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Research International Buys Into Teen Market
Research International has acquired Illinois-based youth research specialist Teenage Research Unlimited (TRU) for an undisclosed sum.
TRU was established in 1982 and claims to be the only full-service marketing-research firm dedicated solely to understanding teens. The agency specialises in conducting research for global brands, and provides guidance for policy makers in Washington on a host of youth-centric social-marketing issues such as anti-tobacco and drug use, life safety, education, crisis management, and skin cancer. TRU also runs a monthly 'Omnibuzz' survey to gather the opinions of 1,100 US teen respondents.
Discussing the reason for the acquisition, Lorna Walters, Chief Executive Officer of Research International USA explained that the agency's clients are increasingly looking for deep insights into the teen and young adults market: 'Our investment in TRU will allow Research International to continue to build on our own experience with the youth market while allowing TRU to benefit from Research International's global footprint to further expand their offerings into the 20-somethings category.'
TRU President and Co-founder Peter Zollo responded by saying that the agreement with Research International will allow TRU to move forward with a series of ambitious new initiatives.
TRU employs 24 people and its unaudited revenues for 2006 were $6.1m, with gross assets of $2.4m. The agency is online at: www.teenresearch.com . Research International is a part of Kantar, the information, insight and consultancy division of WPP, and is on the web at: www.research-int.com
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