One of the unit's first tasks was to identify how the credit crunch and the 2009 Budget have impacted on the consumption habits of Telegraph readers.
The department will be led by Mathew Watkins, who recently appointed as director of advertising strategy, and the group will report into Dave King, TMG's executive director
Watkins said: "Information leading to clear strategy is the lifeblood of media sales teams. This is an innovative move away from the traditional newspaper research department. Rather than looking back and analyze trends that are happening now, [the unit] will look to the future to identify patterns and trends in emerging markets and look to capitalise on new opportunities in increasingly innovative ways. This is particularly important in the current commercial climate".
The unit will survey reader behaviour to identify consumer patterns and trends, by using reader panels, industry standard research as well as TMG's subscriber database.
Research has already shown that readers of The Daily Telegraph are increasingly price conscious, with 70% saying they are more likely to look in their newspaper for offers or discounts from advertisers.
"In general, our readers have not been severely affected by the credit crunch and still have money for financial investments," said Helen Gallacher, head of advertising strategy and insight. "However, they are increasingly becoming savvy shoppers and are taking advantage of the current situation to look around for deals. This knowledge is extremely valuable in terms of making our advertising as relevant as possible to our readers needs".
Research findings will be fed in to commercial sales managers and hubs and the department will also work closely with advertising finance to create an overview of the market.
Although they increasingly shop around for offers, Telegraph readers still have money to invest, with over 40% saying they are more likely to invest in an ISA following tax breaks announced in the Budget.
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