Annual Report 2006

• The Economy
• Market Research Industry
• Economic Development
• Research and Development
• Human Resources
• Organization and Administration
• Purchasing
• Environmental Protection
• Marketing and Communications
• Risks
• Major Events
• Outlook

Marketing and corporate communications

For companies providing market information services to clients from the consumer goods and pharmaceutical industries, retail, the media and the services sector, regular direct contact with existing and potential new clients is the most important marketing instrument. Accordingly, all GfK subsidiaries are responsible for organizing and running their own marketing activities in close consultation with Corporate Communications. The high degree of decentralization gives GfK subsidiaries the necessary flexibility to carry out client-oriented marketing appropriate to the respective market environment and local conditions.

Marketing: dialog comes first

Global key account management and new business development

All business divisions include cross-divisional marketing activities, which facilitate the strategic planning and consistent promotion of business operations with existing and potential new clients. The tasks focus primarily on the increasing number of clients who carry out international studies or require information from several countries or whole regions. Major clients are looked after by global key account managers and their teams.

Conferences and other events

The trade conferences and client events organized by GfK and the company’s active participation in events hosted by German and international marketing and market research associations play a key role in maintaining contact with existing clients and establishing relationships with potential new clients.

Examples of conferences and events organized or co-organized by GfK in 2006 are:

• the Management Meeting of GfK Panel Services Germany in Kronberg in January with representatives from trade and commerce
  
  
• the Retail Summit in Prague in February organized by INCOMA Consult
  
  
• the Dubai Consumer Technology Markets Conference, the second client event initiated by GfK in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates with representatives from companies in 13 countries
  
  
• the first GfK client conference in Makati/Manila in May in the Philippines on trends in custom research
  
  
• the fifth trade conference held by GfK Austria in Vienna in June on “Future Trends in CEE”, a debate on opportunities and developments in Central and Eastern Europe with participants from 14 countries
  
  
• the fifth Research Summit client conference organized in June by GfK Custom Research Worldwide in London entitled “About innovative excellence – deeper insights for leadership” with visitors from 30 countries
  
  
• the Retail and Technology conference of GfK Polonia in Warsaw in July
  
  
• the client conference for manufacturers and retailers of consumer electronics organized by GfK in Vietnam at the end of August on “Distribution of Choice: Traditional or Modern Channel”
  
  
• the fifth GfK Food Congress held in Nijkerk in September by the Dutch GfK Panel Services Benelux as well as the first GfK Non-Food Congress held with retailers and companies in the food industry
  
  
• the “CSR Monitor” organized by GfK Eurisko in October in Milan on the topic of brand image
  
  
• the third client conference organized by GfK Marketing Services Brazil in São Paulo in November on the potential consumer electronics markets in Latin America
  
  
• the fifth international “CEC Consumer Electronics Conference” of GfK Marketing Services Germany in mid-November in Nuremberg with delegates from 21 countries
  
  
• the conference held in London at the end of November by GfK Marketing Services UK on consumer habits entitled “Unlock your business potential”.

In addition to the dialog with clients, the dialog with employees is also a key global communications factor. The GfK Academies in the Custom Research and Consumer Tracking divisions offer both in-house workshops for employees as well as seminars for clients and other interested parties and these are linked to a mutual knowledge exchange. The GfK Academy Custom Research based in Brussels has alone successfully held more then 100 seminars since it was established. In October, the seminars welcomed their 2,500th participant.

Corporate Communications: Group-wide integrated corporate communications

The two departments, Public Affairs and Communications and Investor Relations at GfK AG were amalgamated in August 2006 to form Corporate Communications. The restructured department is responsible for global corporate communications in the GfK Group and is structured into four areas: Corporate Public Relations, Corporate Design, Operations (trade fairs and exhibitions) and Investor Relations. The aim of the reorganization was to take account of the requirements of the various target groups as part of integrated corporate communications and to create synergies in addressing target groups.

The Corporate Communications department is responsible Group-wide for external and internal communications. These comprise company and financial communications as well as communications activities relating to individual business divisions. The target groups include media representatives, financial analysts, institutions and employees.

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GfK Annual Report 2006

GfK Management Report