CPS GfK Integrated under YouGov Brand

YouGov is retiring the separate brand of the GfK panels business it bought just under a year ago, as it integrates the business into the group; and has a new overall brand strategy reflecting its enhanced offer and focused around the concept of 'Research Reality'.

GfK was required under competition law to divest the CPS business in order to proceed with its merger with retail data giant NIQ. The resulting EUR 315m YouGov buy was completed in January this year, brought YouGov panels from eighteen European countries delivering data from more than 100,000 households and 18 million shopping trips.

Consumer Panel Services (CPS GfK) and its predecessor services have been collecting and analysing European household purchase data for more than sixty years. Now, in addition to adopting the YouGov brand, the business has been through a comprehensive review to align its expertise, values and goals with those of its new parent. YouGov says this is a significant moment for the group as a whole, with a new and cohesive brand strategy, positioning and messaging reinforcing the combined strength and ambitions of the enlarged organisation.

At the heart of this is the notion of reality, and 'the critical role that quality data from real people plays in helping organisations understand what people think, feel and do'. YouGov says this is centred around four key pillars designed to 'show [clients] the reality of the world': ensuring data quality, growing a unique member community that shares opinions and behaviour; offering trusted expertise from insights professionals; and tapping technologies such as AI to mine real human insights.

'CPS GfK is now YouGov' says Stefan Heremans, President and acting CEO at CPS GfK. 'This rebranding is a milestone moment for us and an important step in demonstrating to the world what we stand for. We are incredibly proud of our heritage and know that it will thrive in YouGov because this organisation believes in high-quality, accurate data drawn from an engaged panel of real people allied to research expertise and technology-powered innovation'. YouGov CMO Mike Woods (pictured) adds: 'With CPS GfK - and its rich behavioural data - now being YouGov, it's important that our brand highlights what we give clients: Research Reality. This is a transformational moment for YouGov as a whole. With so much noise in the data industry, it is vital for us to focus on our fundamental mission - to deliver real-world data from real people in real-time. This all comes back to our panel who share their opinions and actions with us. When combined with our state-of-the-art technology platforms and research expertise, we deliver clear, accurate data so clients can face reality head on'.

CPS GfK's owned social channels and separate web site will be closed down by the end of November. The group is online at business.yougov.com .