Percept group to re-enter market research

The Rs 1,000 crore Percept group is re-entering the market research business as a part of its plan to be an integrated communications company.

Shailendra Singh, joint managing director, said, " It is essential that to provide a complete communication solution to our client, we need the support of a strong research. When backed by research we would be able to offer services at a premium."

According to Singh, this would be a second innings for the group in market research. Its first attempt was 10 years ago which did not succeed greatly.

This time around, however, the company plans to build the division on its own and then look for a strategic partner as it did in the case of outdoor media.

This company today announced a strategic tie-up with the world's largest out-of-home media planning and buying company, Posterscope.

As per the tie-up, Aegis Group has picked up a 49 per cent stake in Percept Out of Home (POOH). The company has been renamed as Posterscope India.

Percept, however, will retain management control of Posterscope. This is Percept's second alliance with the Aegis Group, the first was Carat, a media buying agency.