What Plus 94 Research does

Plus 94 Research is a South African market research company founded in 1998 by Dr. Sifiso Falala and Dr. Tirhani Mabunda, headquartered in Johannesburg with additional offices in Durban and Cape Town. The company delivers customized quantitative and qualitative research services to corporate clients, brand managers, HR departments and pan-African market researchers, spanning survey design, multi-modal data collection through a national field-force network of 1000+ interviewers, data processing, statistical analysis and strategic recommendations. Its product portfolio includes proprietary frameworks such as Equitor (Brand Equity), Extra Sensory Brand Index (ESBI), Brand Energy Explorer, Predictive Priority Profiling, Customer Satisfaction Measurement, Packaging Testing, Pricing Research, and the 360-degree performance appraisal system (Plus 360), alongside syndicated offerings like Afrometer Research and the MAPS project with the Marketing Research Foundation. The firm also holds a Harris Poll license for public opinion research and operates affiliate entities including Research Express (digital text-based surveys), the Institute of Market Research (accredited training), and AIRON (a pan-African research network founded in 2012).

The company runs a professional services revenue model with direct client engagement, dedicated project teams, and a contact-based quotation system (no public pricing). Its go-to-market is sales-led, leveraging website presence, industry association memberships (SAMRA, PAMRO, ESOMAR, SACCI, RITAG) and direct client relationships rather than self-serve channels. Customers are served horizontally across use cases — brand tracking, advertising pre/post testing, customer satisfaction, pricing, segmentation, public perception and reputation — within South Africa as the primary market and broader Africa via AIRON. Technical capability rests on a 25-person data processing department, proprietary analytical methodologies developed over 25+ years, and digital platforms (Research Express) that supplement traditional fieldwork. The company is privately held with no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, or IPO plans.

Name

Plus 94 Research

Legal name

Plus 94 Research

Website

https://plus94.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Plus 94 Research is a South African market research firm founded in 1998 that delivers customized quantitative and qualitative studies — including brand equity, pricing, advertising testing, customer satisfaction and public opinion research — to corporate clients and brand managers across South Africa and the broader African market via the AIRON network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191), Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Market Research & Consumer Insights (BPAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Product & Innovation Research (Concept, Pricing, Packaging, Conjoint) (MPAAALAI), Competitive & Market Intelligence (Competitive Tracking, TAM/SAM/SOM) (MPAAALAL), Social & Digital Insights (Social Listening, Online Community Research) (MPAAALAK)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Consumer insights research
• Brand equity research
• Advertising effectiveness testing
• Pricing research

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Market Research Services: Customized quantitative and qualitative research studies including survey conceptualisation, design, recruitment, fieldwork, data processing, research analyses, and conclusion and interpretation.
2. Education and Training (IMR): The Institute of Market Research (IMR) offers quality education and training solutions, including full qualification courses and skills programmes accredited by SSETA and QCTO.
3. Research Express Platform: Digital research platform conducting online text-based surveys with professional participant authentication and segmentation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Plus 94 Research is a South African market research company that designs and delivers customized quantitative and qualitative research studies for corporate clients, spanning survey conceptualisation, recruitment, fieldwork, data processing, statistical analysis, and strategic interpretation. The firm offers a portfolio of branded research products covering brand equity (Equitor), brand experience (ESBI), brand energy (BEE), advertising pre/post testing, pricing research, packaging testing, segmentation, customer satisfaction, and predictive priority profiling, supplemented by a national field-force of 1000+ interviewers and pan-African coverage via the AIRON network.

Product overview

Plus 94 Research is a market research company established in 1998 offering a portfolio of specialized research products and services. The company operates a multi-product portfolio including: the Research Express digital survey platform (an affiliate company for text-based digital research); the Institute of Market Research (IMR) for education and training; AIRON (African Independent Research Research Operators Network) for pan-African research coverage; the Plus 360 performance appraisal system; and core research products covering advertising testing (Advertising Pre & Post Tests), brand assessment (Brand Energy Explorer, Equitor/Brand Equity, Extra Sensory Brand Index), customer experience (Customer Satisfaction Measurement), packaging research, pricing research, predictive analytics (Predictive Priority Profiling), product/concept testing, public perception tracking (including Harris Poll licensing), reputation management, and segmentation surveys. The company also supports initiatives including BizNexus, BuildRSA, the Sifiso Falala Foundation, African Genius Awards, Sovereign Africa Ratings, Progressive Dictionary, and the Finishing School of Ethics and Performance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMR (Institute of Market Research): Affiliate of Plus 94 Research offering quality education and training solutions for market researchers. Accredited by SSETA and QCTO.
• Research Express
• AIRON (African Independent Research Operators Network)

Products and services

• Plus 360 (360 Degree Performance Appraisals) A 360-degree performance appraisal system for employee evaluations, featuring participant management, relationship setup, template-based emailer, personalized participant portal, relationship and progress reports, and helpdesk integration. Designed for HR departments requiring fair and comprehensive employee performance assessment.
• Advertising Pre & Post Tests Assessment tools for evaluating advertising campaigns from storyboard through finished commercial, measuring advertising recall, message takeout, commercial likeability, simplicity, comprehension, empathy, relevance, brand fit, and effectiveness.
• Afrometer Research Annual tracking research covering the broader African continent investigating standards of living, lifestyle, demographics, beliefs and value systems, and product and service usage to develop pan-African living standard measures.
• Brand Energy Explorer (BEE) An innovative research technique for understanding product performance within categories, pre-empting market behavior, and adjusting marketing mix. Assesses purchase share position and helps identify brand energy drivers including brand recall, brand usage, and brand energy drivers.
• Equitor (Brand Equity) A marketing decision model based on 22 Marketing Laws formulated by Ries and Trout, used for formulating business cases and strategies to maximize brand effectiveness and ensure robust market presence.
• Extra Sensory Brand Index (ESBI) A model giving brand managers deeper understanding of the experience landscape in which their brand is traded, with ability to compare critical touchpoints that drive purchase possibility and provide a health index for assessing marketing spend calibration against competitors.
• Customer Satisfaction Measurement A Customer Satisfaction Management (CSM) tool that benchmarks customer satisfaction against critical norms, segments customers according to loyalty regimes, and enables targeting of at-risk customers with appropriate messages and services.
• Packaging Testing Research tools evaluating explicit and implicit facets of packaging to ensure package design aligns with brand image, performance, and target market. Covers visual appeal, suitability, key message takeout, commercial questions, and overall rating with purchase intent.
• Predictive Priority Profiling Research methodology based on the premise that individual priorities drive decision-making. Allows segmentation of consumers according to priorities that influence thoughts, preferences, and actions, enabling predictive modeling of product category behavior.
• Pricing Research Price research techniques that establish brand price utilities and inform clients about market performance at different price points. Includes price elasticity modeling, brand price trade-off, and conjoint and utility analysis for determining optimum pricing.
• Product / Concept Testing Research methodology for understanding the general status of affairs within community pockets in terms of socio-economic status, attitudinal forces, and general well-being, covering topics from health, education, housing, youth, and political issues.
• Public Perception & Status Regular surveys investigating socio-economic status, attitudinal forces, and general physical and mental well-being across community segments. Plus 94 Research is a licensee of the Harris Poll of the USA for public opinion research.
• Reputation & Image Assessment Specialized modeling for detailed corporate and brand image analysis, including corporate reputation studies (IRI) that incorporate brand identity into the brand image. Covers behavioral questions, importance ratings, attribute ratings, and overall corporate reputation.
• Segmentation Surveys Research process combining qualitative and quantitative tools to help clients understand customers better through demographic, psychographic, usage habits, diagnostic, and performance rating questions, enabling tailored communications.
• Research Express Affiliate digital in-depth and analytical survey platform that conducts text-based research using virtual meetings, text with videos and pictures, text mining for immediate report generation, and automated transcription as an alternative to traditional focus groups.
• Institute of Market Research (IMR) Affiliate offering quality education and training solutions for market researchers, including accredited qualification courses (SAQA certified) and skills programmes in market research, data analysis, and professional development. Accredited by SSETA and QCTO.
• AIRON (African Independent Research Operators Network) A pan-African research network founded by Plus 94 Research providing globally competitive research solutions delivered by independent African researchers. Covers PAPI/CAPI interviews, in-depth interviews, telephonic interviews, online interviews, focus groups, mystery shopping, data processing, and statistical modelling across African markets.
• MAPS (Marketing Research Foundation Project) Fieldwork research project conducted in collaboration with the Marketing Research Foundation (MRF) including Africa Scope Sampling Methodology for pan-African market research.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AIRON (African Independent Research Operators Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2012Plus 94 Research is the founding member of AIRON, established in April 2012 by Dr Sifiso Falala. AIRON provides globally competitive research solutions in Africa delivered by independent African researchers in local markets. Through contractual agreements with members, AIRON guarantees consistent pricing, timing, and quality across Africa.
• SAMRA (Southern African Market Research Association)coreOthersPlus 94 Research is a proud member of SAMRA. All senior project managers at Plus 94 Research are individual members of SAMRA.
• PAMRO (Pan African Media Research Organisation)coreOthersPlus 94 Research is a member of PAMRO. The CEO Dr Sifiso Falala served as President of PAMRO.
• ESOMAR (European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research)coreOthersPlus 94 Research is a member of ESOMAR, providing global research standards and networking.
• SACCI (South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry)minorOthersPlus 94 Research is a member of SACCI.
• Research Industry Transformation Action Group (RITAG)minorOthersPlus 94 Research participates in RITAG initiatives.
• IMR (Institute of Market Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMR is an affiliate of Plus 94 Research that offers quality education and training solutions for market researchers. IMR is accredited by the Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA) and The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO).
• Research ExpresscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch Express is an affiliate company of Plus 94 Research that conducts digital in-depth and analytical surveys through text-based social network methodology.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Insights South Africa: Insights South Africa is a leading market research firm in South Africa offering quantitative, qualitative, and consumer insights services to corporate clients. It is a direct competitor to Plus 94 Research in the South African market research space, serving similar brand and customer experience use cases.
• Ask Afrika: Ask Afrika is a South African market research company specializing in brand equity, customer satisfaction, and syndicated tracker studies. It directly competes with Plus 94 Research's brand equity (Equitor, ESBI) and customer satisfaction measurement offerings.
• BDRC Continental (Africa): BDRC Continental is a research consultancy operating across Africa with capabilities in customer experience, brand tracking, and consumer insights. It is a direct peer to Plus 94 Research in the African market research space, with comparable multinational client bases.

Broad incumbents

• IQVIA South Africa: IQVIA is a global leader in healthcare and consumer data analytics with a strong South African presence. It provides similar market research and consumer insights services but at much greater scale, competing for large enterprise clients in South Africa.
• Ipsos South Africa: Ipsos is a global market research firm with a South African presence covering advertising research, brand equity, and public opinion. It competes with Plus 94 Research for multinational and government clients in South Africa and the broader African continent.
• Kantar (South Africa): Kantar is a global market research and consumer insights powerhouse with a South African operation offering brand tracking, advertising effectiveness, and consumer panels. It is a broad incumbent competitor that overlaps with Plus 94 Research's brand equity and advertising pre/post testing services.
• NielsenIQ South Africa: NielsenIQ provides consumer measurement, retail analytics, and media research in South Africa as part of its global footprint. Its scale and syndicated data assets make it a broad incumbent competitor for measurement and insights work that overlaps with Plus 94 Research's offerings.

Others

• Pew Research Center: Pew Research Center is a globally recognized public opinion and social research organization. It is thematically linked to Plus 94 Research's licensed Harris Poll operation and public perception research, providing a benchmark for public opinion research standards.
• Raymond Ackerman Academy (research training): While primarily a business education program, it represents an adjacent educational and skills development institution in South Africa. It is thematically linked to Plus 94 Research's IMR training arm, providing context for the market research training ecosystem.

Emerging players

• GeoPoll: GeoPoll is a digital market research platform operating across Africa and emerging markets, using mobile-based surveys and panels. It is an emerging digital-native competitor to the traditional field-force research model of Plus 94 Research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Plus94Research

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Plus 94 Research