September 27th 2007 – TNS announced today that it has acquired ID Magasin, a leading retail and shopper insight consultancy. From its base in the UK, ID Magasin has pioneered video-based research and eye-tracking for in-store research internationally. It also provides a range of consultancy services.
The business was established in 1991 by Siemon Scamell-Katz, a highly respected thought leader in the field of shopper research and analysis. ID Magasin has a strong reputation for providing actionable advice for its clients, which include some of the best-known consumer products and retail brands in the world. The company is to be renamed TNS Magasin.
This acquisition accelerates TNS’s implementation of its Retail and Shopper Insights business internationally, strengthens TNS’s portfolio of specialist skills and services, and builds on the US acquisitions of Sorensen Associates in February 2007 and Retail Forward in March 2007.
David Lowden, Chief Executive of TNS, said: “Our ambition is to create the leading global retail and shopper insights practice and this acquisition in Europe is another key step in achieving that. TNS is committed to meeting client requirements for actionable insights and consultancy in this field globally. Shopper insight is a fast-growing area of market research and consultancy. It is a TNS strategic focus.”
Siemon Scamell-Katz, Chairman of ID Magasin, said: “In-store has become extremely important for all our clients. With growing media fragmentation, the store itself has become a key marketing channel for manufacturers of consumer products. As a consequence, clients are re-organising their business functions to focus on shopper needs within stores. I look forward to helping TNS achieve its aim of becoming the world leader in retail and shopper insights.”
The acquisition of ID Magasin enhances TNS’s capabilities in two specific shopper techniques and related consultancy services. The first of these is the use of video to monitor and better understand shopper behaviour, an area in which ID Magasin has a strong track record. The second technique is the use of eye-tracking technology for innovative analysis of shopper behaviour.
TNS Retail and Shopper Insights serves both manufacturers and retailers in equal measure. In the case of manufacturers, TNS serves consumer goods brands as well as leading white goods, consumer electronics and apparel brands.
About ID Magasin:
ID Magasin provides retailers and manufacturers around the world a real competitive edge in-store. It offers clients shopper research and analysis giving unparalleled insight with practical recommendations as well as strategic consultancy, training and educational workshops, believing that it is actionable insight that marks success. ID Magasin has been researching shopper behaviour for 15 years, using leading-edge techniques such as filming and eye-tracking.
About TNS:
TNS is a global market insight and information group.
Our strategic goal is to be recognised as the global leader in delivering value-added information and insights that help our clients to make more effective decisions.
As industry thought leaders, our people deliver innovative thinking and excellent service to global organisations and local clients worldwide. We work in partnership with our clients, meeting their needs for high-quality information, analysis and foresight across our network of over 70 countries.
We are the world’s foremost provider of custom research and analysis, combining in-depth industry sector understanding with world-class expertise in the areas of Retail and Shopper Insights, Stakeholder Management, New Product Development, and Brand and Communications. We are a major supplier of consumer panel, media intelligence and internet, TV and radio audience measurement services.
TNS is the sixth sense of business.
