HCI Joins Kantar Health Unit

ACNielsen HCI - a firm researching pharmaceutical promotions which was transferred to WPP in a 2008 regulatory asset swap - has been added to Kantar Health's Marketing Insight practice.

Kantar Health was formed by uniting Consumer Health Sciences, MattsonJack, TNS Healthcare and Ziment. The group specializes in portfolio optimization, market access, safety and outcomes, and brand and customer insights.

HCI became a unit of WPP-owned Kantar, as part of a regulatory asset swapping agreement with Nielsen, which arose from WPP's 2008 acquisition of TNS.

Founded in 1982, HCI has studied nearly 8,000 pharma campaigns to develop a process to improve campaigns' development and promotion, from pre-launch promotional budget planning to measuring sales performance. Its 'Professional Health Communication Measurement' services deliver research about the media usage tactics that impact the healthcare sector.

Kantar Health says the addition of HCI's campaign tracking solutions will augments its portfolio of complementary solutions for pharma marketers. In addition, it says the firms' combined physician panels will provide clients with greater research coverage across physician specialities.

'Kantar Health has a strong presence in pre-launch branch messaging and positioning, and HCI provides a logical solution extension via its post-launch messaging and campaign tracking,' explained John Tapper, President of the Marketing Insights Practice. 'For clients, this means we now have an opportunity to help them seamlessly and holistically develop, assess, and adjust their brand and communication messaging.'

Les Leathem, SVP of Kantar Health, added that the deal would offer 'exciting' new growth opportunities to the business.

Web sites: www.acnielsenhci.com and www.kantarhealth.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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