The Nielsen Company - Competitors

The Nielsen Company Competition

Now Viewing The Nielsen Company's competition in: Market Research Services (primary)

Recent Developments

TiVo Viewers Skip Fewer Relevant Ads - A second-by-second study by TiVo supports the theory that its viewers skip fewer ads that are relevant to them. A panel of 20,000 volunteer TiVo users shows that while all demographic segments fast-forward through commercials, demographics determine which ads are viewed. Viewing for children's skin products was greatest in households with children under 12; ads for toys and games were viewed 22 percent more in those same households, while political ads were viewed 15 percent more in households with adults over 50. The study indicates that commercial skipping isn't random and that effective message delivery can make a difference, depending on the demographic.

Economy Affecting Market Research Industry - The declining economy is affecting the marketing research industry, according to data compiled by the Marketing Research Association's Research Industry Index (RII). Projects and revenue booked and staffing levels are flat, comparing first quarter 2008 to fourth quarter 2007. The industry generally had an increase in first quarter, as companies begin their fiscal year spending. The RII finds that business leaders are less optimistic about the future and consequently less likely to commit to research projects.

Do-Not-Call List to Begin in Canada - Canadians will be able to sign up for a do-not-call list beginning September 30. Telemarketers will have 31 days to update their calling lists; after that, violations could result in fines up to $1,500 for individuals and $15,000 for corporations. Marketing research companies are exempted from the do-not-call list.

Competitive Landscape

Demand is driven primarily by the health of the US economy and corporate profits. The profitability of individual companies depends on the quality of the research services delivered and the ability to manage costs. Large companies have advantages in providing a variety of research and ancillary services to large customers, and achieving economies of scale in marketing and computerized operations. Small companies can compete successfully by specializing in a research methodology or in emerging niche knowledge areas. The industry is labor intensive: annual revenue per employee is less than $100,000.

Full Industry Overview For Market Research Services

Market Research Services Industry Forecast

from Hoover's/D&B subsidiary First Research

The output of US miscellaneous professional and technical services, an indicator for market research services, is forecast to grow at an annual compounded rate of 5.7 percent between 2007 and 2012.

Professional Services Growth Strong but Slowing

First Research forecasts are based on INFORUM forecasts that are licensed from the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. (IERF) in College Park, MD. INFORUM's "interindustry-macro" approach to modeling the economy captures the links between industries and the aggregate economy.