Nielsen vs Research First:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Nielsen had more branded searches than Research First among market research companies in New Zealand. Nielsen was estimated to have 140 branded searches compared to Research First’s 50, and held a 3.5% Share of Search versus Research First’s 1.2%.
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Which is more popular in search, Nielsen or Research First?
Compare the market research and insights companies New Zealand brands commission. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Nielsen, Research First. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Ipsos | Kantar | Verian | Talbot Mills | Nielsen | Horizon Research | Research First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 47.1% | 25.4% | 13.6% | 4% | 5.3% | 3.1% | 1.5% |
| Nov 2025 | 60.4% | 21.1% | 6.8% | 3% | 3.5% | 4.1% | 1.1% |
| Dec 2025 | 55.1% | 18.6% | 13.7% | 2.7% | 4.2% | 3.8% | 1.9% |
| Jan 2026 | 53.5% | 20.3% | 8% | 2% | 4% | 1.7% | 10.6% |
| Feb 2026 | 55.9% | 24.4% | 7.9% | 2.2% | 6% | 1.9% | 1.6% |
| Mar 2026 | 63.4% | 18.6% | 5.3% | 4.8% | 5.1% | 1.8% | 1% |
| Apr 2026 | 57.5% | 16.8% | 13% | 6% | 4.3% | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| May 2026 | 53.6% | 24.1% | 10.4% | 5.6% | 4.2% | 1% | 1% |
| Jun 2026 | 58% | 25.6% | 6.9% | 4.4% | 2.9% | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Jul 2026 | 60.7% | 24.3% | 4.5% | 4% | 4.3% | 1% | 1.3% |
| Aug 2026 | 64% | 19.8% | 5.7% | 4.7% | 3.5% | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Nielsen and Research First comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: Research First took it in January 2026, Nielsen took it in February 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Nielsen’s estimated Share of Search among market research companies in New Zealand moved from 5.3% to 3.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 170 to 140.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Research First’s estimated Share of Search among market research companies in New Zealand moved from 1.5% to 1.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 50.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand market research companies in August 2026?
3 changes
In August 2026, Talbot Mills overtook Nielsen to rank 4th among market research companies in New Zealand, at 4.7%.
In August 2026, Nielsen lost estimated Share of Search among market research companies in New Zealand, from 4.3% to 3.5%.
In August 2026, Research First fell from 6th to 7th among market research companies in New Zealand.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Nielsen’s and Research First’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Nielsen
4 branded search terms
- nielsen market research
- nielsen ratings
- nielsen research
- nielsen survey
Research First
1 branded search term
- research first
Put your own brand in this comparison
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