News notes
Kantar announced that all of its Japanese businesses - Research International, Millward Brown, ICM/Added Value and Lightspeed Research - are being merged into a single business, Japan Kantar Research. Kantar said the decision was taken with the Japanese market in mind and it has no plans to replicate this approach beyond Japan.
In a move that emphasizes its best-known brand name, VNU announced it has changed its name to the Nielsen Company. Immediate steps to launch the new branding for the company included the introduction of a new corporate Web site (www.nielsen.com) and graphic identity. The new identity will be rolled out progressively by all Nielsen businesses during 2007.
Vancouver-based research firm Vision Critical announced in January that it had launched its 150th online panel.
Acquisitions/transactions
Phoenix Marketing International, a Rhinebeck, N.Y., marketing services firm, has acquired JZM Inc. (Johnston, Zabor, McManus), a full-service research firm based in Durham, N.C.
South Africa-based Adcorp Holdings Limited has sold Research Surveys to a consortium led by researcher TNS, Kapela Investment Holdings Ltd., and the senior management of Research Surveys. TNS Research Surveys is headed by newly appointed CEO Margarita Putter.
Milwaukee researcher Market Probe Inc. has acquired Belgium-based research firm Ask. Ask will continue to operate with its existing staff in its current location. Terms were not disclosed.
Alliances/strategic partnerships
Marketing Systems Group/GENESYS, Fort Washington, Pa., and Luth Research, San Diego, have collaborated to enhance and expand the use of the SurveySavvy Online Panel, which was developed by Luth Research in 2000. GENESYS will add full-scale Internet panel operations to its existing line of targeted samples. Luth Research will add GENESYS’ sampling capabilities to its offerings. In addition, the firms are codeveloping a series of multi-mode data collection methodologies designed to expand the applicability of Internet research to a wider range of projects.
Association/organization news
The Professional Researcher Certification (PRC) program established by the Marketing Research Association has staggered the closing of the grandfathering period, which was originally set to end on February 28, 2007. The move came as a result of the large influx of PRC applications in the last quarter of 2006. Grandfathering will now close in phases in order to allow for processing, extending selected segments as listed below (Phase I closed February 28):
Phase II (closing March 31, 2007)
Segments - data collection: focus facility, telephone; research company: field
Phase III (closing April 30, 2007)
Segments - data collection: qualitative; research company: operations, projects
Phase IV (closing May 31, 2007)
Segments - data collection: owner/CEO; research company: owner/CEO; end user: all job categories
Phase V (closing July 31, 2007)
Related services: all groups; research adjunct
“The phasing of the grandfathering reflects the initial intent of the developers of the Certification program: to be organic, dynamic, current and relevant,” said PRC Workgroup Chair Joan Burns. “The program has evolved even during its initial two years. Job segments have been added and redefined as the profession grows in scope and complexity in tandem with technology.”
The Qualitative Research Consultants Association has issued a call for papers for its annual conference in Vancouver on October 24-26. The deadline for submissions is March 30. For more information e-mail conferenceproposals@qrca.org or visit www.qrca.org.
New accounts/projects
Schaumburg, Ill.-based ACNielsen has expanded and broadened its partnership with Dollar General. Under terms of the new five-year agreement, ACNielsen will provide account-level services for Dollar General including a census-level trade area which will be made available to the vendor community.
In addition, ACNielsen and Dollar General will create a custom-defined template for use in Dollar General’s category management process. As part of the agreement, Dollar General will accept only ACNielsen data when completing these templates, which will include ACNielsen trade area information as well as Homescan Consumer Panel insights. Additional products and services, as well as on-site personnel, will be included as part of the new partnership.
Atlanta-based research firm Infosurv Inc. has selected Dexterity, an India-based knowledge process outsourcing firm, to provide offshore full-cycle support in scripting, processing/analysis and reporting.
Radio One, a radio broadcasting company that primarily targets African-American and urban listeners, has agreed to encode its radio stations in Philadelphia and Los Angeles for the Arbitron Portable People Meter audience measurement services. The Portable People Meter system, began collecting audience estimates in Philadelphia on January 11, 2007 and is slated to begin collecting in Los Angeles in January 2008. WQXR-FM, the New York classical music radio station owned by the New York Times Company, has entered into a multi-year agreement for Arbitron’s radio ratings services that include Portable People Meter audience measurement services when deployed in New York. Separately, Boston classical radio station WCRB-FM has entered into a multi-year agreement for Arbitron’s radio ratings services that include Portable People Meter audience measurement services when deployed in Boston.
Opinion Research Corporation, Princeton, N.J., will become CNN’s new polling partner as the network moves toward the 2008 elections. Beginning in 2007, polls released by the network will be identified as CNN/Opinion Research Corporation surveys.
The Direct Marketing Association has selected Vancouver-based research firm Vision Critical’s online panel management solution, Panel+, for its DM Research Forum panel. The panel asks members to participate in monthly Web surveys and interactive discussions on direct marketing topics like e-marketing techniques, lead generation, database segmentation and customer retention.
New companies/new divisions/ relocations/ expansions
Sarasota, Fla.-based retail resources firm National In-Store has launched its RetailMetrics division, which provides inspection, measurement and score-carding services to help retailers achieve a consistent in-store experience.
San Francisco-based AbsolutData Research & Analytics has opened an additional facility in New Delhi.
Dallas-based Common Knowledge Research Services has opened a new office in Charlotte, N.C. The office is headed by Business Development Director Bruce Ritch, who relocated from Common Knowledge’s Fairfield, Conn., office.
ACNielsen has established an industry practice group for leisure and travel research in China, to be headed by Grace Pan.
Company earnings reports
Boston-based Kadence announced a doubling in sales over the past 12 months. End-of-year results for 2006 show that the company serviced $8 million worth of business in 2006, compared to $4 million in 2005.
The board of U.K.-based Research Now announce its final results for the year to October 31, 2006. Sales nearly tripled to £9.6m (2005: £3.6m). Profit before tax more than trebled to £1.6m (2005: £0.5m). There was strong cash generation: net cash of £2.4m at year end (2005: net cash £1.4m).