Global Marketing Research Industry Sees Healthy Turnaround in 2010

Revenue gains still not enough to recover from 2009

CHICAGO, Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After a bleak 2009, global marketing research firms are on an upward trajectory, reports the American Marketing Association (AMA).

The world's 25 largest marketing research conglomerates had total revenues of $18.8 billion in 2010 -- up 4.9% from the previous year, according to the Honomichl Global Top 25 Report, published Aug. 30 in AMA's Marketing News magazine. (Adjusted for inflation, the gain was 3.2%.)

Payroll on the international research front followed suit: The top 25 firms employed 107,803 people full-time in 2010, up 4.4% from the year before.

"While the global research industry's 2010 revenue growth was healthy -- and most welcome -- it was not enough to recover the downside of 2009," says Jack Honomichl, founder of the newsletter "Inside Research," who compiles the annual Honomichl ranking with colleague Larry Gold. (The top 25 firms' real growth in 2009 was -4.5%.)

"Further, seven of this year's Global Top 25 firms' revenues decreased from 2009 to 2010 or did not grow enough to cover inflation," Honomichl says, adding that U.S.-based firms and smaller firms tended to lag behind the others.

Still, the overall positive trend is encouraging, and Honomichl says it appears to be continuing in 2011. The 25 leading firms account for approximately 63% of spending on marketing, advertising and public opinion research services worldwide, he points out. "Their financial health is of special importance. They are the industry's backbone."

The top five firms -- The Nielsen Co., Kantar, IMS Health Inc., GfK SE and Ipsos SA -- each had revenues of $1 billion or more, together representing 72% of the top 25 firms' total revenue.

In examining these five firms, Honomichl found four main differentiators: 1) most of their revenue comes from outside their home countries, 2) the bulk of their revenue comes from syndicated services, 3) all except one are publicly owned, and 4) all except one are led by executives with nonresearch backgrounds who have been recruited from "the outside." For more information, including on the methodology used in compiling the Honomichl Global Top 25 Report, please visit www.MarketingPower.com/honomichl. For more information on the American Marketing Association, please visit www.MarketingPower.com.

About the Honomichl Global Top 25 Report

The Honomichl Global Top 25 report, produced by Jack Honomichl and Larry Gold, covers the largest international players in the marketing research industry. Each company profile reviews the organization's leadership, revenues and business interests. A chart detailing the top 25 organizations is included for easy reference. Marketing News has featured the annual Honomichl ranking of global marketing research firms for more than 15 years. Also featured is a June report on the top 50 research firms in the U.S.

About the American Marketing Association

The American Marketing Association is the largest marketing association in North America. It is a professional association for individuals involved in the practice, teaching and study of marketing worldwide. Through relevant information, comprehensive education and targeted networking, the AMA assists marketers in deepening their marketing expertise, elevating their careers and ultimately, achieving better results. American Marketing Association members are connected to a network of marketing professionals more than 20,000 strong. For more information on the American Marketing Association, please visit www.MarketingPower.com.

Contact:
Jen Billings
American Marketing Association
312-542-9084 | [email protected]

SOURCE American Marketing Association