COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 541910

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

22companies1918–2000founding years20still active2no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironment
FoundedUnited Business Media plcFoundedUnited Business Media plc
1918
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression begins.
1933
EconomyNew Deal reforms reshape banking and industry.
FoundedGfK AktiengesellschaftFoundedGfK Aktiengesellschaft
1935
FoundedVance Publishing Corporation
1937
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long postwar expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented at Bell Labs.
FoundedThe Arbitron CompanyFoundedThe Arbitron Company
1949
1956
EconomyThe Interstate Highway program remakes commerce.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedJ.D. Power and AssociatesFoundedJ.D. Power and Associates
1968
FoundedEnvironmental Systems Research Institute Inc. (ESRI)
1969
1970
EnvironmentThe EPA is founded; environmental regulation expands.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; Nasdaq opens.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins with the Altair.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedQuintiles Transnational CorporationFoundedQuintiles Transnational Corporation
1982
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall 22% in a single day.
FoundedIDEO Inc.FoundedIDEO Inc.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedTaylor Nelson Sofres plc
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
FoundedIMS Health, Inc.FoundedIMS Health, Inc.
1998
FoundedObserver AB
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2001
EconomyThe September 11 attacks; a recession follows.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 begin to take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

United Business Media plc →
Active · founded 1918 · United Kingdom
Early 1980s:United Newspapers makes its first major U.S.
United Business Media plc →
Active · founded 1918 · United Kingdom
Early 1980s:United Newspapers makes its first major U.S.
GfK Aktiengesellschaft →
Active · founded 1935 · Germany
Nuremberg-based GfK Aktiengesellschaft is one of the leading European market research companies with a growing…
GfK Aktiengesellschaft →
Active · founded 1935 · Germany
Nuremberg-based GfK Aktiengesellschaft is one of the leading European market research companies with a growing…
Vance Publishing Corporation →
Active · founded 1937
Vance Publishing Corporation has been producing specialized trade magazines since 1937.
Vance Publishing Corporation →
Active · founded 1937
Vance Publishing Corporation has been producing specialized trade magazines since 1937.
The Arbitron Company →
Active · founded 1949
The Arbitron Company is a market research firm that gathers information about broadcast media and consumer spending for…
The Arbitron Company →
Active · founded 1949
The Arbitron Company is a market research firm that gathers information about broadcast media and consumer spending for…
J.D. Power and Associates →
Active · founded 1968
By the early 1990s, the name J.D.
J.D. Power and Associates →
Active · founded 1968
By the early 1990s, the name J.D.
Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. (ESRI) →
Active · founded 1969
Headquartered in Redlands, California, Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc.
Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. (ESRI) →
Active · founded 1969
Headquartered in Redlands, California, Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc.
Quintiles Transnational Corporation →
Active · founded 1982
Quintiles Transnational Corporation is a comprehensive provider of contract research, marketing, and sales to the…
Quintiles Transnational Corporation →
Active · founded 1982
Quintiles Transnational Corporation is a comprehensive provider of contract research, marketing, and sales to the…
IDEO Inc. →
Active · founded 1991
IDEO Inc.
IDEO Inc. →
Active · founded 1991
IDEO Inc.
Taylor Nelson Sofres plc →
Defunct · founded 1997 · United Kingdom
London-based Taylor Nelson Sofres plc is the world's fourth largest market research specialist, with 150 offices in…
Taylor Nelson Sofres plc →
Defunct · founded 1997 · United Kingdom
London-based Taylor Nelson Sofres plc is the world's fourth largest market research specialist, with 150 offices in…
IMS Health, Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
IMS Health, Inc.
IMS Health, Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
IMS Health, Inc.
Observer AB →
Active · founded 2000 · Sweden
Observer AB is the aptly named parent of a group of companies that focus on monitoring media in various countries for…
Observer AB →
Active · founded 2000 · Sweden
Observer AB is the aptly named parent of a group of companies that focus on monitoring media in various countries for…
Build It Today

Starting a marketing research and public opinion polling company now

Each week we rebuild one of these stories for today's tools and capital.