INTAGE, Inc. (corporate headquarter: 3 Kanda-Neribeicho, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Norio Taori), and Information Resources Inc. (IRI; corporate headquarter: Chicago, USA; CEO: John Freeland) announced that they have begun negotiations with a view toward entering into a strategic partnership agreement.

Amid a glut of rapidly developing MSD (manufacturers, supply-chains/wholesalers, and distributors/retailers) collaborations seen mainly in the United States, it is of critical importance in the consumer goods business environment today to construct an information platform through the sharing of marketing and business data. The objective of the INTAGE and IRI negotiations is to respond to these new information needs that encompass companies on a global scale.

INTAGE and IRI have agreed to initiate negotiations toward the construction of a strategic partnership. The two companies will share the marketing research and business solution technologies and expertise they have cultivated over many years. Together, the two companies will construct an information platform to support the implementation of an "MSD collaboration" and will work together on a cooperative basis to offer each others' services to existing and prospective customers, and collaborate on offerings in Asian markets. INTAGE and IRI plan on announcing their intent to initiate these negotiations toward entering this "Strategic Partnership Agreement" at the "INTAGE Forum 2008" that will be held this Nov. 7 at the ANA Intercontinental Hotel.

[IRI]
IRI, based in Chicago, USA, is the world's leading provider of consumer, shopper, and retail market intelligence and insights supporting 95 percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare companies. Only IRI offers the unique combination of integrated market information, automated and predictive analytics, innovative enabling technologies, and domain expertise. With IRI, leading retailers and manufacturers are able to quickly discover breakthrough insights driving smarter decisions and actions across the enterprise for breakthrough results. Companies around the world depend on IRI for improved productivity, stronger brands, and dramatic revenue growth. For more information, visit http://us.infores.com.