. 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
GfK has announced a co-operation agreement with media analysis software provider DAP Systems. The deal will help GfK to develop and market audience research software for the international market, based around its forthcoming Evogenius system. 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
One year after the acquisition of NOP World, GfK held its AGM today and reported healthy business growth in the first quarter of 2006. Dividend payments increased once again and revenue rose sharply as have orders for 2006 to date. 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
European agency SKOPOS has opened an office in South Africa, based in the Johannesburg/Pretoria area. Susanne Reese, previously head of the company's field and tab offering SOS Bureau UK is named as its Director. More
Synovate has appointed Dean Luker, currently its Corporate Development Director, as Managing Director for its businesses in Scandinavia, formerly the Univero Group. He will retain his development duties alongside the new role. More
European online fieldwork provider and panel specialist Research Now has announced its Interim results for the half year to 30 April 2006. Sales nearly trebled, profit before tax doubled and operating profit has already passed the figure for the preceding twelve months. More
Two research studies this week look at privacy and security in the digital age. Ofcom, the UK's independent communications regulator, has published research examining approaches to Internet consumer protection in the UK and other countries, while Evans Data says developers in the EMEA region report a fall in security breaches. 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
Aegis shareholders have rejected the attempt by investor Vincent Bolloré to get two of his firm's nominees elected to its Board, at the company's AGM this morning. 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
Global online provider Lightspeed Research is offering researchers more effective access to children (under 12) and young people (ages 13-17) online, using a new pre-approved system. The company secures parents'/guardians' permission and works to ESOMAR and COPPA guidelines. 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
Research Now has announced the appointment of Charles Pearson, formerly VP at Greenfield Online, as Senior VP, Business Development. Pearson will relocate from San Francisco to London, for a role which includes bringing top US techniques to Europe, and building North American business for the European-based online agency. More
Synovate has hired Anne-Sophie Curet as HR Director for Continental Europe. Based in Paris, her role will cover all countries within Continental Europe and the Gulf region. 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
Evo Research has appointed Dr Nicola Lindsey as an Associate Director and Lot Spaan as a Director, plus Research Executives Neil Cantle and Sarah Lorimer. More
Harris Interactive has announced a reorganisation of its UK operations including the closing of facilities in Macclesfield and Stockport, and the loss of between ten and fifteen jobs. The company also announced the resignation of its UK Managing Director Aled Morris. 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
Cadillac beats Lexus to first place in luxury car customer satisfaction in the US, according to a study by AutoPacific. Meanwhile a satisfaction study among British customers, by J.D. Power and Associates for 'What Car?' magazine, finds that many of the top brands are produced in the UK, albeit for Japanese manufacturers. More
Online panel and software company GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.) announced today that it has raised a further $35m to fund its expansion, leaving it 'well-positioned to reinvent the market research industry' according to Chairman and CEO Rob Monster. More
European online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has appointed Marc Smaluhn as Managing Director for Central Europe. Smaluhn was previously VP Client Development Europe at rival provider Ciao. More
Digital marketing agency WebSideStory has announced the launch of its Active Marketing Suite in Europe. The Suite integrates on-demand digital marketing applications including web analytics, site search, keyword bid management and web content management. 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
With the World Cup still 16 days away, MR companies are already rolling out related statistics and web site launches. Pulse Train has a World Cup stats system showcasing its Pulsar Web software; Research Now and NPD have released results on shirt purchase; and FIRM has launched a Confirmit-based World Cup predictions site. 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
Havas Chairman Vincent Bolloré has further raised his stock in Synovate's parent company Aegis, and now has around 29% of the firm, following Aegis' rejection of his two nominations for non-executive directors for its Board. 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
On-demand web analytics firm Omniture has opened its first European offices in London and Paris, and hired Neil Weston to head up its European operations as VP and General Manager EMEA. Neil Morgan (VP Marketing EMEA), Georges Anidjar (GM, France) and Wolfgang Allisat (Director of Sales, EMEA) complete the new senior team. More
Ipsos has announced revenues of Euros 188 million for the first quarter of 2006, a 31% increase on the first quarter of 2005. This represents the company's strongest quarterly growth in the past five years – and it includes organic growth of just over 9%. More
ACNielsen Global Services has launched Global Track in-sights, a multi-country reporting capability accessible via its Answers(TM) on-line platform. The service promises easy viewing and distribution of data throughout client companies. More
comScore Europe has appointed Delphine Gatignol as Sales Manager for France. She will be based in the London office, but will take responsibility for new business initiatives in France and Belgium, as well as managing day-to-day client relations and supporting existing clients. More
Lufthansa German Airlines has appointed Dr. Andreas Bierwirth as its new Marketing Manager, to start 1st September this year. His responsibilities include Customer Analysis and Market Research as well as Ad and Brand Management and others. He will succeed Harald Eisenächer. More
Ireland's Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has announced a new leader. Professor Frances Ruane, currently Associate Professor of Economics at Trinity College Dublin. More
European online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has launched three online panels in Eastern Europe. The panels in Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic are all stand-alone, locally recruited propositions, with their own local country incentive choices. More
GfK will switch to new metering technology for its German TV research contract, from mid-2007 onwards. The AGF, an organisation representing 4 major TV stations, commissioned the replacement in order to cope with technological changes in viewing. As a result the value of the deal has risen to around Euros 100m. More
Panel provider Greenfield Online has announced results for the first quarter (Q1) of 2006, ending March 31. The results show the beginnings of 'tangible results from our turnaround efforts' according to President and CEO Albert Angrisani - but also 'a considerable amount of hard work in front of us, particularly in North America'. More
Survey software developer Nebu BV has released new versions of several products in its Dub software suite. They include the panel management system, Dub Knowledge; multi mode interviewing system, Dub Interviewer; and field force management tools Dub Planner ® CATI and Dub Planner ® CAPI. More
Harris Interactive has announced results for its fiscal third quarter 2006, ended March 31. Total revenue was $52.2m, up 3% on the same period a year previously. Strong US growth of 9% (revenue now $42.4m) was counterbalanced by poor figures for Europe, where revenue was down by $2.0m / 17% to $9.8m ($0.8m due to exchange rates). 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
comScore Networks has announced the launch of comScore World Metrix, the first true estimate of global online audience size and behaviour based on activity from the company's global online panel. More
The Valcon consortium has raised its bid for VNU to an offer price of Euros 29.50 per Ordinary Share, and Euros 21.00 per Preferred Share. Valcon has also extended the shareholder deadline from tomorrow (5th May) to 19th May, and lowered the acceptance level threshold for the Ordinary Shares to 80% from the previous 95%. More
Online Testing eXchange (OTX) is this week launching a new Home Entertainment Monitor in the UK, France, Germany, Australia, Japan and the USA. The weekly tracker aims to give DVD marketers and planners accurate and timely data to define their key audience, forecast sales, and optimise marketing plans. 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
MR software companies SPSS and FIRM have both announced strong results for the first quarter of 2006. SPSS has net revenues of $62.2m, up 8% on Q1 of 2005, while new license revenues rose faster, up 15% to $29.9m. FIRM's revenue was $4.8m, representing a rise of 29% at constant currencies. 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
WPP has published its first quarter trading update showing total group revenues up by over 23% and by 18% in constant currency terms. Revenue for the group's Information, Insight & Consultancy operations grew less than for other divisions, by just under 10%, but showed good organic growth and reached £214m. More
Online survey software specialist FIRM has launched a new complementary online analysis and insight collaborative platform, Confirmit Rapid Results, for users of its flagship Confirmit product. More
comScore Europe has announced plans for a Marketing Solutions Group to help European clients improve their online marketing. Piers Stobbs, a native of the UK, will move from the firm's Chicago office to London to head it up. 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
Research International (RI) has announced a number of senior appointments. Stefano Carlin joins from Ipsos to lead the company in Italy; Steve Mitchell becomes UK COO; and Annette Müller, David Walker, Dave Phillips and Mark Kingsbury also assume new senior Director roles. More
Mobile phones could soon overtake PCs as the most widely used means of accessing the Internet, according to the Ipsos 'Face of the Web' study. Internet access via the mobile phone actually outpaces wireless access from a notebook PC in many of areas of the world. More
Survey Sampling International has appointed Pete Cape, founder of TNS Interactive, to head up a new unit to be known as the Knowledge Department, Internet Sampling. In addition, the company is to open its first Asia Pacific office, in China, and has made two key hires for it. 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
European online specialist Research Now has opened an office in Paris – its first in France – and recruited a new executive team for it, led by Jean-Luc Daurelle and Emmanuel Probst. More
VNU has published a detailed presentation to counter criticism from its outspoken shareholder KVAM, and promote the firm's recommended private equity offer. The document describes KVAM's proposed 'Plan B' as flawed, and its opposition as based on 'misleading assertions and incomplete analysis'. 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
Following opposition this week to its proposed sale to a private equity consortium, MR and publishing giant VNU has published an open letter to shareholders in the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal and Dutch daily Het Financieele Dagbald. More
Following the dropping of the separate Bloomerce name last week, Survey Sampling International (SSI) has a new logo and web site backed by a promotional campaign to support its global expansion. More
AIM-listed online MR company ToLuna has reported results for the year 2005. The figures suggest that like YouGov (see today's news), ToLuna has seen revenues almost treble during the year. More
VNU shareholder Knight Vinke Asset Management (KVAM) has issued a statement saying it intends to reject yesterday's recommended offer for VNU of Euros 28.75 per share, and will encourage others to do likewise. More
Harris Interactive has hired Richard Goosey as Senior VP, Marketing Science and Methodology. Based in London, he will lead the firm's Knowledge and Advanced Methodologies teams in Europe. More
VNU and its potential buyer Valcon have launched the private equity group's recommended public offer for all outstanding Ordinary Shares in the media and MR giant. Shareholders have until 5th May to accept the cash offer of EUR 28.75 per share. More
US-based panels specialist Survey Sampling is rebranding its European subsidiary Bloomerce with the parent company name. 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
US technology researcher Forrester has announced a raft of senior hires made in recent months. The ten new arrivals have an average of 18 years of experience in their fields of expertise. More
Two of Synovate's senior executives have announced their retirement. Bill Pegram and Laurence Curtis, both well known figures in the industry, will be leaving in the next few months. More
Incepta Marketing Intelligence, the MR group which includes Citigate DVL Smith and Hauck Research, has been rebranded as Illuminas. The company was bought by Media Square Group from Huntsworth Plc last November. More
Ipsos has once again reported a sharp increase in revenues, up 18.8% on the year to Euros 717.9m in 2005. Organic growth at constant exchange rates was 8.6%, beating other major MR groups, and operating profit up 25.5% to Euros 63.9m. 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
Investment company Dacke Group Nordic AB has acquired quant fieldwork specialist Hermelin Nordic Research. Dacke specialises in acquiring and developing companies within the Nordic marketing communications industry and is listed on the Stockholm stock exchange. More
Global agency Lightspeed Research has named David Day as European Chief Executive Officer with effect from June 5 this year. Day was previously Managing Director for NetRatings, Europe, Middle East and Africa. More
TNS has today launched a new NPD research offering called InnoSuite - Launch Maximiser, which provides companies with accurate, predicated, sales and volume forecasts on new product concepts before they are launched. More
It may surprise some British readers, but British adults are more likely to feel positively about their country's state education system than Spanish or German adults. Harris Interactive surveyed consumers following the recent debate on education in the UK. 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
MR software company FIRM and US-based consultancy The NPD Group have announced a partnership to develop a new panel management and sample selection platform. The move, described by FIRM's CTO as 'sure to change the entire MR industry', reflects researchers' fast-growing use of external panel providers. More
J.D. Power and Associates has strengthened its business development activity in Germany and German-speaking countries with the appointment of Volker Krüger as Director of Business Development for Automotive Forecasting, based in Frankfurt. 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
ESOMAR has given its John & Mary Goodyear Award to speakers from Harris Interactive and UBS. The 'Best International Research Paper' presented at one of the association's events in 2005 is 'Building the corporate brand – beyond individual loyalties.' 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
MR software company FIRM has announced plans to launch Confirmit Kiosk, a new module of Confirmit which it says will 'revolutionize market research activities such as mall interviewing and onsite product testing'. More
Online data collection specialist Ciao, the European subsidiary of Greenfield Online Inc., has announced the completion of a major reorganization of its Client Service Department. Around 40 project managers, translators, DP and survey scripting staff have been hired, and a shift system provides client service 16 hours a day. 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
Online intelligence provider Hitwise has acquired HitDynamics, a technology platform used by agencies and web site marketers to implement search marketing campaigns and track the success of their PPC, search engine optimization and affiliate marketing campaigns. 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
Following recent cases of avian flu, German consumers are 'already in fear of a pandemic' according to GfK HealthCare. The agency says that one in five fear catching it themselves and 14% have asked doctors to prescribe a suitable medication or intend to do so very shortly. More
Forrester Research has appointed Dennis van Lingen as President, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), effective May 15. A long-time Forrester marketing executive, he succeeds Robert Davidson who leaves the company on June 30. 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
Synovate has formed a new speciality practice, Synovate Loyalty, combining its own customer satisfaction research expertise with that of the specialist agency Symmetrics Marketing Corporation, which it acquired in March 2004. More
WPP has reported strong revenue growth for 2005, with organic growth healthy. Overall revenue was up 25% to $9.8 billion and like-for-like revenue up 5.5%. The group's information, insight & consultancy revenues - which include MR agencies such as Millward Brown and Research International - rose more than 7% on a constant currency basis. 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
Mark Cranmer, the outgoing CEO of Starcom MediaVest EMEA, is to replace Roger Banks as Worldwide CEO of Research International. Banks is in discussions about another role within Kantar. More
The GfK Group has released preliminary indicators showing a year of rapid growth in 2005. The prelims show sales up more than 39% from 671.7m to 935.0m euros - about 4% ahead of its forecast - and EBIT after income from participations up c. 41.2% from 91.1m to 128.6m euros. 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
Amsterdam-based research agency INTERVIEW NSS increased its turnover by 17% in 2005 to more than 18m Euros, and EBIT to more than 1.9m Euros. This is the third year of growth above the market average for the firm, which runs the high profile European Media & Marketing Survey (EMS). More
A group of VNU shareholders is pressing the Dutch company to break itself into three divisions and sell each separately rather than agree to the proposed 7.3bn Euro buyout deal with private-equity firms, according to reports today in the Wall Street Journal. 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
Greenfield Online and its European subsidiary, Ciao, have established native-language MR panels in Japan, South Korea and China. The news follows Friday's announcement of disappointing financial results for Greenfield, particularly in North America. More
UK agency Holden Pearmain has appointed Dr Marco Gastaut to take responsibility for business development in the consumer electronics sector. He previously worked as International Account Manager for IFR Monitoring & Analysis, part of the GfK group. More
Greenfield Online President Albert Angrisani has described the company's financial performance in 2005 as 'not acceptable', particularly in North America. He says the figures, which show an operating loss of $88.6m in the last quarter, reflect the company's problematic year, and vows to turn the company around. More
UK-based online fieldwork firm Research Now has screened its existing 800,000 panel members to form specialist business-to-business sub-panels, comprising 75,000 business professionals across the UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy. More
Millward Brown UK has appointed Tim Wragg, previously of NOP World, as Head of Client Service. He replaces Trevor Acreman, now Head of Business Development. The company has also announced various other appointments and promotions worldwide, along with industry accolades for two of its staff. More
VNU, owner of ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research, announced this morning that it is continuing 'active talks' with a private-equity consortium over a proposed buyout. The company's Supervisory and Executive Boards plan to give their view of the offer by the end of this month. 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
Allan Bowditch, a former CEO of Global Healthcare for Martin Hamblin, has joined The Ziment Group in a Strategic Advisor role. He was with Martin Hamblin until May 2004, and was responsible for building the company's healthcare business over 30 years. More
Incoming TNS Chief Executive David Lowden has announced a new focus for the company's future strategy, based on 'knowledge of the client's business and where the client wants to go', rather than mere response to research requests. There are new roles for Stephen Factor and Mike Penford and a new three-region global structure. More
US-based Survey Sampling International (SSI) has announced an integrated approach to providing sampling services in Europe. The company has appointed Andrew Moffatt as Sales Director for Europe, is planning new offices in Madrid and Frankfurt, and is developing a panel in Ireland. More
US healthcare specialist Manhattan Research has published a summary of the major trends for health and pharmaceutical marketers to consider in 2006. The trends chart the increased use of the web and other new technologies as a health information and communication tool for both patients and physicians. 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
UK-based online fieldwork specialist Research Now is due to launch its first German office in Hamburg on 1st February, and has appointed Oliver Wölfel as its Client Development Manager. The office will provide access to the company's German online panel of 118,000 consumers, built up over the last year. More
IMS Health has appointed Gilles Pajot to the new position of President, Global Business Management. Pajot was previously President for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) - a role now taken by Kevin Knightly, formerly Chief Financial Officer for North America and Europe. More
A new Netherlands firm, SmartCoding, is offering coding services for multilingual research projects. The company, which has entered a strategic partnership with MR outsourcing firm Pulse, promises to save time and reduce errors by directly coding verbatim answers in any language - without the need for intermediate translation. More
WPP's CEO Martin Sorrell has predicted further consolidation in the MR industry, and indicated that WPP still has an eye on Synovate as well as on VNU's companies. He stated that WPP is likely to make medium-sized acquisitions in future, and that 'there are plenty of things to play for'. More
US marketing and communications specialist HCD Research is opening satellite offices in Hungary and China in order to work more closely with European and Asian suppliers and increase its international presence. 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
VNU is to buy a majority interest in BuzzMetrics, a US-based firm that measures and analyses online consumer-generated media such as blogs. At the same time, VNU itself is the subject of a takeover bid and BuzzMetrics is due to acquire rival firm Intelliseek. More
After weeks of speculation, VNU revealed today that it a private equity consortium has offered to buy the company for 28 to 28.5 Euros per common share. VNU says it is considering the proposal, and is not proceeding with discussions with any other party. More
Following last week's appointment of Donald Brydon as Chair and David Lowden as CEO, TNS has added Pedro Ros to its board of directors. Ros will take on the newly created role of MD for Global Clients and Sectors, which includes responsibilities for the company's custom business. 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
Revenues for the TNS Americas division will show a larger than anticipated decline for 2005, thanks to decreased demand for custom research in the US. Asia and Latin America, on the other hand, achieved strong growth, and the company expects underlying revenue growth of around 4% for the year. More
Millward Brown, part of the WPP Group, has appointed Robert Vinet from ad agency Ogilvy One to lead its French business. Vinet replaces outgoing French MD, Liz Musch, who leaves to join WPP sister company, Added Value. More
US healthcare MR company MedPanel has added a new area to its Profiles in Oncology series. The new study - focusing on the increasingly common disease of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma - will evaluate clinical and market opportunities for treatments, based on research among US and European medical professionals. More
Greenfield Online, through its subsidiary Ciao, has launched new online panels in Europe, Latin America and Australia, offering access to 200,000 new panellists. The launch follows news last month that Greenfield Online was cutting 39 jobs in a bid to save $7m a year after disappointing financial results. More
MR software provider FIRM is realigning its MR global account teams, with new 'command centers' in New York and London, designed to support a growing number of clients, and to promote the new Confirmit CAPI software. The company is also planning new developments for Confirmit. More
US-based Internet research agency OTX (Online Testing eXchange) has opened its first European office in London. Ian Wright, a former board director at Ipsos UK, will lead the company's European operations. More
VNU, owner of ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research, is to give potential private equity bidders limited access to its books, according to reports in the Financial Times last week. Shares in the company rose by more than 4% following the FT report. More
Two companies specialising in cross-cultural marketing consultancy have announced a partnership. US-based Made-to-Market will add its experience advising German and American companies to the expertise of London-based IT sector specialist egoboss. More
European online panel provider ToLuna has acquired German panel company Speedfacts, a subsidiary of the major ISP Freenet, for a total consideration of £2.06m. It has also agreed a five-year strategic co-operation agreement with Freenet, giving it access to 7 million potential panellists. More
Research process outsourcing (RPO) provider Pulse Group has announced the launch of its first European office, in Amsterdam. Pulse has offices in Sydney, Australia and an international RPO centre in Malaysia. More
Synovate parent Aegis has announced the acquisition of Roland Berger Market Research, the custom MR subsidiary of Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, based in Munich, Germany. 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
Marketing services group Aegis, owner of Synovate, revealed yesterday that dealing with two failed takeover bids earlier this year has cost it £1.6m. Despite these costs - and a decline in ad spend - it predicts that financial results will meet expectations, thanks in part to Synovate's 'excellent organic growth'. More
Global telecoms industry revenue will reach $1.2 trillion by the end of 2006, with growth in wireless leading the way, according to Insight Research. Meanwhile, a study from the Leichtman Research Group finds that US broadband providers acquired a record 2.6m new subscribers in the third quarter of 2005. More
Automotive specialist R. L. Polk & Co has appointed four executives to management positions for its European operation. Kendra Rawls is MD for Europe and Dominic Clare is Director of Product Strategy, while Todd Fleischhauer and Markus Fromgen take the role of Country Director for the UK and Germany respectively. More
Ged Parton, who left Opinion Leader Research earlier this year, has joined Synovate as Global Strategy Development Director, following two years of discussions with the company. Parton's responsibilities will include developing Synovate's existing practice areas and investigating opportunities to extend into new areas. More
German-based online survey software firm Globalpark has agreed to license its Online Panel Site Tool (OPST) software to TNS Worldpanel. TNS will use a specially tailored version of OPST, which is used by 30 panel providers worldwide, for its continuous consumer panels. 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
Greenfield Online President and CEO Al Angrisani has announced what he calls a 'major rightsizing initiative', aimed at saving $7m in annual operating costs. The initiative, which involves a loss of 39 jobs and the closing of two offices, follows reports of 'disappointing' financial results for the year to date. More
Microsoft Chair Bill Gates is the world's most admired business leader, according to a study of 600 global business influentials conducted by Burson-Marsteller together with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). He is closely followed by rival Steve Jobs of Apple, while Virgin's Richard Branson takes fifth place, the highest non-US leader. More
VNU expects its earnings per share and revenue growth for 2005 to fall below previous estimates, due to disappointing results in Europe, coupled with the costs of the aborted VNU/IMS Health merger. The company has also confirmed that it is currently evaluating approaches made by potential buyers. More
UK-based online fieldwork specialist Research Now has launched a new Spanish client service team to offer domestic and international clients access to the 110,000 members of its Spanish consumer panel. The news follows last week's announcement that Lightspeed Research is introducing a Spanish online panel. More
German-based online survey software firm Globalpark has agreed to license its Online Panel Site Tool (OPST) software to TNS Worldpanel. TNS will use a specially tailored version of OPST, which is used by 30 panel providers worldwide, for its continuous consumer panels. More
Global consultancy Accenture has expanded its Marketing Sciences practice through the acquisition of Media Audits, a specialist in measuring return on advertising investment. The Marketing Sciences practice will now comprise 200 staff, working to help clients measure, evaluate and optimise marketing and media investments. More
UK-based online specialist Lightspeed Research has appointed Ralph Risk, formerly of ORC International, as Marketing Manager for Europe. Based in London, he will develop a European marketing strategy for the company. 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
Online MR software provider FIRM is holding an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to elect a new board, due to disagreements between existing members. Earlier this week, the company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange - but without first issuing the promised 5.5m new shares. 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
More than three quarters of market researchers worldwide are planning to increase their use of online research in the next six months, according to the Greenfield/Ciao Online Research Barometer. Fifty per cent of European researchers say they have replaced face-to-face studies with online research over the last year. More
Online MR agency Lightspeed Research has launched a consumer panel in Spain, currently providing access to 50,000 members. The company already has proprietary panels in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Australia. More
Online panel specialist ToLuna has reported a pro forma pre-tax profit of £0.56m for the first nine months of 2005 - compared with a loss of £0.13m in 2004. The company, which floated on the UK's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in May, now has 650,000 panel members across 13 European countries. 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
The average European Internet user is online five days a week, and spends 10 hours 15 minutes a week online - a 17% increase since last year and 56% longer than in 2003,according to research conducted for the EIAA by SPA and Synovate. The latest from comScore meanwhile shows US surfers making good use of streaming media. More
MR trade body ESOMAR is working with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) on next year's World Research Conference, taking place in Shanghai in June. The event, entitled Worldwide Multi Media Measurement (WM3), will focus on how to develop a consumer-centric vision of cross-media consumption. More
Online MR firm Global Market Insite (GMI) has appointed four former employees of SPSS Europe to expand its European management team. The company has also appointed a Director for Russia, and several new project management staff, and recently announced the opening of a new Los Angeles office. More
Ciao, the European subsidiary of online survey specialist Greenfield Online, has launched a new comparison shopping portal in the Netherlands. As well as comparing prices and offering consumer product reviews, the portal encourages visitors to take part in surveys. More
MrWeb has launched a new section dedicated to market research in Asia. Content includes a round-up of recent Asian news, quick links to Asian job ads, features by MR specialists, and statistics about the industry - both for Asia as a whole and for the major economies in the region. More
Groupe Bolloré, controlled by French financier and Havas Chair Vincent Bolloré has raised its stake in Aegis - owner of Synovate - to 25.05%, just above the 25% threshold that allows a blocking minority in the company. More
European consumers have less trust in food and drinks firms than in banks, insurance companies, utilities or car dealers, according to a new report from Datamonitor. The report also says nearly half of Europeans lack trust in mainstream media channels, and that trust in businesses overall is 'rapidly diminishing'. More
Ending months of anticipation, the WPP Group announced today that it has 'no intention' of making a bid for Aegis, owner of MR firm Synovate. The company stated that it made indicative offers to the Aegis board last week, but that Aegis did not wish to pursue them. More
One in four European Internet users visited a job web site between July and September 2005, up from around a fifth the previous year, according to new research from Nielsen//NetRatings. The study also shows the popularity of university web sites. More
Amid speculation about its future ownership, the Aegis Group has bought Plus REMARK, Turkey's largest independent full-service MR company, for £4m. The business will be integrated into Synovate's global MR network. More
Online MR software provider FIRM, best known for its Confirmit product, is issuing 5.5m new shares and 1m secondary shares through an initial public offering. The offer is taking place in advance of the company's listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange, expected in early December. More
Synovate has appointed Ivan Fedoryshchenko, formerly Operations Manager at ACNielsen, as General Manager for its fast growing Ukraine and Belarus business. More
New reports suggest that WPP Group and its US private equity partner Hellman & Friedman are teaming up with French financier and Vincent Bolloré, Chair of Havas, to make a joint bid for Aegis, which owns Synovate. More
US technology research firm Yankee Group has changed hands for the second time in two years. Emily Nagle Green, formerly MD of Forrester, is taking over the company, in a deal backed by private equity firm Alta Communications. Current CEO Brian Adamik is standing down after ten years with the company. 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 US-based Yankee Group has introduced a five-year projection and analysis of the business and consumer wireless markets. The Global Wireless/Mobile Premium Forecast provides data for unique users in 23 nations across North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, using data from the Group's Mobile User and Video-Capable Device Surveys. More
'You have to be in Asia, be outsourcing, and using the Internet if you want to be in the future of MR' according to TNS Chairman Tony Cowling, speaking at the BMRA's annual conference yesterday. Other speakers predicted the demise of the phone interview and the death of the medium-sized firm. 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
Robert Lundberg will step down as President of Swedish-based international business intelligence group Observer AB in February 2006 after 13 years in the role. The roles of President and CEO will be taken by Niklas Flyborg, currently in those positions at IT consultancy Mandator, reflecting in part the 'growing IT content' of the group's offering. More
European online fieldwork provider Research Now is following up its recent Australian launch with a sales office in New York. The office, supported by two new Directors, will sell survey data from the company's European online panel of over 700,000 potential respondents to the US market. More
Building work is beginning on a new hospital in Kalkudah, eastern Sri Lanka, financed by donations from GfK staff, management and suppliers, and named after Heinrich A. Litzenroth, the Management Board member who lost his life in the tsunami last December. More
Online panel specialist Greenfield Online has reported 'disappointing' financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2005. New President and CEO Al Angrisani, who was brought in at the end of September to turn the company round, said the company had 'launched an aggressive corrective process'. 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
The Monster Employment Index, which measures online recruitment activity, continues to show rapid growth. The European index is now 113 - up from 94 last December, while the US index is 143 - its highest ever level, and 29 points higher than a year ago. More
VNU has announced that its plan to take over IMS Health may be about to collapse. The company says it is in 'wide-ranging discussions' with IMS Health over possible alternatives to the proposed merger. One of the possible alternatives is an end to the $7 billion acquisition plan. More
Nielsen//NetRatings achieved $16.8m in revenues in the third quarter of 2005 - an 8% increase from Q3 2004, but a 1.75% fall from Q2 2005. The company's net loss for the quarter fell to $3.7m - a 14% year-on-year decrease - despite $1.7m spent restructuring the European business. More
TNS is to incorporate its Middle East and Africa (MEA) operations into its Asia Pacific network to create a new combined Asia Pacific-Middle East and Africa (AP-MEA) region. Asia Pacific MD James Hall will oversee the new area, while regional MD Stuart Campbell-Morris will continue to lead the MEA business. More
Harris Interactive has announced its financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended September 30, 2005. Revenue for the quarter (classed as Q1 2006) was $48.9m, up 24% from $39.3m in the same period last year. This was in part due to the acquisition of Wirthlin Worldwide. Growth in European Internet research revenue was particularly strong at 29%. More
Online MR software provider FIRM yesterday submitted an application for public listing at the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE). Chairman Bengt Thuresson says the goal is 'to consolidate FIRM's equity capital in order to finance further profitable growth'. More
Swedish wireless market analyst Berg Insight has acquired fellow Swedish agency Locationbox, which specialises in location-based telecoms services and telematics. Locationbox will be integrated into Berg Insight. More
European online fieldwork specialist Research Now has launched Irish Opinions - an online panel for the Republic of Ireland. The company has already recruited 20,000 panel members for what it claims is the first research-only panel in the Republic. More
The UK's CreationVideo is producing a DVD resource for BBC World, based on qualitative research with viewers from across the globe. The DVD, which includes video footage of depth interviews with viewers, will be used to introduce staff and advertisers to BBC World and its audience. 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
WPP saw a 23% rise in revenues over the first nine months of 2005. Revenues for its information and insight division (which includes Research International and Millward Brown) grew by 10%. Meanwhile, the company has been given less than a month to decide whether to bid for Aegis. More
Ipsos UK is taking inspiration from reality TV with the launch of its new conflict-based qualitative approach. The process - known as Krisis (from the Greek word for the moment of truth) - encourages disagreements among group participants, in an attempt to encourage greater honesty and disclosure. More
The US Pharmaceutical Institute has launched its own Research Center, offering custom research services to the industry. Meanwhile, IMS Health predicts that the international pharma market will grow by 6 to 7% in 2006, driven by above-average US growth and double-digit increases in China and Eastern Europe. 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
The NPD Group has appointed Claude Charbit, formerly special adviser to the company's European Beauty business, to President of its Global Beauty division. Charbit was responsible for NPD's recent agreement to acquire the TNS Infratest Italian perfumery business. More
European MR software firm Nebu has released a new version of Dub Knowledge - its panel management and sampling tool. The latest edition allows for easier exclusion of respondents from future surveys, and offers several new features. More
Norwegian survey software company FIRM achieved revenues of US$3.69m in the third quarter of 2005 - an increase of 35% on Q3 2004. Revenues for the first nine months of the year were up 30%. The announcement coincides with the launch of a new version of the company's Confirmit survey tool. More
Dan Foreman, formerly Planning Director at ad agency WFCA, has been poached to spearhead the launch of FocusVision Europe. The US-based company, which specialises in video recording technologies for market research, opened its first European office in London in July. 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
Synovate Healthcare has announced the launch of a French office, headed up by Clarissa Del Pup and based in the main Synovate office in Paris. Del Pup was previously Director of the MS and Hepatitis Global Therapy Monitors in the company's London office. More
After weeks of speculation, French Publicis Groupe has announced it will not bid for Aegis, though Havas and WPP may still be interested in buying. Meanwhile, Aegis itself has made an acquisition - snapping up UK B2B media planning and buying group Just Media Ltd (JML) in a deal worth up to £10m. More
In an interview with the Telegraph newspaper, WPP Group CEO Martin Sorrell confirmed that he is considering a bid for Aegis, and that his main interest is in Synovate. Meanwhile, Havas Chairman Vincent Bollore continues to raise his stake in Aegis, and reports suggest that Publicis may drop out of the race. More
GfK has opened an Academy, based in Nürnberg, Germany, to provide training and development to managers in marketing, market research and corporate planning. The training programme comprises eight modules, which can be taken on their own, or as part of a two-year certificated course. 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
Synovate has appointed Nick Verkerk as its new Business Development Director for Western Europe. Verkerk, formerly UK Business Development Director at TNS/NFO, will be responsible for the company's European business growth strategy. More
MR software provider Future Information Research Management (FIRM) has signed an agreement to provide its Confirmit web-based survey and reporting platform to European online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now. More
Harris Interactive has added Serbian research agency Marten Board International to its Global Network of 21 independent market research companies. Marten Board, which was the first MR agency to obtain an international license in Serbia, provides insights into the South East Europe and Balkan markets. More
US-based Harbor Research and UK-based e-principles have announced a merger. The European operation will henceforth be known as Harbor Research Europe, and will focus on the business impacts of networked devices and technology, known as the 'pervasive Internet' and M2M (machine to machine) markets. More
Bernhard Witt, a former employee of SPSS, has launched his own consultancy - 2x4 Market Research Consulting - based in Mattenheim Germany. The company will specialise primarily in the SPSS Dimensions range of products, offering various training and consultancy services. 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
Rumours about a possible sale of Synovate parent Aegis continue, with WPP the latest group said to be poised to make a bid. This week, Aegis has admitted that it has met with at least one other potential buyer in addition to Publicis, while Vincent Bolloré, Chairman of Havas, continues to increase his stake. More
Telecoms and IT market intelligence provider Current Analysis has appointed Bruce Page, formerly of META Group and Gartner, as VP of Telecom Services, Europe. Based in Paris, Page will lead the company's custom research in the region, reporting to Raymond Keneipp, Senior VP of Research and Analysis. 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
The European Commission's Information Society and Media Directorate General (DG) has published a call for tenders to research online public services. The call consists of two lots: the first is the sixth annual measurement of online public services, and the second is a pilot study aimed at improving e-government quality indicators. More
Vincent Bolloré, Chairman of French advertising group Havas, has increased his stake in the Aegis Group, which owns Synovate, from 6 to 8.04%. The move comes amid speculation about the future of Aegis, following last week's announcement that the French Publicis Groupe was in talks about buying the company. More
Alina Serbanica, former VP Business Development of Gallup Romania, is joining Ipsos Interactive Services (IIS) as Access Panels Director, responsible for all the company's European panels. IIS specialises in online market research, with more than 550,000 panellists across Europe. More
French-based Publicis Groupe has acknowledged that it has been in 'very preliminary conversations' about a possible offer for Aegis Group, owners of MR firm Synovate. The acknowledgement follows industry rumours and speculations about a 'mystery' approach made to Aegis earlier this week. More
'... the finance guys have taken over' according to Christian Majgaard, former Senior Director of Lego, in the final keynote address at this week's ESOMAR Congress. Majgaard called for a change to CEOs' salary structure in order to bring marketing research 'back into the boardroom'. 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
In his award-winning ESOMAR paper, John Kearon, CEO & Chief Juicer of BrainJuicer, explains his attempts to apply academic thinking on 'research markets' and the 'wisdom of crowds' to concept testing. The results, while still inconclusive, threaten conventional MR techniques - suggesting that a diverse, non-target group can predict success as well as a target sample. More
Online MR solutions company GMI (Global Market Insite, Inc.) has announced the acquisition of three companies -- Seattle-based NetReflector, Insight in Shanghai, China, and MI Pro AS in Drobak, Norway, which will operate as wholly owned subsidiaries of GMI. GMI has also formed a new strategic alliance with ARO Sistemas in Sao Paolo, Brazil. More
Speakers from ACNielsen and the Asia Foundation told today's session at the ESOMAR Congress about the far-reaching implications of research to help voter education in Afghanistan. Other papers looked at MR's role in rebuilding democracy in the UK, and regenerating a South African township. 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
Harris Interactive is dropping the separate identity of its European subsidiary, which will no longer be known as HI Europe but will share the parent's name. The company says the alignment will achieve 'considerable synergies in its marketing, data collection and client management programmes'. More
Amsterdam-based MR software supplier Nebu has opened an office in Cincinnati, Ohio and appointed software guru Andrew Jeavons, a long-time competitor of the firm, to head it up. More
Conference season in the MR world is also product launch season. With ESOMAR Congress next week, and other major events imminent, new or expanded services announced in the last few days include the NPD Group's 'Technology Track', Synovate ViewsNet for Western Europe and a new version of FIRM's ConfirmIt software. More
SSI/Bloomerce, the European arm of Survey Sampling International, has hired Michel Guidi as Chief Operating Officer (COO), Europe. Guidi leaves online panels specialist Ciao, where he was VP for Operations. More
GfK Turkey has announced a new access panel of almost 4.2 million members, providing samples for online research in the country. The panel members represent a high proportion of the c.11 million people online in Turkey (population 72m and Internet penetration around 15%). More
Business information firm Access Intelligence has appointed John Lilley, formerly of Gartner, as Director, Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for its Telecommunications Advisory Group (TAG). The role will involve establishing an enterprise research panel, and developing the company's telecoms business in the region. More
Harris Interactive has introduced a new regular study, AUTOTECHCAST Europe, to measure Western European consumer demand and acceptance of 62 advanced automotive technologies. The study, to take place online next month, was launched at the 2005 Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) this week. More
Harris Interactive's board of directors has named Gregory Novak as the company's CEO and Director, following his appointment as acting CEO in May. At the same time, the company has reported that its revenue for the 2005 fiscal year increased by 42%, though income per share has fallen. More
European online panel specialist Ciao is launching an Internet omnibus service for the UK, Germany and France. The survey will run bi-monthly, using Ciao's existing panel, and will complement the existing US omnibus services provided by Ciao's parent company Greenfield Online. More
Nielsen//NetRatings has developed a new method of measuring Internet audiences, integrating data from the two most commonly used approaches: data from consumer panels and site-centric measurement technology. Different methods can produce very different statistics, as seen in the latest search engine usage data from competitors Hitwise and comScore. More
US online panel provider Greenfield Online, which operates as Ciao in Europe, has launched a new teen panel service, making use of a team dedicated to communicating with teenagers, and surveys tailored to encourage response. Initial results reveal teens' thoughts about returning to school. 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
TNS has announced a commitment to raise US$387,000 by the end of 2007 to fund a pre-school educational project in Cambodia, supported by UNICEF, the United Nation's Children's Fund. The 'Imagine...' initiative kicked off today with a 'Walk to Work' day. 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
Synovate has achieved 17.9% revenue growth for first half of this year, compared with 14.8% for its parent Aegis Group as a whole. Similarly at VNU, the research division outperforms the rest of the company. Other company results vary, but all point to growth in the MR sector. 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
Montreal-based data collection and analysis software provider Voxco is launching a new MR software package, with previews at the ESOMAR Congress in Cannes later this month, followed by displays at MR conferences in Boston, Toronto, Warsaw, London and Paris. More
High-tech US MR agency In-Stat has hired George Stojsavljevic as Director of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Sales. He was previously VP of EMEA sales at RHK, a telecom industry research firm acquired by London-based Ovum Ltd in June this year. More
US-based Genesee Survey Services is extending its range of syndicated employee opinion norms surveys to provide international data as well as US, migrating mail-based data collection to the web with the help of the Harris Interactive Service Bureau (HISB). 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
95% of UK drivers have experienced some form of road rage in the past 12 months, second only to South Africa (97%) according to a new, ten-nation survey from Synovate. But at least this is mostly just shaking fists and swearing: in India 14% have experienced physical assault or had a weapon brandished at them. 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
Two new keynote speakers have been announced for the ESOMAR Congress in Cannes next month. Laurence Parisot, former market researcher and the first female president of the French Employers' Federation, and Ted McConnell, Procter & Gamble USA's ad measurement specialist, will join the existing line-up. More
Sports Marketing Surveys has launched SailTrack, a syndicated study to provide information about awareness of the fast-growing sailing market. The study will cover three regions: Europe Middle East & Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and the Americas. More
Tony Harper has been promoted to Senior Director in Ipsos UK's Observer division, which is responsible for the company's European omnibus services including the Capibus survey. More
TNS Gallup in Sweden has launched a new TNSSPORT sports research and sponsorship evaluation service. The division aims to provide an understanding of the value and impact of sport to Swedish rights owners and sponsors, as well as to the international sports community. 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
Technology and MR specialist Forrester Research has appointed Zion Group as its independent sales representation in South Africa, to help the company serve its South African clients. The move is part of the company's continued investment in companies in its newly defined EMEA region. More
US solutions company Survey Sampling International (SSI) has appointed Tom Brophy to the newly created role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The company, which bought Bloomerce Access Panels Europe earlier this year, says Brophy will be heavily involved in evaluating possible future acquisitions. More
The GfK Association is to donate 190,000 Euros a year to fund a professorship in Marketing Intelligence at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. It will also fund a scientific position and several scholarships for an initial period of five years. More
Nicola Truman has joined UK special-interest magazine publishers Future Publishing in a new role as Head of Research. She was previously Head of Ad Marketing for publisher IPC's Connect & TX divisions. More
UK-based brand research agency Evo Research has launched a new quantitative division, headed by Russell Bell, the former MD of Consensus Research. Bell has 15 years' agency side experience, also including MORI and Research International. More
Several major media companies are due to implement the Global Internet Ad Impression Measurement Guidelines by the end of the year. The guidelines, produced by the US Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), provide a standard method of measuring online ad impressions. 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
Okke Engelsma has joined Synovate Healthcare as Senior Quantitative Director. He will be based in the London office, and will provide support to teams in Europe and Asia. More
The latest TNS Promocar study shows that European car manufacturers spent 1,100 Euros on sales promotion for each vehicle sold last year – a 10% rise since 2003. TNS says it is now 'practically unheard of' for a car to be sold without some sort of incentive or discount. More
Cannons Health and Fitness has appointed UK-based agency Grass Roots to undertake a 'mystery journey' programme to measure service standards in its network of 52 gyms. More
The new TNS Sports Panel, conducted online, will provide access to 70,000 viewers and participants of 15 different sports in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. More
European online research agency MetrixLab is opening a new London office, with Roy Patel, formerly of Nielsen//NetRatings, as its UK Commercial Director and Nathalie Vaandrager from Kraft Foods as a Senior Business Consultant. More
Research leaders from six continents have accepted a number of amendments from US association CASRO at a meeting to discuss the ISO draft international standard for market, opinion and social research. Amended areas include information sharing and the primacy of national laws. More
The price of shares in the Aegis Group, which owns research company Synovate, rose sharply today amid rumours that the French media and communications group Havas is planning to buy the company. More
Australia is the winner and Turkey the loser, while the US is let down by its politics and France fails in the hospitality stakes. This is the global perception of the brand appeal of 25 countries, according to the second quarterly Anholt-GMI Nation Brands Index (NBI) report. More
Healthcare and pharmaceutical agency Fieldwork International (FI) has announced three senior staffing changes, as its online panel of physicians reaches 30,000 members. Changes include the appointment of a Global MD, Peter Boyle who will concentrate on extending FI internationally. More
UK-based business intelligence specialist MDL Research has acquired European Data & Research (EDR) along with its subsidiary company International Air Travel Surveys (IATS). 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
Household size across the world is in decline, according to the latest findings from TGI. The number of people per household varies widely, but overall there is a downward trend as more people live alone and fewer children are born. More
The ESOMAR Congress, to be held in Cannes on 18 to 21 September, will include a keynote presentation with a difference as Slovenian violinist Miha Pogacnik sets out to stimulate business creativity via his music. More
Synovate has promoted Tony Rhodes to Chief Operating Officer for Central/Eastern Europe (CEE) and Albert McLean to COO for Middle East/Africa (MEA) as part of a batch of new appointments in the CEEMEA region. More
Keynote Systems, a US provider of web performance data and analysis, has appointed Haran Sold as VP and MD for its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. 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
ACNielsen has named Patrick Dodd as Group Managing Director for its newly created Central Europe business region. Meanwhile Lennart Bengtsson has been promoted to President of ACNielsen Emerging Markets. More
IMS Health, which recently announced its merger with VNU, has reported positive financial results for the second quarter of this year. Revenues were up 14% from the same time last year, with the US and Europe reporting the strongest growth. More
Michel Maury, International Executive Director of Trade Services at Information Resources Inc (IRI), has been appointed as President of IRI France. More
Michalis Michael, former MD of Synovate in Central Europe and Russia, is now head of the company's online and panel business, and former Western Europe CEO Peter Huijboom is the company's new CEO Global Client Relationships. Meanwhile, Bruce Wells and Paul Cooney have been appointed as Chief Information Officers. More
RONIN Corporation has appointed Marek Vaygelt, formerly Director of Operations at HI Europe, as the company's UK General Manager. More
Euro PQN, the readership research organisation for French newspapers, is merging with the magazine readership body AEPM, to form a new association, Audipresse. 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
ESOMAR is paving the way for some super-efficient networking at this year's Congress, with the new 'Spotme' information service. All delegates will be offered a Spotme handset, which then alerts them when they are near one of their identified 'targets': a colleague or potential client. More
Mo Rice has been appointed as Client Service Director at pharmaceutical online fieldwork provider Medefield Europe. She joins the company from GfK Martin Hamblin, and has seven years' experience conducting international online projects. 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
Synovate Healthcare has added inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)to its range of Therapy Monitors for the pharmaceutical industry. The Monitors track how certain diseases are treated, managed and perceived over time, based on the experiences and perceptions of a panel of specialist physicians. More
Aegis Group Plc, owner of Synovate, has announced that the company is on course to meet its 2005 targets despite a 'patchy' spend on advertising, and an uncertain outlook for the global economy. More
Norwegian-based software provider FIRM has appointed Ken W Østreng as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). More
Millward Brown has become a licensed member of the Walker Global Network in Asia Pacific. Under the licensing arrangement Millward Brown will offer stakeholder relationship measurement and management products developed and provided by stakeholder research specialist Walker. 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
WPP, parent company of Millward Brown, Research International, The Kantar Group and The Henley Centre among many other companies worldwide, has reported robust revenues for the first five months of the year. Noting that revenue per head had increased, WPP's Chairman Philip Lader thanked the company's 84,000 staff worldwide for their 'outstanding efforts'. More
Marketing research firms in the US saw a healthy growth of 7.2% in 2004, according to the latest Honomichl Annual Review, prepared for US Marketing News magazine. The firms in the top ten are the same as last year, while many of the changes in the top 50 are due to company mergers. More
Two new surveys released this week try to figure out what consumers want from mobile phone technology. Research from Forrester shows that Europeans are not interested in advanced mobile features, while a new Mintel report predicts that mobile gambling is set to rise rapidly in the US. 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
Nielsen Media Research has announced an extension of its collaborative relationship with Time Warner Inc. The existing TV audience estimate contract ran for seven years from 1998 – it will now run until at least 2008. More
Honda-owners are the most satisfied motorists in France, according to new consumer satisfaction survey. While Honda is the most satisfying brand to own, Toyota and BMW have snapped up the best car awards. More
Following yesterday's appointment of a new CEO, software company FIRM has announced the election of Bengt Thuresson as Chairman of the Board, plus two new Board members, Øystein Moan and Berit Svendsen. More
Oslo-based survey and reporting software provider FIRM (Future Information Research Management) has appointed Henning Hansen as its new President and CEO. He previously held the same titles at data security company Norman, which he joined in 2001. More
With effect from the beginning of this month, the GfK Group has acquired a 33% shareholding in Research Matters AG, a pharmaceutical market research specialist based in Switzerland. The two companies have also agreed the gradual increase of the GfK stake over the next few years. More
This year represents the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 61st anniversary of D-Day. Harris Interactive, working with IMAS International, recently conducted a survey of over 20,000 adults in 13 countries to gauge their knowledge and attitudes about World War II. 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
Synovate parent Aegis has agreed the acquisition of Italian quant and qual ad hoc agency AMT Consulting. The deal should be complete before the end of June 2005, when AMT will become part of Synovate. More
Ipsos UK has appointed Sarah Owen, formerly of Granada and BusinessWeek magazine, as AD in its Media division. More
Online survey specialist FIRM has announced that its Confirmit software will power 'Asia's largest online panel', the new AIP mega panel of up to 1 million active respondents. 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
The 2005 ESOMAR Congress will introduce two new features: 'Masterclasses' offering individual skills development ideas for delegates, and debating sessions. ESOMAR says the new features are designed to 'refresh and reinvigorate the market research contribution'. More
Nearly nine out of ten people (86%) in Brazil, but only half (50%) of Germans think that it is important for a company to act ethically, according to the latest figures from TGI's Global Barometer. More
UBM has announced the completion of its sale of NOP World to GfK for £383 million in cash. A special dividend of c.90p a share will return £300m to shareholders. 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
Nielsen Media Research International has acquired BBC De Media en Reclame Bank B.V. (BBC), the biggest ad spend intelligence company in the Netherlands, for an undisclosed sum. More
TNS Media Intelligence has acquired French agency Presse+, adding to its already substantial presence in the country's media intelligence market. TNS will take over all Presse+'s editorial monitoring activities including press review and newspaper cuttings services, TV, radio, cinema and Internet monitoring. More
Digital imaging specialist Lyra Research has appointed Peter Mayhew as Senior European Analyst. He joins from the UK's Ilford Imaging, where he was worldwide head of commercial marketing for digital. The agency has also announced two other recent appointments. More
The value of the online research market is set to triple in three years, reaching $4 billion by 2008 and introducing a large number of smaller users, according to a new study conducted for solutions provider GMI by Simon Chadwick of Cambiar. More
A buoyant GfK has announced a 43% increase in its dividend, the fifth successive rise since its IPO. 479 shareholders and shareholder representatives attended yesterday's AGM and approved a dividend of EUR 0.30 per share for financial year 2004. More
Pulse Group, whose launch was announced just two weeks ago in DRNO, has formed a strategic partnership with IT solutions company Basis Bay and set up a 40 seat, state-of-the-art VOIP CATI Centre for surveys in the Asian market. Expansion into Europe is planned for later in the year. 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
Lightspeed Research has opened an office in Frankfurt, Germany, to service a growing number of clients in the country, where it has operated since 2003. Gernot Plüm joins the company as Account Director and will head up the office. 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
Ipsos has announced results for the first quarter of 2005, with revenues up 12.9% including organic growth of 8.2%. All regions and business lines contributed, with Asia Pacific and Middle East, and advertising research particularly strong. More
Around a hundred b2b researchers, mostly UK-based but with a smattering of guests from Scandinavia, Austria, the States and elsewhere, gathered in Wales last week for the BIG Conference. As usual the papers included some thought-provoking pieces relevant within and beyond b2b circles. More
Online survey & reporting software provider FIRM has released first quarter results, showing revenue up 34% on the year to $3.9m in Q1 2005. During the quarter, FIRM added two new modules to its flagship package Confirmit: conjoint-based product and ad optimizer Confirmit IdeaMap, and multi-mode survey system Confirmit CAPI. More
'We would like to knit our automotive quality studies together as a global study... the auto companies weren't ready for it yet. Maybe they were products before their time. Actually, some other companies have tried and have bent their pick a little bit'. CEO Steve Goodall on J.D. Power's global future with McGraw-Hill – the concluding part of our exclusive interview. More
VNU has announced that Rob de Meel will leave on September 1, 2005 after a career of 27 years with the group. De Meel is Senior VP, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, a position he has held since 2002. The decision is linked to the relocation of several corporate functions from Haarlem, Netherlands to New York. 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
'I think the industry is ultimately making a bet on hydrogen' 'The US will move like the European or Western European markets... where c.50% are diesel engines' 'Asia ... will drive more and more future product development' - J.D.Power CEO Steve Goodall on what's in store for automotive, in part 2 of our exclusive interview. More
Internet MR group Greenfield Online, Inc has reported financial results for Q1 2005, with net revenue of $15.3m, up 77% on the year, and gross profit up 86% to $10.8m. The company has made three major acquisitions in the last few months, and next plans to begin panel-building in Asia. 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
Harris Interactive Chairman and CEO Robert E. Knapp has announced his surprise resignation from the company, by mutual agreement with its Board of Directors. The Board has appointed President and COO Gregory T. Novak as Acting CEO and George Bell as Chairman. The company also announced results for Q3 2005, showing a steep rise in revenue but a net loss of $2.7m. More
US-based technology analyst ABI Research has acquired Concise Insight Europe Ltd, which focuses on research among wireless operators. The buy gives ABI a local base from which to study European technology markets. More
Online MR solutions provider GMI has appointed Dietmar Walter, previously of Gartner, as its MD for Europe. Walter has worked as a Global Account Manager for Gartner for the last four years. GMI has also recently announced the stepping-up of its 20-country omnibus service from monthly to weekly. More
US-based Opinion Research Corporation and Sweden's Observer Group have announced financial results for the first quarter of 2005. ORC's rising revenues from social research offset a slight decline in market research and a bigger fall in teleservices, while Observer reports continued positive development in the US but a weak quarter in Europe. 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
Harris Interactive has hired Aled Morris as MD of its HI Europe UK operations. He was previously MD of the UK division of major recruitment services firm Spherion. More
Online fieldwork and panel specialist Research Now has appointed Jo Winning, former Account Director at Lightspeed Research, as its Client Service Director. Winning will combine client service responsibilities with new business development and will focus on media, FMCG and Financial Services. 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
Synovate has announced two senior automotive appointments. Falk Broghammer joins as Research Director for the German Synovate Motoresearch Team in Munich, while Jason Tagg has been appointed UK Director, Synovate Motoresearch. More
Healthcare and pharma researcher The Ziment Group has brought Consumer Health Sciences (CHS) under its wing as a fourth division. CHS provides disease-specific, self-reported consumer data to pharmaceutical and life science companies and was part of the Grey Global Group recently acquired by Ziment parent WPP. More
Ipsos is launching a new Global Public Affairs unit, consolidating the Group's offering in the sector. The move follows similar global consolidation for the ASI (advertising) and Loyalty business streams in 2001 and 2004 respectively. More
Speakers and panellists from companies including Saatchi & Saatchi, Coca-Cola, IBM, MasterCard and Motorola will discuss their experiences of working in emerging and developing markets, at the ESOMAR Global Forum in New York in May. 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
RONIN Corporation has appointed Bertrand Jolibert as International Panels Manager, with specific responsibility for maintaining and growing their multi-country IT Decision Makers and Medical Specialist Panels. Jolibert was previously Epanel Europe Manager at ACNielsen-BASES, in Brussels. 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
United Business Media (UBM) will offer exclusive talks to one of the three remaining bidders for NOP World, according to the UK's Financial Times. The three are GfK, Ipsos and the WPP Group - Aegis and TNS were recently eliminated from the bidding. More
Lightspeed Research has opened a new French office, on Avenue George V in Paris, to be headed up by new arrival Nadine Faure. The company has been active in France since 2003 but says demand for online research there is increasing. 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
European car owners show a strong preference for 'home grown' brands, according to the survey of car ownership and purchasing intentions conducted by ACNielsen [have to exclude the UK I suspect - Ed]. Globally, Toyota ranks as the number one car brand, but Volkswagen is top in Europe. 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
Research International has moved Douwe Rademaker from CEO Netherlands to CEO Japan, replacing the departing Toshiya Ueki. The company also announced the arrival of Nicky Buss, previously at fellow WPP company Red Cell Network, in the new position of Client Services Director, UK. 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
FIRM and Moskowitz Jacobs Inc. (MJI) have launched the new Confirmit® IdeaMap® integrated software announced last autumn. The service aims to bring conjoint analysis out of the realm of 'specialists with large budgets' and give it the speed, ease and lower cost of online technology, for use by anyone. More
comScore Networks has announced the formation of a newly consolidated European business unit, comScore Europe, and the appointment of marketing and media research veteran Bob Ivins to head it up as MD. 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
Ipsos has announced its results for the calendar year 2004, showing impressive revenue growth of 7.5% at constant scope and exchange rates. Consolidated revenues for the year were Euros 605.6m and operating profit was up 8% to Euros 54.7m – equivalent to a rise of 16% at constant exchange rates. More
Lightspeed Research has added new office space to its European headquarters office in Wimbledon, UK, doubling the size of the site. The company has made ambitious projections for 2005, with heavy demand for online research fuelling the launch of new panels and the extension of existing ones. 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
Online panel provider Bloomerce, recently acquired by Survey Sampling International, has appointed Pete Cape, formerly MD of TNS Interactive, as its UK MD. More
Hall & Partners Europe has appointed advertising researcher Dominic Scott Malden to a new position, MD of its qualitative division. More
Online survey and software specialist FIRM has announced that it is working on its first multi-mode solution, Confirmit CAPI, which it says will 'dramatically change the Market Research industry'. More
Harris Interactive® has added two new members to its Global Network of partners. Full service agencies ESTIME and TRIA International Research and Consultancy become the Networks members in Venezuela and Turkey respectively. 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
Gfk Group CEO Dr. Klaus L. Wübbenhorst has been appointed an honorary professor of business economics at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. More
The number of people globally with broadband Internet access grew by 24% last year according to Ipsos-Insight's annual 'Face of the Web' study. A majority of US users now have high-speed connections, and growth in France, the UK and urban Brazil has been particularly pronounced this year. 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
Western European countries are overlooking the opportunity of outsourcing to Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in favour of Asian countries, according to findings from The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The report says that CEE countries compare favourably with China and other rapidly developing economies in several respects. 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
The Council of American Survey Organisations (CASRO) has announced that its GPA and Legal Team is looking into increasing government scrutiny of pharmaceutical research in the US, and problems with differing US and EU industry guidelines for research in the sector. 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
Business technology usage specialist AMR Research has appointed Guy Dunkerley as Research Director, responsible for European Supply Chain Research. More
Ipsos has revealed full year results for 2004, showing a 6.3% growth in consolidated revenues to 605.6m euros, or 7.5% at constant scope and exchange rates – a sixth consecutive year outperforming the market since its IPO. The company also announced the arrival of Douglas Cottings as the new head of its Financial Services practice in the US. More
Independent PR giant Edelman is expanding its specialist research group StrategyOne into Europe, with the opening of a London office. The office will be headed up by Janette Henderson, on a twelve month secondment from MORI. More
UK agency SKOPOS has appointed Noreen Hussain to its London office as Head of Research and Quality, partly to assist an expansion from its online base into some more traditional areas of MR. More
TNS today launches the '6th Dimension', an online access panel covering the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. The service, to be co-ordinated from Amsterdam, is seen as a major plank of the MR giant's future offering. More
Online survey specialist Ciao has moved its London team to new, larger offices in Covent Garden, and has appointed five new members of staff. More
After a long search, world MR association ESOMAR has appointed a new Director General - Véronique Jeannin joins from water company Danone Springs of Eden. DRNO reported the impending departure of the previous DG Ted Vonk a year ago next week. More
Australian MR software provider Insight Marketing Systems (IMS) has announced the opening of an office in London, to improve services to European customers of its Research Reporter system. Jonathan Rabson joins the company from E-Tabs to head up the office as European Director. 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
More than eight out of ten Japanese households used the Internet in 2004, while the US market, thought by some to be at or nearing saturation point, broke through a two-year plateau with a 27% online population increase, according to Ipsos-Insight's Face of the Web study. More
Only a fifth of UK citizens are in favour of the draft European Constitution, and only half are even aware of it, according to the findings of a special Eurobarometer, conducted by TNS for the European Commission. Across the EU as a whole, the proportion in favour is 49%. More
VNU has today announced that the US District Court for the Southern District of New York has dismissed with prejudice all remaining claims in the antitrust case against its ACNielsen business unit by Information Resources Inc. (IRI). 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
The World Economic Forum at Davos this week will discuss economic aid, with the Tsunami disaster still in the headlines. More than half of adults in Britain, France and Germany believe that either Africa or the global spread of AIDS should still be the number one priority for international aid, according to a new CNN/TIME poll by TNS. More
Online survey & reporting software specialist FIRM, whose products include Confirmit and Reportal, has announced a 37% increase in its revenues from $9.7m in 2003 to $13.3m in 2004. The growth is very similar to the 40% rise the previous year. More
The UK's 'Tweens' and Teenagers are Europe's richest, according to new results from Datamonitor. Annual income per capita reached £775 in 2003 - more than twice as much as their Spanish counterparts. More
VNU Business Media Europe, in the news yesterday linking up with Shanghai Media Group, has now announced an agreement with media and information specialist IDG, to merge the two companies' publishing operations in France. More
Susan D. Whiting, much in the news of late as President and CEO of Nielsen Media Research, will combine this role with heading up VNU's Media Measurement & Information (MMI) group, as of April 4 when Mike Connors departs. More
Synovate has announced two more senior appointments. Mark O'Connor becomes Financial Director, Western Europe and Laurie Harris is the new US-based Vice President, Corporate Development for Synovate Healthcare. More
The GfK Group and Information Resources Inc. (IRI) have agreed to disentangle themselves from two joint enterprises in Europe. GfK will transfer its shares in the German and Dutch subsidiaries of IRI to the parent company and at the same time buy out IRI's share in GfK Panelservices Benelux. More
Synovate has announced three senior promotions for its Western Europe region. Peter Huijboom, previously MD of Synovate Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands becomes the region's COO; Victoria Davidson becomes its Marketing Communications Director; and Business Development Director James Mundell takes on an expanded role. More
TNS, much in the news of late, has issued an optimistic trading update ahead of its full year results announcement at the beginning of March. The company expects to deliver underlying revenue growth and margin improvement in line with previous guidance. More
Americans in a new Harris Poll appear much more optimistic than Europeans did in a similar poll in early 2004. US adults gave much more positive views of improvements in the last five years, and expectations for the future, whether discussing their personal lives, employment, finances, or their country's economy. More
Lightspeed Research has strengthened its global operations team with a series of new appointments and recruits. This includes the creation of a new post of Chief Operations Officer with the appointment of Chris Stevens. More
TNS has this week released the results of its Global Corporate Reputation Study 2005. The study, which was conducted in the last quarter of 2004, used TRI*M, TNS' business solution for Stakeholder Management, to measure perceptions across 40 countries, surveying more than 36,000 members of the general public. More
Survey Sampling International (SSI) is expanding its overseas presence with the acquisition of European online sampling company, Bloomerce Access Panels Europe. Located in the Netherlands with 40 employees, Bloomerce has more than one million panel members in Europe. 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
GfK has announced this week that it has sold its 50% stake in IHA-IMS Health, Switzerland, and at the same time has increased its participation in GPI Kommunikationsforschung, Germany, to 100%. More
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is the person most trusted by Europeans to provide information about the world's Millennium Development Goals (MDG), according to a recent Harris Interactive survey. However, in the US he is way down the list. More
Synovate Healthcare has appointed Jacquelyn S. Ilacqua as Head of its pioneering cancer study, the Global Tandem Oncology Monitor. More
Michael P. Connors, Chairman of VNU's Media Measurement & Information (MMI) group has decided to leave the group to take up a role as a CEO of a publicly traded company. He will continue in the Chairman/CEO role until June 30 this year. 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
Millward Brown has given its new global brand investment unit a name - 'Millward Brown Optimor' - and two Senior Vice Presidents, both former employees of FutureBrand, whence came unit Head Joanna Seddon a short while ago. More
Bacon's Information, a division of Swedish-based Observer Group, has acquired the operations of Delahaye, a PR-focused media evaluation and consulting services firm with offices in the USA and UK, from Medialink Worldwide Incorporated. More
If you're planning to forget the diet for a few days, you may be interested in some facts about chocolate consumption from Datamonitor. The British are the biggest consumers of chocolate in Europe, eating on average 10kg (24 pounds) of the stuff each year - nearly twice the European average, and the equivalent of 154 Mars Bars. More
Recently-formed NOP World Health has announced the composition of its European Team, based in London. David Bayton, a former NOP Director, returns to lead the team after five years away at RI and Synovate. More
VNU has issued a trading update indicating that 2004 case earnings per share (CEPS) should be at the top end of its 7-9% forecast (constant currencies), due to 'positive developments during the second half year'. The upturn comes despite delays in moving data production systems to a new European 'data factory'. More
Millward Brown's Fabrizio Giordano, currently Business Development Director for Mainland Europe, is returning to Latin America to take over as MD for Brazil, replacing Vera Frucci who is leaving the company after 4 years. More
EQuesta, the online division of pharmaceutical and healthcare data collection agency Fieldwork International, has announced that its European physicians panel has doubled in size over the past year to 19,000, and is currently growing at a rate of 2000 members per month. More
Online survey & reporting software provider FIRM has announced the release of a new version of its flagship Confirmit system and reports dramatically improved user productivity. More
VNU has announced the completion of the sale of its World Directories group to World Directories Acquisition Corp., a legal entity owned by funds advised by Apex Partners Worldwide LLP and Cinven Limited, for EUR 2,075 million. 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
British adults may be more supportive than French or German of American involvement in Iraq, but they are just as pessimistic about the likely outcome / long-term situation, according to the latest TNS poll for CNN and TIME magazine. The poll also notes that pessimism does not always translate into support for the rapid withdrawal of troops. 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
Synovate has announced senior hirings in its Healthcare division and its units in the Mediterranean and Middle East. Simon Woodlock and Christian Batte join the company while Andreas Zachariou moves territories. More
'We are a research and consulting organization first. The Internet and telephone are a means to an end'. Gregory Novak, President and COO Harris Interactive talks in depth to MrWeb's Michael Kenyon about Internet research, Sesame Street strategy and 'the perfect acquisition'. More
GfK has appointed Andrew Reid in the Customer Research leadership role recently vacated by Kjell de Orr. Orr is now Group MD of GfK Martin Hamblin and Reid is Global Head of Strategic Accounts and Client Developments (SACD), Custom Research. 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
UK banks are the most crowded in Europe, serving on average over 5,000 people per branch, according to a new report by Datamonitor. The figure reflects mass closure of high street branches in the late 1990s and is five times that for Spain. 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
It is probably fairly common knowledge that if Europeans had chosen the US President, George W Bush would be twiddling his thumbs by now and John Kerry in the Whitehouse. However, GfK Media's results from seven countries show the full extent of Bush's old world unpopularity. More
BMRA Chairman Peter Jackling successfully completed last week's Dublin marathon, in a time of only 4 hours 29 minutes, raising just under £1,000 for the Market Research Benevolent Association. 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 York-based healthcare and pharmaceutical specialist The Ziment Group has launched IMAP Research, a new division specialising in multi-client studies. The Group also announced two senior appointments in Europe. More
The worldwide mobile phone market grew again in Q3 2004, with renewed strength for Nokia, according to IDC's Worldwide Mobile Phone Qview. More
'Net-based data collection specialist Ciao has completed interviewing for the Ciao Online Research Barometer, a U&A study among 260 market researchers in Europe and North America who are users of online surveys. Top-line results show the rapid development of the medium. 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
European online panel specialist SKOPOS has hired methods and stats expert Dr. Olaf Wenzel, previously with German agency Psyma, to work on more complex research designs and conduct advanced analyses. More
Online MR solutions provider Global Market Insite (GMI) has a new sales office operational in Singapore, with two senior salespeople appointed. Sales ADs have also been added in Shanghai and Spain. More
TGI has announced the winners of its own 'Olympics', measuring nations' general performance in terms of health, food and sports. Japan, China and Australia take the overall medals with France and Germany also among the individual medals. More
Harris Interactive has announced financial results for its fiscal first quarter 2005, showing consolidated revenue up 22% (versus a year ago) to $40.7 million and operating income up 34%. The company's Internet revenues continue to grow faster than off-line. More
FIRM, the company behind Confirmit online survey & reporting software, has announced that it is preparing for a listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE). The Initial Public Offering (IPO) is expected to take place in 2005, depending on market conditions. More
VNU, owner of AC Nielsen and others, has announced an agreement with a syndicate of Banks for a EUR 1,000 million revolving credit facility, intended 'for general corporate purposes, including working capital and acquisition financing'. Rumours about possible acquisition targets are already rife following the sale of the World Directories group a month ago. More
DoubleClick Inc. has appointed Keith Jones, formerly Head of European Sales & Marketing Solutions at D&B, as MD of its Abacus Europe subsidiary, a transactional database manager and publisher of MR reports. More
Internet-based panels provider Ciao AG has added seven new execs to its international project management team. The new staff, mostly based in Madrid, will allow the company to continue its policy of using a dedicated project manager and account manager for each project despite a rapidly growing volume of work. More
ORC International is to give executives from Swedish car manufacturer Saab access to a new online system to evaluate marketing effectiveness. The tool links breaking research data with existing information such as advertising spend and retail sales. More
Online fieldwork agency Bloomerce has opened a UK office, to be led by Martin Cawley, previously of Sample Answers. More
Pierre Le Mahn has been appointed Chairman and CEO of Ipsos Europe, following the decision of Jean-Michel Carlo to leave and resume his career in the communication industry. More
ESOMAR will be hosting its 5th Telecom Marketing Conference from November 7 – 9, with the theme 'Navigating the dynamic global landscape'. Among other issues, papers will examine 'the massive impact of mobile technology on the evolution of society'. 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
Most adults in Britain, France and Germany support the idea of government action to stop companies outsourcing jobs overseas, according to the latest poll by TNS for CNN and TIME magazine. Almost half of German adults (48%) also think that people in their country should consider wage cuts to prevent this. More
Britain is the only major economy where two or more used cars are bought for every new one, according to the latest figures from TGI. GB comes bottom of a list of 16 countries surveyed, in 11 of which a greater proportion of consumers said that the last car they bought was second-hand than said it was new. More
Mercedes, BMW, Toyota and Nokia are the world's most advocated brands according to NOP World's 2004 Global Advocacy Study. More
Online panel provider Ciao has announced the availability of a new proprietary access panel, Access: The Netherlands, 75,000 Dutch consumers included. More
Synovate has released the results of a global study into viewing of and attitudes to the Olympic Games. 82% claim to have followed the Games, with US respondents, despite their country topping the medals table, least likely (73%) and Germany second bottom with 78%. More
Online survey & reporting software providers FIRM has announced a partnership with Moskowitz Jacobs Inc. (MJI) to deliver a new online conjoint solution fusing their two flagship technologies. More
Healthcare information giant IMS Health has this week announced the launch of new consulting capabilities for European clients, offering private and public sector clients evidence-based insights into the cost, value and anticipated consequences of therapies and treatment options. More
Total spending on drinks by British consumers in bars, cafés, restaurants and hotels is set to increase by almost 10%, from £26.7bn to £29.1bn by 2008, according to Datamonitor – this is equivalent to £625 per Briton. France is second in Europe with sales of £22 billion and Germany third with £18 billion. Consumption of alcohol by women is growing especially fast. More
VNU, parent of ACNielsen, Nielsen Media Research and others, has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its World Directories group to World Directories Acquisition Corp. for EUR 2,075 million. The buyer is a legal entity owned by funds advised by Apax Partners Worldwide LLP and Cinven Limited. More
Ipsos has announced the acquisition of Japan Statistics and Research Co Ltd (JSR). The global group already has a major presence in the market via Ipsos Novaction, specialists in forecasting, modelling and consulting, and combined revenues of the two companies will place it in Japan's Top 5 survey-based MR companies. More
Automotive research giant J.D. Power and Associates has announced two strategic moves to enhance its offering in Europe and internationally. A second regional office for Europe will be opened in Munich, whilst in the UK the company has acquired Oxford-based forecaster and analyst LMC Automotive Services, Ltd. 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
A new report on pensions from Datamonitor reveals the average worker in the UK needs to contribute a further GBP50,000 to their current pension fund, if they are to achieve a comfortable standard of living in retirement. 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
TNS has released interim results for the first half of 2004, showing the effect of the acquisition of NFO. Turnover (including joint ventures) is up 46.1% on the first half of 2003, to £446.0m, while operating profit rises 58.7% to £40.9m. More
Hall & Partners Europe has appointed Vanella Jackson to the new role of CEO. Jackson is a former Head of Planning at advertising agency Bates UK, and has worked for many of the big names in the ad industry as well as running her own consultancy. 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
The European Commission has chosen TNS to run its Standard Eurobarometer, the largest study of its kind in the world. TNS subsidiary EOS Gallup Europe will manage the project, measuring public opinion on social, economic and political issues across 33 countries in a contract lasting up to four years. More
Online fieldwork and panel specialists Research Now! have added four new employees including former Red Sheriff boss John Caldwell as Director of Client Services. More
Football fans are fine with the idea of sponsors names appearing not only on shirts but also on their stadium, according to recent research by UK agency SPA. The research was commissioned by sponsorship consultancy, Connexus PreciSion, on behalf of the English Premier League clubs Arsenal and Bolton Wanderers. More
The European chapter of the worldwide Mystery Shopping Providers Association is hosting a conference on 'Understanding and Valuing Mystery Shopping' in Paris in September. More
ESOMAR and EMAC (European Marketing Academy) are to co-host a Marketing Conference on October 10-12 in Warsaw, Poland. Under the theme 'Where Science Meets Practice', topics will include brand management, understanding consumers, advanced uses of the Internet, and research in emerging markets. 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
VNU, parent of ACNielsen, has reported results for the first half of 2004. Reported revenues are down 5% versus the first half of 2003 but revenues at constant currency are up 2%, while cash earnings show a healthy increase. The Marketing Information and Media Measurement & Information groups show strong organic revenue growth of 8 and 7% respectively. More
The KMR Group has announced a major re-structure and the appointment of Richard Asquith as MD of BMRB. The moves aim to provide greater focus on international development, following last week's launch of the AGB Nielsen Media Research joint venture. 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
Swedish-based business intelligence group Observer AB has published its Interim report for the first 6 months of 2004, showing strong development in North America and continued tough market conditions in the Nordic region. 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
The AGB Group and Nielsen Media Research International have today announced a 50/50 joint venture that will offer television ratings in 30 countries. AGB Group's TV audience measurement services will merge with those wholly owned by Nielsen Media Research International. The deal does not include Nielsen's US TV ratings service. More
The Greeks may have invented the Olympics, but according to figures from TGI they are the globe's most reluctant sporting participants. Only 1% of Greeks claim to play two or more sports, whereas at the other end of the table figures are 59% in urban China and 70% in the USA. The report also gives detailed figures for watching sport on TV. More
The British Prime Minister is the only world leader about whom a majority of Americans feel positive, according to the latest Harris Poll. His positive rating is well up on those of President Bush, Kofi Annan and the Pope, and more than 30% ahead of any other leader of a foreign country. More
After explosive growth in the last few years, the European market for flavoured alcoholic drinks (FABs) is finally slowing down and will be in decline by 2008, according to analysis and forecasts by Datamonitor. More
Synovate Healthcare has announced several key management appointments, including Bob Douglas as MD – Europe and Asia, Stuart Bartlett as Regional Director Asia Pacific and Louisa Miles in the new role of Global Training Manager. 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
Three recent senior moves at RI involving CEOs in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southern Europe. More
Martin Hamblin GfK has this week announced two senior appointments. Alastair Bruce, current General Manager of Martin Hamblin GfK Inc (the US-based HealthCare Division), joins the main Board of Martin Hamblin GfK, while Christopher Monos becomes Global Head of Martin Hamblin GfK's Gamma team. More
Germany is the number one beer drinking nation in Europe, with a high proportion of men saying they drink 'to get drunk' according to a new report by MINTEL. In 2003 German adults drank on average some 145 litres (255 pints) of beer each - 20 litres (35 pints) more than the British. More
VNU, parent of AC Nielsen, has appointed Greg Anderson to the position of global Senior Vice President Human Resources - a new position - with effect from August 2. Anderson will be headquartered in New York and report directly to Chairman and CEO Rob van den Bergh. 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
Internet MR application provider Global Market Insite (GMI) has announced the promotion of Bob Chua to MD of Sales, International. He was previously responsible for managing sales in Asia, and now adds Europe to his responsibilities as well as spearheading the global launch of the new GMI Omnibus. More
Research International has recently announced the appointment of Sarah Phillips to the newly created post of European Healthcare Director. More
With the football now over, the latest analysis from Nielsen//NetRatings shows the BBC Sport site attracting the largest audiences in the UK throughout the Euro 2004 tournament. 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
As the World Travel & Tourism Council predicts robust growth for the global travel industry during 2004, the latest figures from TGI reveal that while the majority of consumers love the idea of foreign travel, the top holiday hotspots are generally those which are closest to home. More
Wrap accounts have the potential to dramatically alter the UK's financial services landscape. According to a new report on the sector from Datamonitor, the UK is Europe's fastest developing market for wrap accounts. 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
UK sales of beer and lager during the Euro 2004 tournament are 25% higher than those seen at any point during the 2002 World Cup, with kick-off times a big factor, according to TNS Superpanel. TNS are running weekly reports on supermarket beer and lager sales throughout the Euro 2004 competition. More
ESOMAR will be hosting its 57th Annual Congress on September 19-22 in Lisbon, with the core theme 'The Integration of Marketing Research in the Business World: from managing data to generating decisions'. More than 1000 people from 70 countries are due to attend. More
Even before last night, the British needed a holiday, according to a survey by online sampling specialists Ciao Consumer Access. A survey of 40,000 respondents in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK found that the British take the fewest breaks: last year, a massive 30% failed to get away at all, compared to just 9% of Italians and 11% of Spaniards. More
SPSS has announced the launch of a new product, Text Analysis for Surveys, which aims to provide an efficient way of mining key information from open ended responses and is claimed by one user at least as the 'Holy Grail' of survey text analysis. More
The Euro 2004 tournament, now approaching its knockout stage, is attracting record audiences to related Web sites, according to research from Nielsen//NetRatings. More
comScore Networks has announced the launch of qSearch Europe, which provides insight into usage of the top search engines and portals, based on actual search queries. The new service adds figures for the UK, France and Germany to the existing measures for Canada and the US, and initial results show an interesting comparison. 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
Survey software provider Perseus Development Corporation has announced the opening of a London office, under the name of Valloria Software (Perseus UK), and has appointed Peter Barnett as MD. More
English football fans finding it hard to concentrate on work anyway this morning may be interested in some pre-tournament findings from HI Europe. A poll conducted in May reveals that well over half (58%) of British people intend(ed) to watch some or all of UEFA Euro 2004 on TV, including almost half of women. More
With a third of western European consumers now classified as 'overweight' and forecasts suggesting this will increase to almost half by 2006, many food and drink manufacturers now regard the development of low-carbohydrate foods as a priority, according to Reuters Business Insight. More
Survey software and solutions company Global Market Insite (GMI) has announced two senior appointments. Michael Gordon, formerly of FIRM and MarketTools, becomes MD of Sales, North America, while Greg Ward, formerly Development Director at Taylor Nelson Sofres and a founder of Aquiduct, joins as Director of Sales, Europe. 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
Jonathan Rea has been appointed CEO of Research International in Italy. He succeeds Ivana Ventura, who is to become Global Managing Director of Research International Qualitatif. More
ESOMAR and the ARF are combining to host the Third Worldwide Audience Measurement Conference (WAM) from June 13 to 18 in Geneva, Switzerland. More
VNU is exploring strategic options for its Directories group, including a possible sale of the business, so that it can 'concentrate on its core marketing, media measurement and business information activities', which include ACNielsen and many others. More
FIRM (Future Information Research Management) has released a new version of its flagship software system Confirmit. Online and offline reporting capabilities are enhanced, survey generation is faster and overall performance improved by up to 1200%. More
The number of people who have tried or used some form of wireless Internet through a mobile device has risen 145% from 55 million unique users to 134 million in 2003, according to The Face of the Web, the annual study of Internet trends by Ipsos-Insight. This represents around 40% of the total Internet population in the study's measured countries. More
Millward Brown has announced two MD-level moves / appointments in Spain and Portugal, along with news of additional roles for other senior figures in Europe. More
Germans still account for almost two fifths of European spend on coffee, according to Mintel, but the German market has declined by 39% in 5 years while spend in the rest of Europe remains fairly constant. The net effect is a decline in the European market (excluding coffee shops) from 8.5 billion Euros in 1998 to 6.8 billion Euros in 2003. More
Derek Martin has retired as Chairman of Martin Hamblin GfK, somewhat earlier than expected. The Martin Hamblin co-counder has been at the helm for almost 35 years, and will be succeeded by recent arrival Kjell de Orr. The change is effective immediately. More
Ciao AG has announced the expansion of its network of proprietary and partner access panels to cover 7 million survey respondents in 37 countries worldwide. Hungary, Ireland, Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand and Taiwan have been added to the Ciao Global Network, bringing the number of approved local panel providers to twenty-two. More
Brits are Europe's biggest snackers, according to the latest from Datamonitor. By 2008, snacking will account for 44% of all 'eating occasions', and UK consumers will spend a total of £10.3bn on snacks, 20% more than the 2003 figure of £8.5bn. 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
For the first time, Korean-branded vehicles outpace both European and US in initial quality, according to the recent J.D. Power and Associates 2004 Initial Quality StudySM (IQS). However, manufacturers from most countries and regions performed well with more than 80% of nameplates improving on their 2003 scores, and problems down 11 percent overall. More
Nielsen//NetRatings has appointed David Day as MD for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. More
VNU has announced that it has purchased the remaining stake in two European-based radio airplay-monitoring businesses, Music Control and Aircheck. The Group previously owned a minority stake in the former and a majority in the latter. The two had a total revenue of EUR 6.5 million in 2003. More
Harris Interactive® has released results for the third quarter of fiscal 2004, showing revenue of $35.4m for the quarter, 10% up on the same period the previous year. Worldwide sales bookings rose above $40m for the first time, with a sharp rise in Internet-based revenue (42%) more than compensating for an 18% fall elsewhere. More
Online survey software supplier FIRM (Future Information Research Management) has announced record first quarter revenues of $3m. The company's first quarter revenues grew globally by 46 percent and in the US by 70 percent versus the same period in 2003. Dutch software company NEBU has also announced good results, for 2003. 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
Dutch based research consortium the Intersearch Network has announced that International Communications Research (ICR) has become its first US member company. 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
More than 55 million Europeans use Google as their search engine, according to recent figures from Internet analysis specialists Nielsen//NetRatings. With an active reach of over 47% of the Digital Media Universe in January 2004, 'Googling' is becoming a part of the language. 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
Due to an organisational change at Stockholm-based agency Observer AB, Hans Strand is leaving the company at the end of March. Strand has been acting Managing Director for Sweden and the Nordic & Baltic region for the past year, and is a former head of the Media Intelligence division. 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
Fewer than one in six IT professionals (15%) believe that 'most IT companies can be trusted completely', according to a new TNS survey evaluating the drivers of IT brand trust. Findings from the UK, US, France and Germany all suggest that IT professionals are wary of their suppliers. More
Production of four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicles in North America is expected to increase from around a quarter of all new light vehicles produced to close to 37% by 2008, according to a new report by J.D. Power and Associates. Sales are expected to grow in Europe but decline in the Far East. More
Harris Interactive® has announced the acquisition of the Paris-based online market research firm Novatris S.A. The deal will result in the creation of what is believed to be the largest online panel in Europe, with close to 1.7m members. 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
GfK has announced its preliminary results for 2003, showing an 'outstanding financial year'. Sales increased by 6.4 per cent to EUR 595.1m and EBIT including income from participations by 37.8 per cent to EUR 68.9m. More
After two gloomy months, German consumers' outlook has brightened somewhat, according to the consumer climate survey carried out by GfK Marktforschung on behalf of the EU Commission. Income expectations are more positive and willingness to make larger purchases in the next few months has also increased. More
People in the ten countries due to join the European Union (EU) after 1 May 2004 have mixed feelings about it, according to the latest EU Index survey conducted by GfK Ad Hoc Research Worldwide. Employment and training opportunities overseas are offset by fears of price increases at home, and more corruption. More
Airport security waiting times have decreased over the last year, although they are five minutes longer in the US than elsewhere, according to a recently released study by J.D. Power and Associates. In terms of passenger satisfaction, Frankfurt tops the list of large airports and Singapore's Changi International that of medium-sized airports. More
Synovate has announced three CEO level appointments. Tim Bowles becomes CEO for Western Europe, Michael Spedding CEO of Synovate Healthcare and Nicos Rossides global head of Synovate Solutions. More
Research International has announced that its Italian CEO Ivana Ventura will succeed Malcolm Baker as Global MD of Research International Qualitatif, when Baker retires this year. More
In a contract worth more than EUR 90 million, GfK Fernsehforschung has been appointed to measure TV ratings in Germany on a continuous basis for a further seven years by AGF, an association of the four major German broadcasters. More
Cincinnati-based global brands agency AcuPOLL has appointed Andrew Fenning as its UK-based president of European operations. Fenning, a veteran of JWT, began his career in London but has spent the last 25 years working in Continental Europe, the US, and South America. 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
ESOMAR has announced that Director General Ted Vonk is to leave his position as of next month to pursue other interests, by mutual agreement. The organisation is now searching for a new DG. Vonk will continue to contribute to a number of ongoing ESOMAR projects. More
Gourmet food is flourishing across Europe, according to the latest report from Datamonitor. France is Europe's largest gourmet food market in terms of overall spend. The UK is second, but first in terms of spend per capita, with British consumers spending over £900 per year each on fine foods. More
HI Europe has announced the extension of the QuickQuery(tm) online omnibus service, created in the US by Harris Interactive® in 1999, to Great Britain. The company plans to add France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Belgium in the near future. More
Research International has appointed Phillip Cartwright Global Senior Director, Marketing Science Centre. He will divide his time between RI France and the Group Marketing Science Centre in London. More
Online data collection specialist Itracks (Interactive Tracking Systems Inc.) is to establish a European office and has announced that Bjørn Haugland, founder of online software pioneers FIRM, will lead the initiative as President of Itracks Europe. More
A new report from Datamonitor reveals that Europeans are under half as likely to be affluent as US citizens (8% versus more than 16% of the population). Spain has Europe's fastest growing affluent market but the UK the most developed range of financial offerings for the better off. More
TNS Healthcare has announced results from its 'Power of Image' study, entitled Oncologists: An Assessment of Pharmaceutical Company Image in the United States and Europe. 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
Worldwide shipments of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) fell 5.3% in 2003 to 11.5m units, according to preliminary results from technology consultants Gartner, Inc. The decline may reflect the impact of smartphones and enhanced mobile phones. More
Customers of Future Information Research Management (FIRM) completed a record 30 million online survey interviews in 2003 using its online survey & reporting software Confirmit. The figure represents an increase of 59% over 2002, bringing revenue growth of more than 40%. More
Research and advisory firm Financial Insights, an IDC Company, has announced further expansion in Europe, with two key appointments. Robert Giffords becomes Director of Research and Consulting for the EMEA Region, joined by Martin McKenna as Director of Sales. More
IT buyers expect spend on Open Source/Linux applications to grow by 2.8% in 2004, according to the NOP World Technology Confidence Barometer. Thirty per cent of organisations surveyed are using Open Source with a further 32% considering implementing it in the next 12 months. More
Football / Soccer is the world's favourite televised sport, but try guessing which sport comes second, or estimating how many Chinese have attended a live football match in the last 3 months, without the help of Synovate's recent survey of sport watching on 4 continents... More
Almost half the world's adults believe it will be 'less safe' in a generation's time, while just a quarter think it will be safer, according to results presented to a session of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland this week by TNS / the Gallup International Association (GIA). More
The John and Mary Goodyear Award for the Best International Research Paper presented at ESOMAR events during 2003 has been won by Steven Cohen, SHC & Associates, USA and Leopoldo Neira, LatiNetwork Dichter & Neira, Panama for a paper on Maximum Difference Scaling. More
Millward Brown continues to strengthen its senior team for Mainland Europe with the appointment of Pierre Gomy as Research & Development Director. Also this month Krzysztof Kruszewski, MD of the company's Polish subsidiary has picked up two awards. More
NYC-based Ziment subsidiary WebSurveyEurope has added British healthcare agency Praxis Research & Consulting to its list of partners delivering online surveys among physicians and other healthcare professionals. Praxis will have immediate access to WebSurveyEurope's physician panel for surveys. More
London, currently launching its bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, is Europe's no.1 city break destination according to new research published by MINTEL. With 11.6m foreign visitors in 2002, London is well ahead of Paris with just under 9m. More
Millward Brown has appointed Fabrizio Giordano as Business Development Director for its mainland European region, expanding his current development role, which focuses on leisure and entertainment business. More
Martin Hamblin GfK Global HealthCare has launched '1st Forecast', a new service for biotech and pharmaceutical companies, to determine the likely market success of a new compound in development. 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
It's been a busy time for automotive research announcements. This afternoon DRNO provides summaries of four recent stories covering customer loyalty and retention, hybrid and diesel development and the Harris Interactive® Automotive Panel. More
Harris Interactive has appointed Robert E. Knapp, previously EVP and Chief Strategy Officer at Gartner, Inc., as its new Vice Chairman and CEO. Current CEO and founder Dr. Gordon S. Black will continue as Executive Chairman when Knapp starts on January 26. Al Angrisani, President and COO, will continue to oversee the daily operations of the Company. More
ESOMAR's market research technology & innovation conference takes place on February 1 – 3 at the Intercontinental Princesa Sofia Hotel in Barcelona. The event offers researchers a glimpse of some of the ways in which leading edge technology is being used – and being influenced – by market research. More
NetRatings has acquired a majority interest in Internet audience measurement specialists RedSheriff. The transaction will help Nielsen//NetRatings to satisfy industry demand for integrated panel-centric and site-centric measurement solutions. More
In case you hadn't noticed, England are rugby union World Champions. The sport has rocketed from eighth place to second equal in popularity, according to research supported by financial services company Zurich and conducted as part of MORI's SportsTracker. In January 2003 just 18% of Britons said they had an interest in rugby: now, it's 27%. For comparison, 45% are interested in football. More
Arbitron Inc. and TNS have signed a license agreement giving TNS the right to use the Portable People Meter (PPM) system and its audio encoding technology for radio and television audience measurement in selected countries in Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. 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
Traditional Christmas cheer from the December edition of HenlEymail, the Henley Centre's electronic newsletter, which reports that the family is alive and well, and growing in importance as a source of emotional sustenance for consumers around the globe. More
Having recently announced the divestiture of Claritas, VNU this week issued a trading update which combines an optimistic assessment of potential for next year with news of widespread cost efficiencies. The latter includes the shedding of almost 700 jobs over the next 3 years in its Marketing Information (MI) group, partly from natural attrition. More
Private investors in both Europe and the US continue to prefer short-term savings products, according to the Investment Barometer, a representative survey by the GfK Group on behalf of The Wall Street Journal Europe. The mood in Western Europe is more cautious than in the USA, which is reacting to positive economic forecasts. More
An overall increase in IT investment of 5.3% across Europe and the US is forecast in 2004, according to NOP World's annual Technology Confidence Barometer. 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
Forrester Research recently announced that it has acquired certain assets associated with GigaGroup, S.A. for $3.9 million in total consideration. Headquartered in Paris, GigaGroup's assets include 125 client companies and approximately $4.0 million of agreement value. More
The latest research commissioned by the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) shows that the Internet now represents 10% of Europeans' media consumption. This places the Internet ahead of magazines (8%) and just behind newspapers (13%) in media consumption terms. The study finds that while TV controls the largest share of people's media time (41%), nearly 45% of consumers watch less television as a result of using the Internet. More
Brand communications and research agency Hall & Partners has this week been acquired by the Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division of the Omnicom Group for an undisclosed sum. Hall & Partners will continue to operate as an independent company. 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
Ipsos has announced two key senior appointments. Dr Randall Emond has joined the company as CEO of the Ipsos Forecasting, Modeling and Consulting global division, which includes the Ipsos-Novaction and Ipsos-Vantis modeling and forecasting practices. In addition, Alain Péron has been named as Managing Director (France) of the company's quality and customer satisfaction division, Ipsos Loyalty. More
The GfK Group has continued its recent good results into the 3rd quarter of 2003. The Group saw a 6.5% increase in sales versus the first nine months of 2002, to EUR 431.1m, an increase in EBIT after income from participations of 50.5% to EUR 46.8m, and in its margin from 7.7% to 10.9%. 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
It is no surprise to hear that on the whole, Europeans do not trust politicians, managers and journalists. However, some nations trust them more than others, as revealed by a GfK survey commissioned by The Wall Street Journal Europe. More
US Hispanics are spending more time online and viewing far more pages than a year ago, according to data published by comScore Media Metrix. The analysis examines key growth metrics, language preferences and top properties. More
VNU has announced a new organizational structure for its largest business group, VNU Marketing Information. Steven Schmidt becomes global CEO for ACNielsen and a new unit, VNU Advisory Services, has been created to develop advanced business solutions for clients. More
With President George W Bush making a State Visit to Britain this week, a CNN/TIME poll conducted in Britain, Germany and France by TNS suggests low levels of public support for the Bush administration. The poll, conducted on the eve of the visit, also reveals skepticism about the 'special relationship' between the US and the UK. More
Measurement company Market Metrix, LLC have announced third quarter results from their Hospitality Index (the MMHI), measuring customer satisfaction with Web sites. JetBlue Airways and Enterprise Rent-A-Car each win their category for the fourth time in the last five quarters. Four Seasons were number one in the hotels category. 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
Sports Marketing Surveys is extending its tennis research programme from the US to provide directly comparable analysis of the equipment market in the five biggest Western European economies. The new European Tennis Survey is supported by many of the major global tennis manufacturers. More
NOP World have appointed Chris Davis as MD of the European Automotive operation. Davis will be based in the London office, and joins the group from Northstar Research where he has held senior posts in Canada, USA and most recently the UK. More
Ninety five per cent of UK healthcare specialists say that levels of pre-diabetes* and Type II diabetes will worsen over the next ten years, according to new research from TNS. One in six (16%) believe they will reach 'epidemic' proportions over the coming decade. More
Global agency Ipsos has reported significantly improved performance for the first nine months of 2003 – consolidated revenues are 7.3% up on the same period last year, at 400.9m Euros. Organic growth and the impact of newly consolidated companies contributed about evenly to a rise which, excluding negative currency effects, would have been 18.9%. More
The organic food and drink market in the UK is forecast to grow by around 75% between 2002 and 2007, according to a new report from Datamonitor. The UK is second in Europe in its spend on organic foods, but far behind Germany, with high prices remaining the strongest barrier to acceptance. More
Twelve new graduates have completed their induction training scheme at Isis, the healthcare research specialists recently acquired by Synovate. All the new arrivals spent six weeks training in the UK, but four of them have now joined overseas offices in Spain, the Philippines and Maryland, USA while their colleagues remain in London. 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
Sports Marketing Surveys and Eurosport have announced the launch of the Eurosport Poll, a joint venture using online research to deliver rapid feedback to sponsors, event organisers, consultancies and federations on an omnibus basis. 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
VNU, the parent company of ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research, has appointed Maarten Schikker to the new position of Vice President Corporate Sustainability. Schikker's brief will be to develop a sustainability strategy for the company, demonstrating its commitment to the increasingly prominent notion of corporate social responsibility (see various recent DRNO articles). More
Jon Wilkinson, Chairman and CEO of Research International, has announced his intention to retire in June 2004. Roger Banks, currently CEO Mainland Europe, will become Group CEO and report in to Kantar CEO Eric Salama. Colin Buckingham moves to the new role of CEO, Global Business while Mark Penn, once President Clinton's pollster, becomes Non-Executive Chairman of the Group. 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
Almost half of all adults (49%) in Britain, France and Germany believe that many top athletes and sporting personalities are using non-approved performance-enhancing drugs, according to a new CNN/TIME poll conducted by TNS. More
It may be unlikely to convert many British Euro-sceptics, but new research by Synovate Germany can confirm that seven out of every ten Germans believe Britain should join the Euro. The feeling is particularly strong among men, and among the young. More
A majority of Europeans (57%) feel that the policies of President George W. Bush have 'made the world a more dangerous place to live' according to a new poll conducted by TNS for CNN/TIME. More than a third say their feelings about the US are more negative than a year ago, although a slight majority say they have not changed. More
Ed Laginess, previously Executive VP, Human Resources and Administration at Synovate / Market Facts Inc., has become Millward Brown's first Global Director, Human Resources. More
The world's businesspeople and analysts see corruption - defined as the abuse of public office for private gain - as rife in most parts of the globe, according to the 2003 'Corruption Perceptions Index' published by Transparency International. Seventy percent of the 133 countries covered score less than half marks, while half the developing countries in the survey score less than 3 out of 10. 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
European online research specialist SKOPOS has announced that it has finalised a merger agreement with fellow online insight company MDS. The new company will retain the name SKOPOS, and will boast a broader range of specialist market sectors. More
Synovate has acquired healthcare specialists ISIS Research, based in the UK but with 16 international offices across Europe, Asia and the USA. ISIS will become a key part of the Synovate Healthcare division, which will now be headed up by ISIS Chairman Colin Maitland. More
Ipsos has this week announced the acquisition of Marketing Metrics (MMI), US-based specialist researchers in customer relationship and customer satisfaction management. More
Europeans feel they are exposed to far too much advertising and that most of it is not even entertaining, according to a survey carried out by GfK Marktforschung in 21 European countries. 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
Ipsos-RSL has announced its third annual survey of European Opinion Leaders (EOLS 2003), which captures attitudinal and media data for individuals with influence across a wide variety of sectors. EOLS 2003 will include viewing measures of pan-European satellite TV channels for the first time. More
The American public will have been pleased to learn - if they heard the headline from his Conference speech yesterday - that Tony Blair has no reverse gear. British polls may be showing a loss of trust in the PM, but the latest Harris Poll shows that in the US he is extremely popular and widely trusted, while Britain is held to be by far the most influential of European states. More
The number of children online in Europe has grown by three million in the last 12 months, according to new research from Nielsen//NetRatings. There are now four million under-12s online, and nine million 12-17 year olds. Growth rates range from nought in Italy, to 58% in the UK. More
Bans on pre-election opinion polls are still in place in many countries, and in some have recently been put in place or increased in scope, according to a recent study conducted by the Foundation for Information in association with ESOMAR and WAPOR. Those maintaining or increasing bans include some EU countries. More
A paper by Research International on 'Managing global brands to meet consumer expectations' has won two of the three main awards from ESOMAR's 2003 Congress in Prague, Czech Republic. Two speakers from GfK Germany won the other award. More
The United Nations is considered to have lost its relevance to solving world problems by a majority of British adults and more than 40 percent in France and Germany, according to a new CNN / TIME poll conducted by TNS. More
While its globetrotting MDs deliver ESOMAR training in Prague, Dublin and Venice, US agency QualiData Research Inc. has announced the appointment of two new managers to its San Francisco office, as well as two new staff in New York. More
Global MR agency Ipsos has announced 'significant growth and an improvement in its margins' in the first half of 2003, with revenue for the 6 months at 264.3m euros, up 8.1% compared with the first half of 2002 despite strong negative currency effects. 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
Net growth of the world's Top 25 research firms, allowing for acquisitions and inflation, has declined from 6.3% in 2000 to 4,1% in 2001 and just 0.7% in 2002 according to the 2003 Honomichl Global 25 report. Their US$10.5bn revenue represents 63% of global commercial research spending, estimated by ESOMAR at $16.6bn. 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
Eating habits in Europe and the US seem to be following some familiar patterns despite rumours of change. Italians are still the most likely to eat with the family, Britain is second to the US in takeaway consumption and very few people in the former eastern bloc countries eat out, according to Ipsos' global reporting service World Monitor. More
GfK Turkey has expanded its International Projects Unit, established two and a half years ago to concentrate on co-ordination work for international clients, with the appointment of Ms Fulya Durmus and Ms Ozge Aktas. 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
Almost six out of ten (57 per cent) adults in Britain, France and Germany trust neither their own government nor national TV companies most to give them truthful facts about Iraq, according to a recent CNN/TIME poll conducted by TNS. More
WPP's interim results for the first half of 2003 show mixed fortunes, with reported revenues down 2.5% to £1,910.8m but on a constant currency basis up 1.8%. Operating profit rose in continental Europe, but was down elsewhere. Information, Insight & Consultancy companies generally remained robust despite difficult economic conditions. More
Synovate has announced three more senior appointments, this time in its Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. Carol Johnson joins from RI as HR Director, EMEA, Stéphane Courqueux moves from Millward Brown to become MD of Synovate France and John Presutti, who has been Acting MD of the latter, will join the regional head office team. 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
Britons are far more worried about education than citizens in any other major European country, according to the GfK Group's annual report on 'The Challenges of Europe'. Almost one in four British citizens (24%) believe the current education system is a problem that urgently needs solving, compared with 10% in France, 4% in Germany and 3% in Spain. More
Americans may be less likely to travel abroad since September 11th, but according to Harris Interactive® their ideal destinations have not changed much. France has actually recovered from 6th to 4th place in the rankings despite its stance on Iraq. Australia is the no.1 choice for the 7th year running, and the biggest faller this year is Canada. More
There is no coherent body of opinion among British MPs about the timing of a referendum on the Euro, according to recent research by agency BPRI. Backbenchers are split down the middle over whether the timing depends on Chancellor Gordon Brown's five economic tests, and are deeply divided on whether or not next year might be a suitable time. More
Online MR agency Lightspeed Research has announced the launch of the Lightspeed Consumer Panel Web site in Australia. The site signifies the beginning of a planned move into the Asia Pacific market. 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
With the new Premiership 2003/04 football season starting this weekend, traffic to football sites has increased by 33% in the last 12 weeks, now accounting for 0.94% of all Web traffic in the UK, according to Hitwise. The most visited football site is Football365.com, which accounted for 7.26% of football site traffic, and unsurprisingly the most visited club site is Manchester United. More
There are a bewildering variety of Internet-based radio stations and broadcasters, so it may be enlightening for DRNO readers to get an idea of who is listening to what, courtesy of Arbitron's Internet Broadcast Ratings. Recently published data for the week of July 21st shows Virgin Radio as the number one commercial Internet Broadcast Station but AOL stations make up 11 of the top 20. More
AdLINK Internet Media AG, the leading independent provider of digital comms solutions in Europe, has signed up to Nielsen//NetRatings' online ad campaign planning tool, WebRF on a multi-country basis. The AdLINK network ranks in the top five domains in many European countries including the UK, Spain and Germany. More
The GfK Group has acquired a stake of 51 per cent in leading pharma market research specialists V2 in Pennsylvania, USA. The acquisition gives GfK access to the world's leading market for information services relating to pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical diagnostics. 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
Synovate have appointed David Bayton as Director of Healthcare Research in the UK. His previous roles include Deputy MD at NOP Healthcare and most recently head of Healthcare at Research International. More
Harris Interactive has released its financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and for the full fiscal year ended June 30, 2003. Revenue for the full fiscal year was $130.6 million, up over 30% on the fiscal year 2002. Pre-tax earnings were $8.2 million or $0.15 per share, compared to a loss of $14.8 million, or ($0.32 per share) reported for fiscal year 2002. More
VNU have announced that subsidiary Nielsen Media Research has reached multi-year agreements with divisions of Viacom, Inc. for TV audience measurement services involving all Viacom and CBS television businesses. More
The latest report from Datamonitor, 'Targeting Seniors Effectively', heralds a 'new-age' of senior consumerism in the UK and Europe, revealing that 50-64 year olds, in particular, are one the most affluent segments of European society, yet overlooked or misunderstood by marketers and the packaged goods industry. 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
TNS is strengthening its advertising experience in Europe by bringing Kym Penhall, Director for the TNS branded solutions MarketWhys(TM) (Brand / Ad Tracking programme) and Miriad(TM) (Dedicated Tracking Analysis Platform), to the UK from America in August. He will be responsible for extending TNS' MarketWhys(TM) practice throughout Europe. More
Internet audience measurement specialist NetRatings, Inc. has announced the acquisition this week of NetCrawling S.A., the developer and marketer of LemonAd, Europe's leading online advertising monitoring service. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. More
A study sponsored by a US center for mid-and long-term strategic thinking has predicted that the US will continue to lead the IT revolution, while Europe's prioritisation of the protection of existing business will hold it back. The study also looks at the relative strength of Asian economies in IT and the way in which IT may transform the world in the next 20 years. 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
Online MR software company FIRM (Future Information Research Management) has announced that founder Bjørn Haugland is to leave the company. More
Ipsos-RSL has released data from Europe 2003, the fourth wave of its annual survey of 'top' Europeans for pan-European media planning. The results give a picture of an elite 4% (10.4m) of Europeans including insight into their outlook and attitudes, alongside their media consumption and lifestyle. More
The Research Pacific Group has formed a new company, Research Pacific Japan, to cater for growing demand, especially from US and European clients. The move follows the establishment in the past year of operations in Korea and Hong Kong, plus expansion in India. 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
UK consultancy Through The Loop has released details of recent research among the single-sided deaf, which aimed to develop a patient perspective for the BAHA direct bone conduction hearing device. This morning's DRNO brings you a rare insight into the lives of this group, a small agency case study with a life-changing message and the chance to confound your spellcheck with the word 'osseointegration'. More
In the recent Week of Audience Measurement in Los Angeles, AGB unveiled its latest television audience measurement technology, UNITAM. Radical advances claimed for the technology include measurement of all kinds of TV platforms without requiring embedded codes in the broadcast signal, accurate measurement of time-shifted viewing such as that permitted by TiVo, and simplicity of installation. 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
American marketers have been reminded of the importance of the Hispanic community by information from the US Census Bureau this week, confirming that Hispanics are the nation's largest minority group. Meanwhile research by comScore suggests that there are more Hispanics online in the US than in any other country. More
PulseTrain has announced that SPSS MR clients can now analyse their data in Pulsar, the company's end-user survey analysis package. This will allow users to open Quanvert, mrInterview, SAV and other files without requiring any understanding of the original proprietary formats. 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
US-based sample provider Survey Sampling International (SSI) has announced that it is working in partnership with European-based Ciao AG, to offer clients an easier way to co-ordinate e-sampling for global online studies. More
A total of c.400 shareholders and their representatives attended the GfK AGM in Nuremberg on Friday 13 June, to hear good news about dividends, current orders and acquisitions strategy. 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
TNS today announced details of a new partnership with CNN and TIME magazine to provide consumer opinion based research across eleven European countries. The research will cover current affairs and world issues and findings will feature in CNN programmes as well as regular news items in the European edition of TIME magazine. 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
UK-based Bloor Research and Boston-based Baroudi Group, both research and analyst firms servicing high-technology clients, have announced a partnership to offer a broader range of analyst services, providing expertise from both the US and European markets. The US arm of the operation will be known as Baroudi Bloor. More
Millward Brown has strengthened its management team in Mainland Europe to cope with increased business. A mix of outside hires and new responsibilities for existing staff brings the total number of new roles to eight. More
Americans are generally happier with their lives and more optimistic about their future than are Europeans, according to a new Harris Poll. The poll was based on a recent Eurobarometer survey conducted for the European Union in fifteen countries, with Americans asked some of the same questions. More
WebSurveyEurope, (a leading Internet survey company in the healthcare industry) and Martin Hamblin GfK, have signed a Letter of Intent to deliver online physician surveys. More
With EUR21,884, Munich occupies the leading position in terms of purchasing power amongst German cities, followed by Bergisch Gladbach with EUR21,251 and Erlangen with EUR21,090. In a comparison of the 439 urban and regional districts in Germany, the Hochtaunus region is way out in front with EUR23,058 per capita, followed by Starnberg and Munich. These are the findings of the purchasing power 2003 survey carried out by GfK Marktforschung. 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 a GfK consumer climate survey commissioned by the European Commission there was a slight improvement in consumer sentiment in Germany in April compared with March with even income expectations rising somewhat. More
A new report from Mintel forecasts a promising outlook for European leisure travel despite the challenges facing the industry. More
Kantar Media Research has acquired a 40% stake in Portuguese based market research firm, Marktest Investimentos with the remaining 60% to be held by the current shareholders who will continue to be responsible for the group's management. More
Blauw Contact Center in Rotterdam (The Netherlands) has recently rebadged as Global Data Collection Company (GDCC). 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
Latest research from Mintel in the UK sees the complementary medicines market rising almost 60% in the last five years to reach £130 million. More
ESOMAR, together with ARF, the Advertising Research Foundation is organising the 2nd Worldwide Audience Measurement conference, WAM, to be held in Los Angeles, USA from 15-20 June 2003. More
Internet analyst Jupitermedia has acquired Nua.com, a leading global resource for Internet trends and statistics, from Scope Communications Group in Ireland. More
The Association for Qualitative Research (AQR) in the UK has announced the speaker line up for its second international conference set to take place in Lisbon between 30 April - 2 May 2003. 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
Arbitron has announced that Médiamétrie-the provider of TV, radio, Internet and cinema audience measurement in France-has signed a license agreement that will enable the company to evaluate Arbitron's Portable People Meter system in Paris. More
According to a GfK consumer climate survey in Germany commissioned by the European Commission, carried in March, a reversal in the consumer confidence trend is likely to take a while as consumers continue to have their doubts concerning an economic upturn. More
IMS Health has recently announced a three-year agreement to provide Pfizer Inc. with data, analytics and advisory services. The collaboration is part of a comprehensive programme covering 23 countries that aims to enhance Pfizer's effectiveness in informing physicians about its innovative medicines. 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
A new report from Mintel in the UK finds 62% of mortgage holders willing to switch to a euro mortgage if it means paying a lower interest rate. More
Healthcare research agency Ziment Group has joined forces with WorldOne Research to rapidly expand WebSurveyEurope, their physician Internet panel for marketing research in Europe. 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
More than four out of ten (41 per cent) bank customers in Great Britain are 'uncommitted' to their current account provider, according to the findings of research by Taylor Nelson Sofres published in the March edition of 'Financial Marketing' magazine. 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
Findings from a survey by GfK in Germany, in which over 1,500 users of financial services offered on the Internet were questioned, shows that the high expectations financial services providers have of electronic customer relationship management systems (e CRM) can never be wholly met. 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
The online gaming sector in Europe is showing remarkable levels of growth, according to the latest research from Nielsen//NetRatings. In January 2003, 5.9 million Europeans visited an online games site on the Internet - more than double the 2.8 million surfers who visited sites in this sector in January last year. More
Forty two per cent of European mobile phone users are interested in 3G services, according to the TNS Telecoms 3G 2003 report, carried out in 10 countries. But the good news for telecoms operators and manufacturers is that the majority of those users interested in 3G were prepared to pay extra for 3G handsets and services. More
Four out of ten people in Britain (40 per cent) are not in favour of military action against Iraq 'under any circumstances' according to findings published by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) and Gallup International Association (GIA). A further 39 per cent of Britons would only support a war with Iraq if it were sanctioned by the United Nations, with just one in ten (10 per cent) fully supporting military action. More
Figures recently published by Bureau van Dijk (BvD) confirm reports that Europe is now the dominant force in merger and acquisition activity. More
At the beginning of 2003, consumer mood in Germany remains virtually unchanged compared with the last few months of 2002. In view of the weak economic situation and the general uncertainty surrounding the conflict in Iraq, consumers are not confident of an economic upswing. These are the key findings of the GfK consumer climate survey carried out on behalf of the European Commission in January 2003. More
The Austrian TV and radio corporation ORF has extended its current contract with GfK subsidiary Fessel-GfK by a further three years to the end of 2006. Fessel-GfK measures TV ratings in Austria, and the volume of this contract extension amounts to EUR 11.5 million. 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
Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) has won a contract with Belgian broadcasting companies VRT and VAR to research the listening and viewing habits of the Flemish community, which will use the Portable People Meter technology developed by Arbitron. More
Europe will continue to expand and in future will be able to measure up to the USA, at least in terms of the economy. According to the results of a representative 'Future of Europe' survey carried out by GfK Ad Hoc Research Worldwide on behalf of The Wall Street Journal Europe in the European Union countries, the USA and Russia, this is the opinion held by one in two people in these countries. More
International media and information company VNU is exploring strategic options, including the possible sale, of two of its marketing information units in Europe - ACNielsen's Customized Research services and Claritas Europe, with combined revenues of approximately EUR 130 million. More
Global research firm Synovate has this week announced the appointment of Stuart Jones to Human Resources Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). More
In both the US and Europe encouraging signs of real growth in the beleaguered IT sector are revealed by the latest issue of the RoperNOP Technology Confidence Barometer published this week. More
Following a low in October and November, the mood among German consumers did not worsen any further in the last month of 2002. However, talk of a change in trend would be premature according to the consumer climate survey which GfK regularly conducts on behalf of the European Commission. More
As part of the global strategy to develop its healthcare sector, Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) has announced the extension of its global healthcare research offering into Italy. More
In the present climate, private investors are opting for lower-risk investments. Around 50% of Europeans have short-term savings deposits and almost every other person has invested in life insurance or pension funds. In the USA, shares and share-based investments continue to be the most popular form of investment, although this trend is clearly on the decline. These are the findings of the recent Investment Barometer, carried out by GfK on behalf of The Wall Street Journal Europe. More
Information Resources, Inc has recently announced plans to eliminate about 5% of its workforce in the United States and Europe to occur through layoffs and the elimination of open positions. 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
Survey Sampling, Inc. (SSI) and Sample Answers, are joining forces in an agreement under which Survey Sampling has been selected as the licensed representative of SampleHome in the North American market. 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
Ipsos-RSL has just announced the latest new sponsors for the Europe 2000 series: in signing up for Europe 2003, Time and Fortune are marking their support for the survey for the first time, joining an already impressive group of international print, TV and agency sponsors. 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 debate concerning increased rates of tax and contributions after the parliamentary election a month ago is having a negative effect on German consumers. This is one of the results of the survey on the consumer climate commissioned by the EU Commission and carried out in October by GfK Marktforschung. More
Millward Brown Germany GmbH is to expand its activities, opening its second office in Hamburg at the end of next week. More
Just 13 per cent of adults in Britain have used the Internet to access government services or products during the past 12 months according to the findings of the second Government Online Study published this week by Taylor Nelson Sofres. Compared with a global average of 30 per cent, Britain is ranked as one of the lowest users of e-government among the 31 countries surveyed. 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
Millward Brown has appointed Integral in Austria as its licensee, bringing the total number of countries in which it now has operations to thirty-five. More
AEMRI (previously known as the Association of European Market Research Institutes) has changed its name to AIMRI, the Alliance of International Market Research Institutes in order to reflect its wider international membership. More
GfK, which to date has been represented in Turkey by its subsidiary, Procon GfK, has acquired Strateji Mori, a company specialising in ad hoc research. The company will be trading under the name Strateji GfK with immediate effect. GfK is now the market leader in this segment in Turkey. More
The market for market and opinion research in Norway was worth US$71 million in 2001, according to ESOMAR's latest global market research study, marking it as a mature sector in the European arena. 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
Millward Brown has announced a change to the licensing of its techniques in Sweden. The licence, held by Demoskop AB since September 1997, has now reverted to Millward Brown, who in future will be supplying their products and services directly to the Swedish market. 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
An analysis by ChangingWorlds (Ireland) and Mobile Metrix (Sweden) finds that the majority of current mobile portals are designed in such a way as to inhibit users from finding and using mobile services. The analysis published in a report entitled The Plight of the Mobile Navigator and available from Mobile Metrix is based on data collected from 20 European mobile portals. 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
Aegis Group has juar acquired INNER Strategic Research S.A. Based in Madrid, INNER is one of the largest independent market research agencies in Spain with international offices in Portugal, Africa and Latin America. 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 research from Nielsen//NetRatings reveals that online map websites in Europe, such as multimap.com and streetmap.co.uk in the UK, mappy.com in France, map24.com in Germany and karthotellet.com in Sweden have experienced a growth of almost 300% in the last 12 months. More
The latest in the 19 year series, European Business Readership Survey (EBRS) 2002, provides planners with fresh data on Europe's senior executives. These 423,000 executives at Europe's largest companies comprise an elite 0.2% of the adult population. In addition, the second CEBRS extends coverage to 37,000 Central European executives. More
US agency Decision Analyst, Inc. has been building its international Internet-based consumer panels in Spain, Mexico, Central America, and South America. There are now 50,000 Spanish-language households participating in those panels. 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
German agency GfK-Nürnberg e.V. and the Economics and Social Sciences faculty at Erlangen-Nuremberg University have this week renewed an agreement under which the Market Information Management department (SBM) will receive financing and support for a further three years. 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
'Europe at the Gates of Union' is a recently published book that gets right to the heart of consumer lifestyles across Europe. Using TGI and other data sources, the book presents detailed information and commentary covering eight European countries (four from Western Europe and four from Eastern Europe). More
The hint of optimism about economic expectations evident among German consumers in July has been somewhat dampened in August according to the results of a survey on the domestic consumer climate recently carried out by GfK Marktforschung on behalf of the EU Commission. More
Millward Brown has today announced the acquisition of Paris-based MFR, one of France's leading qualitative research consultancies. More
Following the Harris Interactive acquisition of Total Research Corporation last year, the global research and consulting firm is rebranding several business entities in the United Kingdom under one brand, HI Europe, as it embarks on building Internet research business in the country. More
Newly released research from Nielsen//NetRatings shows that the number of households using broadband Internet connections in the UK is lower than in any other country in Europe. More
Global agency Ipsos has just acquired two major Swedish research companies: Eureka Marknadsfakta, specialising in marketing research, and Intervjubolaget dedicated to data collection and data processing. These latest acquisitions further strengthen the company's position in the Scandinavian market, where Ipsos has been represented by Ipsos-Imri since the beginning of the year. 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
NetRatings last week acquired a controlling interest in NetValue, an international provider of Internet audience behaviour measurement services. More
Taylor Nelson Sofres last week acquired Svenska Gallup AB, a high profile market information business in Sweden. More
IT buyers in the US and the UK are predicting growth rates of around 4% in IT spending in 2002 and increased growth rates for 2003, according to the latest results from the Technology Confidence barometer, the joint study conducted by United Business Media's RoperNOP and CMP Media business divisions. 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
Almost half of all adults in Britain think that mobile phones should be banned in public places, such as cinemas, concert halls, restaurants and hospitals, according to new research by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS). More
Despite the relatively low returns, life insurance policies remain the favourite type of investment in Germany. The findings of the Investment Barometer, a bi-annual representative survey carried out by GfK Ad Hoc Research Worldwide on behalf of The Wall Street Journal Europe, show that 45% of Germans have a life insurance policy. More
Levels of heart disease - the biggest killer in the western world - are unlikely to fall over the next ten years in Europe or the US, according to research findings published by Taylor Nelson Sofres Healthcare (TNSH). 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
With effect from this week, the GfK Group has taken over the activities of I+G Nürnberg and its subsidiaries, GPI Kommunikationsforschung and I+G Suisse from the existing joint venture with NFO Europe, called I+G Gesundheitsforschung. Business operations will continue under the name GfK HealthCare. 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
Responsible business practice enhances creativity, according to 76% of senior European business leaders surveyed in research published recently by Business in the Community and carried out by NOP Research. More
Acquiring a 51% stake in Significant has given wholly owned GfK subsidiary, Intomart GfK Belgium NV, the majority in the Belgian company. Through this move, GfK has further expanded its range of research services in the Media and Ad Hoc Research divisions, making the group one of the top 5 market research companies in Belgium. 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
The majority of Europeans believe that top managers are paid too much, are often not honest, and put their own interests first. Two-thirds also think that top managers' earnings should be legally regulated. These are the main findings of a new GfK Ad Hoc Research Worldwide survey conducted recently for The Wall Street Journal Europe. More
The research industry in France enjoyed a turnover of US$958 million in 2000, making it the third largest in Europe, and the fifth largest worldwide. This is according to the recently published ESOMAR global market research study. More
In Germany GfK Fernsehforschung has been commissioned by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Fernsehforschung (Television Research Partnership) to use the AGF/GfK TV panel to measure the consumption not only of analogue but also digitally broadcast programmes. More
Elite business students around Europe rank McKinsey & Company and BMW among their list of ideal employers. This is according to this year's findings in the annual Universum European Graduate Survey. More
Ipsos is to acquire top researcher Sample-INRA Group. The completed deal will propel Ipsos into a leading position among German survey-based companies. More
The ATP European SPSS MR User Conference has now been set for two days later this year. Running on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th September, the event has been booked to take place at London Zoo, Regents Park. 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
Millward Brown Spain and Iberautor have created a new company, CIMEC Millward Brown, offering research and consultancy services to Spanish clients in the entertainment, leisure and culture sectors. More
Recent research conducted by interactive research specialist RedSheriff has highlighted the uptake of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6 across Europe. 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
After a competitive bidding process international market research agency SKOPOS has been commissioned by BusinessWeek to establish and maintain a panel of 1,000+ print and online subscribers of the influential business magazine. More
Taylor Nelson Sofres has just announced a joint venture with one of Greece's leading information and consulting services companies, ICAP A.E. The new company, to be known as TNS ICAP A.E., will provide market information to clients in sectors including consumer, telecoms, automotive, banking and finance. 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
In a further move towards concentration in the Internet panels sector, NetRatings has acquired ACNielsen eRatings.com and in a separate transaction, Jupiter Media Metrix's contracts for European Internet audience measurement. 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
Thomas Pauschert has become a new member of the management team of the Wiesbaden based ENIGMA-Institut für Markt- und Sozialforschung (Institute of Market and Social Research), a GfK company. More
ACNielsen Media International has just won a new, five-year contract to provide television audience ratings in Ireland. The contract takes effect in September 2003 and runs through to August 2008, with an option to extend the agreement through to August 2010. More
As of the 1st of April, Erik Reissenweber has joined software business Nebu as Customer Care Manager as the agency pursues its expansion plans. More
The GfK group has further extended its presence in Europe, acquiring a 51% stake in Macon AG in Germany and increasing its stake in Portuguese Intercampus to a majority shareholding of 50%. 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
Research agency ORC International has launched a panel of UK and European brand and communications directors to find out their views and opinions on a range of branding issues. More
Ipsos-New Media Research has this week signed an exclusive agreement with Lunarstorm, Scandinavia's largest youth portal, hosting more than 950,000 registered members. The deal will allow the agency to research the so-called 'early adapting' Swedish population. 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
Millward Brown has just acquired the Irish Marketing Surveys (IMS) Group. Founded in 1963, the group operates three major companies: Irish Marketing Surveys (to be rebranded Millward Brown IMS) and Lansdowne Market Research, both based in Dublin; and Ulster Marketing Surveys (to be rebranded Millward Brown Ulster) which is Belfast based. More
While cautious about short-term prospects, key IT decision-makers within the US and UK believe that IT spend will increase in 2002 and for the next few years. 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
Recent research from InterQuest, the Scandinavian mobile and digital research company, reveals that seven out of ten respondents in the UK, Italy and Germany would recommend others to receive mobile marketing services. More
After over 20 years as managing director of UK agency MSS, company founder Neil McPhee is to sell his shareholding and has accepted a position as Director of Qualitative Research at MORPACE International. 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
New statistics released by NetProfit show an ongoing slowdown in US connectivity, accompanied by a significant rise in the levels for Germany. The latter is leaping rapidly up the worldwide ranks, as can be clearly seen in the researcher's latest quarterly 'Reconnaissance Advantage Index'. 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
More than eight out of ten people in France are in favour of blocking mobile phone signals in public places, such as concert halls, according to new research by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS). More
This week sees the departure of two senior personnel from Harris Interactive/Total. David Clemm is to retire as vice chairman, effective from the beginning of next month, whilst Darren Noyce is leaving his UK Research Director role to take up a new position in London with German agency Skopos. More
The GfK Group, in collaboration with the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) in the Netherlands, has put in place plans to undertake an analysis of the present pharmaceutical environment in countries throughout Europe. More
The UK is currently seen as the worst country in Europe at protecting the environment, according to the latest Yellow Pages Annual Recycling Survey. Sweden is ranked the greenest country in Europe, with Germany a close second. 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
GfK has announced the appointment of a new chief information officer this week. Rainer Ostermeyer is to take up the post shortly as well as continuing in his role as managing director of GfK Data Services, the group's own central IT service provider. More
The GfK Group has announced three further expansionary moves in recent weeks. This includes the takeover of Informark in Australian, increasing the participation in the Indian joint venture, ORG-GfK Marketing Services, to 40% and the acquisition of a 35% stake in M2A in France. More
New figures on the Irish high tech economy have been posted from Internet agency Net Profit this week. The analysis shows that 2001 proved a lean period for what once was formerly the high growth sector of ICT (information and communications technology). More
Most predictions of the future for DTV in Europe underestimate the potential size of the market. Or so new Jupiter research indicates. New intelligence from the company suggests that more European households will be watching digital TV than will be using the Internet within 5 years. More
Internet use among Germans last year grew from around a third of all adults to nearly half. This is the headline finding from NFO Infratest's latest Internet User Monitor research. The rise across 2001 means that six million more Germans are now online, bringing the total number to around 31 million. 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
VNU Business Media Europe division has acquired the Spanish publishing house Publicaciones Profesionales SA. The company produces publications and organises popular industry events for the advertising and marketing industries. 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
Jean-Michel Carlo has just been named head of Ipsos' new Regional Management for Europe. Functioning as the new chairman and CEO, Carlo will manage the financial responsibility for Europe along with marketing activities worldwide. He is also due to sit on the group's global Management Board. More
A joint venture in the UK between IRN Services, one of the information industry's foremost suppliers of bespoke research and market statistics, and leading market research publisher, Key Note is to further boost IRN's research capability in the information sector. 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
The GfK Group has been busy expanding. News of its continuing growth includes a recent increase in UK and Irish healthcare/life science research, along with raised interest in subsidiaries Institut de Sondage Lavialle (I.S.L.) and Procon GfK. The group has also established a new Yugoslavian subsidiary, GfK Belgrade. 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
Over one in four British adults claim to be strongly against participating in the single currency of the Euro. A further one in four are generally opposed but might be persuaded otherwise by good economic reasons. Such are the main conclusions of a new MORI survey conducted earlier this month and published this week. 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
GfK has this week won two multi-year contracts in Belgium and Austria that will strengthen the group's leading position in media research in Europe. 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
According to latest research from Strategy Analytics, the UK has stormed ahead in Europe's transition to digital television. Over a third (37%) of UK households had digital TV at the end of last year, compared to a European average of 16.3%. By contrast, only 8.2% of German households could watch digital TV, leaving question marks over the future of the technology in Europe's largest market. 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
IT research and consulting firm the META Group Inc has just announced the acquisition of majority ownership in its German arm, the META Group AG. The move brings with it the exclusive distribution rights for Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe. More
Millward Brown is making a number of management changes this month in order to further reinforce the overall management and commercial capabilities in its mainland Europe operations. More
Dutch software agency NEBU BV has appointed Tariq Mirza to the position of Managing Director for the newly created NEBU office in the UK in London. More
European private investors appreciate continuity with regard to their investment strategy. However, this contradicts to a certain extent what they do or plan to do. These are the major findings from a survey carried out by GfK Ad Hoc Research Worldwide in cooperation with the Wall Street Journal Europe. 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
Pro Active International has recently launched its new consultancy branch - Pro Active Consultancy - and appointed Jeroen Rietberg as Director. 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
New research from Taylor Nelson Sofres Healthcare (TNSH) shows that over half (54%) of all HIV infections in the UK are from heterosexual contact - an increase from 37% last year. 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
Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) has announced the appointment of two new managing directors this week. Sam van der Feltz has been nominated as the company's MD of Northern and Central Europe operations. At the same time, Nigel Foote has been confirmed as MD for TNS Tellex, the broadcast monitoring section of TNS. 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
Following recent speculation Rob Monster, CEO of Global Market Insite, has issued a statement to set the record straight re the current position of GMI. It shows a complex picture of a company which has recently seen the departure of a number of senior staff and is selling the Dutch company Telder back to its original owners, but will finish 2001 in profit after a year of rapid expansion. 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 the paper "Similarity and diversity in European attitudes" presented by Ruben Mohedano-Brethes, Daniel Debomy and his team at ESOMAR´s recent Qualitative Research Conference in Budapest, highlights were given of a European-wide study aimed at strategy development for the European Commission. 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
Autometrics, a specialist in automotive e-commerce performance measurement, has teamed up with Nielsen//NetRatings to provide the automotive industry with a standard in Internet audience information throughout Europe. More
The latest research released by Jupiter MMXI shows that the active file sharing population in Europe has decreased by almost half since legal proceedings were brought against Napster. 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
Aegis Research, part of Aegis Group plc, has recently announced the appointment of Bob Qureshi as European Development Director. His new role will incorporate the company's strategic development within its European, Middle East and African research network. 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
Netusability has just announced further additions to its rapidly growing workforce with the appointment of Julian Freeman as Vice President of Operations and Jim Buckle as Vice President of Finance. More
French agency Ipsos is growing once more through the acquisition of a 40% stake in the Swedish company, IMRI. In addition, the Ipsos group will hold 51% of a new company to be set up in partnership with IMRI. Known as Ipsos-Imri, this new company will be entirely dedicated to marketing and communication research. 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
Kantar Media Research, the specialist media research business of Millward Brown and part of Kantar, has expanded its network in recent weeks with the acquisition of two companies. More
The UK online ad industry has become the fastest growing advertising medium ever, according to new research from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) and Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC). The UK sector has also been found to be accelerating at a faster rate than its European counterparts. More
Forrester Research has appointed Helmut Schwarz as Vice President of European sales. With responsibility for growing Forrester's business with European clients and expanding the sales organisation, Schwarz will field sales teams based in Amsterdam, London, and Frankfurt. 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
Leading agency Taylor Nelson Sofres is to acquire the entire share capital of Sponsorship Information Services Limited (SiS) and its interests in Sponsorship Information Services Asia Pte Limited and NetResult Limited. More
Global Market Insite (GMI) has appointed a new vice president, Sales and Marketing, for its operation within Europe. Tariq Mirza will assume responsibility for the role in early November in London, building on his near decade of survey software support experience. More
Sweden and Denmark are leading Europe in terms of households connecting to the Internet via broadband, according to the latest figures from NetValue. The respective figures are 13.8% and 13.2%. More
Motor insurance customers in Germany are becoming increasingly sensitive to prices and other services offered by the insurance companies according to a new survey from GfK. 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
According to a survey amongst its members by the German market research association, ADM, agencies in Germany are predicting a rise in turnover of 6% for the year 2001. More
Half of all Europeans believe that the creation and preservation of enough secure jobs should be the focus of their country's future policies. This is the major finding of a survey conducted in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK, commissioned by GfK-Nürnberg. More
Harris Interactive is launching an aggressive programme to grow its respondent panels in the UK, Japan, Germany, France, Canada, and Italy, followed quickly by Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and China. This is to reinforce its presence in the international online research sector. More
The GfK Group increased total revenues by 13.4% from Euro 223.9 million to Euro 253.8 million in the first six months of the year, confirming its target growth of 15% to Euro 550 million, for the year as a whole. At the same time, GfK has topped up its minority stake of 49% in the Swiss Telecontrol Group to a 100% stake. More
Leading research agency Millward Brown has extended its presence in Europe, through the acquisition of Delfo, one of Italy's best known qualitative research companies. 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
According to the latest Online Finance Monitor from NFO Infratest, one out of six Internet users in Germany first find out via the Web about the various insurance alternatives offered by different insurers before taking out a new insurance policy. More
London-based research agency RDSi have announced the opening of a new northern office and a viewing facility in Leeds city centre, plus the completion of a programme of research seminars. More
The vast majority (86%) of the French are set to be online and enjoying access to at least one online channel by 2006. This is according to the new Europemedia.net report from Forrester Research. The research also predicts that most French will in fact become multi-channel in the short term, breaking Minitel's long-held dominance. More
Many large firms will develop a private hub to consolidate cross-company procurement and optimise their relationships with preferred suppliers. This is according to a new report entitled 'Save Big With A Private Hub' recently released from Forrester Research. More
The majority of European large and multinational companies are anticipating an increase in their levels of spend on their e-business and Internet presence over the next 18 months. This is according to new findings uncovered by the Yankee Group in their European Global Network Strategies Survey. More
The European network operators' view of MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) is apparently shortsighted and reactive, according to the 'Turning MVNO Pain Into Gain' report by Forrester Research. More
The latest figures from NetValue on adult websites show that more than a quarter of the entire UK home Internet population are visitors. Research from the month of June reveals that 3.8 million home Internet users in the UK visited these websites. More
While the UK advertising industry is facing probably the worst market conditions for years, the Irish market is thought to have remained buoyant. Marketing Week has recently published a review of advertising and print media in the Republic, making for interesting reading. More
Half the Irish public believe that their Government should help fund contraceptive and family planning advice. The same level also agree with the provision of sex education in schools. 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
The manufacturing economy within Europe is believed to be contracting at its fastest rate since December 1998, when the sector was hit by the global financial crisis. This is according to the newly-released Reuter's Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index for the month of July. More
Internet access in Spain is predicted to quadruple across the entire population within the next four years. This is according to the results of the new in-depth study "Information Society in Spain, 2001-2005 perspective" carried out by Telefonica. More
Despite recent praise from tourism minister Kim Howells, Berlin is still at the bottom of the popularity stakes for British tourists. A survey of over 7,000 people by Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS), via its national Postal Panel, shows that only 1.6% had visited Berlin in the last five years. More
Children are becoming increasingly alert to Internet "stranger danger." According to the findings of a new survey published by NOP Family, the various campaigns to alert young users appear to be finally hitting home. More
GfK eSolutions, the online segment of GfK's Ad Hoc Research division, is expanding via three new strategic alliances with IBEXnet AG, CIAO.COM AG and Global Market Insite Inc in order to step up the group's online market research activity. More
The Media Edge has formed an exclusive partnership agreement with TechEdge, a team of Danish media specialists. Part of the WPP Group, The Media Edge is a global media company specialising in the development and implementation of media communications campaigns. More
The GfK Group has announced the expansion of its position in two major European markets through increased shareholdings. In addition, it has also succeeded in winning five-year extensions to two of its European TV audience research contracts. More
Ipsos has launched a new omnibus-style service called Select which offers several added value benefits. More
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