The Harris Poll
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Market research, Data analytics |
| Predecessor | Louis Harris & Associates |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Founder | Louis Harris |
| Headquarters | Chicago and New York City , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | John Gerzema (co-CEO), Will Johnson (co-CEO), Mark Penn (Chairman) |
| Products | Market research services, software-driven data platforms |
| Owner | Stagwell Group |
The Harris Poll is a prominent American firm specializing in market research and data analytics, continuously monitoring the opinions, behaviors, and motivations of U.S. adults since 1963. In addition to conventional consulting services, Harris has created software-driven data platforms that assist brands in evaluating health metrics and the impact of their campaigns.
The company traces its origins to opinion pollster Louis Harris, who founded Louis Harris & Associates in 1956. In 1999, the organization was rebranded as Harris Interactive. After being owned by Nielsen, it was acquired by the Stagwell Group in 2017 and subsequently relaunched as The Harris Poll under the leadership of co-CEOs John Gerzema and Will Johnson. Mark Penn, founder of Stagwell and former MDC Partners chairman and CEO, acts as chairman. The headquarters are located in Chicago and New York City, with additional branches operating in Washington, D.C., and Rochester, New York.
The monthly Harvard–Harris Poll results from a collaboration between The Harris Poll, HarrisX, and Harvard University’s Center for American Political Studies.
History
Louis Harris played a pivotal role as pollster for John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign through his firm Louis Harris & Associates, established in 1956. The Harris Poll was initiated in 1963, becoming one of the longest-established public opinion surveys in the United States and providing insights to influential figures such as Kennedy and Ronald Reagan during critical moments.
Ownership transitions include acquisition by Gannett and later by Gordon S. Black Corporation in 1996. The company was renamed Harris Black International Ltd. in 1997 before going public under the name Harris Interactive in 1999. Nielsen held ownership from 2014 until the Stagwell Group’s purchase in 2017, which took the company private again and rebranded it as Harris Insights & Analytics while preserving The Harris Poll name.
Louis Harris retired from Louis Harris & Associates in 1992 at age 70 and subsequently founded LH Associates. A significant event occurred in 1970 when Harris acquired Humphrey Taylor's firm; Taylor was an influential strategist for the UK Conservative Party and Margaret Thatcher.
Despite numerous changes in ownership—from Gannett through Gordon S. Black, Nielsen, and finally Stagwell—The Harris Poll has consistently upheld its reputation and brand within the market research industry.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Business services companies of the United States
- Companies based in Rochester, New York
- Consulting firms established in 1956
- Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
- Market research companies of the United States
- Public opinion research companies in the United States
- 1956 establishments in New York (state)
- 2014 mergers and acquisitions
- 2017 mergers and acquisitions