News notes
New York organizations the Interactive Advertising Bureau, the Mobile Marketing Association and the Media Rating Council have issued Mobile Application Advertising Measurement Guidelines, a complement to Mobile Web Ad Measurement Guidelines. The new guidelines address in-app advertising and provide assistance in determining the quality of ad analytics and measurement.
Topics covered include app coverage and basis for projection; the app testing and release process; enhancing ad impression tracking accuracy; user-initiated ad actions or information gathering; general reporting parameters; disclosure guidance; and auditing recommendations.
The guidelines are available for review at www.iab.net/inappguidelines.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Washington, D.C., has approved a final order settling charges that Boston research company Compete Inc. violated the Federal Trade Commission Act by using its Web-tracking software that collected personal information without disclosing the extent of the information it was collecting through its products and third-party Web tools. The FTC complaint alleged that the company also took steps that placed consumers at risk, as well as misrepresented that it would protect the personal data it collected.
The final settlement order requires Compete to obtain consumers’ express consent before collecting any data from its software downloaded onto consumers’ computers; delete or anonymize the use of the consumer data it already has collected; and provide directions to consumers for uninstalling its software. In addition, the settlement bars misrepresentations about the company’s privacy and data security practices and requires that it implement a comprehensive information security program with independent third-party audits every two years for 20 years.
The United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit affirmed the dismissal of Sunbeam Television Corporation’s antitrust lawsuit against New York researcher The Nielsen Company. The District Court had found that Miami-based Sunbeam failed to show that Nielsen blocked any competitor from establishing a syndicated television audience measurement service in the Miami market and lacked antitrust standing to assert its Sherman Act and Florida Antitrust Act claims against Nielsen. The 11th Circuit agreed. The court also found that Nielsen was justified in rolling out its Local People Meter service in Miami, replacing the previous meter-diary system.
Acquisitions/transactions
Danbury, Conn., research company IMS Health has acquired Appature, a Seattle marketing software company.
Facebook, San Francisco, has acquired the Atlas Advertiser Suite for campaign performance measurement from Microsoft, Redmond, Wash. Atlas will continue to operate out of Seattle.
Millennial Media, a Baltimore mobile advertising network, has acquired San Francisco research company Metaresolver in an all-cash transaction. Metaresolver will continue to be based out of San Francisco.
MSW Research, Lake Success, N.Y., as acquired ARS, an advertising research division of Reston, Va., research company comScore Inc. The resulting company will be called MSW•ARS Research.
MDC Research, Portland, Ore., has purchased Ecker & Associates, a San Francisco focus group facility.
Alliances/strategic partnerships
New York research company Experian Marketing Services has partnered with Research Now, Plano, Texas, to offer multichannel marketers self-reported insights about select consumer activities from regular surveys with aggregated and anonymous research about their associated online behavior. The alliance extends to operations in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia.
Awards/rankings
Kristin Luck of Decipher Inc., a Fresno, Calif., research company, has been named one of the Portland Business Journal’s 2013 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year award winners. Recipients were chosen based their contributions to and influence on the business community. Luck is based out of Decipher’s Portland, Ore., office.
Separately, Decrypt, the London branch of Decipher, won the Best in Biz Awards 2013 EMEA Enterprise Product of the Year category for its Beacon software platform.
The Brand Activation Association, New York, has named the winners of the inaugural Brand Brilliance Awards, created to honor individuals for outstanding achievement in brand activation, industry impact, legacy and creativity. Paramount Farms International LLC’s Wonderful Pistachios “Get Crackin’” campaign won the Active Brand Award for driving equity, engagement and sales. Red Bull USA’s Stratos Project won the Game Changer Award for challenging the status quo and changing the industry through a unique approach to marketing. Chipotle Mexican Grill’s “Food with Integrity” sustainable farming campaign won the Hero Brand Award for making the world a better place while building the legacy of the brand. Allstate Insurance’s “Mayhem” campaign won the Inspiration Awards for inspiring consumers to take action through insightful strategy and superb creative.
German software firm cluetec has been awarded the Platinum version of the European Seal of e-Excellence for its mQuest mobile survey technology. The seal recognizes global digital-economy players for their achievements, innovations and interactive marketing strategies.
New accounts/projects
Nectar, a London loyalty program, has selected Shelton, Conn., research company SSI to build and manage the Nectar Canvass, an online survey sampling tool designed to allow respondents to opt into a panel and earn points for feedback. Additionally, the partnership allows SSI to offer its clients access to thousands of Nectar panelists, segmented by usage and lifestyle attributes.
London research company TNS has extended its contract with the European Commission and the European Parliament to manage the Eurobarometer Qualitative studies for another four years.
US Airways, Tempe, Ariz., has adopted Encino, Calif., research company uSamp’s The Whiteboard, an invitation-only B2B panel, for US Airways Dividend Miles members. US Airways loyalty members will be invited to take short surveys and be rewarded with extra miles, gift cards or loyalty points.
Schlesinger Interactive, a division of Iselin, N.J., research company Schlesinger Associates, has adopted Fresno, Calif., research company Decipher Inc.’s Beacon survey software and Netherlands research software company Nebu’s Dub Knowledge panel management software.
Additionally, Directions Research, Cincinnati, has also adopted the Beacon platform.
HSN, Clearwater, Fla., has extended its contract with Study Hall Research, Tampa, Fla., through 2013.
ABC, ABC Family and ESPN have adopted New York researcher The Nielsen Company’s Nielsen Online Campaign Ratings to manage demographic guarantees for online video campaigns.
Los Angeles research company dialogue has chosen Wilton, Conn., research company Toluna’s PanelPortal Online Communities product to power its Travel Talk community.
New companies/new divisions/relocations/expansions
Reston, Va., research software company Clarabridge Inc. has opened a San Francisco office at 235 Montgomery, suite 630. Jeff Rosen will lead the operation.
Facts International, an Ashford, U.K., research company, has opened an office in Sydney, Australia. The office is online at www.factsinternational.com.au. Jo Brockhurst will oversee the location.
Rotterdam, Netherlands, research company SKIM has relocated its London office.
New York research company GroupM has launched GroupM Consulting Services. The division will be led by Ernie Simon.
Gongos Research, Auburn Hills, Mich., has formed O2 Integrated, a consultative unit dedicated to assisting Global 1000 companies. Jason Raguso has been appointed to lead the practice.
London research company TNS has been licensed to conduct business in Myanmar. TNS Myanmar will be led by Jason Copland.
Claire Duffy and Craig Smith have launched Snapcracker Research + Strategy in Willoughby, Australia. The company is online at www.snapcracker.com.au.
Leeds, U.K., research company Nunwood has opened two additional Australian offices in Brisbane and Melbourne.
Vital Insights, a Mississauga, Ontario, research company, has opened two European offices near Paris and London to serve France-Benelux and the U.K.-Nordics region.
Survey Dynamics LLC, a Chicago research company, has launched a polling service, dubbed Survey Trends. The firm is online at www.surveytrends.us.
New York research company Ipsos Marketing has renamed its Market Understanding and Measurement practice Ipsos MarketQuest.
Kantar-owned research companies The Futures Company, Chapel Hill, N.C., and TRU, Chicago, have integrated to focus on youth research. Kevin Brown and Peter Zollo will oversee the operation.
Ipsos Hong Kong has launched Ipsos ERM (employee relationship management) in Asia-Pacific. The practice will focus on talent attraction and employer branding, as well as leadership development and staff retention strategies.
Research company earnings/financial news
Ipsos, Paris, announced full-year 2012 revenues of 1,789 million euros. In fourth-quarter 2012, revenues declined 1 percent compared to the same period in 2011.
The GfK Group, Nuremberg, Germany, increased sales by 10.2 percent in 2012 over 2011.
Arbitron Inc., Columbia, Md., announced results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2012. Net income for fourth-quarter 2012 was $13.4 million, compared with $14.1 million in the prior-year period. Revenue was $124.7 million, a 3.8 percent increase over fourth-quarter 2011.
Net income for full-year 2012 increased 6.8 percent to $56.9 million, compared with $53.3 million in 2011. Revenue was $449.9 million, an increase of 6.5 percent over 2011.
Management Analytics, Wilton, Conn., achieved revenue expansion of over 50 percent in 2012.