Ipsos MORI

Ipsos MORI
Name	Ipsos MORI
Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Market research
Founded	2016 (merger of MORI and Ipsos UK heritage)
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Parent	Ipsos

Ipsos MORI Ipsos MORI is a British market research and polling organisation formed through the integration of legacy polling firms and the global Ipsos network. It operates in public opinion polling, social research, and market intelligence for clients across politics, media, health, transport, and commerce. The organisation has been cited in coverage by outlets and institutions tracking electoral outcomes, policy debates, and consumer trends.

History

The firm's antecedents trace to established British research houses linked to post‑war polling such as Gallup-style survey traditions and agencies that advised cabinets and parliaments during the eras of Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, and John Major. Through mergers and acquisitions in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the component entities interacted with stakeholders including BBC, The Guardian, The Times, and ministries in Westminster and devolved administrations like the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. The parent global group, founded in Paris and associated with executives from networks that operated in markets alongside Nielsen, Kantar Group, and GfK, expanded UK operations amid shifts after events such as the 2008 financial crisis and the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. The organisation's portfolio evolved alongside changes in polling methodology influenced by academic work from scholars at institutions including University of Oxford, London School of Economics, and University of Cambridge.

Structure and Ownership

As a UK arm of a multinational headquartered in Paris, the entity functions within the corporate framework of the parent firm that also maintains operations in regions such as North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Governance involves senior managers with backgrounds connected to consultancies like Deloitte, PwC, and McKinsey & Company as well as directors who have previously worked with public bodies including Cabinet Office (United Kingdom), local authorities such as Greater London Authority, and agencies such as NHS England. Ownership traces to shareholders and institutional investors similar to those in international media groups like Vivendi or financial backers that transact with firms like BlackRock and Temasek Holdings. Corporate compliance relates to UK regulators and industry bodies such as the Market Research Society and interacts with legal frameworks exemplified by statutes like the Data Protection Act 2018 and precedents from courts including the High Court of Justice.

Research Methods and Services

The organisation deploys mixed‑mode methodologies encompassing telephone interviewing tied to sampling frames used historically by firms like YouGov and Opinion Research Business, face‑to‑face surveys influenced by protocols from the era of Ipsos innovations, and online panels leveraging platforms akin to those used by Qualtrics and SurveyMonkey. Its services include political polling for elections such as contests overseen by the Electoral Commission (United Kingdom), market segmentation projects for retailers comparable to Tesco and Sainsbury's, brand tracking for consumer companies resembling Unilever and Procter & Gamble, and social research commissioned by charities like Oxfam and BBC Children in Need. Methodological development references academic collaborations with centres at Imperial College London, King's College London, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and technical tools include weighting techniques familiar from demography studies at Office for National Statistics and modelling approaches used in forecasting by institutions like Goldman Sachs.

Notable Surveys and Findings

The organisation has published high‑profile political polling around UK general elections that involve leaders such as Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, and former leaders like Boris Johnson, and has released public opinion research around referendums including the 2016 vote associated with figures like David Cameron and Nigel Farage. It has produced consumer insight studies relevant to sectors where companies like British Airways, Rolls-Royce, and Barclays operate, and health policy polling tied to debates involving NHS England and agencies such as Public Health England. Social attitude reports have intersected with topics championed by organisations including Amnesty International, The Royal Society, and Institute for Public Policy Research, and have been cited alongside analyses by think tanks such as Chatham House and Institute of Economic Affairs.

Criticism and Controversies

Polling organisations including this firm have faced scrutiny following notable polling misses seen in events such as the 2015 United Kingdom general election surprises and the unexpected outcomes of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, provoking debate involving commentators from The Economist, Financial Times, and academics from University College London. Critiques have focused on sampling bias debates discussed with reference to methods used by rivals like Pew Research Center and controversies around weighting and turnout modelling highlighted by statisticians associated with Royal Statistical Society. Commercial contracts and perceived conflicts of interest with clients in sectors represented by BP, GlaxoSmithKline, and government departments have attracted media attention in outlets including The Telegraph and The Independent.

Global Operations and Offices

Operating as part of a network with regional hubs in capitals such as Paris, New York City, Beijing, Mumbai, and São Paulo, the UK operation collaborates with affiliate teams servicing markets in the European Union, United States, China, and India. Regional research centres coordinate with local partners including national statistical offices like Statistics Canada and development agencies such as United Nations Development Programme on project work. Major UK facilities are located in London boroughs proximate to institutions like King's Cross and financial districts near Canary Wharf, enabling client engagement with corporate headquarters of banks and media organisations including Reuters and Bloomberg.

Category:Market research companies