GfK increases its presence in the world’s largest market research countries

gfkNuremberg, 2 May 2013 – GfK has further expanded its network in the world’s three largest market research countries – the USA, Germany and the UK. In the Consumer Choices sector, shares were increased to 100 percent in subsidiaries GfK Etilize, media control GfK International and GfK UK Entertainments.

GfK Etilize

The GfK Group increased its share in the American company GfK Etilize from 75 percent to 100 percent in mid-April this year. GfK Etilize has the world’s largest, most comprehensive electronic catalog of technical consumer goods. It provides product information for transactions within the
e-commerce segment for a wide assortment of technical consumer goods. The company operates within a diverse range of markets such as IT, consumer electronics, office supplies, major domestic appliences, leisure equipment and professional photography. GfK Etilize’s clients include some of the world’s largest manufacturing organizations, wholesalers and retailers as well as operators of online shopping websites, search engines and price comparison platforms. Its clients have access worldwide to information such as marketing material, videos and product handbooks in 20 languages for more than 9 million technical consumer products.

GfK Etilize was founded in 2000 and currently employs 470 staff. The company’s headquarters are in Long Beach, California, USA. Its founder, CEO and President, Azhar Hameed, will continue to head the company in the future.

media control GfK International GmbH

media control has been a full service provider for media monitoring, analysis and evaluation since 1976. media control and GfK founded the joint venture media control GfK International in 2003, and parts of media control were integrated into the new company as a result. media control GfK International has since developed into the world’s leading comprehensive information provider for the entertainment industry. Its international database gives its clients worldwide round-the-clock access to online applications as well as access to market research data and hit lists for books, music, DVDs, videos and computer games. With its individual, tailored analyses of companies, markets and products, media control GfK International provides a daily overview of consumers’ listening, gaming, watching and reading habits. Every year it processes around 1.6 billion sales reports. Its catalogue includes information on around 40 million products, and is constantly being updated.

GfK has been the sole shareholder in media control GfK International GmbH since 15 March. The company currently employs more than 90 staff under the leadership of Ulrike Altig, and is headquartered in Baden-Baden, Germany.

GfK UK Entertainments Limited

GfK acquired all remaining shares in GfK UK Entertainments Limited in March, increasing its stake from 70 percent to 100 percent. GfK UK Entertainments Limited is the holding company for GfK Chart-Track, which is the leading sales data provider for the games industry in the UK and the music and video industries in Ireland. John Pinder is Managing Director of GfK Chart-Track Limited, a company headquartered in London, UK.

About GfK

GfK is one of the world’s largest research companies, with more than 12,000 experts working to discover new insights into the way people live, think and shop, in over 100 markets, every day. GfK is constantly innovating and using the latest technologies and the smartest methodologies to give its clients the clearest understanding of the most important people in the world: their customers. In 2012, GfK’s sales amounted to €1.51 billion.

To find out more, visit www.gfk.com