TrendWatch was founded in 1996 as a research and strategy firm for the creative and printing industries. The company was owned by two partners, Joseph Webb and James Whittington, until its 2000 purchase by Cahners Business Information, then a member of the Reed Elsevier plc group, for an undisclosed amount. Reed, the owner of Variety, Publishers Weekly, Graphic Arts Monthly, Design News and 152 other business-to-business magazine and Web titles, saw TrendWatch as a complementary business. At the time, the plan was to extend the research business into new markets and industries, particularly by pairing it with Cahners' Blue Book database.

The going-out-of-business announcement, issued on April 4, came as a surprise to many. TrendWatch had recently rebranded as The Industry Measure, rebuilding and modernizing its Web site in the process. As recently as last month, the company was publishing research reports and its Fast Facts email newsletter.

The Industry Measure did not provide any information beyond the announcement that the company's chief writers and analysts, Richard Romano and Heidi Tolliver-Nigro, will continue in the industry. Instead of the corporate Web site, Romano is now blogging at the newly established Romano's Media Trends. He and Tolliver-Nigro say they are "embarking on a variety of exciting new projects and initiatives." Those interested in updates are invited to join the mailing list by sending an email request.