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US firm Focus Worldwide has partnered with data analytics firm Datatrade in Hong Kong in a move which they say will help multi-national companies launch or grow their marketing throughout Greater China. More
Online fieldwork provider Research Now has established a joint venture in Shanghai and opened an office in Singapore, while launching eight new Asian panels. 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
GfK is adding to its optical products tracking services in Asia. The firm will soon begin tracking spectacle lens and other optical products in Taiwan, in addition to the existing contact lens retail measurement, and says it will develop new markets in the region. More
In China, mobile ad network operator Madhouse has partnered with research firm iResearch Consulting Group to help inform advertisers and investors about the latest trends in the country's mobile marketing sector. 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
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 partnership with Digital Media Group (DMG), Nielsen has conducted what it describes as the 'first ever' China subway TV rating survey, using an evaluation method that the pair say has never been applied to digital outdoor media until now. More
GfK Asia has released its first Pan Asia contact lens retail forecast, covering sales in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore. More
China's national TV network China Central TV (CCTV) will be using analytics firm WebTrends to generate insight about visitors to its web channels during the 2008 Olympics, and customize content for hundreds of millions of Chinese Internet users throughout the games. More
NBC Universal (NBCU) is to use the forthcoming Beijing Olympics as a unique testing environment for a more rounded measurement of media consumption, covering a wide variety of media. More
Pharma and biotech specialist MattsonJack has rolled out its web-accessible epidemiology database in the emerging markets of Brazil, the Russian Federation, India and China. More
Consumer and media intelligence firm Mintel has launched China Innovation Spotlight, a series of reports focusing on the latest trends and topical issues in new product development in the region. More
B2B specialist Kadence has officially launched in China with the opening of a Hong Kong office, and says it will launch a Shanghai office before the end of the year. More
Pulse Group is to give regional coverage to its online travel survey. Already rolled out in Malaysia with support from Tourism Malaysia, the firm plans to extend the study to other markets including Singapore, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. 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
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
US-based automotive research agency RL Polk has released commercial vehicle registration data for China, split for the first time by locality and other variables. More
Database giant infoUSA, the parent of Opinion Research Corporation, has announced plans to compile telephone-verified B2B and B2C databases for China and India, in partnership with a number of companies in the regions. More
WPP-owned Research International (RI) is to acquire a majority stake in shopper research specialist Zdology. Financial details were not disclosed. More
US web analytics firm Omniture has partnered with Chinese language Internet search firm Baidu to provide online marketers around the world with access to Chinese consumers. More
Beijing-based iSoftStone Information Service Corp is to acquire Seattle, USA-based business and technology consulting firm Akona Consulting. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More
The shift from offline to online research should drastically improve the validity of findings of surveys of Chinese respondents, according to a recent study by Survey Sampling International (SSI). More
Nielsen will soon reach 40,000 households in China through the launch of its Homescan consumer purchase panel in the region. More
Following the closure of Opinion Research Taiwan (ORT), a number of the firm's key staff have joined Millward Brown Taiwan. MB has also promoted Deepender Rana to Chief Client Officer Africa Asia Pacific (AAP), and given AAP COO Adrian Gonzalez additional responsibility for Greater China. 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
London-based marketing consultancy kae: marketing intelligence has expanded into Asia and appointed former Synovate Asia-Pac MD Damien Duhamel to head its two new offices in Shanghai and Singapore. More
UK MR psychology specialist CRAMQIQ has partnered with Chinese research agency DiagAid to undertake in-depth consumer and B2B research in the Chinese market. More
Nielsen Marketing has appointed Chris Morley as Managing Director, to expand the company's retail and consumer research capabilities in China. More
TNS has merged its own continuous research service in China with that of its joint venture CTR Market Research, under the Worldpanel brand. Jason Yu is appointed to lead the newly merged unit as General Manager, TNS Worldpanel China. More
Not-for-profit BSRIA, which provides market intelligence to the construction industry, has opened an office in Beijing to increase its international research portfolio and act as a 'window' to other BSRIA services. More
TNS's joint venture CSM Media Research has been given the go-ahead to undertake TV and radio audience measurement in China for a further 10 years. More
Mitch Barns has been named President of Nielsen Greater China. He will report directly to Nielsen Chairman and CEO David Calhoun, and will serve on the group's Executive Committee. More
Less than a quarter of senior marketing execs in a US survey say their companies off-shore any part of the marketing function; and less than a quarter like the idea. Anderson Analytics conducted the survey of trends and opinions for member organization The Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG). 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
Synovate China has launched a bi-monthly online omnibus to offer clients access to Chinese consumers' tastes, habits and attitudes. More
CSM Media Research – a TNS joint venture with Chinese MR firm CTR Market Research – is about to commence field tests of Arbitron's Portable People Meter (PPM) to measure radio audiences in the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. More
In China, GfK has acquired Sino-MR and China Market Monitor (CMM) which both specialise in research into consumer electronics, domestic appliances and retail telecoms products. The firm has also taken over a contact lens and cleaning product panel from Nielsen in Japan. More
San Francisco-based translation services and technology firm Elanex, Inc. has acquired market research publisher and business information provider Reports From China. More
Recruitment consultancy Pricejamieson, whose specialist teams cover marketing and digital communications in addition to MR, is expanding its research services to Asia Pacific. Senior Consultant Rowan Haylett moves from the London office to parent company Aquent in Australia. More
Former TNS China General Manager Paul Zhou has left to set up a new agency called Illuminera in Shanghai. More
Nielsen Media Research in China has promoted Rita Chan to the post of Executive Director of Sales & Client Services, more than 25 years after she joined the group. More
Marketing services group Omnicom has acquired majority ownership of Consultech, a healthcare market research, marcoms and strategic planning consultancy based in China. 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
OTX (Online Testing eXchange) has announced the expansion of its International Film Tracking service to cover Russia and China, giving clients weekly reports on consumer awareness of and interest in feature film releases. 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
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
Online panel specialist Lightspeed Research, and Millward Brown's operation in China – Millward Brown ACSR (MB-ACSR) – have formed a partnership to offer a global research panel and data collection service throughout the Chinese marketplace. 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
Millward Brown has moved its Africa Asia Pacific regional COO, Adrian Gonzalez, from Sydney to Beijing, effective 3 August 2007. More
The Nielsen Company China and membership organisation The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) have announced a broad strategic partnership to deliver statistics, analyses and forecasts to the region's travel and tourism industry. More
Financial information provider Xinhua Finance Limited (XFL) has launched a new barometer of Chinese consumer outlook, compiled by financial and consumer tracker eziData. More
The Nielsen Company has promoted Paul Richmond to the position of MD of ACNielsen in Singapore and Malaysia. He takes over from Ashok Charan, who moves to a newly established Regional Client Service role. More
Euroean-based online panel provider Toluna has announced the launch of its 15,000 strong Chinese panel community. More
GfK is planning to further expand its operations eastwards with acquisitions of Chinese competitor agencies Monitor and Sino Market Research, according to a report in the China Business Post. More
Asia-based research and analytics firm, Evalueserve (EVS), has launched an 80,000 strong US Physician Panel, to provide data across categories including oncology, neurology and cardiology. 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
Database and credit checking giant Experian has continued its programme of acquisitions with the purchase of an undisclosed minority share in Chinese agency, Sinotrust Marketing Research and Consulting. More
Technology researcher IDC has appointed Michael Guo as Managing Director for its China Operations, as it continues to expand into the booming market. He worked previously as Director of the board and Managing Partner of Gallup China. 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
US-based Survey Sampling International (SSI), has launched an online Chinese panel, to be managed from its SSI Asia HQ in Beijing. More
UK-based Illuminas Global has appointed Matthew Carr as Director responsible for Asia Pacific and China, a new position created to help drive the firm's long term growth in the Far East. More
US-based technology consultant Yankee Group has announced an exclusive alliance with nonprofit organization the China Mobile Communications Association (CMCA). The deal includes provision of research information to CMCA's broad member base in China, giving Yankee an increased footprint in the booming economy. More
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