News notes
New York researcher The Nielsen Company has suspended indefinitely its P.R.I.S.M. (Pioneering Research for an In-Store Metric) initiative, a national retail data syndication service. Nielsen cites the nation’s serious economic state as the cause of the suspension. In early January, Wal-Mart ended its participation in the service despite having taken part in the pilot development phase of the project.
The Media Rating Council, New York, has accredited New York research company Arbitron Inc.’s Portable People Meter (PPM) quarter-hour ratings data in the Riverside-San Bernardino market. The PPM radio estimates in Riverside are based on Arbitron’s Radio First PPM methodology, which uses a telephone-based sampling and recruitment methodology and includes both landline and cell-phone-only households.
Separately, Arbitron Inc. has joined in a stipulated order on consent with the Attorney General of the State of New York (NYAG), resolving all claims against Arbitron that were alleged in the lawsuit filed by the NYAG in New York County Supreme Court on October 9, 2008. The lawsuit alleged violations of New York state executive, business and civil rights statutes relating to the marketing and commercialization in New York of the PPM radio ratings service. As part of the settlement, Arbitron will incorporate a number of actions into its continuous improvement program for the PPM ratings service in the New York radio market. Arbitron has also agreed to pay $200,000 in settlement of the claims and $60,000 for costs. The company will pay $100,000 to the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) for a joint radio project between NABOB and the Spanish Radio Association to support minority radio.
Arbitron has also joined in a final consent judgment with the Attorney General of New Jersey (NJAG) that will resolve all claims against Arbitron that were alleged in the lawsuit filed by the NJAG in the Superior Court of New Jersey for Middlesex County on October 9, 2008. The lawsuit alleged violations of New Jersey consumer protection and civil rights laws relating to the marketing and commercialization in New Jersey of the PPM radio ratings services. As part of the settlement, Arbitron denies any liability or wrongdoing. Also as part of the settlement, Arbitron will modify its program for the PPM ratings service in the Philadelphia and New York radio markets. In connection with the settlement agreement with the NYAG, the company will pay a single lump sum of $100,000 to the NABOB for the aforementioned joint radio project between NABOB and the Spanish Radio Association; complete a non-response bias study in the New York radio market; and fund an advertising campaign in the radio trade press promoting minority radio.
The Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA), McLean, Va., has issued a statement in response to Arbitron’s settlements with the states of New York and New Jersey. The AHAA asserts that the decisions made by the Attorneys General indicate a commitment to accurate representation of Hispanic radio listeners and to preserving a marketing medium for this population. AHAA commends the steps to be taken by Arbitron to “adopt new standards to cure flaws in its PPM methodology,” as required in its agreements with the states.
Acquisitions/transactions
New York research company Hall & Partners has acquired a majority stake in Jigsaw International, a Shanghai, China, research agency. The Jigsaw acquisition will enable Hall & Partners to establish a research center for the Asia-Pacific region.
Communisis, a Leeds, U.K., communications company has acquired Ai Data Intelligence, a Surrey, U.K., data software company, in a deal totaling £12.6 million. Ai’s Jon Cano-Lopez will continue as managing director, reporting to Alistair Blaxill, executive director of Communisis.
Alliances/strategic partnerships
Vovici, a Dulles, Va., research company, and Walker Information, an Indianapolis consulting firm, have partnered to offer a service that combines Walker Information’s database of employee loyalty information with Vovici’s enterprise feedback management solution. The combination is intended to help organizations deploy employee loyalty surveys and compare results against Walker’s employee loyalty benchmark database.
Four companies have agreed to enter their research facilities in a preferred partner relationship: Murray Hill Centers in New York, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago; Smith Research in three Chicago areas; TAi Companies in the New York metro area, Tampa, Fla., and Denver; and Ingather Research Reality House in Denver. The arrangement permits each independent facility to maintain current client relationships while assuring priority of opportunity, referrals and services with selected facilities on multi-city projects.
Empathica Inc., a Toronto research company, has signed an agreement with Melbourne, Australia, research company DBM Consultants to allow Australian service organizations to use Empathica’s customer experience management products. Under the partnership, DBM Consultants will implement and support Empathica’s customer survey and analytics and employee engagement survey offerings throughout the Australian service industry.
Percept Talent Management, a Mumbai, India, entertainment company, has partnered with Hansa Research, Mumbai, for a celebrity research study called CelebTrack, which will measure clients’ ROI when using celebrities to endorse their brands. CelebTrack will track 150 celebrities over 10,800 respondents across two pan-India waves annually.
New York research company Authentic Response has partnered with RelevantView, a Westport, Conn., research technology company, to include RelevantView’s RelevantID digital fingerprinting system in Authentic Response’s Authentic Validation data security and validation process. The integration of RelevantID is intended to add a layer of independent, third-party validity and support to Authentic Validation.
Association/organization news
The Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA), St. Paul, Minn., has formed a Creativity and Innovation Special Interest Group (SIG). The SIG provides a forum for QRCA members to exchange information and knowledge on practices and techniques in the qualitative research field, and its objectives are connecting with others to stimulate and cross-fertilize ideas; presenting innovative tools and techniques by group members and by outside speakers; providing output for the public, such as white papers and published articles focused on creativity and innovation; and building business management practices in creativity and innovation so clients receive the best products and services to meet their needs. The Creativity and Innovation SIG is co-chaired by QRCA members H. Grace Fuller and Susan Saurage-Altenloh.
The Interactive Marketing Research Association (IMRO), a division of the Marketing Research Association, Glastonbury, Conn., has launched a new blog (http://imroresearch.blogspot.com). The blog is managed by Birgi Martin of Google Inc., Mountain View, Calif., and is designed for sharing the latest news, insights and thoughts on Internet trends, online market research and advertising, emerging technologies and more. The blog is also located on the IMRO Web site (www.imro.org).
Awards/rankings
Bob Chua, CEO of Pulse Group PLC, a Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, research company, was awarded the Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2008.
RFL Communications Inc., a Skokie, Ill., research information company, has selected Paul Borgese, director of research for The Weather Channel, Atlanta, as the winner of the Market Research Executive of the Year award. The honor is bestowed each year by RFL’s Research Department Report.
New accounts/projects
New York research company Arbitron Inc. has commercialized its Portable People Meter radio ratings service in four new local markets: Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas; Atlanta; Washington D.C.; and Detroit.
The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), a Harleysville, Pa., research company, and New York researcher The Nielsen Company have expanded on an agreement made in 2008 so that Nielsen’s Canadian division, Nielsen Canada, will also use NMI’s services. NMI will field a Canadian version of its LOHAS (lifestyles of health and sustainability) Consumer Trends Database to quantify the size of the consumer base for environmentally-responsible products and services; measure the importance of the environment, society and corporate social responsibility; explore environmentally-conscious behavior; and determine consumer usage of LOHAS products and services.
New companies/new divisions/relocations/expansions
BrainJuicer Group PLC, a London research company, has opened an office in Hamburg, Germany. The company has appointed Jonathan Gable as managing director of BrainJuicer Germany.
A new research company, Acumentics Research, has launched. Acumentics’ research focuses on a measurement model based on exposure, engagement, influence and action for social and traditional media measurement, and on an approach called the PR Value Cube, which aims to map where social media and public relations add value to an organization. Don Bartholomew will lead the Dallas-based operation. The firm is online at www.acumentics.com.
New York research company Arbitron Inc. has established a subsidiary in Kochi, India, known as Arbitron India. The Kochi center has been set up for software engineering, product development, research and development and for providing operational support for Arbitron’s Portable People Meter radio ratings service.
James Salter has founded Customer Lifecycle LLC, a Philadelphia-based business-to-business research and consulting firm.
TAi Companies, a Denver research company, has established TAi National, a new division for national field management and recruiting, also located in Denver. Additionally, TAi has launched its client loyalty program, a points-based incentive system “for clients who trust us with their projects.” Points may be redeemed for a variety of rewards when the National service or TAi facilities are used.
The GfK U.S. Healthcare Companies, a Blue Bell, Pa., division of Nuremberg, Germany, research company The GfK Group, has consolidated its three marketing research operations - GfK Market Measures, GfK Strategic Marketing and GfK V2 - into one entity: GfK Healthcare. The three companies have operated separately since being acquired by GfK in 2005 and, as one entity, will maintain staff and operations in Blue Bell, East Hanover, N.J., and Princeton, N.J.
Consumer Contact ULC, a Toronto research company, has opened a fifth call center, located in northeast Toronto.
Research company earnings/financial news
BrainJuicer Group PLC, London, has issued a pre-close trading statement for the financial year ended December 31, 2008. Highlights include results ahead of market expectations; reported revenues of over £9m (an increase of over 40 percent); operating profit up by 45 percent to over £1.2m; and client increase from 115 to 140. New products also grew by more than 50 percent and account for over 40 percent of revenue. BrainJuicer’s revenue growth (which was entirely organic) reflected strong trading performance across each of its regions and enabled the company to continue investing in its technology platform and to start paying dividends.
United Sample, Encino, Calif., has closed a $3 million Series B round of venture capital financing led by Greycroft Partners, Santa Monica, Calif. The funds will be used to grow sales, increase marketing efforts, develop technology and enhance operations. In connection with the financing, Dana Settle, a partner at Greycroft, will join the company’s board of directors.