Perception Research Services and IN VIVO Merge

Shopper research specialists PRS (Perception Research Services) and IN VIVO have merged under the new name PRS IN VIVO. Terms were not disclosed.

PRS, founded in 1972 by Scott Young, has offices in Europe, North and Latin America, and Asia, having opened locations in Shanghai and Chicago in 2014. Paris-based IN VIVO, established in 1989 by Alain Sivan and Eric Singler, provides laboratory testing of in-store marketing media, packaging and new products through its proprietary Shopper Labs.

Young (pictured) will now become Global CEO of PRS IN VIVO, and the senior management of both businesses will remain with the new company, which will have approximately $90m in annual turnover and 300 employees across offices in China, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Switzerland, the US and the UK. The deal sees PRS' packaging research combined with IN VIVO's STM/volume forecasting model and expertise in new product testing; the Shopper Labs linked up with PRS' Qualitative research team; and PRS' eye-tracking research integrated with IN VIVO's work in applying behavioral economics to consumer goods marketing.

Commenting on the deal, Young said: 'We are very pleased to be joining forces with a company that shares our commitment to thought leadership, innovation and expert advisor relationships with clients. And we are excited about bringing new services to our clients, such as volume forecasting, product testing and behavioral economics'.

Web sites: www.prsresearch.com and www.invivo-bva.com .