Vision Critical and Angus Reid Strategies to Merge

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Nov 02 (MARKET WIRE) --
Today Vision Critical(R) announced plans to merge Angus Reid
Strategies(R) and Vision Critical Technologies in tandem with the launch
of a new website. The new Vision Critical marries the strengths of the
two sister companies: the research and global panel expertise and
consultative service of Angus Reid Strategies with the technology and
innovation prowess of Vision Critical.

The combined company will continue to be led by research veteran and CEO
Dr. Angus Reid. Board membership and shared ownership will not change as
both companies have shared a joint ownership structure since 2006. This
next step - merging into one company during Q4 of 2009 - will solidify
Vision Critical as a strategic interactive market research company that
offers a diverse array of research tools and services to help clients.

The Angus Reid brand will continue to exist as "Angus Reid Public
Opinion" - Vision Critical's global practice specializing in the analysis
and understanding of "citizen markets" and the public commons. All other
research practices and divisions will adopt the Vision Critical name.

"Opting for a unified company means that we're better equipped to solve
client problems and gain a better understanding of consumer needs and
behaviors," says CEO Angus Reid. "We've got a toolbox that combines
interactive technologies, strategic researchers and our own global panels
and communities. One of the reasons we've streamlined our technology and
research is so we can provide faster and more cost-effective options for
clients while engaging respondents in a richer, more interactive way."

Five years ago, Vision Critical employed 30 people. Today, there are more
than 300 employees in offices across North America, Europe and Australia
- with expansion to Asia planned in 2010. The company now serves 25 per
cent of the world's top brands (Source: Interbrand's Best Global Brands
List 2009) and according to a leading US research publication, provides
the market's most adopted interactive research technology.

The company merger follows Vision Critical's rapid five-year revenue
growth culminating in a 75% increase in the first half of 2009. While
market research competitors have struggled with the economic downturn,
Vision Critical has turned two years of unprecedented Research and
Development into a new suite of products that include:

- Sparq Community Panel Platform

- Virtual Shopping

- Customer Satisfaction

- Media Assessment

- Ad Assessment

- Concept Screening

- Package Testing

Further, the company has invested in hiring industry leaders to
strengthen its deep expertise in the following research practice areas:

- Community Panel Management

- Consumer Goods

- Retail

- Technology & Telecom

- Financial Services

- Media

- Health

This year, Vision Critical launched two new national consumer and public
affairs panels. The company now provides access to insight from hundreds
of thousands of consumers around the world via Springboard America,
Springboard UK, Angus Reid Forum - and to the rest of the world through
partnerships with select global partners. In addition to serving clients
directly, Vision Critical offers a Global Partner Program providing other
market research companies and consultants with access to the company's
award-winning proprietary technology.

Vision Critical's new website (www.visioncritical.com) also moves in the
direction necessary to engage the new consumer. "Our site focuses on
thought leadership and engagement, with blogs containing analysis and
advice from industry experts," says Vision Critical's Senior Vice
President of Marketing, Brian Mitchinson. "We took this approach because
we believe today's business consumer wants fast access to insights about
who we are, what we do and what makes us unique while also having the
ability to engage directly with our thought leaders."

About Vision Critical

Vision Critical is a strategic interactive research company combining
interactive technology, strategic researchers and global panels. We help
companies reduce research costs while generating engaging and insightful
relationships with consumers. Vision Critical uses a visual approach,
panel technology and our own national panels to embrace markets with the
click of a mouse. The company has offices across North America, Europe
and Australia and a Global Partner Program that provides other research
companies and consultants with access to our technology. Vision Critical
is the proud recipient of the Forrester Groundswell Award for generating
business results with social media.

Angus Reid Public Opinion is the global public affairs practice of Vision
Critical, specializing in the analysis and understanding of "citizen
markets" and the public commons. Its Global Monitor website contains
extensive data on elections, current findings on public opinion around
the world, and an archive of over 20,000 published surveys.

Contacts:
Global Contact Information
Shana Hugh
Corporate Communications Manager
+1 604 647 6716
shana.hugh@visioncritical.com
www.visioncritical.com

Copyright 2009, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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