We continue to produce TGI

Dear clients and partners,

We find it necessary to inform you of the situation around TGI, COMCON’s research product.

WPP purchase of the TNS network and the global economic crisis caused Kantar, COMCON’s TGI partner, to attempt to grant the TGI license to TNS, COMCON’s competitor.

According to the Licensing contract, COMCON is granted an exclusive right for the use of the TGI trademark in the Russian Federation. The Contract is valid for the entire term of the trademark registration (minimum till 2015) and it may be terminated solely on mutual consent of parties.

We inform you that COMCON has given no consent. The Contract is not terminated and will remain valid until its expiry date.

The TGI-Russia survey is undoubtedly linked to COMCON, whose staff has adapted the original methodology for its use in Russia and made it a standard for strategic marketing planning and multimedia planning for advertising. The product has always been one step forward ahead of the competitors, which both past years’ questionnaires and collected data can certify. In addition, the high quality of the product has always been maintained, which our clients can prove.

We have moral, business, and legal rights both for the TGI survey and its trademark.

COMCON has been conducting TGI for 15 years, and it’s together with you that we develop and promote this survey and the brand on the Russian market. In 1995, we became the first licensed partner of BMRB/ Kantar and, according to our British colleagues, served as the catalyst for the development of TGI globally. Throughout these years, we were one of the most successful Global TGI partners, active participants of all conferences, the owner of “TGI Excellence Award,” professional awards of the TGI research network.

We have been proficient in using the TGI technology for consumer research. We created several ideas ourselves as well. COMCON’s unique experience allowed the company to become the first and unique partner who was granted TGI sublicensing rights. Using this right, we launched TGI in three countries – the Ukraine (2002), Kazakhstan (2001), and Azerbaijan (2006). Currently, TGI in Ukraine and Azerbaijan holds strong positions on the markets of these countries.

During the difficult crisis time of 1999 and 2009, COMCON showed fidelity to its child. We managed to maintain the product’s quality. For us, this product is systemic, which allows us to be experts in all substantial areas of the market. All these years we protected the TGI name against attempts of its illegal use, employing civilized methods, including appeal to The Ethics Committee of ESOMAR international research association.

COMCON is the proprietor of TGI-Russia, all its (historical) data obtained, as well as the strategic investor into the product.

We understand WPP’s desire to economize globally due to synergy and concentration of products and companies. However, we are not prepared to sacrifice one of our major developments to profitability of the foreign consortium.

We continue to produce TGI. In November, 2009, we obtained the data of Wave 3, which is supplied to our subscribers already. Survey production continues in the regular mode, and the data for Wave 4 will be obtained in January, 2010.

COMCON will continue to produce TGI in 2010 and afterwards.

Yours faithfully,

Timothy Barsov,
COMCON Research Company,
Deputy General Director