In the US, GfK MRI Starch Advertising Research has appointed former Universal McCann exec Karen Ring for the new position of Vice President of Research.

Founded in 1979, GfK MRI provides magazine audience ratings, multimedia research data and insights into consumers’ behaviour and motivations.

Its print ad effectiveness division Starch Advertising Research conducts personal interviews with readers of specific issues of newspapers, consumer magazines, business and professional publications, while also measuring the ability of ads to communicate brand association and the extent to which readers engage with content.

Ring most recently served as VP, Research Director at global media agency Universal McCann, where she was responsible for overseeing large custom research studies and analytic tool development, and championed digital media studies on Smartphones, the digital purchase path, iPad ad effectiveness, and print positioning.

Prior to this, she was Research Director for US News & World Report, Atlantic Monthly, and Fast Company, where she managed all aspects of audience and consumer marketing research. She earlier held research positions at several large ad agencies, as well as at Arbitron. She is also a former Chair of the Print Committee of the Media Rating Council (MRC).

Mickey Galin, EVP of GfK MRI Starch Advertising Research, comments: ‘We are pleased to welcome someone with Karen’s outstanding credentials in both magazine publishing and media research. Her early immersion in digital print readership will be particularly helpful as we strive to guide our publishing clients through the challenges of multi-platform readership measurement.’

Web site: www.gfkmri.com .

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