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It's been a year of consolidation for the market research industry: the turnover of those in the main league table totals £542.7m, a modest jump from £520.4m the previous year. Staff numbers have also risen, from 5481 to 5785, showing that even if research spends haven't yet seen a substantial rise - the companies are prepared for when the purse strings are loosened.

The absence of ten firms affected by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (see box, page 47) has had an adverse effect. It limits our ability to compare the size of the industry on a year-by-year basis, and to compare like with like on a company-by-company basis. Even so, it has made little difference to the total number featured in our report: some 80 in the main table.

It's been all change in the table featuring growth in the major players.

This year's lead company for growth, Business Research Group (BRG), didn't make it in to the top ten last year, while the next in line, Isis Research, only weighed in at number ten.

In explanation, BRG managing director Jan Berends points to its acquisition of Consult GB, which opened up the lucrative market of Eastern Europe and the Far East. "We are getting many more enquiries from Eastern Europe and from China especially, and hope to establish an office there soon," he says. The work in China, it appears, comes mainly from companies with joint ventures in the country, but BRG has also found take-up for the products of its publishing arm, which is bringing out a number of studies on the Chinese market.

Isis chief executive, Geoff Eaton, meanwhile, points to two factors driving his company's rate of growth: "First, our concentration on people and second, the market we serve."

He admits that sustaining a high level of organic growth has proved a challenge, but it's been made possible partly through recruiting top-grade graduates and a commitment to training. Last year it recruited 27 from universities in the UK, Spain, US, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.

It's also seen healthcare - its mainstay - start to pick up this year, despite a slowdown in the latter half of 2002 and hopes to be in a good position to reap the benefits.

"We have invested a lot over the years to extend our network and develop new services," says Eaton. "We have deep-therapy knowledge with syndicated therapy monitors covering HIV, oncology, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and hepatitis B. The latest initiative is the launch of a cancer therapy monitor in Japan."

So does he expect this growth to continue? "Well, it will probably be tougher than it used to be, but it is safer to predict growth in healthcare than almost any other sector," he says.

As for turnover, this provides only a partial view of the industry's health - and it's always going to be more difficult for the bigger players to maintain a constant rate of growth. Phyllis MacFarlane, managing director of NOP Research, points out that while the company's turnover was slightly down, it had its best year in terms of profitability.

NOP has been in investment mode for several years, developing its cyber shopping system, whereby most of the allocation and data entries are done online.

"It means we are able to reduce our costs, making us more competitive and able to get more work," she says. "And it makes us more profitable, as you get the benefit of all these things." As for the market itself, she finds it "although flat - a little bit up at the moment. But basically everybody is bumping along."

Growth in government

Some sectors seem to be recovering, others faltering, but the winner - for the moment at least - is government work. Here one company has always stood out as a beacon: MORI.

It still appears out in front, but recognises that the market is growing more cut-throat. "I welcome competition," says Brian Gosschalk, MORI chief executive. "It's healthy, keeps us on our toes and anyone who is complacent here gets disabused of that.

"There is a lot of government work around, and we are growing strongly in that area. This is because we have good people doing good quality work, and clients are coming back to us. We are well placed to get more than our fair share of growth."

So who are the other companies lining up to take a share? FDS is one that has acquired a large contract with the government, to measure employers' satisfaction with their local job centres. FDS also happens to be showing one of the best growth levels in the industry - some 30.9%.

CEO Janet Weitz attributes this to a number of elements. "Sometimes it is a bit of serendipity, but I like to think that it is a direct result of judicious investment," she says. "We have made serious investment in technology both in terms of people and the physicals. This has enabled us to expedite and manage a large database-driven service."

Not all companies are able to make such investment, but FDS has the luxury of being a private company. "We can make those long-term decisions," says Weitz. "But I would say to any private company that if you want to be in the game you have to invest. If you want to throw it all into your private-pension fund, then what you are going to do is see your company slowly decline. And there are a lot of companies who go down the 'managed decline' route. But I'm a bossy boots and ambitious. I would love to run the country, never mind a big business."

No takeover on the horizon yet, then, it seems at FDS. But MORI, by contrast, is on the market. It is, claims the company, a natural progression from its management buyout three years ago. A figure of £100m has been quoted in the Financial Times, but the company has not confirmed the sum. It can have only helped its case that MORI subsidiary, MORI Market Dynamics, took the award for Outstanding Research at this month's Marketing Research Awards, for its work for Lex Harvey - a fork-lift truck and warehouse equipment maintenance firm.

MORI is a tempting target for major market research groups, although many admit that the price tag will put it out of the reach of all but the bigger players. It also falls hot on the heels of TNS's acquisition of NFO, due for completion in July.

Consolidation has been a growing trend over the past year, filling in the gaps for those groups with national or sector chinks in their armour.

NFO will, says Mike Penford, managing director TNS UK and Ireland, "make us half as big again as a group globally. We are concentrating on integrating the US businesses where they are complementary." In Europe the market is more complex, so it plans to leave NFO Infratest as a separate entity.

Growth in qualitative side

Elsewhere, Millward Brown acquired Sadek Wynberg Research, ranked 29 in last year's table and eighth in terms of growth among the larger agencies, just ahead of MORI. The resulting business - to be known as Sadek Wynberg Millward Brown - will create one of the UK's largest qualitative offerings.

In fact, the qualitative side of the business is emerging as a growth area. Laurence Curtis, chairman at Maritz TRBI, was just one of many to highlight its UK qualitative division as being exceptionally strong. "It was one of our best for a long time in that area," he says.

It is also a factor in the success of its contemporary-culture division, Vegas, which started up a couple of years ago. "We have recently recruited Michael Gillespie, ex-Informer, and were delighted to get him. The people at Vegas work very well within the group environment, but they have their own culture, their own way of doing things and thinking. It's good to see that we can accept a slightly different set of ideas and visions within Maritz TRBI."

Apart from the government, two other sectors to improve have been healthcare and telecoms. The former is an area very dependent on new products coming on to the market. The 'erectile-disfunction' sector has proved buoyant (Viagra being the best-known product), while a new generation of anti-cancer and asthma product launches have increased the need for market research.

Telecoms is also starting to make a comeback, while IT - whose dismal performance meant a downturn in business from this sector - is rumoured to be showing signs of recovery, at least on the other side of the Atlantic.

Nigel Spackman, chairman of NFO Worldgroup, which scooped three awards at this month's Marketing Research Awards for work with The Scottish Executive, Specsavers and Waverley Group, was one of a select few to highlight the trend.

Despite bemoaning the overall weakness in the market, he hit on interactive research and IT/telecoms as areas displaying improvement. "NFO is probably the leader in interactive research in the US," he says, "and we have been working hard to develop in the same field here for some years, but without managing to generate significant volume. This year we believe we have turned the corner and are experiencing high levels of growth, particularly in the FMCG markets. We expect this trend to be repeated in other market sectors as clients become aware of the benefits of speed, flexibility and cost inherent in interactive data collection."

Richard Silman, chief executive of Ipsos UK, points to media as having suffered more than most, linked to revenue decline, while in addition to healthcare he sees retailers as having remained reasonably buoyant, and some areas of FMCG.

The wider business environment has, he feels, resulted in some interesting trends. One is a greater sense of caution on the client's side. "We are still doing a substantial bit of quoting, but the timescale from quoting to commissioning a project has lengthened, sometimes quite dramatically, particularly for international studies," he says. "Fewer large studies of this type are being commissioned."

It is clients - as ever - who are having the most impact on how market research companies plan and package their work. Eric Salama, chairman and CEO of Kantar looks to innovation as his group's fastest-growing category.

"Clients need to drive their business from a top-line revenue growth point of view," he says. "And they need to innovate in terms of new products, new ways to market, new services for consumers. They're spending more money in those areas now so that they can deliver more actionable results."

It's good news for Kantar, where companies are spending more time with clients to identify what information they need to help them achieve this aim. But the industry is still experiencing communication problems.

"If you ask clients what their biggest issues are, it's that research companies don't understand them well enough and are not aligned to delivering against their needs," Salama says. "We need to become a much better partner - not just to the research department, but to decision makers - and to understand their agendas a lot better."

Changes to client services

Like other industries, market research companies are seeing changes in the way that clients use their services. In terms of qualitative research, some are moving away from traditional groups to other research methodologies.

"This could be a way to increase the cost efficiency of research budgets by choosing 'cheaper' options such as depth interviews or qualitative telephone depths," says Wendy Mitchell, managing director of RDSi.

"We feel, however, that it's probably due to trends which show how clients are more open to additional methodologies - such as accompanied shops and in-home depths - in their bid to gain greater insight and understanding," she says.

A number of companies also talked of having to compete harder for every piece of business given the current downturn. If a client relationship is long-standing, that is no guarantee it will remain so forever. And in re-pitch situations it's now often a case of a four-way fight rather than the tripartite battle of old.

The impact on the market is twofold: as competition gets tougher there is a greater inclination for competitors to cut prices quite substantially.

Simultaneously, however, new opportunities arise as clients look for more from their suppliers.

"I think that one of the fundamental changes is a movement from doing just field and tab, or field and tab with some research findings, to playing a much greater role in the business of our clients," says Ipsos's Silman.

"We are being asked to understand what the business problems are that they are trying to address, addressing them through the research, then turning the research into deployment of the data back within the business.

"It requires further analytical tools, and in turn a greater usage of senior research people to deal with clients. Much more of my time - and that of my senior executives - is now being spent externally with clients."

What do clients want?

The relationship between both parties is evolving, and it's going to make for interesting times. As Fiona McAnena, development director at Kantar puts it: "We have some examples of big-brand owners questioning all areas of market research and asking why we're doing this and what are we doing with it when we get it.

"And that is all to the good. At the same time it has prompted us to say 'share with us what the real business issues are and let us help to get the right insight that is going to help you make the right decisions'."

But what do clients really want? Some say speed of response, some say cost, others say they want help in driving their business in terms of top-line revenue growth.

As Ian McCann, managing director of GfK Marketing Services says: "It's been going on for years, but now it's accelerating, clients don't just want data but knowledge and consultancy."

He claims that, because of electronic data deliverables and the ability to bring the product to the client much quicker and in an accessible way, companies can free client-service teams up for more consultancy.

"That has paid dividends for us, because we spend a long time with clients and you get a win-win situation," he says.

There is not much growth to be squeezed out of this market, say insiders, so it's advisable to make your service or product offering slicker, more flexible, and useful to clients in ways that they may not even have dreamed of.

It's going to be a long haul to get back to healthier times and, though things may improve in the latter half of this year, it probably won't make much difference until next year at the earliest. Could it be time for yet more inward investment?

TOP TEN FOR GROWTH, LARGER AGENCIES

Rk Consultancy Turnover 2002 Turnover 2001 %

(pounds) (pounds) chng

1 Business Research Group 4,502,000 3,108,000 44.9

2 ISIS Research 20,732,000 15,560,000 33.2

3 FDS International 5,538,000 4,232,000 30.9

4 Conquest 3,949,000 2,880,000 27.1

5 Synovate (UK) 15,617,213 12,255,000 27

6 Martin Hamblin GfK 19,763,000 16,124,000 22.6

7 Incepta Marketing Intelligence 16,960,000 14,250,000 19.0

8 MMR Food & Drink Research 9,499,000 8,138,000 16.7

9 Quaestor Research & Marketing 4,685,000 4,050,000 15.7

10 Flamingo International 5,200,000 4,600,000 13.0

TOP TEN FOR GROWTH, SMALLER AGENCIES

Rk Consultancy Turnover 2002 Turnover 2001 %

(pounds) (pounds) chng

1 The Marketing Works 751,000 350,000 114.6

2 Fresh Minds 681,000 323,000 110.8

3 AcuPOLL 1,796,000 908,000 97.8

4 Databuild 705,000 416,000 69.5

5 Brahm Research 548,000 336,000 63.1

6 Real World Marketing 250,000 164,000 52.4

7 Act 2 143,000 95,000 50.5

8 Durdle Davies Business Research 242,000 163,000 48.5

9 Market Measures 2,155,000 1,501,000 43.6

10 Consumer Profile 1,428,000 1,017,000 40.4

TOP MARKET RESEARCH AGENCIES 1-80

Rk Consultancy T'over 2002 T'over 2001 % Staff now Over-

(pounds) (pounds) chng (a yr ago) seas

(%)

1. Taylor Nelson Sofres 125,400,000 132,500,000 -5.4 1647(1578) n/a

2. NOP Research 71,113,000 71,936,000 -1.1 614 (634) 23

3. Ipsos (UK) 44,100,000 44,000,000 0.2 330 (340) 20

4. MORI 35,800,000 33,900,000 5.6 318 (309) 5

5. Maritz TRBI 25,479,000 24,222,000 5.2 230 (235) 42

6. ISIS Research 20,732,000 15,560,000 33.2 300 (260) 74

7. Martin Hamblin GfK 19,763,000 16,124,000 22.6 130 (140) 60

8. Incepta Marketing Intelligence 16,960,000 14,250,000 19.0 139 (137) 40

9. Synovate (UK) 15,617,213 12,255,000 27 130 (133) -

10. GfK Marketing Services 12,811,000 12,660,000 1.2 187 (192) -

11. ORC International 12,619,000 12,745,000 -1.0 140 (134) 25

12. MMR Food & Drink Research 9,499,000 8,138,000 16.7 71 (67) 40

13. Hall & Partners (Europe) 9,164,000 8,255,000 11.0 67 (61) 30

14. Insight Medical Research 6,834,000 6,621,000 3.2 51 (50) 35

15. Wirthlin Europe 6,700,000 6,425,000 4.3 102 (97) 30

16. Marketing Sciences 6,531,000 5,906,000 10.6 42 (40) 38

17. FDS International 5,538,000 4,232,000 30.9 31 (28) 4

18. Flamingo Int'l 5,200,000 4,600,000 13.0 28 (26) 75

19. BDRC Group 4,811,000 4,637,000 3.8 35 (26) 40

20. Quaestor Research & Marketing 4,685,000 4,050,000 15.7 70 (61) 1

21. Ronin Corporation (UK) 4,595,000 4,541,000 1.2 39 (37) 91

22. RDSi 4,572,000 4,192,000 9.1 37 (42) 19

23. Business Research Group 4,502,000 3,108,000 44.9 70 (50) 85

24. ESA Market Research 4,454,000 4,433,000 0.5 60 (60) 3

25. Echo Research 4,304,000 4,259,000 1.1 38 (47) 39

26. Conquest Research 3,949,000 2,880,000 27.1 30 (25) 20

27. IFF Research 3,924,000 3,692,000 6.3 33 (32) 35

28 Maven Management 3,527,000 3,374,000 4.5 92 (55) -

29. Retail Marketing In-Store Services 3,125,000 2,639,000 18.4 85 (97) 4

30. Leapfrog Research & Planning 3,094,000 2,986,000 3.6 22 (25) 8

31. Accent Marketing & Research 2,693,000 2,299,000 17.1 28 (26) 10

32. 2cv:research 2,627,000 2,119,000 24.0 17 (12) 22

33. React Surveys 2,256,000 2,184,000 3.3 29 (17) 59

34. JRA Research 2,220,000 1,739,000 27.7 14 (11) 7

35. Infocorp 2,160,000 2,510,000 -13.9 35 (50) 24

36. Market Measures 2,155,000 1,501,000 43.6 16 (16) 15

37. Diagnostics Social & Mkt Res. 2,117,000 1,519,000 39.4 9 (12) 47

38. Kudos Research 1,823,000 1,696,000 7.5 19 (19) 80

39. AcuPOLL 1,796,000 908,000 97.8 10 (6) 35

40. Outlook Research 1,755,000 1,970,000 -10.9 12 (12) 10

41. Consensus Research 1,700,000 2,000,000 -15.0 20 (22) 20

42. Marketing Direction (MDL) 1,550,000 1,202,000 29.0 8 (8) 10

43. Firefish 1,528,000 1,135,000 34.6 8 (7) 35

44. Test Research 1,446,000 1,077,000 34.3 10 (9) -

45. Turquoise 1,433,000 1,248,000 14.8 20 (18) 20

46. Consumer Profile 1,428,000 1,017,000 40.4 12 (13) 8

47. Kadence (UK) 1,384,000 1,105,000 25.2 14 (14) 50

48. Teleconomy Group 1,377,000 1,302,000 5.8 70 (60) 6

49. B2B International 1,247,000 1,118,000 11.5 16 (12) 35

50. Resource (Marketing Research) 1,234,000 1,057,000 16.7 13 (13) 55

51. Strategic Research 1,100,000 1,310,000 -16.0 17 (15) -

52. European Data & Research 1,047,000 844,000 24.1 6 (6) 85

53. George Street Research 944,000 852,000 10.8 25 (23) -

54. SMRC Childwise 878,000 792,000 10.9 13 (13) -

55. Wood Holmes Group 850,000 840,000 1.2 17 (15) -

56. First Surveys 823,000 770,000 6.9 9 (8) -

57. 20/20 Research 778,000 697,000 11.6 12 (10) -

58. Chart-Track 777,000 697,000 11.5 7 (7) 20

59. The Marketing Works 751,000 350,000 114.6 12 (10) 10

60. Quality Fieldwork & Res. Services 725,000 631,000 14.9 7 (5) -

61. Databuild 705,000 416,000 69.5 35 (25) 2

62. The Cog 691,000 550,000 25.6 6 (6) -

63. Fresh Minds 681,000 323,000 110.8 20 (13) 5

64. Research Quorum 580,000 740,000 -21.6 5 (5) 16

65. Vox Pops Int'l 578,000 527,000 9.7 14 (12) 15

66. Brahm Research 548,000 336,000 63.1 6 (4) 10

67. The Research Factor 500,000 500,000 - 4 (5) -

68. IRN Research 482,000 355,000 35.8 7 (7) 38

69. Dialogue Market Research 471,000 448,000 5.1 40 (30) 10

70. Parker Tanner Woodham 448,000 464,000 -3.4 6 (6) 48

71. Bingham Calnan Group 429,000 667,000 -35.7 4 (6) 10

72. WDG 401,000 400,000 0.3 8 (7) 20

73. Vivid Interface 380,000 438,000 -13.2 7 (6) -

74. Adsearch 336,000 317,000 6.0 3 (2) -

75. In-House Research 303,000 274,000 10.6 2 (1) 1

76. Real World Marketing 250,000 164,000 52.4 6 (5) -

77. Durdle Davies Business Research 242,000 163,000 48.5 2 (4) 10

78. Survey Solutions 237,000 211,000 12.3 5 (4) -

79. Heawood Research 211,000 197,000 7.1 7 (6) -

80. Act 2 143,000 95,000 50.5 3 (2) -

Rank Consultancy

1 Taylor Nelson Sofres

Founded 1965, publicly quoted. Chairman Tony Cowling, chief

executive Mike Kirkham.50% customised and 50%

continuous/syndicated.Consumer panels, healthcare, media. E-mail

sarah.jones@tns-global.com, web site www.tns-global.com

2 NOP Research

Founded 1957, subsidiary of UBM. Managing director Phyllis

MacFarlane. Consumer (79%) and B2B (21%) quantitative (18%),

qualitative (14%), continuous/syndicated (10%), mystery shopping

(8%). Web site www.nopworld.com

3 Ipsos (UK)

Founded 1946, subsidiary of Ipsos SA. Chairman Jean-Michel Carlo,

chief executive Richard Silman. Consumer (88%), mainly quantitative

(59%) and continuous/syndicated (36%). E-mail

information@ipsos.com, web site www.ipsos-uk.com

4 MORI

Founded 1969, currently privately owned. Chairman Prof. Robert

Worcester, group chief executive Brian Gosschalk. Quantitative

(80%), qualitative (9%), continuous/syndicated (11%). Public

sector. E-mail mori@mori.com, web site www.mori.com

5 Maritz TRBI

Founded 1981, subsidiary of Maritz (US). Chairman/chief executive

Laurence Curtis. Consumer (90.5%) and B2B (9.5%),

continuous/syndicated (42%), qualitative (32%), quantitative and

mystery shopping (both 13%). E-mail info@trbi.co.uk

6 ISIS Research

Founded 1973, privately owned. Chairman Colin Maitland, managing

director Geoff Eaton. Consumer (100%), healthcare. E-mail

info@isisresearch.com, web site www.isisresearch.com

7 Martin Hamblin GfK

Founded 1969, subsidiary of GfK (51%). Chairman Derek Martin, US

chief executive, Allan Bowditch. Consumer (58%), B2B (42%),

quantitative(73%), qualitative (27%). E-mail

julie.mcguigan@martinhamblin-gfk.co.uk

8 Incepta Marketing Intelligence

Founded 2002. Combines Incepta subsidiaries DVL Smith and Hauck

Research Services. Chairs David Smith and Liz Hauck, MD Andy

Dexter. Consumer (75%) and B2B (25%), quantitative (48%),

qualitative (45%). Web site www.incepta.co.uk

9 Synovate (UK)

Founded 1973, combines Aegis subsidiaries Sample Surveys and Pegram

Walters. Chairman Adrian Chedore.Consumer (78%), B2B (22%),

quantitative (79%), qualitative (7%), continuous/syndicated (6%).

Web site www.synovate.com

10 GfK Marketing Services

Founded 1983. Subsidiary of GfK (Germany). Chairman Gerard Hermet,

managing director Ian McCann. Continuous/syndicated (100%),

consumer (27%) and B2B (73%). E-mail irisdegersem@gfk.co.uk

11 ORC International

Founded 1969. Subsidiary of Orc International (US). Chairman Nigel

Maxfield. Consumer (49%) and B2B (51%), quantitative (74%),

continuous/syndicated (16%), qualitative (4%). Finance, public

sector, IT/telecom, retail. Web site www.orc.co.uk

12 MMR Food & Drink Research

Founded 1989, privately owned. Chairman Dr David Thomson, managing

director Antony Witt. Consumer (100%), quantitative (85%),

qualitative (15%). Food, drink and healthcare. E-mail

k.elsby@mmr-research.com, web site www.mmr-research.com

13 Hall & Partners (Europe)

Founded 1992, privately owned. Chairman Marilyn Baxter, MDs David

Alterman and John Rodgers. Consumer (90%), B2B (10%), quantitative

(45%), qualitative (15%), continuous/syndicated (40%). E-mail

c.munday@hall-and-partners.co.uk

14 Insight Medical Research

Founded 1983, privately owned. Chairman and chief executive Richard

Gilmore. All pharmaceutical, quantitative (43%), qualitative (57%).

Email insight@insightresearchgroup.com, web site

insightresearchgroup.com

15 Wirthlin Europe

Founded 1972, previously Business & Market Research, parent

WirthlinWorldwide. MD Andrew Vincent. Consumer (46%), B2B (54%),

quantitative (70%), qualitative (20%), continuous/syndicated (10%).

Web site www.wirthlineurope.com

16 Marketing Sciences

Founded 1977, subsidiary of Creston. Chairman Paul Harrison, MD

Keith Bates. Consumer (97.71%), B2B (2.29%), quantitative (88.5%),

qualitative (8.32%), mystery shopping (3.18%). E-mail

info@marketing-sciences.com

17 FDS International

Founded 1972, privately owned. Chairman and MD Janet Weitz.

Consumer (83%), B2B (17%), quantitative (38%), qualitative (14%),

continuous/syndicated (38%), mystery shopping (10%). Transport,

government, finance. Web site www.fds.co.uk

18 Flamingo International

Founded 1997, privately owned. Chairman Kirsty Fuller, MD Maggie

Collier. Consumer (90%), B2B (10%), all qualitative. Alcoholic and

soft drinks, toiletries, clothing. E-mail

kirsty@flamingo-international.com, web site

www.flamingo-international.com

19 BDRC Group

Founded 1991, privately owned. Chairman Dr Chris Tarrant, directors

Ian Stevens and Tony Worrell. Consumer (65%), B2B (35%),

quantitative (37%), qualitative (30%), continuous/syndicated (30%)

and mystery shopping (3%). E-mail mail@bdrc.co.uk

20 Quaestor Research & Marketing

Founded 1986, subsidiary of EQ Group. Chairman Bob Bond, MD

Anne-Marie McDermott. Consumer (85%), B2B (15%), quantitative

(46%), qualitative (50%), continuous/syndicated (4%). Media,

finance and retail. E-mail contact@quaestor.co.uk

21 Ronin Corporation (UK)

Founded 1986, subsidiary of Ronin Corporation (US). Chairman Harry

Bunn, general manager Simon Glanville. Consumer (12.5%), B2B

(87.5%), quantitative (98%), qualitative (2%). IT, pharmaceutical,

senior business. E-mail stg@ronin.com

22 RDSi

Founded 1984, privately owned. Managing director Wendy Mitchell.

Board of six directors. Consumer (92%), B2B (8%). FMCG, IT,

finance, retail. E-mail toby@rdsiresearch.com, web site

www.rdsiresearch.com

23 Business Research Group

Founded 1991, privately owned. Chairman Don Wildey, managing

director Jan Berends. All B2B, quantitative (40%), qualitative

(58%). Contact Ceri Binding, web site www.bre.co.uk

24 ESA Market Research

Founded 1979, privately owned. Chairman Tony Keen, managing

director Harvey Gilbert. Consumer (91%), B2B (9%), quantitative

(67%), continuous/syndicated (8%), mystery shopping (25%). Retail,

trade and leisure. E-mail esa@esa.co.uk

25 Echo Research

Founded 1989, privately owned. Chairman Sandra MacLeod, MD Giselle

Bodie. Consumer (40%), B2B (60%), quantitative (19%), qualitative

(9%), desk research (71%). Finance, FMCG, IT/telecoms, government.

E-mail sarahd@echoresearch.com

26 Conquest Research

Founded 1989, privately owned. Managing director David Penn. All

consumer, quantitative (90%), qualitative (10%). E-mail

conquest@conquest.com, web site www.conquestuk.com

27. IFF Research

Founded 1965, privately owned. Chairman David Spilsbury. Consumer

(30%), B2B (70%), quantitative (75%), qualitative (15%). Energy,

finance, telecoms/IT, employment and training. E-mail

DavidS@iffresearch.com, web site www.iffresearch.com

28 Maven Management

Founded 1989, privately owned. MD Iain Livingston. Consumer (80%),

B2B (20%), quant itative (4%), qualitative (2%),

continuous/syndicated (94%). utomotive, finance, retail, building

materials, alcohol, utilities. Web site www.maven.co.uk

29 Retail Marketing In-Store Services

Founded 1980, privately owned. Managing director Guy Vaughan.

Specialists in in-store retail research. E-mail

mailroom@rms-uk.com, web site www.rms-uk.com

30 Leapfrog Research & Planning

Founded 1994, privately owned. Joint chief executives Judy Taylor

and Andrea Berlowitz, managing director Ian Sippitt. Consumer

(100%), quantitative (7%), qualitative (93%). E-mail

sallymarsden@leapfrogresearch.co.uk

31 Accent Marketing & Research

Founded 1988, privately owned. Chairman and MD Rob Sheldon.

Consumer (50%), B2B (50%). Quantitative (244%), qualitative (36%),

continuous/syndicated (3%) mystery shopping (7%). Transport,

utilities, IT/telecoms. Web site www.accent-mr.com

32 2cv:research

Founded 1989, privately owned. Chairman and managing director

Vincent Nolan. B2B (100%). Quantitative (20%), qualitative (77%),

recruitment diary (3%). Specialist in youth sector, technology,

FMCG. E-mail vince@2cv.co.uk, web site www.2cv.co.uk

33 React Surveys

Founded 1994, privately owned. Chairman John Lodge, managing

director Stephen Hurst. Figures now include revenue from Europe and

Southern Africa. All mystery shopping.E-mail

sch@reactsurveys.co.uk, web site www.reactsurveys.com

34 JRA Research

Founded 1978, privately owned. Chairman Terry Wagstaff. Consumer

(91%), B2B (9%) Quantitative (87%), qualitative (11%),

continuous/syndicated (1%), mystery shopping (1%). Food, FMCG,

health and beauty, Web site www.jraresearch.com

35 Infocorp

Founded 1987, privately owned. Chairman Chrissie Agnew, MD Adrian

Krishman. Consumer (56%), B2B (44%). All quantitative. Advertising,

finance, IT, HR, customer satisfaction, medical. E-mail

glynis.rich@inforcorp.co.uk, web site www.infocorp.co.uk

36 Market Measures

Founded 1986, privately owned. Chairman and MD Phil Gurd. All

consumer, quantitative (96%), qualitative (1%),

continuous/syndicated (2%), mystery shopping (1%). FMCG,

restaurant, utilities and pubs. Web site www.marketmeasures.co.uk

37 Diagnostics Social & Mkt Res.

Founded 1990, privately owned. Chairman and managing director

Oliver Murphy. Consumer (85%), B2B (15%). Quantitative (22%),

qualitative (78%). Government, finance, healthcare, food,

toiletries and cosmetics. E-mail reception@diagnostics.co.uk

38 Kudos Research

Founded 1986, privately owned subsidiary of RS Consulting. Managing

director Rebecca Candy. Consumer (1.5%), B2B (98.5%). Quantitative

(98.5%), qualitative (1.5%). Finance, IT/telecoms, entertainment.

E-mail sue@kudosresearch.com

39 AcuPOLL

Founded 1998, privately owned subsidiary of Aculicense (US).

Chairman Jack Gordon, managing director Carrie Swanson.

Quantitative (100%). E-mail simon@acupoll.com, web site

www.acupoll.com

40 Outlook Research

Founded 1996, privately owned. Managing director Diane Allard.

Consumer (80%), B2B (20%). Quantitative (40%), qualitative (55%),

continuous/syndicated (5%). Finance, transport, telecoms, retail,

media. E-mail chris@outlookres.co.uk

41 Consensus Research

Founded 1983, subsidiary of RS Consulting. Managing director

Russell Bell. Focuses on financial services and B2B sectors:

consumer finance, insurance, corporate and institutional finance.

E-mail mail@consensus-research.com

42 Marketing Direction (MDL)

Founded 2000, privately owned. Chairman John Kelly. Consumer (83%),

B2B (17%). Quantitative (95%), qualitative (5%). Media, FMCG,

logistics, retail. E-mail john@mdlresearch.com, web site

www.mdlresearch.com

43 Firefish

Founded 2000, privately owned. Managing directors Jem Fawcus and

Alison Fydler. Consumer (100%). Quantitative (1.5%), qualitative

(98.5%). Events, sponsorship and consumer. E-mail

info@firefish.ltd.uk, web site www.firefish.ltd.uk

44 Test Research

Founded 1995, a subsidiary of MORI. Chairman Robert Worcester, MD

Tim Burns. Consumer (88%), B2B (12%). Quantitative (32%),

qualitative (7%), continuous/syndicated (46%), media evaluation

(14%). Web site www.testresearch.co.uk

45 Turquoise

Founded in 1987, Previously Entri Research. Chairman David Morgan.

Consumer (70%), B2B (30%). Quantitative (37%), qualitative (55%),

continuous/syndicated (7%), mystery shopping (1%). E-mail

Wayne@dvcturqoise.com

46 Consumer Profile

Founded 1987, privately owned. Chairman and managing director Peter

Lovett. Consumer (80%), B2B (20%), Quantitative (72%), qualitative

(28%). E-mail peter@profile-group.com.

47 Kadence (UK)

Founded 1991, privately owned. Chairman Simon Everard. B2B (100%).

Quantitative (70%), qualitative (30%). Construction, IT/ICT. E-mail

researchus@kadence.com. Web site www.kadence.com

48 Teleconomy Group

Founded in 2000, Teleconomy Limited in 1982. Chairman Michael Keith

Hulme. Consumer (77%), B2B (23%). Quantitative (50%), qualitative

(20%), continuous/syndicated (20%) and mystery shopping (10%). Web

site www.teleconomy.com

49 B2B International

Founded 1998, privately owned. Chairman Paul Hague, managing

director Nick Hague. B2B (100%). Quantitative (70%), qualitative

(30%). Education, IT/telecom, pharmaceutical, finance, professional

services. E-mail info@b2binternational.com

50 Resource (Marketing Research)

Founded 1992, privately owned. Chairman David Bacon, managing

director Annette Tonkin. Consumer (20%), B2B (80%). Quantitative

(72%), qualitative (28%). Consumer electronics, IT/telecoms,

general business. E-mail marketing@resourcemr.com

51 Strategic Research

Founded 1989, now a Limited Liability Partnership. Managing

director Steve Wills. Consumer (60%), B2B (40%). Quantitative

(50%), qualitative (15%), continuous/syndicated (35%). Finance,

telecoms. E-mail sally.webb@strategic-research.co.uk

52 European Data & Research

Founded 1973, privately owned. Chairman Peter Rusby, managing

director Diana Mitkov. Email enquiries@edr.uk.com, web site,

www.edr.uk.com.

53 George Street Research

Founded 1989, privately owned. Managing director Jo Fawcett.

Consumer (20%), B2B (80%). Quantitative (50%), qualitative (45%),

continuous/syndicated (4%), mystery shopping (1%). Finance, public

sector. E-mail info@george-street-research.co.uk

54 SMRC Childwise

Founded 1992, privately owned. Managing director Roger Munby.

Consumer 100%. Quantitative (62%), qualitative (38%). FMCG,

alcohol, clothes, youth, sport, media. Web sites

www.childwise.co.uk/ www.smrc.co.uk; www.sportswise.co.uk

55 Wood Holmes Group

Founded 1999, privately owned, t/a Woodholmes.KSA. Managing

director Alan Holmes. Consumer (100%). Quantitative (42%),

qualitative (50%), mystery shopping (8%). Housing. E-mail

alan@woodholmes.co.uk, web site www.woodholmesksa.com

56 First Surveys

Founded 1989, privately owned. Chairman and managing director

Rosemary Shaw. Consumer (88%), B2B (12%). Quantitative (77%),

qualitative (17%), continuous/syndicated (6%). Local government,

radio, tobacco. Web site www.first-surveys.com

57 20/20 Research

Founded 1996, privately owned. Managing director Bob Peters.

Consumer (70%), B2B (30%) . Quantitative (92%), qualitative (8%).

Finance, FMCG, publishing, FMCG. E-mail info@2020research.co.uk,

web site www.2020research.co.uk

58 Chart-Track

Founded 1996, privately owned. Managing director John Pinder.

Continuous/syndicated in home entertainment 100%. E-mail

jpinder@chart-track.co.uk, web site www.chart-track.co.uk

59 The Marketing Works

Founded 1995, privately owned. Managing partner Simon Strutt,

research partner Carolyn Bird. Consumer (75%), B2B (25%).

Quantitative (25%), qualitative (75%). E-mail

simon.strutt@themarketingworks.co.uk, web site

www.themarketingworks.co.uk

60 Quality Fieldwork & Res. Services

Founded 1986, privately owned. Chairman Trudy Walsh, managing

director Fiona Welch. Consumer (91%), B2B (9%). Quantitative (96%),

qualitative (4%). Social/public sector. E-mail

quality@btinternet.com

61 Databuild

Founded 1984, privately owned. Chairman Katherine Netherwood,

managing director Charles Michaelis. B2B (100%). Quantitative

(75%), qualitative (25%). FMCG, construction, environment. E-mail

sarah.mackey@data-build.co.uk

62 The Cog

Founded 1997, privately owned. Managing partner Mike Armstrong.

Consumer (86%), B2B (14%). Quantitative (10%), qualitative (60%),

consultancy (30%). Food, drink, category management. E-mail

mike@thecog.co.uk, web site www.thecog.co.uk

63 Fresh Minds

Founded 2000, privately owned. Joint MDs Charlie Osmond and

Caroline Plumb. Consumer (11%), B2B (89%). Quantitative (29%),

qualitative (63%), continuous/syndicated (6%), mystery shopping

(2%). Engineering, IT. E-mail info@freshminds.co.uk

64 Research Quorum

Founded 1987, privately owned. Chairman Gerald Stacey, managing

director John Peirce. Consumer (15%), B2B (85%). Quantitative

(52%), qualitative (45%), consultancy and training (3%). Health

care, pharmaceutical. E-mail GS@quorum.co.uk

65 Vox Pops International

Founded 1988, privately owned. Managing director Diane Earnshaw.

Mainly consumer (95%), B2b (5%). Qualitative (95%), mystery

shopping (5%). Media, finance and FMCG. Specialists in filming

street interviews. E-mail diane@voxpops.co.uk

66 Brahm Research

Founded 1997, privately owned. Director Robin Horsfield. Consumer

(63.25%), B2B (36.75%), mainly qualitative (75%), quantitative

(25%). Retail, food and drink, finance, public sector, leisure and

entertainment. E-mail research@brahm.com

67 The Research Factor

Founded 1991, privately owned. MD Shirley Brent. Consumer (50%),

B2B (50%). Quantitative (60%), qualitative (40%). Finance,

agriculture, education, business services. E-mail

info@research-factor.co.uk, web site www.research-factor.co.uk

68 IRN Research

Founded 1991, privately owned. Chairman Hugh Bessant, director Fred

Hitchins. Consumer (10%), B2B (90%). Quantitative (75%),

qualitative (25%). Travel and transport, publishing. Email

info@irn-research.com, web site www.irn-research.com

69 Dialogue Market Research

Founded 1997, privately owned. Managing director Lynne Gill.

Consumer (49%), B2B (51%), quantitative (68%), qualitative (20%),

continuous/syndicated (2%), mystery shopping (10%). E-mail

info@dialogue-international.co.uk

70 Parker Tanner Woodham

Founded 1992, privately owned. Managing director Graham Woodham.

Consumer (90%), B2B (10%). Qualitative 100%. Retail, automotive,

FMCG, leisure. E-mail gwoodham@parkertanner.demon.co.uk

71 Bingham Calnan Group

Founded 1992, privately owned, including BCG and IRB. All

B2B.Quantitative (55%), qualitative (40%), continuous/syndicated

(5%). IT/telecoms, business and finance. E-mail

lauriscalnan@binghamcalnan.com, web site www.binghamcalnan.com

72 WDG

Founded 1991, privately owned. Managing director Neil Grantham.

Consumer (60%), B2B (40%). Quantitative (40%), qualitative (50%),

mystery shopping (10%). E-mail neil@wdgresearch.co.uk, web site

www.wdgresearch.co.uk

73 Vivid Interface

Founded 1994, privately owned. Chairman and managing director

Geoffrey Dixon. E-mail fiona@vivid-interface.com, web site

www.vivid-interface.com

74 Adsearch

Founded 1982, privately owned. Managing director Peter Jackson.

Consumer (75%), B2B (25%). Quantitative (25%), qualitative (70%),

mystery shopping (5%). Food, drink, travel, trade organisations.

E-mail adsearch@aol.com, www.adsearch-co.com

75 In-House Research

Founded 1994, privately owned. Principal Marianne House. Medical

100%. Quantitative (30%), qualitative (70%). E-mail

marianne@inhouseresearch.co.uk, web site www.inhouseresearch.co.uk

76 Real World Marketing

Founded 1998, privately owned. Managing director Paul Tolley.

Consumer (90%), B2B (10%). Quantitative (30%), qualitative (70%).

Food, drink, FMCG, leisure, catering. E-mail

paul@realworldmarketing.co.uk, web site

www.realworldmarketing.co.uk

77 Durdle Davies Business Research

Founded 1983, privately owned. Principal consultant Isobel

Rostance. B2B (100%), quantitative (40%), qualitative (45%),

continuous/syndicated (15%). E-mail info@durdledavies.co.uk,

www.durdledavies.co.uk

78 Survey Solutions

Founded 1995, privately owned. Managing director Miles Couchman.

Consumer (30%), B2B (70%). Quantitative (90%), qualitative (10%).

E-mail miles@surveysolutions.co.uk, web site

www.surveysolutions.co.uk

79 Heawood Research

Founded 1999, privately owned. Chairman and managing director Peter

Knowles. Consumer (92%), B2B (8%). Quantitative (89%),qualitative

(11%). Food and drink. E-mail peter.knowles@heawood.com, web site

www.heawood.com

80 Act 2

Founded 2000, privately owned. Partners Sue Linge, Jean Perkins.

Consumer (98%), B2B (2%). Quantitative (83%), qualitative (15%),

continuous/syndicated (2%). Public sector, media, marketing, health

and beauty. Web site www.act2.co.uk

TOP TEN CONTINUOUS AND SYNDICATED RESEARCH AGENCIES*

Rk Consultancy Turnover 2002 Consumer B2B Total

(pounds) (pounds) (pounds) £1 Taylor Nelson

Sofres 125,400,000 - - 62,700,000

2 Ipsos (UK) 44,100,000 14,553,000 882,000 15,435,000

3 GfK Marketing

Services 12,811,000 3,458,970 9,352,030 12,811,000

4 Maritz TRBI 25,479,000 8,917,650 1,783,530 10,701,180

5 NOP Research 71,113,000 7,111,300 - 7,111,300

6 ISIS Research 20,732,000 6,219,600 - 6,219,600

7 MORI 35,800,000 - - 3,938,000

8 Hall & Partners

(Europe) 9,164,000 3,665,600 - 3,665,600

9 Maven Management 3,527,000 2,742,243 580,544 3,322,787

10 FDS International 5,538,000 1,606,020 498,420 2,104,440

*Millward Brown UK, Information Resources, BMRB International, Research

International and NFO Worldgroup are omitted this year due to lack of

comparable information

TOP TEN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AGENCIES*

Rk Consultancy Turnover 2002 Consumer B2B Total

(pounds) (pounds) (pounds) £1 NOP Research 71,113,000 7,822,430 2,133,390 9,955,820

2 Maritz TRBI 25,479,000 7,643,700 509,580 8,153,280

3 Incepta Marketing

Intelligence 16,960,000 - - 7,632,000

4 Martin Hamblin GfK 19,763,000 2,766,820 2,569,190 5,336,010

5 Flamingo Research 5,200,000 4,680,000 520,000 5,200,000

6 ISIS Research 20,732,000 4,146,400 - 4,146,400

7 Insight Medical

Research 6,834,000 - - 3,895,380

8 RDSi 4,572,000 3,429,000 379,476 3,808,476

9 MORI 35,800,000 - - 3,222,000

10 Leapfrog Research

& Planning 3,094,000 2,877,420 - 2,877,420

*Research International, Added Value, NFO Worldgroup and Sadek Wynberg

Research are omitted this year due to lack of comparable information

TOP TEN QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH AGENCIES*

Rk Consultancy Turnover 2002 Consumer B2B Total

(pounds) (pounds) (pounds) £1 NOP Research 71,113,000 35,556,500 12,800,340 48,356,840

2 MORI 35,800,000 - - 28,640,000

3 Ipsos (UK) 44,100,000 22,050,000 3,969,000 26,019,000

4 Martin Hamblin GfK 19,763,000 8,695,720 5,731,270 14,426,990

5 ISIS Research 20,732,000 10,366,000 - 10,366,000

6 ORC International 12,619,000 4,669,030 4,669,030 9,338,060

7 Incepta Marketing

Intelligence 16,960,000 - - 8,140,800

8 MMR Food &

Drink Research 9,499,000 8,074,150 - 8,074,150

9 Marketing Sciences 6,531,000 5,677,398 102,537 5,779,935

10 Wirthlin Europe 6,700,000 2,077,000 2,613,000 4,690,000

*Research International, NFO Worldgroup, Millward Brown UK, BMRB

International, HI Europe, are omitted from this table, due to lack of

comparable information

THE SARBANES-OXLEY EFFECT

Financial scandals in the US have hit this year's league tables hard. To comply with legislation empowering the Securities and Exchanges Commission in the wake of Enron and other scandals, the major US-quoted communications groups are no longer able to release financial data for subsidiary firms, saying senior executives could face fines or even prison terms if they were to supply unaudited figures.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act forbids them from making financial disclosures that do not conform to the accounting standard known as the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.

It's not clear whether the groups - WPP Cordiant, Omnicom, Havas, Interpublic, Publicis Groupe and Grey - are correct in their assessment of the legislation, but they claim to have been given legal advice. Sir Martin Sorrell, for example, says that providing financial data to league tables could put the group "in violation of the spirit, and perhaps the letter, of the law".

Not everyone agrees with this assessment. Some even suggest the groups are concerned that honest reporting would draw attention to upward inflation of trading figures by country subsidiary managers in the past.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation, the legislation has robbed this year's market research league tables of ten agencies that appeared last year.

Research International, NFO Worldgroup, Added Value and Sadek Wynberg Millward Brown are missing from the Top 15 Qualitative Agencies table, while BMRB, Information Resources and Total Research (now HI Europe) won't feature in its Quantitative counterpart.

So how have those affected by the Sarbanes-Oxley act fared? According to Eric Salama, chairman and CEO of Kantar, under whose wing the WPP group market research companies reside, they have been performing well in the UK.

"Our focus is to have companies that are good individually, and then build on that - a bit like a football team," he says. "You can't have integration with bad bits, a good team needs good players." As the process of integration starts to bear fruit, other firms hone up their own strategies for growth. Information Resources is committed to an OFI (open/flexible/intelligence) approach, which doesn't assume that 'one size fits all', particularly when dealing with individual European markets.

It is, though, difficult to judge growth on the basis of this table. It's to be hoped that the process of getting comparable information will have been resolved by this time next year.

Consultancy        Year end Total t'over   UK t'over  Staff costs  Empl-
(rank in last                     pounds      pounds       pounds  oyees
year's table)
Millward Brown
UK (4)           31/12/2001   67,939,000  51,330,000   27,264,000   2355
Research
Int'l (2)        31/12/2001   66,092,000          -1   16,063,000    467
NFO World-
group (5)        31/12/2001   61,843,302          -2   22,626,684   1485
Infratest
Burke Group      31/12/2001   18,399,117  17,663,154    9,462,670    428
PAS3
MBL Group4       31/12/2001   36,901,000  18,745,000   11,581,000   1015
Infratest Burke
Int Services     31/12/2001    2,739,802     958,931      508,827     14
City Research
Group            31/12/2001    2,458,421   2,458,421      707,527     20
NFO European
Access Panels    31/12/2001    1,184,314          -1      187,813      5
NFO Worldwide    31/12/2001      160,648          -1      178,847      3
BMRB Int'l (6)   31/12/2001   43,954,814  38,988,184   13,871,306    424
Added Value(15)  31/12/2001   18,330,178  15,186,624    6,939,030    142
Promar
Int'l (21)       31/03/2002   11,618,000   8,574,000    6,016,000    222
Hi Europe
(formally Total
Research) (14)   30/06/2002   13,595,000   6,363,000    4,779,000    156
Business Planning
& Research(18)   31/12/2001    8,658,734   3,550,081    1,426,690     37
Morpace
Int'l (36)       31/12/2001    4,457,096          -1    2,008,617     82
Albermarle Mktg
Research (70)    31/12/2000    1,034,000          -1      358,000     10
Millward Brown
Ulster (54) 5
Sadek Wynberg
Research (29) 5
Information
Resources (9) 6
Sample Surveys
Research Group (23) 5
Banner Corp (79) 7
NOTES: All the figures have been obtained from the latest accounts filed
at Companies House. The staff costs are total staff costs per the
accounts, including pension and social security costs            .
Incepta was contacted and is not subject to the new legislation, so is
not included in this table.
1 No disclosure of UK turnover. 2 Not all of the companies included in
NFO group have disclosed UK turnover. 3 No figures for this company
available at Companies House. 4 The results for BJM Research &
Consultancy are within the consolidated statements produced by MBL
Group. 5 Abbrieviated accounts filed only. 6 No individual results
available, only figures for the whole company (turnover £20m). The
business is split into divisions but no separable numbers are available
as all divisions are part of one company. 7 The company is dormant.