Taylor Nelson Sofres

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Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) is the world’s third largest market research and market information group.[1] TNS says its strategic goal is “to be recognised as the global leader in delivering value-added information and insights that help our clients make more effective business decisions.”[2] The company is headquartered in London, with 15,000 employees in more than 80 countries, across Africa, the Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East[3]. In 2006, TNS had global sales of over £1.02 billion.[4] The company is also listed on the London Stock Exchange (TNS.L).

TNS is the world’s largest provider of custom market research[5] to many of the world’s leading companies.[6] It specialises in eight market sectors: Automotive; Consumer; Finance; Healthcare; Media; Political & Social (opinion polling); Technology; Worldpanel.

Within these market sectors, TNS claims its main areas of expertise are Audience Measurement; Consumer Access Panels; Brand and Communications (including market segmentation and positioning, advertising and customer commitment); Custom Research; Interactive Research; Media Intelligence; Opinion Polling; Product Development and Innovation; Retail and Shopper; Stakeholder Management (Customer and Employee Satisfaction).

In the company’s 2006 Annual Report, Chief Executive David Lowden talks about “providing clients with actionable insight”.[7] This means going beyond the collection and distribution of market data to provide clients with an understanding of what the data means and how they can use it to make more effective business decisions. Lowden sees this as a big shift in the market information industry, noting how major TNS clients have recently redefined the role of their internal research departments “to promote the concept of insight as a driving force for business decision making.”[7][8] He then goes on to cite client companies such as Unilever with its ‘Consumer and Market Insight’ department and Coca-Cola with its ‘Knowledge and Insights’ division.[7]

TNS has made a virtue of ‘leading the world in market information and business insight’ and describes its approach in a trademarked phrase, ‘The Sixth Sense of Business’. This simply means that TNS provides ‘value added market information and insights that help our clients make more effective decisions.’[9] The company claims that ‘The Sixth Sense of Business’ is what sets it apart from others in the field and is why more and more companies are turning to TNS for strategic and tactical advice.[9]

Contents

[edit] History

The history of TNS as a market research company began in 1946 with the establishment of National Family Opinion (NFO) in the United States.[10] Since then, various mergers and acquisitions involving large companies from the US, Europe and Asia Pacific eventually became the Taylor Nelson Sofres group, as we know it today.

The TNS Group is still growing, mainly by acquiring small research companies to strengthen its position in markets in which it already has a presence. For example, in December 2007, TNS acquired Landis Strategy & Innovation in the United States, a specialist research-based consultancy that helps clients achieve more predictable and more sustainable top line growth.[11] In the same month, TNS announced that it had reached agreement to increase its ownership of LatinPanel Holdings from 33.3% to 100%. TNS was formerly a joint venture partner with the NPD Group and the IBOPE Group in this continuous consumer panel business serving Latin America operating in 15 countries in Latin America, and covering 96% of the region’s GDP, providing local and international clients with access to a household research panel across the packaged groceries, toiletries and cosmetics, fresh foods and textile retail markets. Completion was expected in January 2008.[12]

[edit] 1960s-1990s – Establishment and growth

The 1960s saw the establishment of the six main companies that today form part of TNS. Starting with NFO in the 1940's, Intersearch in the US in 1960; then AGB in the UK in 1962; Sofres in France in 1963; Frank Small Associates (FSA) in Australia in 1964; Taylor Nelson in the UK in 1965.[10] Over the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, these companies introduced a wide range of market research solutions and grew significantly as individual businesses. Sofres had offices in six European countries, twelve in Asia Pacific, as well as in the US. At the same time, AGB and Taylor Nelson grew separately in the UK and across Europe. In the US, NFO grew to become the expert in managed consumer access panels.

[edit] 1990s – Market consolidation

By the 1990s, NFO was making acquisitions all around the world, as clients demanded an increasingly international service. As the rest of the market research industry went through a period of consolidation, most of the companies that now form the TNS Group responded by combining forces.

In 1992, Sofres acquired Secodip. In 1992, Taylor Nelson joined with AGB. In 1997, Sofres combined with FSA. In 1997, Sofres acquired Intersearch and then merged with Taylor Nelson AGB. In 2000, Taylor Nelson Sofres acquired CMR, followed by the NFO WorldGroup in 2003.

[edit] 2008 - Planned GfK merger

On April 29, 2008 TNS announced that it was in talks to enter a nil-premium merger of equals with German market research company GfK. The combined company would be called GfK-TNS, with shareholders in each of the two firms holding 50% of shares in the merged group. It would be the world's second largest market research group after The Nielsen Company.

The chairmen of TNS and GfK – Donald Brydon and Hajo Riesenbeck – would become co-chairmen of GfK-TNS, with Brydon to step down after two years. David Lowden, chief executive officer of TNS, would serve as chief executive officer of the merged firm, with GfK's chief executive officer Dr Klaus Wübbenhorst taking the role of a non-executive director. The firm would have its worldwide headquarters in London.

The announcement was followed in May by two offers from WPP to buy TNS for a combination of cash and shares, both of which were rejected by the TNS's board. The board said that both offers undervalued the company "even on a standalone basis". These formal offers were preceded by an informal proposal from WPP to reverse its research division into TNS in exchange for shares, which was also rejected. The full terms of the proposed merger were published on 3 June. The two companies claim that combining will allow them to realise "significant revenue enhancements" and cost savings of at least €97 million per year. Shareholders of both companies have yet to approve the merger plans.

[edit] Research market sectors

Through its historical development and areas of expertise, TNS has chosen to specialise in eight market sectors.

[edit] Automotive

TNS carries out research for clients who are major automotive manufacturers, component suppliers, oil companies, vehicle dealerships, parts distributors, repair specialists and advertising agencies who work with the sector. TNS claims to be the leading global supplier of research and market insights to this sector, with 250 dedicated researchers in over 50 countries.[13] The kind of research work TNS carries out for its automotive clients includes concept tests, product testing, product quality monitoring, and vehicle dealer attractiveness and satisfaction studies. In October 2007, TNS surveyed 2,500 US consumers on how the weak housing market affected their purchase decisions. It found that several car manufacturers were blaming the weak housing market for weaker new vehicle sales.[14] In December 2007, TNS launched the largest automotive study ever carried out in India, representing the responses of over 7,600 car buyers.[15] New models launched by General Motors, Mahindra Renault and Maruti proved to be the most popular with customers.

[edit] Consumer – Fast moving consumer goods or consumer packaged goods

There are two aspects to Consumer research at TNS – customised research and syndicated consumer panel research. TNS claims to be the world’s leading provider of customised consumer market research solutions to consumer goods manufacturers and brand owners, retailers and outlets, as well as advertising and media agencies who work with them.[16] All the world’s top 10 Consumer advertising agencies work with TNS.[16] The company combines its custom research solutions link with marketplace insights from its continuous syndicated service, TNS Worldpanel.[17]

[edit] Finance

In the Finance sector TNS works with a wide range of companies, including retail and commercial banks, investment companies, payment organisations and insurers.[18] It helps them solve a range of common marketing problems in areas such as product development, brand positioning, pricing, forecasting, communications, segmentation and stakeholder management. As well as a network of 250 finance professionals in over 40 countries, TNS has helped set up 45 syndicated business research programmes in 15 other countries.[18] In October 2007, a TNS survey focusing on consumer reaction to the subprime mortgage crisis in the United States demonstrated that one third of American adults were planning to cut back on spending because of it. The research identified that consumers would be spending less on home improvements, major furniture purchases, travel for leisure and entertainment.[19] In November 2007, TNS financial research in the UK showed that almost half of adults aged 55–64 have no financial arrangements in place for when they retire – despite the fact that 86 per cent of them believe that the state pension will not support them in retirement. TNS claimed that this supported the widely held belief that the UK’s pension situation is reaching crisis point and put pay to the rumour that it is only young people who are failing to plan ahead.[20]

[edit] Healthcare

TNS Healthcare provides advanced market research consulting and custom advisory services to the worldwide pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries, as well as health-focused ad agencies, media and financial analysts.[21] The company says it has supported the launches of 18 of the top 20 global pharmaceutical brands; that it has experience performing studies in 54 therapeutic categories; and has performed studies with more than 200,000 patients worldwide since 2000.[21] In December 2007, TNS Healthcare published research on diabetes showing major differences between the prescribing of the drug Avandia in the US and Europe, raising concerns about cardiac safety.[22]

[edit] Media

TNS works in two areas of research in this sector - through Media Intelligence and Media Research. TNS claims that Media Intelligence has 16,000 clients throughout the world and is ranked number one worldwide in the monitoring of advertising expenditure. Whereas Media Research has a track record in audience research services across 33 countries and operates the world’s largest TV audience measurement panel (in China), including 149,000 people.[23] In September 2007, TNS announced it was bringing Media Intelligence and Media Research together as a combined operation that would develop the significant long-term business opportunity of digital media measurement. The company said it needed to create a platform for new additional services that took account of the shift resulting from media fragmentation and growth of the internet.[24]


[edit] Political and social

By the political and social sector, TNS means public opinion polling on everything from elections to opinion on public policy, education, employment, environment, health and social services. TNS claims to be the leading provider of this kind of customised political, social and economic research for clients in 25 countries worldwide, for clients ranging from public sector and government bodies and political parties to media, non-governmental organisations, universities and scientific establishments.[25] One of its major public opinion tracking services on social trends is Eurobarometer, which operates across thirty countries in Europe.[25] In December 2007, a special Eurobarometer survey conducted for the European Commission found that six in ten Europeans would like to study a new language or improve one they already speak.[26]

Also in December 2007, TNS public opinion polling in Hong Kong found that, on average, just 15% of young children aged 3 to 9 in China, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand are very concerned about the need for environmental protection due to issues such as air pollution, carbon emissions, energy consumption and waste recycling.[27]

[edit] Technology

In this sector TNS works with some of the world’s leading IT, telecommunications, consumer electronics companies, internet service and content providers.[28] With over 800 technology research professionals in 64 countries, TNS is able to interview 15,000 people annually on how they use technology.[28]

In March 2007, TNS research in Canada revealed that, in the battle between telecoms companies to retain customers, Canadian phone users were welcoming the arrival of number portability, enabling them to discard their wired connection altogether without losing their familiar landline number.[29]

[edit] Worldpanel

Worldpanel measures consumer purchasing and consumption behaviour.[30] TNS publishes its Worldpanel grocery market share figures every three months. In September 2007, its figures showed sales through grocers growing at an annual rate of 4%, leading TNS to suggest that the spending slowdown may be not as sharp as feared.[31]

[edit] TNS around the world

TNS separates its worldwide operations in over eighty countries into three main divisions: North America; Europe; Asia Pacific and emerging markets.

[edit] Asia Pacific and emerging markets

This large geographical area includes Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. TNS says it is a leader in continuous market tracking, market segmentation, brand positioning and consumer panels across these areas.[32] The company describes it as a network of integrated offices in 35 countries, in 40 offices, with over 4,000 permanent staff.[32] In Asia, TNS operates Worldpanel Asia, which it claims is the region’s leading continuous consumer panel network in economies including China, Korea, urban Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, urban Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.[32] The TNS Group carries out multi-country research in the region through its International Research Centre (IRC) based in Hong Kong and Singapore, incorporating an International Calling Centre.[32] The Group has offices throughout Latin America and a service centre in Argentina, running the multi-country projects in the region.[32] In the Middle East, TNS says it is the largest full service market information country, operating in seventeen countries.[32]

[edit] Europe

Europe is the largest region for TNS, accounting for 40% of the Group’s revenues.[33] TNS claims to be the largest market research company in Europe, with a network of over 33 countries. Most of the Group’s income comes from Consumer Research, with access to more than half a million consumer panelists across six countries (France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK) through the TNS product, 6thdimension, which it says is the world’s leading network of fully managed online access panels.[34] In addition, TNS Worldpanel is Europe’s leading continuous consumer panel network and provides purchasing information on the majority of household and grocery markets in main regional economies including France, UK, Spain, Ireland, and Portugal. TNS Worldpanel is also the joint owner of Europanel which provides consumer purchase information across the entirety of the European marketplace.[33] TNS also runs media research audience measurement panels in 18 European countries.[33]

[edit] North America

The company’s history goes back to the 1930s in the United States and Canada. It can count over 70 years of experience in Custom research and Media Intelligence, now monitoring advertising expenditure and occurrence activity on 2.8 million brands across twenty media. TNS North America also claims to be the industry leader in tracking speciality marketplaces such as political advertising, social media and FSI/coupons.[35] TNS Healthcare is the leading market research agency for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries and has helped launch most of the top drugs marketed today in the US.[35] In Canada, the TNS operation is run by Canadian Facts, a large marketing information and social research firm, with 170 staff and offices in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, London and Vancouver, working with a wide range of local and global clients.

[edit] Research areas, products and services

TNS works in a set of specialised research areas and has a wide range of proprietary products, services and solutions for market information and insight. To explain them to clients, TNS splits these into two: specialist research expertise; global insight brands.[36]

[edit] Specialist research expertise

Rather than a range of products and services, this expertise comprises a series of specialist research fields in which TNS believes it leads the market information field: retail and shopper; stakeholder management; product development and innovation; brand and communications; custom research services; on-line research; opinion polling; audience measurement; continuous consumer panels; media intelligence.[37] The company also offers research in the areas of business intelligence; consumption behaviour; employees research; international research; mystery shopping; purchasing behaviour; qualitative research.[38]

[edit] Global insight brands

TNS owns a range of products which it uses right across the world. These global insight brands are: 6dTV; 6thdimension; AdEffect; AdEval; Brand Performance Optimisation; Conversion Model; FutureView; InnoSuite; Market Contact Audit; NeedScope; Optima; Revenue Growth Manager; TNSInfo; TRI*M; WebEval.[39] Many of these have names which are self-explanatory. 6dTV is a real-time, interactive, online research tool which uses video streaming, polling and blogging techniques to combine qualitative and quantitative survey factors.[40] 6thdimension is one of the world’s leading networks of fully managed online access panels, providing clients with insights that address issues from launching a new product to measuring attitude and usage.[41] Conversion Model is a psychological model of consumer behaviour that helps brand managers manage the strength of the relationship between consumers and brands.[42] InnoSuite offers clients a complete range of integrated new product development research solutions used to test over 20,000 concepts worldwide.[43] Optima is a tool that provides brand managers with brand planning and effective data collection, enabling them to understand product usage and consumer attitudes.[44] TNSInfo is an online information and analysis reporting service that allows clients to store and organise marketing information in one place on the Internet.[45] TRI*M is, according to TNS, the global leader in customer stakeholder management research, with over 12,000 studies monitoring relationships with customers, employees, dealers, shareholders and the general public.[46] Besides these products, services and solutions, TNS also offers an international omnibus research service that covers 80 countries, using online, face-to-face, telephone and mixed methodology research to find quick answers to specific questions posed by clients.[47]

[edit] Corporate affairs

[edit] Corporate structure

The TNS Group is run by a global executive team consisting of 12 members. Current chief executive, David Lowden, was appointed to this position in January 2006, having previously been finance director and chief operating officer.[48] Since taking this position, Lowden has restructured the TNS business to meet clients’ demands for cost-effectiveness and quality of data collection; increased insight and analysis; innovation; and globalisation of services.[48]

Other roles in the global executive team cover finance, operations, media, the three TNS regions, corporate change, global clients and market sectors, Worldpanel, strategic development and marketing.

The Board of Directors is headed by chairman Donald Brydon and includes Andy Boland, Drummond Hall, David Lowden, Paul Murray, Alice Perkins, Pedro Ros, and Remy Sautter.

[edit] Corporate and social responsibility

Through its ‘Imagine…’ fund-raising campaign, TNS supports UNICEF.[49] The partnership began in 2005, when the group made a donation to UNICEF in response to the tsunami disaster. The Group then embarked upon its ‘Imagine…’ programme, a three-year project in Cambodia that funds the building of 120 new community pre-school shelters, to expand access to education to 14,400 children aged between three and five years. In addition, Imagine… funds the training of 950 community pre-school teachers and provides educational supplies.[49]

In terms of environmental impact, TNS has been assigned a ‘low impact’ weighting for environmental impact by the FTSE4Good Index.[50] Although the group does not yet have a system of formal reporting on this issue, it can point to good practice in its operations around the world. In the UK, TNS reports annually on energy and waste management performance against stated objectives. In 2006, it aimed to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 12%. It reduced electricity consumption by 12%, gas consumption by 22% and CO2 emissions by 24%. It also aimed to increase levels of recycling to 25% and managed 31%. Also a reduction of landfill rates of 5%, with an achievement in 2006 of 15%.[50] In Europe, TNS encourages energy conservation, the recycling of waste materials and the professional disposal of electrical and computer goods. In North America, most sites have comprehensive recycling programs and systems for safe disposal of electrical and computer goods.[50] The company uses document destruction vendors that recycle their output for building insulation.[50] In Asia Pacific, most countries have in place systems for recycling and safe disposal of electrical and computer goods and energy conservation is encouraged.[50]

[edit] Financial performance

[edit] Top ten of the market research sector 2006

Rank Company Sales in 2006
(million USD)		 Growth in %
1 Nielsen Company 3,696.0 2.6
2 IMS Health Inc. 1,958.6 8.9
3 Taylor Nelson Sofres 1,851.1 2.5
4 Kantar Group 1,401.4 4.1
5 GfK AG 1,397.3 5.4
6 Ipsos 1,077.0 6.5
7 Synovate 739.6 9.5
8 IRI 665.0 6.6
9 Westat 425.8 0.8
10 Arbitron 329.3 5.9

[edit] References

  1. ^ Top 25 Marketing Research Firms Honomichl 2007 (PDF). Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  2. ^ This is TNS (PDF). Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  3. ^ This is TNS. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  4. ^ This is TNS. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  5. ^ TNS Annual Report 2006, inside front cover
  6. ^ Client Portfolio. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  7. ^ a b c TNS Annual Report 2006, p5
  8. ^ http://www.tnsglobal.com/home
  9. ^ a b TNS - The Sixth Sense Of Business
  10. ^ a b TNS - A History Of Success Delivering Market Research & Insight
  11. ^ TNS announces acquisition of US-based New Product Development Specialist Landis Strategy and Innovation. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  12. ^ TNS Agrees to Increase Ownership in LatinPanel Holdings to 100%. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  13. ^ TNS - Automotive Industry Research & Market Insight Services
  14. ^ Weak housing market delays 1 in 6 new vehicle purchases. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  15. ^ New launches delight car buyers. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  16. ^ a b TNS - FMCG Research, Information & Market Insight
  17. ^ TNS - Consumer Research, Information & Insight for the FMCG Market
  18. ^ a b TNS - Finance Research & Market Information Services
  19. ^ New study from TNS reports one-third of adult Americans plan to cut back spending due to subprime mortgage crisis. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  20. ^ Half of people aged 55-64 have no retirement funds in place. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  21. ^ a b TNS - Healthcare Market Research, Analysis & Insight Services
  22. ^ Avandia Withdrawal Rates Are Far Lower in EU than in the US, According to TNS Healthcare. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  23. ^ TNS - Media Industry Intelligence & Media Market Research Company
  24. ^ TNS announces strategy to combine its Media Intelligence and Audience Measurement operations. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  25. ^ a b TNS - Political & Social Research : Providing Insight & Information on Trends
  26. ^ Six Europeans in Ten Would Like to Learn a Foreign Language. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  27. ^ Kids Come Clean About Not Feeling Green. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  28. ^ a b TNS Technology Market Research : Providing Analysis & Insight For The Technology Industry
  29. ^ Canadians likely to be taking their numbers with them. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  30. ^ TNS Worldpanel - Research Solutions for FMCG Consumer Behaviour & Purchasing
  31. ^ Not as Bad as Last Time. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.
  32. ^ a b c d e f TNS Global - Asia & Rest of World - Market Research & Business Insight
  33. ^ a b c TNS Global - Europe - Market Research, Business Insight & Business Services
  34. ^ 6thdimensionâ„¢ - Managed Online Access Panels : TNS Research Solutions
  35. ^ a b TNS Global - North America - Market Research & Business Insight Services
  36. ^ TNS - Our Expertise In Market Research & Information Services
  37. ^ TNS - Our Expertise In Business Research Services
  38. ^ TNS Global - More Insight & Business Information Services
  39. ^ TNS Global Insight Brands - Branded Research Solutions
  40. ^ 6dTVâ„¢ - Interactive Online Research Platform : TNS Research Solutions
  41. ^ 6thdimensionâ„¢ - Managed Online Access Panels : TNS Research Solutions
  42. ^ Conversion Modelâ„¢ - Commitment Measurement on Consumer Behaviour : TNS
  43. ^ InnoSuiteâ„¢ - New Product Development : TNS Research Solutions
  44. ^ Optimaâ„¢ - Usage & Attitude : TNS Brand Planning & Market Research Solutions
  45. ^ TNSInfoâ„¢ - Online Information Analysis, Management & Reporting Of Marketing Data
  46. ^ TRI*Mâ„¢ - Stakeholder Management : Analysis & Communication For Stakeholder Strategy
  47. ^ TNS Research - International Omnibus Surveys & Services
  48. ^ a b http://www.tnsglobal.com/tns/meet-us/david-lowden.aspx
  49. ^ a b TNS - Corporate and Social Responsibilities
  50. ^ a b c d e http://www.tnsglobal.com/investor-relations/environment-policy.aspx

[edit] External links

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