Kantar Group

(Redirected fromKantar Media)

Kantar Group Ltd.is an international market research company based in London, England. It was founded in 1992, and has approximately 30,000 employees across over 90 countries working in various research disciplines, including brand guidance,brand strategy,social mediamonitoring,advertisingeffectiveness, consumer and shopper behaviour,design strategy and public opinion.[3]

Kantar Group Ltd.
Company typePrivate Limited Company
IndustryMarket research
Founded1992 (as the Market Research, Insight and Consultancy division ofWPP)
HeadquartersLondon,England, UK
Key people
Chris Jansen (CEO)[1][2]
ProductsMarket research
Data investment
Management consultancy
OwnerBain Capital(60%)
WPP Group(40%)
Websitewww.kantar.com

Kantar's majority is owned byBain Capital Private Equitysince July 2019, whenWPPsold a 60% stake of the company for $3.1 billion, at a valuation of $4.0 billion.[4]

History

edit

Leadership

edit

On 24 October 2018 it was announced that theWPPboard approved the plans to sell Kantar Group.[5]

In Dec 2019, Eric Salama stepped down as the CEO of Kantar Group. Eric Salama had been with Kantar since it was bought by WPP in 1988.[6]

In January 2020, Ian Griffiths (former CFO and COO atITV) was named Chief Financial Officer[7]of Kantar, whileAdam Crozierwas appointed chairman.[8]

In October 2020, Kantar announced the appointment of Alexis Nasard as chief executive officer, effective 30 December 2020. Nasard subsequently stepped down as CEO of Kantar on 27 April 2021.[9]

In July 2021, Chris Jansen was appointed to replace Alexis Nasard as CEO, effective 1 November 2021.[10]

Operations

edit

Kantar has offices in 90 markets, including the UK & Ireland, North America, India, Spain, France, Italy, China and Brazil.[11][12][13]Their global headquarters are inLondon.In April 2019, Kantar unified all its legacy brands,[14]such as Kantar TNS, Kantar Millward Brown, Kantar Media and Kantar Worldpanel.

Kantar Insights

edit

By 2019, Kantar merged the operations of IMRB, Millward Brown and TNS, and Kantar's parent companyWPPmerged its media and advertising subsidiary GroupM with Kantar to form a global Insights division. Following similar exercises across the globe, Kantar reduced the sub brands from 18 to 9 by 2019.

Kantar Media

edit

Kantar Media (now Kantar's Media division) analyses of print, radio, TV, internet, cinema, mobile, social and outdoor media. Kantar Media was formed from WPP Group's acquisition of TNS Media and KMR Group in 2010.[15][independent source needed]In 2014, Kantar Media acquired a majority stake in the issued share capital of Precise Media Group in a £70 Million deal.[16]In the same year, Kantar Media acquired IBOPE Media, the main TV audience and ad investment measurement company in Brazil.[17][independent source needed]Kantar Media has within it organizational subsidiaries, such as Kantar Media North America, which are legal corporate entities in their own right.[18]

In January 2022,Symphony Technology Groupacquired Kantar Reputation Intelligence, a media monitoring and analysis subsidiary of Kantar. The deal was finalized on Dec 31, 2021 and the merged company will operate under the name Onclusive.[19]

In October 2022, Kantar reorganized to create a combined Creative & Media Solutions and appointed Steven Silvers to lead the newly created division.[20][independent source needed]

In June 2023, Kantar sold its Media Healthcare Research (KMHR) to M3 Global Research.[21][independent source needed]

Kantar Worldpanel

edit

Kantar Worldpanel(formerly TNS Worldpanel) runs continuous consumer panels and specializes in shopper behavior. The Worldpanel division measures and advises on consumer and shopper behaviour, offering insight-based consulting on clients' marketing and business strategies.[22][23]

Kantar Profiles

edit

Kantar Profiles (formerly Lightspeed) was founded in 2000 and is headquartered inWarren, New Jersey,United States. It provides onlinemarket researchservices, specializing in using the Internet as a data collection platform to provide research through building and maintaining panels subject to quality and representative sampling standards.

Specialty panels range across industry sectors such asfinancialservices,health care,business-to-business,automotive,family and more. Kantar Profiles also provides custom panels to address specific client needs. In 2007, it conducted over 20 million online surveys for clients.[citation needed]

In 2019, Kantar brought its global panels and sample offer together into a new respondent network, Kantar Profiles Network.[24]In 2023 as a part of its Health assets sale to M3 Global Research, Kantar also sold Kantar Profiles –Health division.[21]

Former Brands

edit

Kantar IMRB

edit

Kantar IMRB (formerly "IMRB International" and "Indian Market Research Bureau" ) is a multi-countrymarket research,surveyandbusiness consultancyfirm established in 1970 that offers a range of syndicated data and customized research services. With over 1200 employees, IMRB is one of the largest providers of market research in India in an industry estimated to be worth a minimum of $187 million. As the oldest extant market research company in India, IMRB has been responsible for establishing the first and onlyhousehold panel,the first televisionaudience measurementsystem and the first radio panel in the country.[25]IMRB International's specialized areas are consumer markets, industrial marketing, business-to-business marketing,social marketingand rural marketing.

Kantar Millward Brown

edit

Millward Brown was founded in Leamington Spa, England in 1973 and acquired by WPP Group in 1990. In 2004, WPP backed Millward Brown acquired strategic marketing research and consulting firm, MaPS - Marketing and Planning Systems based at Boston[26]In 2015, the experts from MaPS were moved to Millward Brown Analytics.[27]Kantar Millward Brown, now part of Kantar's Insights Division, is a global research agency specialising in advertising, marketing communications, media and brand equity research. Kantar Millward Brown works across a range of industries and categories, and has a number of specialist practices.

Kantar TNS

edit

In 2008, Kantar TNS (Taylor Nelson Sofres) was acquired by WPP and included in Kantar. In February 2009, Kantar merged TNS andResearch International.[28]

Kantar Added Value

edit

In October 2004, three Kantar companies – Added Value, Icon Brand Navigation and Diagnostic Research – combined under the "Added Value" name.[29]Kantar Added Value focused on brand marketing, consumer insight, innovation and communications optimisation.

Kantar Futures

edit

Kantar Futures offered subscription services and consulting regarding future trends. Formerly known as The Futures Company, Kantar Futures was formed through the integration of The Henley Centre, HeadlightVision, Yankelovich and TRU.[30]

Kantar Vermeer

edit

In 2014, Millward Brown acquired EffectiveBrands Holding B.V., a marketing strategy consulting firm headquartered in Amsterdam. Millward Brown merged EffectiveBrands with Millward Brown Optimor, its strategy consulting unit, to form Millward Brown Vermeer.

Kantar Health

edit

Kantar Health(now Kantar's Health Division) provides data, analytics, and research to the life sciences industry. As of December 2020, Cerner announced that it will acquire Kantar Health, acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2021.[31]On 1 April 2021 Cerner completed the acquisition of Kantar's Health Division and has re-branded to Cerner Enviza.[32]

Kantar Public

edit

Kantar Public conducts research and evaluations and advises governments, the public sector,NGOsandNFPson the delivery of public policy, programmes, services and communications to the public. In May 2022, Kantar announced the sale of Kantar Public businesses to private equity firm Trilantic Europe.[33]From 9 November 2023, Kantar Public became known asVerian.[34]

Acquisitions

edit

British Market Research Bureau Limited – BMRB, which was established in 1933, London, were acquired by the group in 2009 and merged into Kantar Public in 2016.[35]The subsidiary TGI – Target Group Index of BMRB, which was established in 1969, was split and merged into the Kantar Media brand in 2009.[36]

In December 2019, the Kantar Group acquired the market research companyColmar Brunton Australiaas part of its acquisition ofWPPAUNZ's Data Investment Management division. In February 2020, Colmar Brunton in Australia was fully integrated into Kantar, with the Colmar Brunton brand being retired in Australia.[37]The following year, Kantar acquired Colmar Brunton'sNew Zealand parent company.[38]

In July 2021, Kantar completed the acquisition of its U.S. based rival Numerator (valued at $1.5 Billion) fromVista Equity Partners,aiming to strengthen itsWorldpaneland Advertising Intelligence divisions with US and Canada in focus. The terms of deal were not disclosed.[39][40]

In January 2022, Kantar announced it had acquired MindIT, a spin-out from theUniversity of Bolognathat specializes in machine-learning algorithms and AI.[41]

In April 2022, Kantar announced it had acquired theCopenhagen-based marketing measurement and optimization company, Blackwood Seven.[42]

In May 2022, Kantar announced it had acquired Qmee.[43]In August 2022, Kantar announced the acquisition of StepUp RGM to strengthen its existing XTEL division, revenue management solutions provider.[44]

In Jan 2023, Kantar announced the acquisition of Kauza to augment itsWorldpanelin the Nordics.[45]

Subsidiaries

edit

Vivvix

edit

In Jan 2023, Kantar Group announced the creation of a new group company, Vivvix by unifying the advertising intelligence businesses of Kantar and Numerator. The independent company was led by former Nielsen CRO Andrew Feigenson as CEO.[46][47]

In Nov 2023, Vivvix was acquired by ad sales intelligence firm MediaRadar led by CEO Todd Krizelman.[48]

References

edit
  1. ^"Chris Jansen to join Kantar as Group CEO".
  2. ^Bruell, Alexandra (July 2021)."WSJ News Exclusive | Kantar Hires Chris Jansen as Its New CEO".Wall Street Journal.
  3. ^"Simon Bailey joins Kantar UK as Senior Partner".consultancy.uk.7 March 2023.Retrieved14 May2023.
  4. ^Graham, Megan (12 July 2019)."WPP will sell stake in market research unit to Bain Capital in deal valuing Kantar at $4 billion".CNBC.Retrieved29 January2022.
  5. ^Crisp, Wil (24 October 2018)."WPP board approves plan to sell its Kantar data division".The Telegraph.ISSN0307-1235.Retrieved29 October2018.
  6. ^Barker, Alex (10 December 2019)."Kantar chief to step down after surviving stabbing".Financial Times.Retrieved29 January2022.
  7. ^"Kantar appoints Ian Griffiths as chief financial officer".Campaign Live.7 January 2020.Retrieved28 September2020.
  8. ^"Kantar appoints ex-ITV chief Adam Crozier as chairman".Reuters.11 February 2020. Archived fromthe originalon 12 February 2020.Retrieved28 September2020.
  9. ^Kay, Liam (27 April 2021)."KANTAR CEO TO LEAVE AFTER FOUR MONTHS".Research Live.Market Research Society.Retrieved31 January2023.
  10. ^Bruell, Alexandra (1 July 2021)."WSJ News Exclusive | Kantar Hires Chris Jansen as Its New CEO".Wall Street Journal.ISSN0099-9660.Retrieved1 July2021.
  11. ^"Kantar UK & Ireland".Kantar.Retrieved28 September2020.
  12. ^"Home".kantar.com.Retrieved28 September2020.
  13. ^"Home".Kantar(in European Spanish).Retrieved28 September2020.
  14. ^"Kantar merges all brands under single name".exchange4media.18 March 2019.Retrieved28 September2020.
  15. ^"Kantar is launching Kantar Media".WPP. 25 January 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 19 August 2014.Retrieved15 August2014.
  16. ^Armstrong, Ashley (10 June 2014)."WPP's Kantar buys Precise Media Group in £70m deal".The Telegraph.Retrieved23 March2015.
  17. ^"Kantar, do grupo WPP, adquire controle do Ibope Media".Midia e Marketing(in Brazilian Portuguese). G1. 17 December 2014.Retrieved7 April2017.
  18. ^Fry, Erika (1 February 2018). "Super Bowl Ads Can't Save TV".Fortune(print mail distribution): ppg. 10–11.ISSN0015-8259....explains Manish Bhatia, CEO of Kantar Media North America.
  19. ^Sanchez, Sabrina (5 January 2022)."Symphony Technology Group acquires Kantar's Reputation Intelligence, PRgloo and Onclusive".PR Week.Retrieved29 January2022.
  20. ^"Steve Silvers joins Kantar to lead Creative & Media Solutions".Kantar.6 October 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 21 July 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  21. ^ab"M3 Acquires Kantar Profiles – Health and Kantar Media Healthcare Research".M3 Global Research.9 June 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 21 July 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  22. ^"Consumer Panels".Kantar Worldpanel.Retrieved5 April2019.
  23. ^"Kantar appoints Guillaume Bacuvier to lead Worldpanel Business".The Financial Express.14 September 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 30 January 2022.Retrieved30 January2022.
  24. ^"Kantar launches 'Kantar Profiles Network'".exchange4media.17 May 2019.Archivedfrom the original on 21 July 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  25. ^Dasgupta, Pritha Mitra."TAM, IMRB to jointly launch TeleWeb".The Economic Times.Retrieved30 January2022.
  26. ^"Millward Brown acquires US marketing research firm".Campaign Live.6 July 2004.Retrieved29 January2022.
  27. ^"Daily Research News Online no. 20454 - US Launch for New Millward Brown Analytics Unit".MRWeb.Retrieved29 January2022.
  28. ^"TNS and Research International combine strengths in custom research".WPP.Retrieved15 August2014.
  29. ^"Angus Porter to head Added Value – WPP".WPP.Retrieved7 April2017.
  30. ^"Two leading research consultancies merge to form The Futures Company".WPP.Retrieved19 August2014.
  31. ^"Clinical Publications".Kantar.Retrieved26 August2020.
  32. ^"Health Division".Kantar.Retrieved29 January2022.
  33. ^"Kantar announces agreement for sale of Kantar Public business to Trilantic Europe".Kantar Public. 10 May 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 2 June 2022.Retrieved31 January2023.
  34. ^"Kantar Public rebrands globally to become Verian".Retrieved26 May2024.
  35. ^"About us".Kantar Public.Retrieved16 June2018.
  36. ^"TGI (Target Group Index)".DJS Research.Retrieved16 June2018.
  37. ^"Kantar announces strategic steps to scale client impact in Australia".Kantar. 4 February 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 2 October 2022.Retrieved1 December2020.
  38. ^"Kantar and Colmar Brunton Integrate".Kantar New Zealand.30 June 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 26 January 2023.Retrieved28 January2022.
  39. ^Barbaglia, Pamela; Holton, Kate (19 April 2021)."EXCLUSIVE Britain's Kantar nears $1.5 billion deal to buy Vista-backed Numerator, sources say".Reuters.Retrieved29 January2022.
  40. ^"Kantar acquisition of Numerator completes, creating a global leader in shopper behaviour".Numerator.Retrieved29 January2022.
  41. ^"Kantar acquires Italian AI company MindIT | News".Research Live.Retrieved17 January2022.
  42. ^"Kantar grows AI capabilities with new acquisition | News".Research Live.Retrieved26 April2022.
  43. ^"Kantar follows Public sale with Qmee purchase".Consultancy.uk.Consultancy.org.17 May 2022.Archivedfrom the original on 7 July 2022.Retrieved31 January2023.
  44. ^"Kantar completes acquisition of StepUp RGM".Kantar.3 August 2022.Retrieved21 July2023.
  45. ^"Kantar acquires Kauza to expand shopper expertise in the Nordics".Kantar.31 January 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  46. ^"Vivvix | You Don't Need Data".info.kantarmedia.com.Archived fromthe originalon 21 July 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  47. ^"Kantar rebrands media intelligence unit, which now includes Numerator elements".Ad Age.18 January 2023.Retrieved21 July2023.
  48. ^"MediaRadar Acquires Kantar Group's Vivvix to Offer a Comprehensive View of the Advertising Industry".2 November 2023.
edit