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US Market Research Firms Continue to Grow
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.
The companies are listed in order of the research revenue generated within the US in 2004. VNU Inc is the clear leader, with a revenue of $1,794 million, followed by IMS Health Inc, Westat Inc, TNS US and Information Resources Inc. Phoenix Marketing International, the smallest top 50 firm, has a US research revenue of $10.6 million.
Four of the firms that fell from the top 50 this year have been bought by larger companies, as follows. - Wirthlin Worldwide (number 20 last year) was acquired by Harris Interactive Inc, rated number 11 in this year's Top 50.
- Marketing & Planning Systems (number 31 last year) was bought by the Kantar Group, now at number six on the list.
- Catalina Marketing Research Solutions (number 40 last year) is now owned by Schulman, Ronca and Bucuvalus Inc, number 40 on this year's list.
- Arbor Inc (26 last year) has been bought by GfK Group USA, now at number 15.
Six of the top ten firms are internationally owned: VNU's parent company is in the Netherlands, TNS is based in London, Kantar Group's parent company is listed on the London Stock Exchange, NOP World US and Synovate are subsidiaries of British firms, and Ipsos is based in Paris.
The top 20 firms are as follows.- VNU Inc
- IMS Health Inc
- Westat Inc
- TNS US
- Information Resources Inc
- The Kantar Group
- Arbitron Inc
- NOP World US
- Ipsos
- Synovate
- Harris Interactive Inc
- J D Power and Associates
- Maritz Research
- The NPD Group Inc
- GfK Group USA
- Opinion Research Corp
- Lieberman Research Worldwide
- Abt Associates Inc
- Market Strategies Inc
- Burke Inc
To qualify for the Honomichl survey, each company is required to submit to third party verification of calendar year revenue for its research activities.
Marketing News, published by the American Marketing Association, is online at www.marketingpower.com
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