Winners of MRS Awards 2012

Nathan Eagle, founder and CEO of mobile phone crowdsourcing company Jana (formerly TxtEagle) has been awarded the inaugural MRS President’s Medal at this year’s MRS Awards.

The award was introduced to recognise an organisation or individual that has made an extraordinary contribution to research and Nathan beat off some stiff competition from some extraordinary and innovative researchers to land the honour.

Nathan’s groundbreaking work in Kenya helped to track how much blood was available in different locations across the country by getting local nurses to send updates using text messages, incentivising them with free mobile airtime to encourage them to provide regular data. This highlights the opportunities that exist when using data in real time and is a prime example of someone who is making the most of advances in technology to design innovative research methods that can have an enormous impact on people’s lives.

This year’s MRS Research Awards played host to over 700 of the sector’s leading players, as the highest ever recorded number of guests came together in London to celebrate the resilience of the sector and the success of the past year.

You can see a gallery of photos from the night on our Facebook page here.

GfK NOP scooped the Best Agency award this year from a shortlist of six selected agencies due to its strong financial record, coupled with its commitment to clients and drive for innovation. Best in-house Research team went to Sainsbury’s Customer Insight Team, which has demonstrated how using research in the boardroom can help to inform key decisions and result in positive changes within the business. ESRO and the Design Council were awarded the Healthcare Research award for their work with the NHS which saw them observing over 300 hours of hospital life tocreate a better all-round experience for A&E patients.

Jane Frost, MRS Chief Executive, comments: “It has been a pivotal year for research and, despite the tough economic times, the first ever comprehensive sector review revealed that the market is 50% bigger than previously thought. Now, more than ever, we must recognise those individuals helping to lead the sector forward and inspiring change. The Awards ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate creativity, innovation and business achievements and a further demonstration of the growing value and relevance of research.

“The breadth and depth of the winning entries – and the record number received - is testament to all that has been achieved over the past year with research continuing to providethe evidence for critical business and policy decisions.”

You can download the MRS Awards 2012 book of the night (PDF) which includes  who won what, and why.  

Winners of 2012 MRS Research Awards

Best Agency above £20m: GfK NOP

Best Agency under £20m:

ABA Research

Best New Agency: ResearchBods

Client of the Year: Diageo

Best In-House Research Team: Sainsbury’s

The Best Place to Work: Flamingo

Best Innovation: Dubit

Advertising and Media Research: Rob Ellis and Dr Ali Goode, COG Research for Screen Life: how multi-screening changes TV viewing

Applications of Research: Steve Mills, BDRC Continental and Russell Le Page, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew for Redefining the membership offer for the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Business-to-Business Research: Luke Perry and Alex Johnston, Jigsaw Research for BE or not BE? Does behavioural economics have value for B2B research?

Data Collection: Greg Berry and Richard Sheldrake, Perspective Research Services for Transforming Britain’s rail passengers’ experience

Financial Services Research: GIMRA (General Insurance Market Research Association) and Michael Worledge, Harris Interactive for GIMRA – working together to benefit insurance claimants

Healthcare Research: ESRO and the Design Council for 300 Hours in A&E: Tackling Violence and Aggression on the NHS Frontline

Innovation in Research Methodology: Daniel Nunan and Simon Knox, Cranfield University for Can search engine advertising help access rare samples?

Insight Management: Emma Underwood, Breathe Research, Rebecca Briscoe and Oliver Wilson, Asda Insights Team and Katherine Wintsch, The Mom Complex for Fifty Shades of the Asda Mum: How understanding mums’ pleasure and pain inspired new business direction and transformed a business culture

International Research: Laura Roberts, Sparkler and Jennie Sallows, BBC for BBC Global News Editorial Development: A Methodology Built for the Modern World

New Consumer Insights: Big Island and Simon Christmas for Telling Tales for Shelter: How using stories in research helped Shelter understand their supporters’ motivations

Silver Medal (Best paper in IJMR 2011): Celine Brandt, Charles Pahud de Mortanges, Christian Bluemelhuber & Allard C.R. van Riel for Associative networks: a new approach to market segmentation

Public Policy/Social Research: ORC International and the Rural Payments Agency for From crisis to success: The transformation of the Rural Payments Agency

Virginia Valentine Award for Cultural Insights: ESRO and Red & Yellow Care for No place like home? Building happiness into dementia care

AQR Prosper Riley-Smith Qualitative Effectiveness Award: Becky Rowe, ESRO for 300 Hours in A&E: Tackling Violence & Aggression on the NHS Frontline:How Qualitative Research helped the NHS dramatically improve the Patient experience in A&E

IJMR Young Research Writer: Elina Halonen, The Irrational Agency for Mirror, mirror on the wall – which brand is like me, most of all? Integrating consumers into brand personality measurement

MRS/ASC Technology Effectiveness: Millward Brown / Affectiva – Link™ + Facial Coding