The newly arrived ESOMAR directory reveals a fundamental difference in membership development for the three Scandinavian countries. While Denmark and Norway are found slightly below last years numbers, Sweden has for the second consecutive year increased its membership in the world organisation for market researchers considerably. We have looked further into potential reasons for this and we believe the outcome is no coincidence.

The theme for the first Swedish Market Research Day in February 2006 was "Success doesn't come by chance" ("Framgång är ingen slump"). Up til then, ESOMAR had lost several of its members in Sweden for two consecutive years (which is as long as we have tracked ESOMAR membership progress in Scandinavia) and the national representative Åke Wissing said in an SMRN article in the summer 2005, that neither he nor ESOMAR in Amsterdam had done any marketing for the organisation in Sweden.

Åke was one of the organisers of this first Swedish MR day and ESOMAR was one of the main sponsors. He has continued to make sure ESOMAR is well visible for the Swedish MR community, both at conferences and in writing, and as he is now stepping down from his maximum six years as representative, he can look back at two years of outstanding growth. The increase from 125 members in 2006, to 148 members today, is well in line with ESOMARs quick growth globally. Åke should be particularly content with having attracted many of the new, small and innovative research agencies mushrooming up in Sweden at the moment, not to mention all the clients joining in 2007. It should be possible for ESOMAR to grow further in Sweden, but Anders Haraldsson, the new national representative, needs to work at least as hard and clever as his predecessor to achieve this.

Denmark still has the highest per capita membership of the three countries, even if Sweden is fairly close now. After a sharp increase last year, the membership figure this year stabilised at 88, only two persons less than last year. Mads Ruby, the national representative, was present at the Danish Market Research Evening in March 2008, the first big national event, but didn't market ESOMAR at the event. Maybe it would be a a good idea to copy the Swedish example of high profile and visibility at future events?

Norway lost four members net since last year which wouldn't be all that bad, if it didn't equal 10% of the members! While the other two countries have seen considerable net increases in membership over the last three years, Norway have decreased from an already low level. Yet, it would seem that the basis for marketing ESOMAR would be far better here, with a 1500 member strong national organisation, where the national representative is automatically co-opted to the board. Does NMF see ESOMAR as a competitor or is national rep Oddveig Telle pleased with 35 members? Why doesn't ESOMAR react to a situation like this and introduce a combined NMF-ESOMAR membership at a discount rate?

The complete lists of ins and outs:

Denmark
88 members 2008 (90 members 2007)

New members

Johnny Heinmann, Analysegruppen
Thomas Kläning, Cegedim Denmark
Jesper Kromann-Larsen, Aspecto
Susanne Lima, Xcellence
Sanne Nissen Møller, CPHgroup
Alexander P. Nielsen, Discovery Networks Nordic
Kristian Norgaard Jensen, The Nielsen Company
Susanne Qvist, 727 Research
Henrik Vincentz, Userneeds

Lost members

Jeanet Dallerup, Sonofon
Ejvind Hald, Ejvind Hald & Co
Peter Hartzbech, iMotions (his founding partner Jakob de Lemos continues to be a member)
Sven Lauritzen, Danske Bank
Kim Madsen, EKG Planning & Advertising
Michael Maymann, RackOut
Mik Sebastian Oddersheide, Zapera
Christian Olesen, Perception Research
Morten Rosentoft, MR-Consulting (currently employed by TNS Gallup, where other persons are members)
Mads Stenbjerre, GfK Türkiye (now listed as member in Turkey)
Kristian Walsøe, Carlsberg

Change of person within same organisation

SFI-Survey: Camilla Andersen replaces Hans Bay.
Marketminds: Søren Bertram Andreasen, Morten Lynge Madsen and Suni Poulsen replace Bo Elvers and Dennis Roi Hansen.
DR: Lene Heiselberg replaces Tore Hauerbach, Kirstine Vinderskov and Jacob Wieland.
Analyse Danmark: Henrik Christensen replaces Dines Bredo Petersen.
Epinion Capacent: Mogen Storgaard Jakobsen and Terje Vammen replace Søren Hoelgaard Justesen.


Norway
35 members 2008 (39 members 2007)

New member

Hege Monho, Visendi

Lost members

Björn Annaniassen, Markedsfakta
Ase Fixdal, NRK
Björn Kvernberg, Synovate
Sissel Lund, NRK
Lars H. Thorkildsen, Synovate

Change of person within same organisation

Fieldwork International: Nina Berg replaces Carina Wold.
Statoil: Janneke Tranås Hjorth replaces Kjetil Undhjem.
TNS Gallup: Svein Roar Hult replaces Knut-Arne Futsæter.


Sweden
148 members 2008 (138 members 2007)

New members

Ida af Robson, Novus Group International
Per Åsberg, Nepa
Carl Michael Bergman, Opticom International Research
Mikael E. Björling, Ericsson
Lotta Crona, Sony Ericsson
Linn Dickson, Cegedim Sweden
Simon Fattal, Cliente
Pia Frisk, Apoteket
Magdalena Gunnarsson, SCA Hygiene Products
Magnus Hård, go/communication
Martin Hörnqvist, Electrolux Floor Care and Light Appliances
Martin Hugosson, OmnicomMediaGroup
Lars Malmek, Volvo Car Corporation
Ulrika Melander, CQ Marketing Research
Kicki Molin, Zapera
Terje Nilstun, Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications
Semir Nouira, SEMNO Research & Analysis
Fredrik Nyman, Responz
Christina Paulin, SJ
Julia Pavlenko, Cint
Nina Persson, Opticom International Research
Eva Rylander, Pilen Affärsutveckling
Madeleine Sparre, Dedicera
Karin Stenebo, Apoteket
Anna Stode, MarketWatch Scandinavia
Anette Svensson, SCA Hygiene Products
Mats Wiberg, Turismens Utredningsinstitut
Julian Ziesing, Potentialpark Communications

Lost members

Håkan Adolfsson, Field Work Scandinavia
Helen Behrendtz, IMM
Cecilia Berg, C More Entertainment
Peter Bernström, Hermelin Research (have left Hermelin  - current vice President Carl Bernström is a member in Denmark)
Lena Hermelin-Bernström, Hermelin Research
Lars Björkman, Ipsos Eureka
Christina Bornäs Hagelin, Bornäs Research
Ralf Ganzenmüller, GfK Sverige (no longer works in Sweden, his successor Ulf Hillstedt was a member before joining GfK and still is)
Elinor Hartung, Sifo Research International Navigare
Thomas Helgeson, Volvo Truck Corporation
Douglas Hellström, Hermelin Research
Sanna Karlsson, LynxEye
Christina Elisabeth Kohl, Erisson ConsumerLab (several new Ericsson member, but unclear if anyone represents ConsumerLab)
John Örtengren, Marknadsforskning
Claes Philipson, Pinpoint Research Scandinavia
Ylva Sund, Vägverket
Helena Wänerstrand, FLIR Systems
Ying Wu, Volvo Truck Corporation

No change of person within same organisation in Sweden as far as we can see!


Compiled and commented by:

Henrik Hall
SMRN Resoner

NB! Please feel free to give us comments and corrections to the lists to henrik@smrn.se.

They didn't make it to SMRN:s top ten of the Innovate conference, but they got what is even better: the chance to win ESOMAR:s most prestigous price for excellence. This is no contradiction and no sign of bad judgement on either side: the ESOMAR jury reads the papers, we don't.

Peter Hartzbech, CEO of innovative and fast growing Danish research software company iMotions, found time in his tight schedule to sit on the program committee for the newly ended ESOMAR Innovate conference in Copenhagen. In this short web-TV interview with SMRN, he explains why he enjoyed being on the committee and why ESOMAR is an organisation we should all support.

Far from everything was perfect at the Innovate conference in Copenhagen. How could it have been? The subject is a very tricky one and the conference was only run for the third time. Seventeen presentations from ten countries couldn't possibly all be fantastic - it is rather a success that none of them was poor.

Approaching the end of the second and last day of the Innovate conference in Copenhagen, the pieces are beginning to fall into their places. What yesterday seemed like an endless and futile row of attempts at definition innovation, today proved to be a vital build-up of the foundation the following presentations needed. Todays presentations provided the specific research innovations I hoped to find from the start.

Impressions after the first day of ESOMARs Innovate conference in Copenhagen. Found myself wondering somewhere around afternoon coffee break when the conference was actually going to start. I realised it could have ended already around ten, after the keynote speaker.

The Nielsen Company has signed a global agreement with The Coca-Cola Company, enabling Nielsen to provide integrated services to Coca-Cola in more than 70 countries.

Research Live had a chat with Kim Dedeker, head of consumer and market knowledge at consumer goods P&G, and chair for ARFs council for online research quality, regarding her views on quality control. She believes that the industry needs to do more to address “systemic” quality issues, and that researchers need to be more accountable for their methods – and their results.

One of the coming men in Danish MR has left the company that discovered him. Claus Andersen finished his university studies only a few years ago, but has already made a couple of appearances as speaker on international conferences and held a leading position at qualitative expert Gads. Then came the offer he couldn't refuse!

Den 12 juni 2008 lanserades tidningsräckvidderna från ORVESTO Konsument 2008:1. Insamlingsperioden för enkäterna har i denna omgång varit 1 januari – 30 april. Antalet personer som har deltagit är 15 381 stycken i åldrarna 15-79 år. 

Konsulten Per Olof Sundqvist från BDO har återigen lämnat sina kommentarer om revision av nätet. Denna gång är det till Dagens Media. Lasse Näsström på Kia Index har svarat att det är på gång, i alla fall inom ett år. Som vanligt är det webbplatserna som ska betala för kakan, och som vanligt är det ett konsultföretag som ser sin chans att få monopol på marknaden. Lasse Näsström är dock noga med att påpeka att så inte kommer att ske. Idag finns det öppna och transparanta lösningar som tagits fram av individer som Fulton Yancy. Han har utvecklat en programvara som klarar av revision. Nu är det bara att avvakta och invänta öppningen av de politiska spelen i frågan.

Metro har flest förmögna läsare i Europa. Det visar The European Media & Marketing Survey 2008 från analysföretag Synovate.

Noa (Newspapers Online Analytics) system collects traffic data to online newspapers and provides figures for the overall traffic by month, by day of the week and by time of day. On top of this it also removes duplicate visits to provide monthly de-duplicated data. 

Nu har FDIM som är danska intresseorganisationen för webbplatsägare i Danmark (dvs motsvarigheten till Kommittén för Internet Annonsering, KIA) slagit till igen. Nu har FDIM lanserat rapportering av danska trafiktalen i 'real-tid'. Nu kan du följa de största webbplatsernas besökartal per timme, dygnet runt.

When Research Now is looking for a new Vice Presient for Client Development in the USA, they use the virtual online network LinkedIn. Surely good value for money - if it works. Read on if you feel like working long hours for a great pay on the other side of the Atlantic.

Tidigare ACNielsen chefen Terilyn Reber har etablerat ett internationellt nätverk av datainsamlare som erbjuder allt från CATI/CAWI och onlineundersökningar till globala klienter.

Ipsos has launched a FaceBook application geared at their American panel members.

Med version 8.5 vill WebTrends nå de stora multinationella företagen med sitt erbjudande om effektivare analys, smidigare hantering samt globala rapporteringsmöjligheter.

WPPs CEO says to media that GfK is stalling the process of buying TNS and thereby misleads the market. He says it is about time to close the deal or leave the table.

Enligt en ny undersökning av InsightExpress har våra attityder gentemot Cookies (filer som lagras på din dator) vänt till det positiva. Fler än någonsin tycker att det är bra med Cookies i datorn då det gynnar internetupplevelsen.

Johan Grassman har börjat på Folksam som Webbanalytiker. Han kommer tidigare från Tradedoubler och Cloude Nine.

Den nye arbejdsgruppe skal bestå af personer, der har indsigt i markedet for netmedierne og de udfordringer, der ligger nu og i fremtiden. Det kan eksempelvis være markedschefer, onlinechefer og lignende.

Att internet skulle vara en farlig plats för ungdomar har det pratats en hel del om, och diskussionen verkar inte vara helt obefogad. Habbo, en av Sveriges största ungdomscommunities för 13 till 18-åringar, genomförde nyligen undersökningen ”Känner du sig säker på internet?”, där 2411 svenska ungdomar svarade på frågor kring sina erfarenheter av internet. Det kom fram att 59% av svenska ungdomar någon gång har upplevt något riktigt obehagligt på nätet. Samtidigt så känner sig 79% av tonåringarna säkra när de surfar.

En opinionsundersökning från företaget Sentio har under dagen skapat stor förvirring hos TT och nyhetsbyråns kunder.

Google har nu lanserat Google Insights for Search. Verktyget ger dig möjlighet att studera söktrender. Verktyget är en uppföljning till Google Trends.

Svenskarna ogillar att tvingas lyssna på privata mobilsamtal. Enligt en undersökning som Tele 2 har gjort är det intima detaljer och relationsproblem som retar upp flest.

Various forms of Web 2.0 like Weblogs, Wikis, Communities, Forums and Microblogs is the common theme for the new German organisation AGSM, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Social Media. The new organisation will among other things develop common standards for measurement of Web 2.0 features.

TNS Infratest in Germany has joined a campaign where the business community in Munich is searching for 850 new talents to employ. The Bavaria region in general and its capital Munich in particular, is one of the hottest business regions in Germany, with plenty of high-tech industries and high-end consultancy firms.

The German market research associations ADM, BVM, DGOF and ASI have formed a joint work group, "Initiative Markt- und Sozialforschung", to better promote the various forms of market and social research. Christoph Naucke, former communications director at the insurance company KarstadtQuelle, will lead the group.

Compared to the UK, or even London alone, the Scandinavian market research arena is ridiculously small. You would have to work hard to find 4000 persons working full-time professionally with market research in any way (not counting interviewers, but secretaries, assistants etc). Still, we are masters in the art of setting up numerous organisations, dividing and weakening the industry, instead of speaking with the one strong voice we are all in such dire need of. And most surprising of all – no one knows why we behave like this!

Confirmit's advanced Web-based survey analysis tool Confirmit Pulsar Web has been launched as an On-Demand (ASP) service. Users can now access the tool from a shared, secure environment via the Internet.

Norways largest research institute, TNS Gallup, takes yet another important step towards strengthening its position as the leading media measurement institute, by signing an agreement for measurement of mobile internet. TNS will be the official provider of mobile internet data with the help of Mobiletech, a young Norwegian software company, on behalf of the association for media houses.

Ulf Hillstedt fick rätt: när planerna på ett samgående blir kända för tidigt, är risken stor att det inte blir något alls. GfK och TNS Gallup har nu gett upp planerna på ett samgående mellan jämlikar, något som avslöjades ryktesvägen i slutet av april i år. Istället verkar GfK vilja ta över initiativet, för att undvika att WPP lägger beslag på TNS.

Last years merger with Pulse Train seems to have done Confirmit very well. Expansion continued in the second quarter of 2008 and so did profits.

This was supposed to be an article about the wonderful global world we live in. I wanted to make an article about how market researchers all other the world can understand each other and cooperate, no matter how far apart we live. In particular, this should be an article about what it is like running a market research company and being an ESOMAR member on the Canary Islands.

Engelska myndigheter tar problemet med "silent calls" från call centers på stort allvar. Inte nog med att de har tydliga regler - de utfärdar kännbara böter för den som bryter mot dem.