The Harris Poll facts for kids
 |
|
| Private | |
| Traded as | NASDAQ: HPOL |
| Industry | Market research and opinion polling |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | Louis Harris |
| Headquarters |
Chicago, Illinois,
New York City |
|
Key people
|
Will Johnson (co-CEO), John Gerzema (co-CEO), Mark Penn (chairman) |
| Parent | Stagwell |
The Harris Poll is an American company that studies what people think. It's a market research and analytics company. Since 1963, it has been tracking the feelings, actions, and reasons behind what American adults do.
Besides offering advice, Harris has created special computer programs. These programs help companies see how well their brands are doing. They also check how successful their advertising campaigns are.
The Harris Poll was started by a man named Louis Harris. He was an expert in opinion polling, which means asking people questions to find out what they think. He began his own company, Louis Harris & Associates, in 1956.
Later, in 1999, the business changed its name to Harris Interactive. In 2017, a company called the Stagwell Group bought it from Nielsen. Stagwell then hired John Gerzema and Will Johnson as co-CEOs. They relaunched the company as The Harris Poll.
The Harris Poll has its main offices in Chicago and New York City. It also has offices in Washington, D.C., and Rochester, New York. The company also works with Harvard University on a monthly survey called the Harvard–Harris Poll.
History of The Harris Poll
Louis Harris started his first company, Louis Harris & Associates, in 1956. In 1960, his company helped John F. Kennedy with his presidential campaign. Kennedy later became the U.S. president.
Harris then began The Harris Poll in 1963. This poll is one of the longest-running surveys in the U.S. It measures what the public thinks about different topics. The poll has a history of giving important information to leaders. For example, it advised presidents like John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan.
Changes in Ownership
Over the years, Louis Harris & Associates changed owners several times. First, a company called Gannett bought it. Then, in 1996, Gordon S. Black Corporation acquired it. This company later became Harris Black International Ltd.
In 1999, it became a public company called Harris Interactive. In 2014, Nielsen owned it. Then, in 2017, the Stagwell Group bought The Harris Poll. Stagwell made the polling company private again. They relaunched it as Harris Insights & Analytics. Even with all these changes, the name "The Harris Poll" has stayed the same.
Louis Harris's Later Work
In 1970, Louis Harris's company bought Humphrey Taylor's firm. Humphrey Taylor was a top strategist and pollster in the UK. He worked for the conservative party and for Margaret Thatcher.
In January 1992, when he was 70 years old, Louis Harris retired from Louis Harris & Associates. At that time, Gannett Corporation owned the company. After retiring, Louis Harris started a second company called LH Associates.
