Is it business as usual in the market research industry? An initial glance would suggest that the notoriously slow-moving sector has seen little change over the past 12 months. But a closer inspection reveals it is having to develop fast.
The topline figures indicate a mature market struggling to grow. Annual statistics from the British Market Research Association (BMRA) recorded 2.5% growth across the industry for 2005, while European trade body Esomar put UK growth at just 0.7%.
As in previous years, consolidation has been the headline feature of the industry. The most notable deal of the past year was Ipsos' 拢88m takeover of MORI, widening the gap further between the big networks and the rest of the industry, and thus continuing a trend that has been in evidence for some years. As such, market research work remains split between the big agencies capable of servicing global clients and a long list of small and medium-sized shops.
Yet, beneath the surface, the past 12 months have seen some radical departures from the norm. An indication of the mood of change is the ongoing merger of the BMRA and the Market Research Society (MRS). The two trade bodies had co-existed for years, but decided to merge under the MRS banner to give the industry a single voice. According to Ipsos MORI chief executive Richard Silman, the decision could not have come at a better time. 'There is a significant amount going on in the industry at the moment,' he says. 'It requires all of our resources to be centralised to tackle these issues.'
Perhaps the most significant of these issues has been the prodigious growth of online work, a development that has rewritten the research rule-book. Web research has grown in popularity among clients, based on the realisation that it can offer them robust data cheaper than other methodologies and with a far quicker turnaround. 'Online has increased substantially over the past 12 months,' confirms Tim Wragg, UK head of client service at Millward Brown. 'This has been the year we hit the tipping point. It is here to stay.'
In the US, where the sheer size of the country mitigates against other forms of research, about 30% of all research is now conducted online. It is nowhere near that figure in Europe, where there is not the geographic imperative, but online has grown immensely over the past year. Rising broadband penetration has made it easier to reach people, and fears that the internet can target only certain sections of the population have been allayed as consumers from all demographics have become more technology-savvy. 'Clients feel more secure with the research findings,' says David Iddiols, managing director of HPI Research. 'They are more confident that they will get a representative response.'
Most agencies say that online now accounts for a double-digit percentage of their research revenues, especially for quantitative work. And there is now no shortage of online panels. TNS, for example, recently expanded its web offering with the launch of an internet-based research panel of 500,000 consumers across six European countries to offer insights into people's travel habits.
Although qualitative research is harder to conduct online, it has also been affected by the digital boom. Several agencies report clients using the web for areas such as concept testing - even subjects such as magazine pages have been tested online. However, the traditional focus group should not be written off just yet. Most agencies still feel that, for all the developments online has made in recent years, if a client needs in-depth insights from a representative group of people, focus groups remain the best option.
For both qualitative and quantitative work, then, both agencies and clients are still working toward finding the optimum balance between online and offline studies. 'There is a danger that clients see online as simply a cheap alternative to traditional research,' says Ipsos MORI's Silman. 'It is very effective at getting a quick grasp on something. But people do need to be aware of the downsides.'
An interesting spin-off of these techniques has been the use of blogs as a research tool. Respondents are asked to keep a blog about a particular subject or brand and the way they interact with it. This is an extension of some of the ethnographic techniques that have been pioneered in recent years, and similarly, the purpose is to elicit consumer insights that might not necessarily come out of traditional research formats such as the focus group. Because a blog is a two-way medium, respondents can be reminded or given incentives while they are taking part.
Several qualitative agencies have been developing such an approach. Firefish, for example, has conducted blogs for telecoms and alcohol firms; youth-focused brands have shown the most interest. Though mainstream brands tend to steer clear of the technique, Firefish managing director Jem Fawcus argues blogs offer a broad range of applications. 'Blogs make people think about things in a different way,' he says. 'It is like a diary - consumers are comfortable with it, and it can be very confessional.'
Because online offers clients considerable cost savings, it begs the question of what they are doing with the money they save. As most marketers now operate under severe cost pressures, there is a danger that, rather than ploughing the savings back into more detailed research and analysis, they simply reduce their research budgets and use the money elsewhere.
Most agencies admit that some clients have seized the opportunity to reduce their spend. But they add that many use online to get more for the same amount of money. As Phyllis Macfarlane, managing director of GfK NOP, points out: 'Given that the UK market hasn't declined, you have to assume that the savings are being reinvested.'
It is here that the rise of online dovetails with another trend within research. Clients have for some years wanted more from research agencies than just data; they want greater interrogation of the data to produce insights they can use.
The rise of online research has, however, allowed clients to spend less on fieldwork and more on just this type of analysis. 'There is a change in the percentage of money going on data collection and that going on analysis,' confirms Julian Bond, chief executive of Research International. 'Over the past five years, the percentage of budget going on fieldwork has decreased.'
As the quality of analysis has become more vital, some clients have separated the two areas. They use one agency (often chosen on the basis of cost) to conduct the fieldwork, then an agency with specialist knowledge of their industry to interpret and communicate the results. According to MRS chairman Simon Lidington, there have even been cases of clients taking the analysis in-house. 'Clients such as Barclays have developed insight departments to deliver the analysis they don't think agencies can,' he says.
This is still the exception rather than the rule, but there are signs that clients are looking for different relationships with research firms. BSkyB recently reduced the number of research firms it works with by selecting a handful of preferred agencies to handle the majority of its research briefs. Representatives from the selected agencies attend regular away-days so the researchers understand the company and find out more about what its other agencies are doing. 'It helps agencies contextualise the debrief - they are not just focusing on the findings of a single project,' says BSkyB marketing strategy director Danny Russell. 'As a result, we are happier to share internal information with them than we would have been before.'
It is up to agencies to decide where they sit within this framework. While there will always be a market for fieldwork, it is open to commoditisation. Delivering high-quality analysis, however, may require specialisation in certain sectors and the use of a client's internal data alongside research findings.
There have already been signs that agencies are restructuring to meet these needs. Quaestor, for example, has shifted from a generalist positioning to a focus on financial, media and consumer research. Nunwood, meanwhile, has ditched its qualitative and quantitative divisions and set up four units devoted to specific sectors, each containing researchers from a variety of methodological backgrounds. 'Client-side researchers are far more multi-disciplined than those in agencies,' admits managing director Phil Rushfirth. 'We have to admit we are behind on this.'
Bigger agencies are also realigning along these lines. TNS, for example, has introduced a partnership model for big clients such as Unilever, Procter & Gamble and Microsoft. Each of these accounts has a dedicated global partnership director and a separate profit-and-loss line, meaning that each client effectively has its own agency within TNS.
Nevertheless, it will in general be harder for the big agencies to restructure than their smaller counterparts. 'It will be interesting to see which of the big agencies grapples with the need to provide an added-value service in any real sense,' says Lidington. 'But it needs to happen quickly.'
For the agencies that succeed, there are plenty of opportunities. Finance and technology, both highly competitive sectors, are expected to increase research budgets in the coming year. And there is particular interest in media fragmentation - with so many communications options now available, marketers are looking for ways to measure effectiveness. It is not just the growth of online. Areas such as live events and sponsorship are attracting more spend without necessarily having methodologies to measure the results. There is no shortage of agencies working on measurement devices to provide a solution.
For an industry that has seen itself as much as an academic calling as a business discipline, the change of mindset will not be easy. As online opens up a wealth of exciting opportunities, the emphasis is shifting from laborious fieldwork and painstaking methodology to instant results and analysis.
There is no doubt market research agencies can sense the wind of change. As Research International's Bond concludes: 'You might be able to get research results and analysis 90% right in a day or 100% right in two weeks. We are increasingly seeing clients opt for the 90%.'
THE SARBANES-OXLEY EFFECT
For US-owned companies restricted by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which limits the financial information companies can disclose, we have used Companies House data provided by Willott Kingston Smith. All Sarbanes-Oxley-affected agencies are listed under their group names rather than their subsidiaries. In some cases, the latest available data was for the 2004 financial year. Financial data could not be found for i to i research.
TOP RESEARCH AGENCIES - 1-54
Agency Turnover Turnover % Staff Int'l
2005 2004 chng work
(pounds) (pounds) (%)
1 TNS 159,100,000 158,200,000 1 1650 n/a
Millward Brown* 115,428,000 105,536,000 9 360 n/a
2 Ipsos MORI 108,437,000 n/a n/a 936 19
3 GfK NOP 107,695,000 113,049,000 -5 633 24
ACNielsen* n/a 73,774,000 n/a 817 n/a
Research Int'l* n/a 68,989,000 n/a 388 n/a
4 Synovate 54,700,000 51,900,000 5 392 52
BMRB* 47,825,991 45,429,502 5 204 n/a
5 IRI 34,500,000 32,800,000 5 250 0
Banner Corporation* 23,129,564 16,131,995 43 61 n/a
Harris Interactive* 19,886,000 14,352,000 39 180 n/a
6 Illuminas (formerly
Incepta MI) 16,200,000 15,600,000 4 100 22
ORC International* 12,811,775 12,520,466 2 126 n/a
Added Value* n/a 12,152,935 n/a 72 n/a
7 Maritz Research 10,300,000 10,240,000 1 84 40
Hall & Partners
Europe* 10,190,000 8,562,000 19 n/a n/a
HPI Research* n/a 9,451,000 n/a 70 n/a
8 Flamingo Research 8,600,000 7,400,000 16 42 80
9 BMG Research 7,660,396 7,078,065 8 14 10
10 Marketing Sciences 7,037,000 n/a n/a 45 13
11 Quaestor Research 6,967,000 6,569,000 6 81 1
12 ESA Market
Research 6,534,374 6,477,765 1 70 7
13 Nunwood 6,500,000 4,500,000 44 100 10
14 BDRC 6,279,000 5,306,000 18 35 23
BPRI* 6,268,758 7,940,602 -21 28 n/a
15 FDS Market
Research 6,057,398 5,871,242 3 82 0
16 Ronin 5,946,205 5,550,057 7 40 95
17 SPA 5,599,000 4,822,000 16 49 13
18 IFF Research 5,565,000 5,039,000 10 42 11
19 2CV Research 5,467,000 4,706,000 16 38 30
20 Conquest Research 5,385,618 4,427,995 22 35 25
21 RDSi 4,992,000 5,665,000 -12 40 40
22 Network Research
& Marketing 4,931,929 4,489,926 10 35 5
Promar Int'l* 4,835,000 5,808,000 -17 n/a n/a
23 Business Research
Group 4,636,226 4,420,329 5 70 85
24 MRUK Research 4,184,154 3,753,460 11 57 0
25 Accent 3,734,947 3,218,735 16 31 5
26 Leapfrog Research
& Planning 3,688,470 3,147,289 17 25 13
27 Research Now 3,639,000 701,000 419 75 25
28 Grass Roots Group 3,632,000 3,653,000 -1 261 4
29 Maven Research 3,148,093 3,282,789 -4 95 0
HeadlightVision* n/a 3,142,953 n/a 26 n/a
30 Snap Surveys 3,064,947 2,683,757 14 70 5
31 Firefish 3,031,548 2,302,135 32 14 60
32 YouGov 2,942,000 1,992,000 48 50 10
Millward Brown
Ulster* n/a 2,846,714 n/a 23 5
33 Kadence (UK) 2,501,374 1,457,101 72 20 60
34 JRA Research 2,212,000 2,078,000 6 18 2
35 Prescient 2,126,882 1,390,000 53 6 45
Morpace Int'l* n/a 2,022,207 n/a n/a n/a
36 Consumer Profile
Group 1,900,681 1,807,595 5 14 15
37 Market Measures 1,895,000 2,023,000 -6 16 5
38 The Big Picture 1,870,000 1,680,000 11 10 64
39 FreshMinds 1,863,893 1,306,681 43 50 3
40 20/20 Research 1,773,229 1,350,890 31 23 0
41 MSTS 1,760,000 1,540,000 14 15 5
42 B2B International 1,759,162 1,517,137 16 25 70
43 Retail Eyes (UK) 1,703,000 761,709 124 42 0
Albemarle Marketing
Research* n/a 1,271,000 n/a 9 n/a
44 Brand Driver 1,234,582 816,550 51 12 60
45 The iD Factor 1,072,946 752,727 43 35 40
46 Westcombe Business
Research 1,019,368 759,394 34 12 50
47 Databuild 927,959 870,432 7 15 0
48 RCU 901,469 650,574 39 15 0
49 Brahm 843,128 709,800 19 7 0
50 Charterhouse
Research 732,925 537,425 36 6 0
51 The Cog Research
and Marketing 581,000 645,000 -10 5 0
52 Spring Research 500,600 190,000 163 6 50
53 IRN Research 456,120 441,596 3 7 20
54 Heawood Research 374,454 686,486 -45 7 5
AGENCY
1 TNS
Founded 1967. Publicly quoted. Chief executive David Lowden. No work
breakdown given. No specialisms given. www.tns-global.com
Millward Brown*
Founded 1973. Subsidiary WPP. Chief executive Warwick Nash. No work
breakdown given. No specialisms given. www.millwardbrown.com
2 Ipsos MORI
Founded 1946. Subsidiary Ipsos. Chairman Richard Silman. 66%
quantitative, 4% qualitative, 30% continuous/syndicated. No
specialisms given. www.ipsos-mori.com
3 GfK NOP
Founded 1957. Subsidiary GfK. Managing director Phyllis Macfarlane.
44% quantitative, 7% qualitative, 39% continuous/syndicated, 10%
mystery shopping. No specialisms given. www.gfknop.co.uk
ACNielsen*
Founded 1939. Subsidiary VNU. Managing director Eleni Nicholas. No
work breakdown given. No specialisms given. www.acnielsen.co.uk
Research International*
Founded 1973. Subsidiary WPP. Chief executive Julian Bond. No work
breakdown given. No specialisms given. www.research-int.com
4 Synovate
Founded 2003. Subsidiary Aegis Group. Joint MDs Michelle Norman, Bob
Douglas. 65% consumer, 35% B2B. 59% quantitative, 25% qualitative,
15% continuous/syndicated, 1% mystery shopping. No specialisms
given. www.synovate.com
BMRB*
Founded 1933. Subsidiary WPP. Chairman Andy Brown. No work breakdown
given. No specialisms given. www.bmrb.co.uk
5 IRI
Founded 1992. Subsidiary Information Resources. Managing director
Dave Barrett. 100% B2B. 100% continuous/syndicated. FMCG, retail.
www.infores.com
Banner Corporation*
Founded 1985. Subsidiary WPP. Chairman Rod Banner. No work breakdown
given. No specialisms given. www.b1.com
Harris Interactive*
Founded 1984. Subsidiary Harris Interactive. President George
Terhanian. No work breakdown given. No specialisms given.
www.hieurope.com
6 Illuminas (formerly Incepta MI)
Founded 2004. Subsidiary Media Square. Chairman David Smith. 72%
consumer, 28% B2B. 45% quantitative, 45% qualitative, 10%
continuous/syndicated. No specialisms given.
www.illuminas-global.com
ORC International*
Founded 1969. Subsidiary ORC International. Managing director
Richard Cornelius. No work breakdown given. No specialisms given.
www.orc.co.uk
Added Value*
Founded 1988. Subsidiary WPP. Chief executive Janine Hawkins. No
work breakdown given. No specialisms given. www.added-value.com
7 Maritz Research
Founded 1991. Privately owned. General manager UK Dawn Ray. 72%
consumer, 28% B2B. 20% quantitative, 5% qualitative, 55%
continuous/syndicated, 20% mystery shopping. Auto, financial
services, hospitality. www.maritz.co.uk
Hall & Partners Europe*
Founded 1992. Subsidiary Omnicom. Managing director David Alterman.
No work breakdown given. No specialisms given.
www.hall-and-partners.com
HPI Research*
Founded 1978. Subsidiary Interpublic. Managing director David
Iddiols. 67% consumer, 33% B2B. 45% quantitative, 35% qualitative,
20% continuous/syndicated. Telecoms, financial services, auto.
www.hpiresearch.com
8 Flamingo Research
Founded 1997. Privately owned. Chairman Kirsty Fuller. 85% consumer,
15% B2B. 90% quantitative, 10% qualitative. Food and drink, personal
care. www.flamingo-international.com
9 BMG Research
Founded 1988. Privately owned. Managing director Jonathan Bostock.
No work breakdown given. No specialisms given. www.bmgresearch.co.uk
10 Marketing Sciences
Founded 1977. Subsidiary Creston. Managing director Keith Bates. 98%
consumer, 2% B2B. 91% quantitative, 7% qualitative, 2% mystery
shopping. Food and drink, retail, financial services.
www.marketing-sciences.com
11 Quaestor Research
Founded 1986. Subsidiary EQ Group. Chairman Bob Bond. 85% consumer,
15% B2B. 57% quantitative, 42% qualitative, 1%
continuous/syndicated. Financial services, media. www.quaestor.com
12 ESA Market Research
Founded 1979. Subsidiary SHS Group. Chief executive Tony Keen. 9%
consumer, 91% B2B. 9% quantitative, 70% continuous/syndicated, 21%
mystery shopping. Retail. www.esa.co.uk
13 Nunwood
Founded 1996. Privately owned. Chief executive Clare Bruce. 100%
consumer. 65% quantitative, 30% qualitative, 5% mystery shopping.
www.nunwood.com
14 BDRC
Founded 1991. Privately owned. Managing director Cris Tarrant. 73%
consumer, 27% B2B. 30% quantitative, 14% qualitative, 44%
continuous/syndicated, 12% mystery shopping. Financial services,
travel, telecoms. www.bdrc.co.uk
BPRI*
Founded 1986. Subsidiary WPP. Joint managing directors Cara Berry,
Moniah Stubbings. No work breakdown given. No specialisms given.
www.bprigroup.com
15 FDS Market Research
Founded 1972. Subsidiary Munro Global. Chairman Richard Hepburn. 58%
consumer, 42% B2B. 38% quantitative, 8% qualitative, 51%
continuous/syndicated, 3% mystery shopping. Government, telecoms,
energy. www.fds.co.uk
16 Ronin
Founded 1996. Privately owned. General manager Marek Vaygelt. 10%
consumer, 90% B2B. 90% quantitative, 10% qualitative. No specialisms
given. www.ronin.com
17 SPA
Founded 1994. Privately owned. Chairman Jon Priest. 100% consumer.
No work breakdown given. Media, FMCG, leisure. www.spa-mr.com
18 IFF Research
Founded 1965. Privately owned. Managing director Tim Britton. 33%
consumer, 67% B2B. 79% quantitative, 21% qualitative. Financial
services, public sector. www.iffresearch.com
19 2CV Research
Founded 1989. Privately owned. Chairman Vincent Nolan. 87% consumer,
13% B2B. 29% quantitative, 67% qualitative, 4% other. No specialisms
given. www.2cv.co.uk
20 Conquest Research
Founded 1989. Privately owned. Managing director David Penn. 100%
consumer. 90% quantitative, 10% qualitative. No specialisms given.
www.conquestuk.com
21 RDSi
Founded 1984. Privately owned. Managing director Wendy Mitchell. 95%
consumer, 5% B2B. 14% quantitative, 81% qualitative, 5%
continuous/syndicated. Retail, FMCG, food and drink.
www.rdsiresearch.com
22 Network Research & Marketing
Founded 1987. Privately owned. Managing director Eamonn Santry. 60%
consumer, 40% B2B. 17% quantitative, 2% qualitative, 81% continuous/syndicated. No specialisms
given. www.networkresearch.co.uk
Promar International*
Founded 1977. Subsidiary Genus. Managing director Richard Wood. No
work breakdown given. Agriculture, food.
www.promar-international.com
23 Business Research Group
Founded 1991. Privately owned. Chairman Don Wildey. 100% B2B. 40%
quantitative, 58% qualitative, 2% mystery shopping. No specialisms
given. www.brg.co.uk
24 MRUK Research
Founded 1993. Privately owned. Managing director James Law. 96%
consumer, 4% B2B. 88% quantitative, 12% qualitative. Public sector.
www.mruk.co.uk
25 Accent
Founded 1988. Privately owned. Chairman Rob Sheldon. 64% consumer,
36% B2B. 53% quantitative, 26% qualitative, 14%
continuous/syndicated, 7% mystery shopping. Utilities, travel,
public sector. www.accent-mr.com
26 Leapfrog Research & Planning
Founded 1994. Subsidiary Cello Group. Joint managing directors Judy
Taylor, Andrea Berlowitz. 100% consumer. 18% quantitative, 79%
qualitative, 3% continuous/syndicated. Retail, FMCG, media.
www.leapfrogresearch.co.uk
27 Research Now
Founded 2003. Publicly quoted. Chief executive Chris Havemann. 90%
consumer, 10% B2B. 85% quantitative, 15% continuous/syndicated. No
specialisms given. www.researchnow.co.uk
28 Grass Roots Group
Founded 1980. Privately owned. Chairman David Evans. 99% consumer,
1% B2B. 24% quantitative, 76% mystery shopping. Financial services,
retail, leisure. www.grg.com
29 Maven Research
Founded 1989. Privately owned. Managing director Kathryn Lewis. 72%
consumer, 28% B2B. 5% quantitative, 95% continuous/syndicated. Auto,
financial services, alcohol. www.maven.co.uk
HeadlightVision*
Founded 1996. Subsidiary WPP. Chief executive Crawford Hollingworth.
No work breakdown given. No specialisms given.
www.headlightvision.com
30 Snap Surveys
Founded 1982. Privately owned. Chief executive Peter Wills. 90%
consumer, 10% B2B. 100% quantitative. Public sector.
www.snapsurveys.com
31 Firefish
Founded 2000. Privately owned. Joint managing directors Alison
Fydler, Jem Fawcus. 100% consumer. 5% quantitative, 95% qualitative.
FMCG, media, technology. www.firefish.ltd.uk
32 YouGov
Founded 2000. Publicly quoted. Managing director Panos Manolopoulos.
86% consumer, 14% B2B. 95% quantitative, 2% qualitative, 3%
continuous/syndicated. Financial services, public sector.
www.yougov.com
Millward Brown Ulster*
Founded 1965. Subsidiary WPP. Managing director Richard Moore. 73%
consumer, 27% B2B. 50% quantitative, 25% qualitative, 20%
continuous/syndicated, 5% mystery shopping. No specialisms given.
www.ums-research.com
33 Kadence (UK)
Founded 1991. Privately owned. Chairman Simon Everard. 100% B2B. 75%
quantitative, 25% qualitative. No specialisms given. www.kadence.com
34 JRA Research
Founded 1978. Privately owned. Chairman Terence Wagstaff. 100%
consumer. 84% quantitative, 16% qualitative. No specialisms given.
www.jraresearch.com
35 Prescient
Founded 1997. Subsidiary Loewy Group. Managing director Andrew
Sawkins. 60% consumer, 40% B2B. 40% quantitative, 60% qualitative.
FMCG, auto, financial services. www.prescientuk.com
Morpace International*
Founded 1997. Subsidiary Morpace International. Managing director
Mick Nagle. No work breakdown given. No specialisms given.
www.morpace.co.uk
36 Consumer Profile Group
Founded 1986. Privately owned. Chairman Peter Lovett. 80% consumer,
20% B2B. 70% quantitative, 30% qualitative. No specialisms given.
www.profile-group.com
37 Market Measures
Founded 1986. Privately owned. Chairman Phil Gurd. 99% consumer, 1%
B2B. 98% quantitative, 1% qualitative, 1% continuous/syndicated.
FMCG, financial services, utilities. www.marketmeasures.co.uk
38 The Big Picture
Founded 1993. Privately owned. Joint managing directors John
Cassidy, Mike Tivnen. 100% qualitative. FMCG, retail, health.
www.bigpicture.co.uk
39 FreshMinds
Founded 2000. Privately owned. Joint MDs Caroline Plumb, Charlie
Osmond. 48% consumer, 52% B2B. 65% quant, 20% qual, 10%
continuous/syndicated, 5% mystery shopping. Financial services,
public sector, FMCG. www.freshminds.co.uk
40 20/20 Research
Founded 1996. Privately owned. Managing director Bob Peters. 57%
consumer, 43% B2B. 70% quantitative, 15% qualitative, 15%
continuous/syndicated. Financial services, retail, leisure.
www.2020research.co.uk
41 MSTS
Founded 1982. Subsidiary Creston. Managing director Jerry Thomas.
100% consumer. 100% quantitative. Food and drink, alcohol.
www.msts.co.uk
42 B2B International
Founded 1998. Privately owned. Managing director Paul Hague. 6%
consumer, 94% B2B. 67% quantitative, 30% qualitative, 3%
continuous/syndicated. No specialisms given.
www.b2binternational.com
43 Retail Eyes (UK)
Founded 2003. Privately owned. Managing director Susan Day. 100%
consumer. 9% quantitative, 91% mystery shopping. Retail, leisure,
telecoms. www.retaileyes.co.uk
Albemarle Marketing Research*
Founded 1968. Subsidiary Publicis Groupe. Managing director Peter
Zoutis. No work breakdown given. No specialisms given.
www.a-m-r.co.uk
44 Brand Driver
Founded 2001. Privately owned. Managing director Tim Julian. 79%
consumer, 21% B2B. 42% quantitative, 40% qualitative, 18%
continuous/syndicated. Leisure, media, entertainment.
www.branddriver.co.uk
45 The iD Factor
Founded 2001. Subsidiary TMN. Chairman Warren Tayler. 62% consumer,
38% B2B. 80% quantitative, 20% continuous/syndicated. FMCG,
telecoms. www.theidfactor.com
46 Westcombe Business Research
Founded 1984. Privately owned. Chairman Heather Dunn. 20% consumer,
80% B2B. 80% quantitative, 20% qualitative. Telecoms, law, financial
services. www.westcombe.com
47 Databuild
Founded 1988. Privately owned. Managing director Charles Michaelis.
100% B2B. 80% quantitative, 20% qualitative. No specialisms given.
www.data-build.co.uk
48 RCU
Founded 1993. Privately owned. Chairman John Gracie. 45%
quantitative, 20% qualitative, 5% mystery shopping, 30% other. No
specialisms given. www.rcu.co.uk
49 Brahm
Founded 1983. Privately owned. Chairman Mike Baxandall. 75%
consumer, 25% B2B. 50% quantitative, 50% qualitative. Retail, food
and drink, financial services. www.brahm.com
50 Charterhouse Research
Founded 2004. Privately owned. Directors Julie Irwin, Mark Dennis,
Sara McFadzean, Mervyn Flack. 6% consumer, 94% B2B. 51%
quantitative, 29% qualitative, 20% continuous/syndicated. Financial
services. www.charterhouse-research.co.uk
51 The Cog Research and Marketing
Founded 1997. Privately owned. Managing director Mike Armstrong. 83%
consumer, 17% B2B. 35% quantitative, 65% qualitative. Food and
drink, retail. www.thecog.co.uk
52 Spring Research
Founded 2003. Privately owned. Managing director Stephen Phillips.
65% consumer, 35% B2B. 40% quantitative, 60% qualitative. No
specialisms given. www.springresearch.co.uk
53 IRN Research
Founded 1991. Privately owned. Directors Fred Hitchins, Gary
Giddings, David Mort. 16% consumer, 84% B2B. 100% quantitative. No
specialisms given. www.irn-research.com
54 Heawood Research
Founded 1999. Privately owned. Chairman Peter Knowles. 38% consumer,
62% B2B. 61% quantitative, 39% qualitative. Food and drink, health,
retail. www.heawood.com
* Companies House financial data supplied by Willott Kingston Smith for
agencies affected by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act