Marcoms group Chime Communications has acquired London-based shopper marketing agency WARL from its shareholders Marcus Wilcox, Kerry Bateman and Brian Lloyd, for an initial consideration of £4.5m. Chime has also acquired Shanghai sports marcoms agency People Marketing. More

WPP brand and media specialist Millward Brown has opened an office in Dhaka, Bangladesh, headed by Samina Afrin, who recently joined the company from Nielsen. More

Healthcare consultancy Double Helix has put together an APAC market research team, which will be led by former IMS Health exec Diana Tan and will work out of its Singapore offices. 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

TNS has agreed to acquire China-based automotive specialist Sinotrust Market Research (SMR), from Experian. The deal is subject to regulatory approval. 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

Singapore-based consultancy TapestryWorks has announced the launch of BehaviourWorks, a new framework for evaluating shopper behaviour for point-of-sale, web site design and promotional materials, building on advances in neuroscience and behavioural economics. 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

Singapore-based YFind, which helps brick-and-mortar retailers track and analyze movement in any indoor or urban environment, has launched a shopper analytics dashboard called TheRetailHQ, which pinpoints shoppers’ specific locations inside a store. 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

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

Millward Brown has appointed Surekha Poddar as Managing Director in charge of its Mumbai operation - the firm’s largest in South Asia. She replaces Muder Chiba, who is leaving ‘to pursue other interests’. More

WPP’s out-of-home media planning and buying firm Kinetic has launched its ‘Aureus’ planning and placement system in Malaysia, bringing together local market data, industry and proprietary research, and detailed inventory information. 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

Asian market research consultancy ABN Impact has appointed former TLE director Chris Richardson to launch its business in Singapore. 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

London-based mobile research tech specialist Lumi Mobile has expanded to Asia with the opening of a subsidiary in Hong Kong. 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

Emerging market digital audience specialist Effective Measure has officially launched in Pakistan, after more than a year sounding out this ‘booming online media market’. 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

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

London-based qualitative insight consultancy Sundance has opened an office in Singapore, led by Account Director Jessica Bower. More

Data collection and sampling solutions firm SSI has appointed Max Weber as Managing Director, Asia Pacific, and Satoshi Komatsuzaki as Country Manager for Japan. More

New York-based SIS International Research has appointed Thomas Fuller as Managing Director of the Asia Pacific region, based in the firm’s Shanghai offices. 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

Kantar Media has won a multi-year contract to measure subscriber behaviour for Indian Direct to Home (DTH) TV provider Tata Sky. The service, launching later this year, is billed as the first Return Path Data audience research service in India. 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

Social media analysis firm Synthesio has opened an office in Singapore, adding to its existing operations in New York, Austin, London and Paris. More

Digital measurement specialist comScore has promoted Victor Cheng and Yosuke Maekawa to head its China and Japan regions respectively. More

US-based consumer intelligence specialist The NPD Group has appointed four new market research analysts at its flat panel display specialist NPD DisplaySearch in the US, Korea and Taiwan. More

Malaysia’s MR association is to launch a database of qualified respondents for group discussions, to avoid ‘professional respondent’ syndrome and improve research quality. More

Shangahi-based qual and quant agency Insight Focus has appointed two former employees of WPP's brand development and insight consultancy Added Value - Alvin Huen as General Manager in the General China Region, and Isabella Chan as a Director. More

In Singapore, competitive intelligence specialist Current Analysis has appointed former IDC leader Amit Gupta as Managing Director, APAC, to further expand its operations across the region. 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

WPP’s digital investment arm has joined a third round of funding for Leading Smart Holdings, giving it further involvement in Chinese digital advertising measurement company Miaozhen Systems. More

Online research community specialist Vision Critical has announced an agreement with Dentsu Marketing Insight Inc., a subsidiary of the Japanese advertising giant, which will develop communities in Japan. More

Australian-based insights consultancy Fiftyfive5 has added (yes) five new consultants to its team in response to what it calls ‘a continued increase in demand’ for its strategic consulting services. More

UK-based BrainJuicer Group has hired Maria Spinelli as Vice President, BrainJuicer Southeast Asia, based in Singapore. The company launched offices in Mumbai and New Delhi in 2012 and Shanghai in 2010. 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

Sydney, Aus-based Q Research Software is to open an office in New York later this month, and has appointed former Illuminas SRE Steven Kawalek to lead it. More

Big data firm Indix has secured $4.5 million in funding from two venture capital firms. Founded in 2010 and operating from late 2011, the company says it will remain in ‘stealth mode’ until later this year. More

Shopper feedback specialist Shopbust has launched a mobile version of its mystery shopping platform, to enable clients to carry out ‘fast turnaround’ store audits and spot checks and report back to their businesses via their mobile phones. 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

Japanese advertising giant Dentsu is close to completing its acquisition of London-based Aegis Group, having finally received clearance from China’s Ministry of Commerce. More

Millward Brown has announced changes to its AMAP (Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific) Executive Board, including changed roles for Shishir Varma and Deepender Rana, and the addition of newly promoted South Asia MD Prasun Basu. 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

Juniper Consulting Group (Junicon) has appointed Michael LoPresti as Managing Director of its Tokyo-based healthcare marketing research and consulting company Junicon K.K. More

UK-based telephone research specialist Facts International has expanded into the APAC region, with the opening of an office in Sydney, Australia. 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

Emerging markets specialist Borderless Access Panels has launched an online panel in South Korea, adding to the ten it already manages in Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan and Turkey. More

Insights consultancy Greenberg Brand Strategy has hired former Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) Asia leader Tatt Chen as Global Head of Client and Market Development. 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

TNS has officially opened an office in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma), claiming to be the first international consumer insights consultancy to secure a licence to officially conduct business in the country. 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

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

New York-based mobile ad targeting platform Dobleas has officially launched, after closing a $5.4m Series B round of financing from its parent company FreakOut. Dobleas will use the investment to fund its engineering recruitment program, while building the business in the US. 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

Global research and analytics outsourcing firm Cross-Tab says it is planning to recruit a further 1400 staff in India, adding to its existing 600-strong headcount based in Bangalore and Mumbai. The company has also launched a new research platform called ctOS. More

New York’s Supreme Court has ruled that the $1 billion lawsuit brought by New Delhi Television (NDTV) against Nielsen and WPP should be heard in India. The broadcaster alleges that staff at the firms’ TAM joint venture took bribes in exchange for overstating ratings. 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

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

The Cambodian Broadcasting Service has awarded Kantar Media a two year contract to conduct television audience research, which will include recording the viewing habits of more than 500 homes in urban areas such as Phnom Penh, Siem Riep and Battambang. 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

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

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

The Leading Edge (TLE) has expanded in Asia with a number of new hires, including Justin Garrett as Managing Director in its Singapore office. The firm has also opened a new office in New Delhi, India. More

Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical and full service agency Morpace have extended their partnership, to add insight community technology to the latter’s mainland China offer. More

Ipsos has appointed former TNS exec Marie Lee as Managing Director of its operations in the Philippines. More

Chris Paxton has left the Sydney office of Australian custom researcher The Leading Edge, to return to his native UK as Managing Director of the London office. More

Two former execs of business process outsourcing firm Aegis Global have launched a new company called Ananto, based in Mumbai and using big data analytics to offer clients insight, predictive intelligence and technology integration. More

Cello-owned co-creation agency Face has appointed Andrew Ho as Managing Director of its recently opened operations in Asia. 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

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

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

App analytics firm MobileWalla has raised $4m in venture capital to help develop a system for measuring mobile audiences. 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

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

Kadence International has reported gross revenues up 48% in 2012 to $14.5m, from $9.8m in the previous year. UK and US offices both played a key role in the impressive performance. 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

UK-based BDRC Group has added a China office to its existing overseas locations in Singapore and Sydney. Based in Beijing, the new office will be led by former B2B International China Deputy GM Siew Wong. More

Japanese advertising giant Dentsu has postponed the target completion date for its acquisition of Aegis, by one month to 28th March, following an agreement with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the only body yet to give its clearance for the deal to go through. 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

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

UK-based business research specialist B2B International has reported its best ever year, with 2012 turnover up 28% to £5.1m. North America and Europe led the way. More

Millward Brown (MB) has announced plans to open a new office in Myanmar (Burma) during the first quarter of 2013, subject to the approval of the local authorities. The new office will be led by Compass Research co-founder Lyndal Pearce. More

Digital audience specialist Effective Measure has appointed Sammy Elazab as Country Managing Director for Singapore, to lead business development efforts across the country. 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

Difficult environments specialist D3 Systems has added eight execs to its team, including six Assistant Research Analysts, plus Statistician David Rae and Controller Kelley Milligan. 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

India’s Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has issued an invitation for agencies to submit tenders for a new approach to television audience measurement. The contract is currently held by Nielsen/Kantar joint venture TAM Media Research. More

Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has acquired text analytics specialist DiscoverText. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Multi-screen measurement specialist Rentrak has extended its International Box Office Essentials service to India, through a partnership with Asian MR firm Majestic MRSS, which will collect daily theatre-level attendance and ticket sales information across the region. More

Ipsos Healthcare's Gareth Phillips has relocated from Singapore to London, to take up the position of Managing Director UK & Head of Western Europe. More

Database giant Experian has acquired Melbourne-based analytics business Pacific Micromarketing from publishing group PMP for $AUD 6.2 million (US $6.5m). 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

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

Japan-based GMO Research has announced an ambitious Chinese JV with Internet research specialist Horizon E-lab Ltd. A new company, GMO E-Lab Marketing Research (Shanghai) is scheduled to open in April and aims to be ‘number one’ in the region ‘within three years.’ More

Full service agency Market Strategies International (MSI) has opened an office in Singapore, led by David Ying Hon Ho, currently the company’s Research Director and International Research Specialist. 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

Australia’s government spent a record amount on market research last year - some $AUD 35.25m (US $36.7m or £22.8m). Allowing for inflation there was a slight dip in real-terms spending, but nothing like that for other areas of expenditure. More

Nielsen has begun a five-year contract to operate a new Television Audience Measurement (TAM) service in Hong Kong. More

Japanese researcher INTAGE Inc. and Cairo-based ConField MENA have announced a non-exclusive alliance agreement to provide customized research services in their respective regions. More

Tokyo-based companies Dentsu and Digital Garage (DG) have agreed a strategic alliance. As of January 11th, Dentsu will acquire 7% of the outstanding common shares of DG for just over 2.6bn Yen (c.$31m). 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

Research and advisory group ISG (Information Services Group) says it has added 100 staff in India during the last 15 months, doubling its headcount there. More

Research industry staff recruitment firm Asia Talent has opened an office in Hong Kong, where it has appointed Ying Tong-Perrett as Partner for Greater China, with a remit to further develop the company’s portfolio of clients in the region. 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

Indian TV network New Delhi Television (NDTV) has set out its reasons for wanting a US trial for its case against Nielsen and WPP, urging the Supreme Court of the State of New York to reject the two companies’ recent requests to have it thrown out. More

Paul Fisher has resigned from his role as CEO of IAB Australia, and in March will become Managing Director for Nielsen Media across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa (APMEA) regions. 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

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

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

UK-based researcher Neil Cary has launched a new business, Asia Opinions Ltd, offering research services to British and Asian companies, including access to consumer panels, and its own online survey tool, Surveygoo.com. More

Singapore-based consultancy Tapestry Works has launched a new branding tool based on archetypes, specifically developed for the Asian market. StoryWorks will be launched across Asia via a partnership with ABN Impact. 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

Multi-screen media measurement specialist Rentrak has extended its International Box Office Essentials service to Malaysia and Singapore, collecting daily theater level attendance and ticket sales information. 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

Joel and Robyn Kaufman, the founders and former owners of South African-based strategic research company KLA, have announced a joint venture with Sydney-based data intelligence company Potentiate. More

New Zealand-based natural language processing and text analytics app developer Syl Semantics is looking to raise up to $1m in angel investor funding, which it will use to expand its sales and marketing efforts and further develop its platform. More

In India, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has formed a three-member Technical Committee (TechComm), tasked with drawing up a roadmap for the establishment of an audience metrics system. 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

Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has opened a new office in Tokyo, Japan, led by former MROC Japan CEO Shigeru ‘Shiggy’ Kishikawa. More

Nielsen has extended its partnership with Informate Mobile Intelligence to provide marketers with data on mobile device usage and content consumption across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa (APMEA). More

Research veteran Subramaniam (Subra) Iyer has been appointed Joint Director of two Mumbai-based sister companies, healthcare data collection specialist MedField India and full service agency FieldGlobal. 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

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

New Zealand company Key Research is to create fifty jobs in a new call centre, opened this week in its home city of Tauranga. More

Two and a half months after its partner WPP did the same, Nielsen has filed a motion with the New York Supreme Court for dismissal of the lawsuit brought by broadcaster New Delhi Television (NDTV) against their TAM joint venture in India. More

Digital marketing solutions firm IgnitionOne - part of Japanese ad giant Dentsu - has appointed Michael Stephanblome as its UK Managing Director, as it completes the integration of his advertising exchange AdJug into its platform. 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

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

Healthcare fieldwork firm M3 Global Research has appointed three new members of staff in London. 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

Japanese ad giant Dentsu’s £3.16bn takeover of Aegis is being held up by delays in getting approval from Chinese regulators. More

Former Synovate Global CEO Adrian Chedore has joined Asia-focused MR consultancy ABN Impact as Chairman. 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

Marcoms giant WPP has agreed to buy a majority stake in digital marketing agency Netbooster Asia, which offers a full range of online services including web research and benchmarking, and social media monitoring. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Big data marketing app developer BloomReach has raised $25m in Series C funding, with which it says it will double its sales and marketing support in the US and India, and extend its applications to other platforms such as mobile, social media and video. More

Hettie Han has rejoined Kantar Health China as Director in Beijing, from where she will work alongside the global team to grow the firm’s multi-client and consultancy business across the region. More

Former Synovate parent Aegis Group plc has announced the acquisition of Japanese performance marketing and search agency Hablar, for an undisclosed sum. The agency will be merged into Aegis’ search and performance marketing division, iProspect. 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

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

Indian digital marketing technology firm Vizury Interactive has raised $9m in Series B funding, to expand its Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) solution, which is used to analyse and draw insights from online consumer data and deliver relevant ads. 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

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

Indian television measurement body TAM is suspending publication of its viewing data from week 41 (October 7th) onwards, for 8 weeks while four of the country’s biggest cities switch over from analogue to DAS. 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

Two countries have new centres devoted to business analytics this week: partners Deakin University and IBM have launched Australia’s first while in Singapore, Accenture and the island state’s government are opening an Innovation Center. More

Cello-owned co-creation agency Face has expanded to Asia with the opening of two new offices in Singapore and Hong Kong. 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

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

India-based MR technology and operations company Annik has launched a project management platform called Enterprise FieldworkPlus (eFWP), designed to enable researchers to track and manage every detail of their global research projects online. More

UK-based Behavioural Economics specialist The Behavioural Architects (TBA) is opening an office in Sydney, Australia, adding to existing bases in Shanghai, London and Oxford. Ad planner Mike Daniels is appointed to run the new business. More

UK-based experience design agency Foolproof has acquired Singapore-based user experience agency One to One Global, thus extending its services to Asia. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Research consultancy Kadence International has recorded ‘dramatic growth’ in Indonesia, where revenue rose 120% to $5m for the year 2011-12. Overall, company revenue has increased for the tenth consecutive year, with sales up 15%, and net revenue has doubled in the last four years to $20.1m. More

San Francisco-based business intelligence analytics provider GoodData has expanded in Asia Pacific region through a partnership with its regional MD Chris Gartlan. More

Beijing-based agency Sinotrust has launched a service integrating data from a number of sources on the c.140m Chinese children aged six to fourteen. More

Millward Brown’s former Chief Client Strategist Larry Schack has joined brand and research consultancy Greenberg Brand Strategy as Partner for Innovation and Insights. The role will focus on development of the firm’s ‘humanQuant’ practice. More

Dubai-based online healthcare specialist 42 Market Research has launched online healthcare panels for pharmaceutical research in Poland and Russia. 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

Research outsourcing and panels company Pulse Group says it can no longer justify the costs associated with listing the company on the loss making PLUS-quoted Market (part of the PLUS Stock Exchange), and is therefore planning to delist its ordinary shares. 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 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

Kantar’s telecoms purchasing and usage trends analysis division – Worldpanel ComTech – has launched a new mobile and tablet-focussed panel in Japan, to provide insight into the country’s mobile phone market. 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

Publicis-owned communications and engagement network MSLGroup has promoted social media expert Gaurav Mishra to the position of Vice President of Insights, Innovation, and Social for Asia, to help clients engage people through storytelling and crowdsourcing. More

New York-based Appinions has been awarded a patent for its methodology for analysing, extracting, and summarizing opinions from digital text such as articles, blog posts, and social media messages. More

Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has appointed Lee Smith as Asia Pacific President of its data and analytics business Annalect, alongside his current role as CEO Digital Platforms for OMG in the region. More

AsiaPac marketing analytics consultancy Analytic Partners has opened a new office in Sydney, Australia, where it has appointed former Mediabrands Analytics MD Clare Fernando to establish the firm’s presence. More

Technology market intelligence provider IDC has appointed BT Global Services’ former innovation leader Charles Reed Anderson, as Head of its Telecom Practice and co-leader of its Mobility Practice in Asia Pacific. More

US-based mobile app analytics provider Localytics has raised $5.5m in Series B financing, which it will use to expand its platform to address the problem of app subscribers who turn off ‘push messaging’, or who fail to provide e-mail addresses or phone numbers. 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

US-based business intelligence and predictive analytics firm Dataskill is to acquire recruitment consultancy Staffing Innovation, in a bid to gain access to a pool of local technology personnel. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Tokyo-based online sampling and data collection firm AIP Corporation has opened an office in India, which is led by Roy Kimura who is based at the firm’s office in New York. More

GfK Philippines has appointed former Nielsen exec Mary Margaret Co Martinez to lead its Retailer team in the role of Retail Director. 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

Global data collection specialist Cido has opened a new operation in Shanghai, where it has appointed former Nielsen exec Linda Ho as General Manager. More

Print metrics provider GfK StarchMetrix has partnered with media research specialist Sinomonitor to launch what it describes as the first study to measure consumer recall of magazine advertisements in China. 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

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

Kantar Health has promoted Graeme Jacombs to the position of Managing Director of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA), responsible for regional strategy, local business planning and client support. 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

Healthcare specialist The Research Partnership has opened a market access consultancy called ‘The Access Partnership’, which will provide services to the pharma, biotech, and medtech industries. It will be run by healthcare research veteran Mike Mallinson, who joins at the end of the year. 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

IgnitionOne - the digital marketing technology arm of Japanese advertising giant Dentsu - has opened an office in São Paulo, Brazil, where it has appointed industry veteran Edmardo Galli as Managing Director. 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

WPP has filed a petition in the New York Supreme Court for dismissal of the lawsuit brought by broadcaster New Delhi Television (NDTV), which accuses Kantar and Nielsen of violating anti-bribery laws through their TAM joint venture in India. More

In India, the Media Research Users’ Council (MRUC) has awarded the contract for its continuous readership study, the IRS (Indian Research Survey) to Nielsen, after a nine-month selection process. More

DemystData - which helps financial institutions tap into consumers' social media and other online data - has secured an undisclosed amount of Series A investment, which it will use to expand its team of engineers and data scientists to support global demand for its service. More

In China, Eddie Chien has joined ad and brand research specialist Ipsos ASI as Managing Director, after twenty years at Procter and Gamble (P&G). More

WPP-owned market research and political polling specialist Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) has opened its second Indian office, in Mumbai, following its launch in Gurgaon last year. More

Digital research agency MobileMeasure Consultancy has expanded to Singapore through a partnership with Anila Shrivastava, the founder of eye tracking and semiotics specialist idStats. More

India’s News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has asked the government to suspend reporting of TAM data, in the light of the ongoing row between broadcaster NDTV and Nielsen and WPP’s joint venture. Meanwhile Nielsen is reportedly the front-runner for the forthcoming RSCI readership measurement pitch. 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

Asia Pacific media intelligence firm Sentia Media has acquired Australian online media monitoring platform BuzzNumbers from founder Nick Holmes à Court (pictured). Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Indian broadcaster NDTV has hit out against a statement issued by WPP yesterday, and its use of the word ‘hypothetical’ to describe NDTV’s claims of ratings fixing at the TAM Media Research joint venture. More

Japan-based GMO Research and its subsidiary GMO Japan Market Intelligence (GMO Research/JMI) are to open the group’s first operations centre in India at the end of August, led by former GMI exec Anupam Kaul. More

US-based AbsolutData has raised $20m in investment funding, earmarked for global expansion and development of its big data analytics offer. More

WPP is considering proceedings against Indian broadcaster NDTV for defamation, following the latter’s claims that staff at its TAM Media Research joint venture took bribes in exchange for overstating television ratings. More

Investors in Indian business processing and technology management firm Genpact have sold 30% of the company to Bain Capital, the private equity group founded by US presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. The deal is valued at approximately $1 billion. More

comScore has introduced its online video measurement service Video Metrix in Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. The tool combines online viewing intelligence with demographics to provide insights into consumer behavior. More

US-based statistical software specialist Revolution Analytics has opened an office in Singapore, through which it plans to offer big data analytics to clients across the Asia Pacific region. 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

Asian agency ABN Research has opened an office in Hong Kong, from which it plans to expand beyond the FMCG and white good sectors to supporting service industries such as finance and telecoms. The firm has also been re-named as ‘ABN Impact’. More

Digital agency XM Asia Pacific has opened a Consumer Experience Lab in Singapore. The facility will use Tobii eye-tracking technology, heuristic techniques and usability metrics to examine how Asian consumers absorb the information they see in digital ads and traditional media. More

App store analytics and market intelligence specialist App Annie has secured $6m in Series B financing, which it plans to use to accelerate take-up of its products and increase its presence in the US, China and Japan - including recruitment for its San Francisco and Beijing offices. 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

India-based MR technology and operations company Annik has partnered with mobile home screen messaging specialist Mobile Posse, to provide access to the fifteen million consumers who have signed up to receive offers and content via the latter’s pre-loaded software. More

iKen Solutions - the developer of a consumer analytics system called Mooga - has received an undisclosed amount of investment funding from the India Innovation Fund (IIF). 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

Following Indian broadcaster NDTV’s legal action against Nielsen and Kantar Media Research over bribery claims, the Indian government has now stepped in with its own investigation. 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

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

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

Dubai-based News Group International (NGI) has acquired UK-based Report International and US PR and social media research specialist KDPaine & Partners, and will add them to its measurement company, Salience Insight, while maintaining them as distinct brands. More

Google has bought US-based online marketing service Wildfire, reportedly for around $250m (£159m). More

In Australia, Emelia Millward has left public broadcaster SBS after eight years to take on the same title - Head of Research and Insights - at Seven. 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

Tokyo-based online sampling and data collection firm AIP Corporation has opened an office in Singapore, where it plans to establish a local panel management and resource development team. 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

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

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

Full service agency Market Strategies International (MSI) has launched a qualitative insights boutique, led by former Synovate director Steve Wolf. More

US-based online research community builder Communispace has opened an office in Shanghai, through a partnership with Chinese lifestyle research agency Jigsaw International. More

In Australia, trade association the IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) has elected Mark Britt, Group CEO of Mi9, as its new Chairman. More

Japan-based GMO Research has appointed Sarah Jang as a Senior Business Development Director for North America, charged with setting up the company's first office in the region. 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

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

Arbitron's mobile measurement arm has joined forces with online specialist iResearch Consulting, in China, to jointly operate a syndicated mobile media research service across the country, based on an opt-in panel of around 10,000 people. 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

Full service agency MRSS India has appointed former Intel exec Shivanand Shenoy as Senior Director, Client Servicing, in charge of its IT, online and FMCG verticals, and to lead its new 'Digital Research' service. More

Emerging markets specialist Borderless Access Panels has introduced a mobile app called InstaBid, through which market researchers can access sample feasibility and cost information across a number of hard-to-reach markets. More

US-based cleantech specialist Pike Research has been acquired by energy sector market intelligence provider Navigant. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Millward Brown (MB) has extended the availability of its facial coding capabilities, offered as part of its LINK ad copy evaluation solution and developed in partnership with emotional measurement company Affectiva, to the emerging markets of Latin America and Asia Pacific. More

Research Panel Asia (RPA) has relocated its Los Angeles, US office to the Century City business center, which it says is nearer many of its clients. More

Online ad targeting provider Phorm has announced the launch of commercial operations in Turkey, following an agreement with Turkish ISP TTNET. More

WPP-owned market research and political polling network Penn Schoen Berland (PSB) has appointed government bureaucrat Ashok Kapur as Head of its Policy Group for South Asia operations. More

In the US, M3 Global Research has appointed healthcare research veteran David Deutsch as Head of Syndicated Products, while eRewards' former CMO and Chief Panel Officer Bill Russo has joined as President of Market Research. 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

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

Shareholders in Australian research and marcoms group Photon - which owns MR agencies The Leading Edge (TLE) and Jigsaw Research - have voted in favour of renaming the troubled company Enero, the Spanish word for 'January'. 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

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

Kantar subsidiary Added Value Saffron Hill has appointed former FutureBrand exec Carol Mok as Brand Development Director in its Singapore office. 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

PR Newswire, known for its press release services but increasingly focused on providing multimedia content and measurement platforms, has launched a web and social media monitoring platform for China. More

Database and information services giant Experian has hired Ben Elliott as MD of its Decision Analytics division in Asia Pacific. He was previously Network Director for Retail Banking at Lloyds Banking Group. 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

US-based social networking solutions firm Lithium Technologies has opened AsiaPac regional headquarters in Singapore, as well as an additional office in Sydney focused on the Australia-New Zealand market. 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

In Shanghai, Ipsos Healthcare has appointed IMS Health veteran David Twinberrow as Head of Syndicated Services, Asia Pacific, charged with leading the planned expansion and development of the firm's Therapy Monitor portfolio across the region. 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

TNS has opened its first office in Cambodia, through a partnership with local market and social research firm MSD, which has a network of locations across the country. More

Research group Majestic MRSS has signed a deal to become a 'certified partner' for panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical, and will offer its suite of tools and Sparq benchmarking software to clients across Asia. 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

Mumbai-based online ad network and audience measurement provider Komli Media has raised $39m, which it will invest in its core technology platforms and use to expand its presence across the APAC region. More

Research consultancy Kadence India has appointed former Hansa Research General Manager Maninder Khurana as Vice President - Consumer Insights. More

MR outsourcing and analytics provider Cross-Tab has launched a solution to help researchers enhance the value of their tracking studies. Tracking Optimiser combines subject matter experts with new technology and the firm's established quality processes. 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

Asia Pacific-based marketing and brand research consultancy Cimigo has promoted Winnie Yeung to the role of Managing Director in Hong Kong, responsible for overseeing strategy and business development while leading the regional team. More

MrWeb's offices are now closed for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations taking place across the UK, and will reopen on Wednesday 6 June. God Bless Her! More

Behavioural ad tech company Phorm is planning to raise £20m in return for a 20% equity stake in its new operating subsidiary in China. The firm has also announced its intention to relocate its holding company from Delaware in the US, to Singapore. 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

Kantar Worldpanel ComTech is launching what it bills as 'the first continuous panel to gather representative mobile phone data in China'. 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

India-based digital advertising and technology firm Komli Media is promoting former ViziSense boss Andrew Reid to Managing Director of its Australian business, replacing ad man Andrew Lockwood who is taking 'an extended break' but may return later in an advisory capacity. 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

Informa plc, owner of Datamonitor, has released an interim statement on the first four months of the year. Organic revenue in the Professional and Commercial Information division (PCI) is down 4.1%, although it is expected to rebound in the remainder of 2012. 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

Radio ratings provider Arbitron has expanded its operations in Kochi, India, with the opening of a new 20,000 sq ft facility. More

Mumbai, India-based pharmaceutical product manufacturer Piramal Healthcare is to acquire US-based pharma research firm Decision Resources Group (DRG) for around $635m. 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

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

US-based online community provider Passenger has entered the Japanese market through a partnership with online survey and panel provider Rakuten Research, which is headquartered in Tokyo. More

Aegis Media has announced the appointment of Silvia Leiva as Director, Insights for its Singapore office. More

In Mumbai, consumer goods giant Unilever has set up its first Indian Customer Insight and Innovation Centre to study how consumers shop for FMCG products. 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

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

In Singapore, Nielsen has launched an Asian 'innovation hub' incorporating divisions for neuroscience (NeuroLAB), virtual, mobile and eye-tracking technologies (ShopperLAB) and market measurement and consumer information (MSciLAB). 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

UK-based insight and analysis firm Tree has partnered with mobile data technology provider IMImobile, to offer a suite of customer insight solutions to mobile operators, brands and organisations across Asia. More

Mediacom's former Director of Analytics Philip Tiongson has been hired for the new post of Director of Research Solutions at Agility Research & Strategy, the firm launched in Singapore last November by former Harris Interactive managers Amrita Banta and Asha Choksi. 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

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

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

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

Gartner Australasia has agreed to acquire IDEAS International, a firm which provides enterprise IT research, insight, analysis and tools to technology vendors and global IT users. The cash deal is valued at approximately $AUD 20m. More

Quratulain Ibrahim has been promoted from COO to Chief Executive Officer of full service agency TNS-Aftab, the global agency's affiliate company in Pakistan and Afghanistan. More

In Australia, Photon-owned insights and strategy consultancy The Leading Edge (TLE) has appointed Chrissy Blackburn as Global Strategy Partner, Head of Brand Strategy. She will be based in the firm's Sydney office, while also working with its Asian, European and US operations. 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

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

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

Kantar Health has announced two senior promotions in its Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa region (APMEA). Graeme Jacombs becomes Deputy MD for the region while Dr. Vince Grillo is promoted to General Manager, Singapore and Malaysia. 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

Singapore-based Agility Research & Strategy has launched a quarterly series of reports exploring the psyche of Asian consumers regarding wealth and luxury. More

Asia Pacific-based marketing and brand research consultancy Cimigo has opened new offices in Jakarta and Singapore, to enhance local support for its clients. 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

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

Healthcare market research provider Cegedim Strategic Data (CSD) has expanded in Asia with the opening of an office in Indonesia, adding to its existing presence in China, Australia, India, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. More

Stockholm-based brand tracking researcher Nepa has established an office in China, where it has also formed a partnership with online music web site Tudou to create a consumer insights market research panel. More

A new body called the Institute on Asian Consumer Insight (ACI) has been launched, funded jointly by the Singapore Economic Development Board and Nanyang Technological University (NTU). 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

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

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

Emerging markets specialist Borderless Access Panels has unveiled its tenth online panel, this time in Taiwan. More

Market research recruitment specialist Resources Group has promoted Rowan Haylett to the position of Managing Director - Australia and APAC, with responsibility for the firm's business across Australia, New Zealand and Asia. More

Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has opened an office in Hong Kong, which will form its Asian headquarters. The new office - the firm's eleventh in all worldwide - will be led by Bruce Wells, who joined earlier in the month from Synovate. More

Customer and employee research specialist ORC International has rolled out its 'Strategic Intelligence' service in Asia, which combines primary and secondary research with a range of other data. The Singapore-based division is led by former Nielsen director Nigel Carey. More

In the US, MR technology and operations company Annik has promoted former Greenfield Online CEO Rudy Nadilo to the position of Senior Partner, in charge of its Global Research Practice. John Bird is also promoted to the role of Partner in the practice. More

Market intelligence company Mintel has launched the first consumer research report in a monthly series examining Chinese consumer behaviour across the food and non-food consumer products markets, retail and foodservice industries. More

Bob Chua, the CEO and founder of research outsourcing and panels company Pulse Group, has been appointed Chairman of Malaysia-based comms group GO Communications, with a remit to spearhead the company's Asia Pacific expansion. More

London-based insight consultancy Truth has celebrated its fifth birthday with annual revenues of £9m, up 25% from the previous year. More

Online healthcare data collection firm WorldOne has expanded its network in Asia with the opening of a new office in Shanghai, China, adding to its existing presence in Hong Kong and Tokyo. More

The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of Hong Kong (HK4As) has awarded Nielsen a five-year Television Audience Measurement (TAM) contract for the period 2013 to 2017, incorporating measurement across multiple platforms. 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

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

Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has appointed former Synovate exec Bruce Wells as Managing Director and President of its operations in Asia, based in Hong Kong. More

Business information giant D&B has announced the temporary suspension of operations of its Chinese subsidiary Shanghai Roadway D&B Marketing Services Co Ltd., pending investigation of allegations of violations of the country's data privacy laws. 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

AbsolutData Research & Analytics has added three C-suite leaders to its management team in India, to support its 'aggressive global growth plans'. COO Sundar Ramaswamy, CFO Abishek Sawhny and CTO Rahul Monie will all be based in the Gurgaon office. 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

Nielsen has announced the launch of its NeuroFocus testing laboratories in China, citing 'huge opportunities for businesses to tap into the unmet demands' of consumers as the economy shifts its focus towards them. More

MRSS India, the newly announced venture backed by Asian firm Majestic MRSS, has announced three key hires to build its senior team. Seetha Sethuraman, Deepak Mathur and Bhumika Bhuptani will take lead roles developing the firm's client servicing and mystery shopping services. More

Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical has announced revenue growth of 17% to $CAN 72m in 2011. 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

Marketing services group Omnicom has acquired a majority stake in Japanese online research agency Medical Collective Intelligence (MCI), which works with clients in the pharma and medical device industries. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

IgnitionOne - the digital marketing technology arm of Japanese advertising giant Dentsu - has added an 'Engagement Optimisation' tool to its existing Digital Marketing Suite (DMS), to enable users to track the success of online ads. More

Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) has acquired US-based mobile ad targeting firm Amobee, in a deal valued at about US$321m. 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

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

Consumer and sensory specialist MMR Research has formed a dedicated research team, focused on early stage product development and packaging work and the creation of new qualitative and bespoke research approaches. More

London-based research technology firm Cobalt Sky has reported a 12% increase in annual revenue to £1.99m in 2011. More

Global marcoms group Draftfcb has opened a brand analytics division called Asterii Analytics in India, headed by ad agency veteran Niteen Bhagwat as Chief Executive Officer. 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

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

In Canada, former Optimisa CEO Simon Dannatt has joined youth-focused research specialist The Sound as Chief Executive Officer, with a specific remit to help the firm expand into Asia. 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

Bangalore-based retail analytics provider Manthan Systems has raised $15m in Series C funding, which it plans to invest in new products and in company acquisitions. More

Emerging technology specialist Lux Research has launched the 'China BioPharma Intelligence' service, offering consultancy via a team of analysts based in Shanghai, Singapore and Boston. More

WPP agencies tenthavenue and GroupM have linked up in China to acquire full service mobile marketing agency Wisereach, and launch a new company, MJoule, providing a 'holistic view' of mobile consumer behavior. More

Emerging markets specialist Borderless Access Panels has announced launches in Indonesia and Turkey. More

Nielsen Media Australia MD Peter Cornelius has left the company, following a restructure which has resulted in the firm integrating its Watch (media) and Buy (consumer purchase behavior) divisions under the leadership of former MD, Pacific, Chris Percy. 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

Quadrant Private Equity has renamed its Asia Pacific-based media intelligence company Media Monitors Group as Sentia Media. Media Monitors remains the name of one of Sentia's companies, which also include 360m, China Clipping and Brandtology. More

Global media auditor BPA Worldwide has opened an office in the city of Shenzhen, in the Guangdong Province of China, complementing its existing Asian operations in Hong Kong. More

The co-founder and President of Asian agency Majestic MRSS Raj Sharma has partnered with former Nielsen MD Sarang Panchal to launch a new full service agency called MRSS India. More

In the US, Greenfield Online veterans Hugh Davis and Keith Price have officially launched reInvention, a global sampling and data collection services firm founded last summer and promising 'a more human-to-human' approach to sample acquisition. A London office is planned soon. 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

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

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

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

InRev, the owner of social media brand monitoring platform Simplify360, has secured an undisclosed amount of Series A investment, which it plans to use to expand its presence beyond Bangalore to India's biggest cities Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi. More

Pharma market research giant IMS Health has acquired Bangalore-based PharmARC, which specializes in analytics and other services for the life sciences industry. 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

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

In an interim trading statement, research group Cello has announced a 'solid' full year performance for 2011 and says its growing focus on the resilient pharmaceuticals sector is 'paying off'. 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

US healthcare consultancy Quintiles has launched a business process outsourcing (BPO) and project management center in Dalain in the northeast of China, with a multilingual workforce to serve clients in the Japanese, Chinese and South Korean biopharmaceutical markets. More

Canadian eCommerce research specialist Terapeak has introduced a tool for sellers on Japan's largest online marketplace Yahoo! JAPAN Auctions, using analytics capabilities from its flagship product Terapeak for eBay. More

Kantar Media has acquired Chinese social media research, monitoring and analysis firm CIC, to complement its own range of social media capabilities in the country. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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

Australian research and marcoms group Photon - which owns MR agencies The Leading Edge (TLE) and Jigsaw Research - has promoted Matthew Melhuish to the position of Chief Executive Officer, replacing Jeremy Philips who left in December. More

Market intelligence company Mintel has today announced the opening of three offices in the Asia Pacific region. Already open for business, the three are located in Mumbai, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. More

Former Omniture exec Lawrence Chua has joined WPP digital marketing agency XM Asia Pacific as Analytics Director in its strategy practice. He will be based in Singapore. More

UK-based insight and research consultancy The Behavioural Architects (TBA) has expanded into China by merging with Shanghai-based agency Research Essentials, which will now be known as The Behavioural Architects, China. 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

Consumer and sensory specialist MMR Research is expanding into Asia, with the opening of an office in Singapore, where it has appointed former TNS sector CEO Clive Little to lead the operation; and a Sensory Science Centre in Shanghai. More

WPP-owned Kantar is buying a majority stake in Oasis Insights - a full service market research consultancy based in Karachi, Pakistan. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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

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

Decision sciences and analytics services firm Mu Sigma has closed a $108m investment round, which it claims is the 'biggest private-equity investment' made to date in the analytics services sector. 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

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

China-based auto specialist Sinotrust has developed a system to identify a speaker on the basis of the specific characteristics of their voice, which it is integrating into its customer satisfaction studies. 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

Company acquisitions in the online survey software market will continue apace, according to a new report produced by industry analysis publisher IBISWorld. More

TNS Global Chairman Jamie Hall is to retire next week, after nearly 30 years in the market research industry. 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

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

Marcoms giant WPP has acquired a majority stake in Singapore-based digital marketing agency Qais Consulting. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Hot on the heels of its acquisition of China Clipping on Tuesday, Media Monitors Group has acquired South East Asia-based media intelligence and quant analysis company MediaBanc. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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

Asia Pacific-based Media Monitors Group has acquired China Clipping, a firm which offers print, broadcast and Internet monitoring, as well as quant analysis, in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Jeremy Philips has resigned as CEO of the Photon Group, the parent company of insight firms The Leading Edge and Jigsaw Research. Philips was brought in to save the debt-laden group 18 months ago, and 'though challenges remain, leaves with a sense of 'mission accomplished'. 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

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

Research outsourcing and panels company Pulse Group has hired former Gartner executive Carmen Endrina to lead its client development offering in the US, with a particular focus on the firm's West Coast technology clients. More

Six former employees of Harris Interactive in Hong Kong have set up Anovation Asia, a new full service agency which is majority owned by data specialist Anovation. More

London-based BDRC Group has expanded its presence in Asia Pacific by acquiring a stake in Sydney-based Jones Donald Strategy Partners (JDSP), which focuses on financial, retail and telecoms research and consulting. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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

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

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

Panel and research technology specialist Vision Critical and its Russian Partner CreaMetrix have signed a deal to create what the firms describe as the country's first community panel. More

GfK Healthcare is rolling out its syndicated TCD physician studies, until now focused on the US and Europe, to Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). The studies will offer local market treatment perspectives across cardiovascular, psychiatry, respiratory and rheumatology/pain specialisms. 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

Asian agency Majestic MRSS has launched 'Ethnostream' - a tool combining ethnography with video-streaming technology - in India and 13 other countries. More

Information Services Group (ISG), the acquisition vehicle set up by former VNU boss Michael Connors, has reported a 52% increase in third quarter revenues to $48.9m, from $32.2m in Q3 2010. 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

Former Harris Interactive managers Amrita Banta and Asha Choksi have opened their own full service agency, Agility Research & Strategy, in Singapore. The firm will focus on research across Asia using online and digital data collection tools. More

Australian research and marcoms group Photon - which owns MR agencies The Leading Edge and Jigsaw Research - has cleared its debts through the sale of its field marketing and retail agencies to equity firm Navis Capital Partners for the sum of $AUD 146.5m. 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

Brand specialist Oracle Added Value has named ex-Illuminas MD Matthew Carr Deputy Managing Director of its Hong Kong office; and promoted Arthur Tam to the new role of Head of Talent Development, Greater China. 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

Harris Interactive has reported a 3.5% increase in first-quarter revenue to $38.3m. Bookings however were down 11% for the quarter and CEO Al Angrisani says the firm is still facing 'major challenges' with sales. More

PR and research firm Brunswick Group has opened a third Chinese office in Shanghai, and appointed two un-named 'senior individuals' to expand its investor relations and research capabilities in Hong Kong. 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

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

WPP has made a further investment, via its WPP Digital investment arm, in China-based online ad measurement specialist Moment Systems. 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

Former Toluna exec Ashish Nijhon has opened Annette Research, a new firm based in Gurgaon, India and offering data collection and analysis, survey programming, panel aggregation and translation services to both corporate clients and MR agencies. More

Mumbai-based online feedback and survey tools provider Webklipper Technologies has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding, which will be used for product development, hiring sales and marketing teams, and for expanding its operations beyond India. More

Synovate Retail Performance (SRP) has partnered with face recognition specialist Firs Technology in Greater China, to provide retailers and brand owners in the region with access to technology and data reporting for stores. 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

Aegis Media has launched its communications insight and evaluation company aevolve in Malaysia and appointed Mark Chaves to lead it as Chief Insight Officer. More

The Australian wing of the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has today announced the establishment of a Mobile Advertising Council (MAC), its fourth working group. More

UK-based media and marketing analytics firm Ebiquity has acquired Australian media analytics consultancy Falkner Media Management (FMM) for an initial consideration of $AUD 4m (£2.5m). An additional $AUD 1.9m will be paid if the firm meets certain performance criteria by 2014. 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

Kantar Health has added five new tumor types to its CancerMPact Treatment Architecture China platform, to provide analysis of the current clinical management of cancer across the country. 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

In Australia, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has officially launched its online audience measurement methodology and service, after what it describes as 'an exhaustive process and review'. September data will be available next week. More

UK-based publisher and market analyst Mintel has acquired consumer market data provider Access Asia, with the aim of building up its research capabilities in China. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. More

Full service agency and fieldwork provider Focus-Suites Asia (FSPL Asia) has opened a new operation in Sri Lanka, offering one-way-mirrors, usability testing labs, online panels, eye tracking services and mystery shopping. More

Fast-growing UK-based consultancy Truth and its start-up investor The College Group have announced a 'major new investment' - thought to be between £20m and £25m - from venture capital fund Vitruvian Partners LLP. More

In India, Radio Audience Measurement (RAM), a division of TAM Media Research has announced plans to expand its coverage of listening habits by nine cities, bringing the total to thirteen. The company has also released data on the new locations collected from May to August this year. More

WPP's consumer insight group Kantar has acquired the remaining shares in Lanka Market Research Bureau (LMRB), in which it already had a 49% stake. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 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

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

London-based BDRC Group - which in the UK includes BDRC Continental and Perspective Research Services - has opened an office in Singapore, headed by former employee Piers Lee who recently left his role as MD of Kadence Asia Pacific. 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

Japanese consulting services specialist Nomura Research Institute (NRI) has acquired a 25.1% stake in New Delhi-based Market Xcel Data Matrix, through which it plans to expand its research and consulting business activities to India. More

Research outsourcing and panels company Pulse Group has reported a drop in operating profit from $271k to just $50k for the financial year ended 31 May 2011, on a reduced revenue of $1.6m (down from $1.7m). 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

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

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

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

David Ashton has left his position as Research Lead at public opinion specialist BritainThinks after just eight months in the role, to join the Hong Kong office of Brunswick Research, the opinion research practice of PR firm Brunswick Group. 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

Research consultancy Kadence International has promoted Greg Clayton to MD for Singapore, replacing the departing Piers Lee; and is gearing up to expand in the region with the relocation of Phil Steggals from the UK, the hiring of Natalie Sew Hoy and a major office refurbishment. 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

India's Media Research Users Council (MRUC) has elected Hormusji N Cama, Director of Gujarati daily paper Bombay Samachar, as its new Chairman. He replaces Lloyd Mathias. 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

WPP firm Added Value has restructured its Australian management, creating the new role of Client Development Director for current MD Melissa Carey and moving Deputy MD James Pike into her MD role. The firm's Sydney staff are also relocating across the city. More

Kadence International has appointed Andy Grout and Neil Rees as Insight Directors, both based at the company's headquarters in London. 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

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

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

Tokyo-based firms AIP Corporation and M3, Inc. have announced an alliance - including a share transfer - to deliver global healthcare research centred in rapidly growing Southeast Asian countries. More

Nielsen has formed a strategic alliance with India-based Informate Mobile Intelligence, which uses on-device metering technology installed on panellists' handsets. More

India-based TechOrigami Software has launched Unmetric, a social media intelligence benchmarking tool, which mines and distills data around the Facebook pages and Twitter IDs of leading brands. 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

WPP-owned ad agency network Grey Group has partnered with Eastern Advertising in Taiwan, to offer full service capabilities including market research, strategic planning, PR and a range of advertising and marketing options across the country. 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

Indian sources are suggesting that the long-awaited merger of the country's two key print readership surveys, the National Readership Survey (NRS) and the Indian Readership Survey (IRS), could be about to happen. More

Privately-owned MR agency Kadence International has reported a 37% year-on-year increase in its global revenues to $US 17.5 million for the year ending June 2011, from $12.8m in 2010. More

Ipsos today announced the appointment of Bernice Klaassen as its Asia Pacific Regional Director for Digital. He was previously Global Director for Digital at TNS. More

Pursuing her 'passion for innovation research', former TNS Regional Head Lee Ryan has moved from Singapore to join Melbourne-based Raspberry Innovation Research + Strategy. More

In the UK, specialist research consultancy B2B International has expanded its London presence by moving to new offices on the Euston Road. More

Technology analyst IDC has promoted Matt Oostveen to the role of Chief of Research for Australia. He replaces Tim Dillon who takes an expanded Asia Pacific role. More

WPP has made a non-binding offer to acquire the shares of ad and marketing services company D.A. Consortium Inc. (DAC) from Japan's Asatsu-DK Inc., in which the ad and insights giant already has a 22.9% stake. More

Tokyo-based full service MR company Research Panel Asia (RPA) has formed an alliance with Beijing-based Data100 Market Research to produce an online panel of 1.6 million respondents China. RPA already has 1.5m respondents in Japan and 150,000 in Korea. More

Research services provider Cross-Tab has expanded its US team with the appointment of former Research Now VP Terry Sweeney as Vice President Operations and Client Services, in charge of its global data collection operations. 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

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

In India, Percept Media has appointed former Starcom MediaVest (SMG) exec Srikanth Raman as Chief Planning Officer, responsible for driving consumer research. More

Synovate-owned Marketing Management Analytics (MMA) has opened an operation in Bangalore, India from which it plans to develop advanced predictive and optimization techniques for use with behavioural and attitudinal data. 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

In Singapore, former Fox Networks VP Matthew Harty has joined Omnicom Media Group (OMG) to head its real-time data and analytics arm, Accuen. 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

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

Embattled Photon Group - which owns MR agencies The Leading Edge and Jigsaw Research - has received a vote of confidence of a kind, investment fund Intelligent Investor buying five percent of its depressed shares. More

MR and consulting firm Morpace has opened a new Asia Pacific operation in Shanghai, and appointed former Broadview Market Research manager Tong Zhou as Research Director there. 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

Tokyo-based online specialist Research Panel Asia (RPA) has launched a China-focused smartphone app, in a move to build a 'strong access channel' to smartphone users across the country. More

Information Services Group (ISG), the acquisition vehicle set up by former VNU boss Michael Connors, has moved into larger offices in Bangalore, India in anticipation of rapid growth over the next two years. 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

In India, the MRSI (Market Research Society of India) has elected Ashok Das, the MD of Hansa Research, as its President for the next two-year term. 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

Indian MR technology and operations company Annik is opening a new office in London, led by former Globalpark manager Alex Happe, and an office in Sydney, Australia headed by former employee Meena Kumari. More

Consumer and retail tracking provider The NPD Group has promoted Tim Bush to the post of Group President for the Asia Pacific region, working out of its offices in Hong Kong. More

WPP-owned brand specialist Added Value has named Steve Bale as non-Executive Chairman for the Greater China region, with a focus on building consultative relationships and strengthening the 'Oracle Added Value' brand. 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

Police in Mumbai, India have reportedly arrested the COO of Singapore-based online survey company Speak Asia, along with three other employees, on charges of defrauding investors of $US 294m. More

555 articles found.