Market Research 2.0 -- the companies who do, and who don't...

Yesterday I attended the 4th annual online market research conference "Research 2.0" of the MRS in London. Extremely relevant content was shared, and there was one thing I realised in the plane on may way back home: Some great multinationals like BBC, easyJet, Unilever and Coca-Cola presented their approaches and uses of the tools the new web has to offer. Some great small market research agencies -- I guess niche-players and mainly UK focussed-- shared their relevant and interesting insights. So all in all it was very worth while being there. But where were the big global research agencies...?

The changing competitive field of MR

Today my reader explodes with posts on Google's new internet browser: Chrome. It reminds me of a thought I had regarding the changing competitive field of Market Research. Last spring, at the announcement of Google acquiring DoubleClick, I immediately thought of that other company that DoubleClick acquired: TangoZebra. Tangozebra claims to be the leading online advertising solutions provider in the UK and their response unit is in charge of providing online research solutions. Just take a quick look at their gallery, and you'll see what it is they do. But more importantly: you'll see where Google is heading! Now mind you: DoubleClick itself enables Google already with a strong behavioral targeting system to improve advertising efficiency. I wonder:

"Would these type of companies replace (part of) the need for traditional MR...?"

Anyhow, like I already concluded here, the MR industry will not like anything like today, and I gues the point I am trying to make is: Every now and than, organisations like EFAMRO, CASRO, ARF and ESOMAR try to forecast the industry's revenue growth, yet they don't usually include the new companies who are new to the industry. Generally, I see three type of new entrants who we simply loose track off (but shouldn't, clearly) :

1. MR companies who simply are not a member of industry organisations: e.g. Comscore or Gallup ...
2. Market Research 2.0 companies, either still independent, (Compete, Communispace...) or already taken over (AC Nielsen's Buzzmetrics, TNS' Cymphony...)
3. New Niche players (sometimes part of big companies) Experian's Hitwise, Google's TangoZebra, , ComScore's M:Metrics ...

The number new players in the MR field is dramatically increasing. New entrants and substitutes are becoming a major force of change, there are many players are out there… some big and well-known, others smaller.

Our competitive arena is rapidly getting tighter and tougher!