Acquisitions/transactions
Media measurement company Nielsen has agreed to sell its Global Connect business to private equity investor Advent International for $2.7 billion.
Cloud communications platform Twilio has acquired customer data platform Segment.
Market information provider The NPD Group has acquired retail analytics company Pricing Excellence.
The Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) plans to integrate the Marketing Science Institute (MSI) into its organization. Approved by the boards of both the ARF and MSI, the action will become effective January 1, 2021, pending ratification by MSI member companies. ARF CEO Scott McDonald will sit on the new MSI board of trustees, while MSI will have two seats on the ARF board of directors.
iClick Interactive, an online marketing and enterprise data solutions provider, has agreed to acquire marketing automation solutions provider CMRS.
Research and data analytics company YouGov has acquired Turkish research agency Wizsight, which will become YouGov Turkey. Wizsight Founder N.Özge Akçizmeci Üstün will continue to lead the team, taking on the role of commercial and general manager for Turkey.
Canadian research and analytics company Leger has acquired SmartPoint Research, a Toronto-based market research firm.
Accenture has agreed to acquire End-to-End Analytics, an analytics and data science consultancy based in Palo Alto, Calif.
Alliances/strategic partnerships
Commerce experience management platform Salsify and e-Comas, an Amazon consulting, account management and content optimization firm, have formed a partnership to combine digital shelf technology and consulting services for Amazon marketplace sales strategies.
Bain & Company and Nielsen Global Connect have launched a commercial alliance that combines Nielsen's data analytics and Bain & Company's consulting with the aim of helping the CPG industry improve commercial capabilities in the areas of pricing, promotions, assortment optimization and customer planning.
Customer intelligence platform Alida and video survey software provider Voxpopme have formed a partnership, integrating Voxpopme’s video survey software into Alida’s CXM and insights platform to enable Alida customers to conduct video-based surveys.
Consumer analytics tech platform Glow has joined the Nielsen Connect Partner Network, an open ecosystem of technology-driven solution providers for researchers, corporations and governments.
Mobile data marketplace Kochava Collective and Foursquare, a location data and technology platform, have partnered for data enrichment.
User experience and research design company User Insight has partnered with GoodWolf Studios, a Los Angeles-based production company, to expand the latter's digital agency to Sandy Springs, Ga.
Reston, Va.-based Comscore has agreed to provide in-game advertising company Anzu with Comscore's Validated Campaign Essentials and Brand Survey Lift solutions for mobile campaigns.
Purdue University has partnered with online training company Simplilearn to offer a new post-graduate program in digital marketing.
Association/organization news
The Market Research Benevolent Association (MRBA) is launching the MRBA Christmas Cracker, a series of digital, seasonal events taking place December 7-11. The event is designed to raise money to support market researchers in need.
Awards/rankings
Marketing research firm Research & Marketing Strategies Inc. has been ranked No. 7 on Modern Healthcare's list of the largest patient-satisfaction measurement firms in the United States.
The Market Research Society of India will hold the second edition of The Golden Key Awards on December 17, 2020, as a digital event.
Marketing Research and Insight Excellence Award Winners Announced
Quirk's Media has announced the winners for the 2020 Marketing Research and Insight Excellence Awards. Winners were selected by a panel of independent judges, including end-client researchers, research suppliers and Quirk's editorial staff. The award winners were recognized during a virtual ceremony on November 9.
- Outstanding Young Researcher – Gracie McKinstry-Smith, Target Corporation
- Nonprofit/Social Enterprise Project – Southwark Council, Shared Intelligence and Analogue Strategies
- Global Marketing Research Project – Opinium and Ancestry
- Groundbreaking Research Project – InSites Consulting and Anheuser-Busch
- Advertising Research Project – Twitter and EyeSee
- Health Care/Pharmaceutical Research Project – Healthcare Research Worldwide and RealityMine
- B2B Research Project – Feeling Mutual and 2Europe
- MREF Everyday Hero – Sabina Ramdas, NextEra Energy
- MREF Philanthropic Company of the Year – Research Results
- Qualitative Research Impact – Disney Channels Worldwide
- Technology Impact – Measure Protocol
- Panel Company of the Year – MedSurvey
- Best New Product/Service Innovation – Big Sofa Technologies
- Client/Supplier Collaboration – Verizon and buzzback
- Marketing Research Supplier of the Year, with a 2019 revenue below $10 million – EyeSee
- Marketing Research Supplier of the Year, with a 2019 revenue at or above $10 million – Zappi
- Best Client-Side Team, department of less than 10 researchers – Liberty Mutual Insurance
- Best Client-Side Team, department of 10 or more researchers – BT
- Researcher of the Year, end client – Michelle Gansle, Mars
- Researcher of the Year, supplier – Christopher Barnes, Escalent
- Sampling platform PureSpectrum has ranked No. 21 on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500, which recognizes innovative and fast-growing technology companies in North America.
New companies/new divisions/relocations/expansions
Media measurement startup HyphaMetrics has launched.
Market research products and solutions company Borderless Access has launched its sub-brand BA Health for health care brands. To support the new business, the company has made 24 appointments in its health care research team.
Cincinnati-based research, strategy and insights firm Thriveplan has rebranded to Alpha-Diver.
CIRQ, an International Standards Organization audit and certification body, has announced that the health care group within the Profiles division of Kantar has been recertified to the ISO 20252:2019 standard for market, opinion and social research, including insights and data analytics.
MTC Marketing Research Solutions is a recipient of the Recruiter Accreditation Scheme for qualitative research developed by the Market Research Society and Association of Qualitative Researchers to recognize professional recruiters, both individuals and companies.
CIRQ, an International Standards Organization audit and certification body, has announced that Cint Australia has been recertified to the ISO 20252:2019 standard for market, opinion and social research, including insights and data analytics.
Customer insights agency STRAT7 ResearchBods has launched a new customer success division and has promoted Emily McCarthy to head of customer success.
Audience technology platform Eyeota has expanded Equifax digital audiences into Argentina.
Data visualization start-up Observable has launched with a $10.5 million Series A funding round led by Sequoia Capital and Acrew Capital.
Brand, communications and experience company The Nursery has converted to employee ownership, a move that sees ownership transferred to a trust set up for the benefit of all employees.
Nick Baker, Jem Fawcus, Denise Hicks, Louise McLaren and Russ Wilson have launched the Insight Climate Collective, a volunteer group seeking to create positive action in relation to the climate crisis, within the insight industry as well as with clients and brands. To get involved, join the LinkedIn group.
Research company earnings/financial news
Measurement and data analytics company Nielsen has released third-quarter financial results for 2020, reporting revenues of $1.56 billion, down 3.3% on a reported basis, or down 3.0% on a constant currency basis, compared to the prior year.
SurveyMonkey, a provider of software solutions for customer experience, market research and survey feedback, has released third-quarter financial results for 2020, reporting total revenue of $95.4 million, an increase of 20% year-over-year.
Video technology company Big Sofa Technologies has secured capital to fund its next stage of growth as well as additional hires in the U.K. and U.S.
Media measurement company Comscore has released third-quarter financial results for 2020, reporting revenue of $88 million compared to $94.3 million in the third quarter of 2019.
Marketing automation firm Klaviyo has raised $200 million in a Series C funding round led by Accel with participation from Summit Partners.
Consumer intelligence platform Konnecto has completed a $3.5 million seed funding round led by TPY Capital.