Millward Brown Acquires Irish Marketing Surveys Group - April 2002

Millward Brown, the world leader in brands and communications research, has acquired the Irish Marketing Surveys (IMS) Group. Founded in 1963 by the late John Meagher, the group operates three major companies: Ulster Marketing Surveys (to be rebranded Millward Brown Ulster), Lansdowne Market Research, and Irish Marketing Surveys (to be rebranded Millward Brown IMS).

The IMS Group is the largest full service market research organisation in Ireland with an enviable track record having more than trebled its revenues over the past decade and, for the year ended 2001, had a turnover of 16 million euro.

The group employs 130 people full time in Belfast and Dublin. Clients include a wide range of leading public and private companies, government departments and government agencies. The Group also works extensively with most of the major multi-national businesses with interests in Ireland. In the past year the IMS Group carried out over one thousand separate research assignments.

Commenting on the acquisition, Sharon Potter, Joint MD of Millward Brown UK said: "We are delighted to be joining forces with such a respected company. It will bring a sizeable, professional business with great people into the Millward Brown family. Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are rapidly expanding markets where Millward Brown already conducts over 4 million Euro worth of business mainly for global clients. So a local presence will enable us to extend Millward Brown products and services to Ireland via a team with a great track record, as well as building on existing local business".

Eamonn Williams, Group Chief Executive of the IMS Group, and Managing Director of Irish Marketing Surveys commented: "We are very excited to be joining the Millward Brown Group. We recognise that users of research are consolidating and that multinational clients are increasingly demanding consistent international data. We were therefore keen to find an international partner to facilitate a continuation of the impressive growth rates that we have achieved to date. Millward Brown is a perfect fit. It brings areas of specialization and branded techniques to the IMS Group alongside an established presence in over 30 countries around the globe".

Robin Addis, Chairman of the IMS Group added that "an overriding motivation for us was to find a natural partner for growth - one that would allow us to retain our culture. In Millward Brown, we are confident that our staff will feel we have found that partner".

The existing structure and local management personnel of the IMS Group will continue unchanged.

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Millward Brown is one of the world's top 10 market research organisations. It is an acknowledged leader in understanding and evaluating brand equity and the contribution of the total communications mix to that understanding. Through the use of an integrated suite of validated research products - both qualitative and quantitative - Millward Brown helps clients build strong brands and services capable of delivering profitable future revenue stream. The company provides research-based consultancy on both traditional and e-brands, and for both local and multi-national clients. The organisation has 61 offices in 32 countries, and regularly works in over 60. Millward Brown is part of The Kantar Group, the information and consultancy arm of WPP Group plc.