IMRB International is a subsidiary of its parent company Kantar Group, which in turn is owned by Hindustan Thompson Associates. It is a multi-country firm that deals in business consultancy, survey and market research. IMRB is a part and parcel of WPP’s insights, research and consultancy network. It was founded in the year 1970 to offer research services to its owner company Hindustan Thompson Associates. It faces lots of competition from following rival companies-
- Hansa Research
- Majestic MRSS
- RNB Research
- Market Xcel
Product in the Marketing Mix Of IMRB International:
IMRB International has several units of operations in specialised areas and these are rural marketing, social marketing, retail-research marketing, business-to -business marketing, media research-marketing, industrial marketing and consumer marketing. Field operations of IMRB International’s business division are handled by Abacus Field through a strong distribution channel that includes 15 regional offices. It is responsible for quality control, administration and recruitment of survey responses.
A large part of IMRB International’s work involves customised research like branding studies, usage studies, product testing, concept testing, public-opinion research, label and packaging research, need assessment studies and market segmentation studies. Company also offers syndicated research reports and products like-
- MarketPulse is a tracking of purchases on monthly basis across FMCG categories. It is used as a benchmark for pricing behaviour and various purchases.
- RAM and WAM are an audience measurement standardised system that offers real-time data based on web usage behaviours.
- ICube and ITops deals in syndicated research reports
- TGI India offers the single source of media information and marketing on purchasing behaviour, media habits, motivations and consumer attitudes.
Place in the Marketing Mix Of IMRB International:
IMRB International is a global corporation with its network spread over nearly fifteen countries and thirty-two cities. It has its headquarters base at Mumbai in India. IMRB is a leading insights and research provider across North America, Middle East and South Asia. It has a strong distribution channel and operates through associates, joint ventures and its personal offices that are situated in places like United Kingdom, UAE, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Netherland, Malaysia, Japan, India, Hong Kong, Egypt, Australia and Bangladesh.
The company has a full staff of nearly twelve hundred employees for providing interpretation skills, execution and strategic thinking. In India, IMRB International operates through its offices offering full services in Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai. It is aided by fifteen regional centres that help to collect survey information.
Price in the Marketing Mix Of IMRB International :
IMRB International accounts for nearly 2 billion dollars in revenues to occupy the second position in terms of the largest corporation for market research. The company has resources for data collection via nation-wide surveys. It has put special emphasis on increasing productivity and on minimising operating costs. The right price is as important to a company as breathing is to a body because one cannot survive without the other.
The brand has adopted a premium pricing because it knows that the clients can afford its services. Its prices are a bit higher than maintained by its rival companies. But still, it is beneficial to pay high fees to IMRB International because the company will later help it in attaining its goals at minimum expenses. The company offers best solutions and services and thus has maintained a value-added pricing policy for its clients.
Promotions in the Marketing Mix Of IMRB International :
IMRB International is a commendable company that has been defined as Best Market Research Company. Over the years company has been focussing on its various fields and has acquired numerous multinational clients. It has played an important role in rising and developing of several major brands in India like Dabur, Godrej, Bingo Chips and Marico and currently provides support to nearly forty top brands.
As part of its marketing strategy in the year 2002, it underwent a rebranding process by adopting a new logo and changing its company name from Indian Market Research Bureau to its present name IMRB International. It has also been a training ground for industry leaders like Meena Kaushik, Ranjit Chib and Dorab Sopariwala.
