Citigate DVL Joins with Momentum

Citigate DVL Smith, an UK based market intelligence consultancy, and the Momentum Research Group (MRG), an American based research practice with a strong focus on business-to-business markets, are to join forces.

With this move, Citigate DVL Smith expands its portfolio of research capabilities and gains a base for increasing its service of North American clients. MRG, previously a division of Citigate Cunningham, will retain its brand name and identity.

The newly combined group's marketing-intelligence offerings include a breadth of global services - both qualitative and quantitative - including brand tracking, market sizing, segmentation, database analysis, focus groups, in-depth interviews and other bespoke research approaches. With the addition of MRG, the group now has offices in London; New York City; Austin, TX; San Francisco and Palo Alto, CA. As part of the worldwide Incepta Group plc, Citigate DVL Smith also has access to facilities and expertise in 69 offices around the world.

According to Andy Dexter, managing director of Citigate DVL Smith, the company is increasing its global reach and capabilities to meet the marketplace's changing needs. 'Many of our clients operate in a global economy. For competitive companies, especially multinationals, the risks are higher than ever before -- one can go from blue chip to bankrupt almost overnight based on a single bad decision. As a result, companies need the highest-quality intelligence to inform and guide their actions. The addition of MRG provides us with deep expertise in dynamic markets where technology, products and services intersect.'

Jay Shutter, managing director of MRG, will serve as head of North American operations for Citigate DVL Smith. 'MRG is a premier provider of business-to-business research in growth industries. By joining Citigate DVL Smith we enhance our ability to field research on a global basis, serve other key sectors such as financial markets, and quickly expand our presence in other areas such as consumer research.'

MRG began as the research practice of Citigate Cunningham, a strategic communication firm, also a subsidiary of London-based Incepta Group. MRG was instrumental in the development of Cunningham Momentum Management, a proprietary research model originally launched in rapidly evolving markets with a prescriptive roadmap to developing marketing and brand strategies.

The Citigate DVL Smith and MRG teams are partnering to develop new products and services that expand MRG beyond its traditional strengths. These initiatives include a broadening of the scope of the successful Momentum Brand Evaluation methodology to markets such as finance, mobile telephony, automotive and others. The methodology is already set for piloting in the UK, with a US roll out expected in 2004. MRG's team includes Carrie Mancini, vice president; Andrew Elder, director of marketing sciences and Scott Brown, director of market insights.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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