Ipsos Comcon

Ipsos Comcon is part of the international company Ipsos Group, which for 2016 ranks third in the world in terms of marketing research and has offices in 87 countries. Globally, the company employs more than 16,000 people, research covers more than 100 countries.

History

2016: Ipsos Russia and Synovate Comcon merge into Ipsos Comcon

From 2011 to the end of 2015, Ipsos and Synovate Comcon in Russia operate independently. In early 2016, Ipsos and Synovate Comcon merged and began operating under the Ipsos Comcon brand.

2011: Ipsos acquires Synovate

In October 2011, Synovate Comcon became part of the Ipsos global research network as a result of the global merger of Ipsos and Synovate. By the decision of top management in Russia, Synovate Comcon and Ipsos Russia continued to work independently of each other, preserving the entire range of research products.

2010: Comcon sold to Synovate

On December 1, 2010, Synovate announced the acquisition of a controlling stake in the Russian company COMCON (one of the four largest research companies in Russia and has offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg). The business, which was owned by the founders of COMCON, has a large portfolio of research resources for custom and syndicative projects, has a solid client base in major industries, including the pharmaceutical market, FMCG, financial services and media.

Robert Philpot, head of Synovate's global business (Robert Philpott, Global CEO for Synovate), who specially flew to Moscow to announce the signing of this important agreement and personally greet the leadership team and employees of COMCON at the time of joining Synovate, commented on this event: "The acquisition of COMCON will make Synovate. This leadership will be based on large-scale resources, a strong leadership team and a well-diversified client base. Our task after unification is to become number one in the Russian market. The integration of KOMKON's business, which has an excellent reputation in Russia, and Synovate Russia gives us this opportunity. Looking ahead, I can say that the strengthening of Synovate's position in Russia will open our local customers access to world markets and allow our global customers to start or expand their business in Russia. This event also strengthens Synovate's position as a leading company in the market for marketing research in the East European region. "

Management, operations, research resources and technologies of the two businesses were integrated into a single company under the Synovate Comcon brand.

Elena Koneva, General Director and Founder of COMCON, becomes the General Director of the united business from the moment of signing the agreement; Oleg Feldman, founder of COMCON-Pharma, retains his position as head of research in healthcare.

Elena Koneva comments on the deal: "COMCON and Synovate are perfect for each other. We have many complementary characteristics - our methodologies and projects, industry solutions and customers, great employees and wonderful corporate cultures. This event gives us a great opportunity, becoming part of one of the leading international networks, to unite all the best that the two companies have. We will create an even stronger team, and I promise that we will value people as our most valuable resource. "

Panikos Ioannidis, Managing Director of Synovate Russia, assisted Elena Koneva in assuming the position of CEO of the united business. He contributed to the integration of companies for several months.

2009: 3D Shop Virtual Store

The 3D Shop virtual store has been developed, which is an interactive three-dimensional computer model of the supermarket. The program is designed to study the behavior of customers in the store, bringing respondents as close to real conditions as possible due to the ability to model a large number of factors.

COMCON took the highest position among federal companies specializing in marketing research in the ranking annually compiled by the Group 7/89 association and reflecting the assessment of the work of national research companies by their regional contractors.

2008: Psychographic scaling method

Experts of COMCON Company developed a Method of psychographic scaling, which allows you to explore the characteristics of the character and worldview of target consumer groups and use them for brand development

COMCON introduced a new version of the DataFriend Web software package, which has advanced capabilities for analyzing syndicative research data.

2007: Internet Research

The geography of Premier research ('Middle Class Lifestyle') has expanded significantly. For the first time, this study was carried out not only in Moscow, but also in St. Petersburg, and in 11 more Russian million-plus cities.

The company COMCON was the first among those working in the same field to conduct a syndicative study using the Internet. It was a survey of Premier regions - studying the lifestyle of the middle class in 11 regional cities with millions.

2006: Office in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg office opened

2005: Increased production capacity

Regular research on Baby Index expands geography. Since 2005, the market for goods and services for children under 3 years of age has been monitored in 7 cities of Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don and Samara. The total annual sample is 7,000 people.

The Russian Task Force Index noted a decade of success in Russia.

COMCON increased its production capacity by 50%, building the largest CATI center among Russian research companies (150 telephone lines), a separate room for conducting Internet research and a two-level focal studio for conducting non-standard research, creative and super groups.

2004: Study "FMCG - Style of Purchases"

COMCON presented a new regular study "FMCG - Style of Purchases."

2003: Launch of COMCON Finance

The presentation of the first regular analytical product COMCON-finance took place.

COMCON is launching a new analytical product "Middle Class as a Radio Audience," based on the analysis of radio hearing data among the most profitable and active consumer groups.

2002: Study of mothers of children under three

A new regular study Baby Index is launched - a regular single-source study of consumer behavior, lifestyle and media preferences of mothers of children under three years old living in Russia.

2001: Start of the Middle Class Lifestyle Study

COMCON launches a regular study of the "Lifestyle of the Middle Class" (Premier) in Moscow.

A continuous measurement of the radio audience of Moscow (later called RadioWeek) began, accompanied by weekly distribution of radio monitoring results to subscribers.

1999: Start of partnership with Research International

COMCON becomes the official representative of Research International in Russia, which is an objective international recognition of the company's authority and experience. As a result of partnerships that lasted for ten years and ended in 2009 as a result of the merger of Research International and TNS with the subsequent abolition of the international network of affiliated companies RI, the company gained experience in participating in global projects, studied many modern Western research methods, and implemented Western quality standards.

1998: Establishment of COMCON Pharma

COMCON is recognized as the best research agency in Russia following a survey conducted by the Institute for Strategic Analysis and Development of Entrepreneurship in six Russian cities among advertising companies, as well as the editorial board of Marketing Russia magazine among advertising agencies. Parameters such as accuracy, reliability, objectivity, utility, as well as knowledge of research companies were investigated.

The study of consumption, lifestyle and media preferences among children and adolescents aged 4 to 15 years was launched in a regular format (twice a year). The project was called "New Generation."

The company COMCON-Pharma is being established to carry out special research projects in the market of medicines, parapharmaceutics, cosmetics and perfumes.

1997: Testing the music format of radio stations

COMCON launched a new type of radio audience research - testing the musical format of radio stations. Along with the use of its own continuous radio monitoring data, music tests have become an integral part of the work of marketing and software services of leading Russian radio stations.

1996: Weekly TV Audience Bar

Weekly preparation of data on the audiences of television channels and television programs based on the All-Russian diary panel has begun. For 2 years, until the closure of the project due to the 1998 crisis, COMCON television ratings remained the most reliable and unbiased source of data for media planning.

1995: First Russian Target Group Index

The first results of the Russian Target Groups Index project were presented, based on the questionnaire of 25 thousand respondents in 45 cities of Russia. Within a short time, this study has become a reliable source of unique information about the situation in the Russian consumer market of more than 3,500 brands of food and durable goods.

1994: Russia's First Child and Adolescent Consumption Study

For the first time in Russia, a comprehensive marketing study of consumption, lifestyle and media preferences among children and adolescents aged 4 to 15 years was conducted. Later (starting in 1998), this project will become a regular and will be called New Generation.

As part of the TACIS program, the best COMCON specialists completed an internship at Western European research centers - Intomart (Netherlands), Market Behavior, Pulse Train Technology, PA Consulting Group (UK). A system of regular staff training has been established.

1993: Introduction of a computer telephone survey system

The introduction of the computer telephone interviewing system in Moscow (CATI - Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) brought Moscow market research to a new level of quality.

Daily monitoring of television and radio audience in Moscow was launched according to the DAR (Day-After-Recall) method. As a pioneer of the Russian market for marketing research, COMCON contributed to the introduction into the lexicon of domestic advertising agencies and the media of such now familiar concepts as Rating, Share, Reach, Frequency, AQH, CPT, etc.

1992: Russia's first study of TV, radio and press audiences

The first comprehensive study of television, radio and press audiences in Russia, carried out jointly with the French research agency Mediametrie, has become a powerful incentive for the development of media measurements in our country.

Independent multimedia monitoring has begun in Moscow and St. Petersburg based on personal interviews. For several years, this study was the most authoritative source of ratings and data necessary to compile a media profile that accurately reflects trends in the media measurement market in Russia.

Joining ESOMAR (European Society of Market Researchers and Public Opinion) strengthened the Company's international contacts and contributed to the development of a fruitful exchange of experience with foreign colleagues.

1991: Founding of COMCON

The founding of COMCON was a logical response to the Russian market, which demonstrated energetic development.

Elena Koneva has headed COMCON since its founding in 1991, managing the company for many years, despite difficult economic conditions. Later she became known as one of the most successful CEOs in her market.