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The MRS Excellence & Effectiveness Awards

MRS 2007 Conference Awards

The finalists for the MRS 2007 Conference Awards were announced on Friday 23 March at the close of Research 2007.

The Conference Awards Panel commented:

'The 50th anniversary of the Market Research Society Conference gave us the opportunity to look back and look forward. This was, of itself, fortuitous but we acknowledge that it could hardly have fallen at a more opportune time. The content has dramatically indicated to us that the future is not going to look like the past.

More than ever before, in order to get the most from the conference we would urge you to read the papers because it is impossible to get anything approaching full value from a short presentation.

There are a dozen papers from top industry names which will tell present day researchers about their heritage and explain the industry’s DNA. Then there are a set of papers, in particular about Web 2.0, New Media, methodological advances, organizational structure and accountability which sow the seeds of the future.

We believe this Conference will come to be seen as the transition from Research 1.0 to Research 2.0.'

The winners of these awards were announced and presented at the Research Excellence & Effectiveness Awards dinner in London on the 10 December.

There are five Conference Awards:

Best Paper

Sponsored by

This is based primarily on the written paper but presentation is taken into account.

Joint Winners:

Robert Heath & Paul Feldwick:
50 years of Using the Wrong Model of TV Advertising.

What the judges said:

'The paper is an impressive and exhaustive overview of advertising research over the past 50 years, written with admirable academic rigour. Its value is not restricted to the past as it outlines a model of how we might proceed in the future. This stretches well beyond the scope of the title and encompasses not only advertising but also all areas of brand interaction.'

Caroline Vogt & Stuart Knapman
Spaces - The Final Frontier.

What the judges said:

'Web 2.0 and the open spaces (like MySpace, Bebo etc) are important developments in social networking. This excellent paper provides a good introduction to the motivational drivers to participation, and the implications for marketing as a whole. As a case study it served to underpin product development and positioning for Microsoft - although the findings are applicable to all.'

Finalists:

Tim Macer, Mark Pearson and Fabrizio Sebastiani
Cracking the Code: What Customers Say, in Their Own Words.

What the judges said:

'This paper is an important demonstration of ‘machine learning’ and represents a quantum leap in the coding of open-ended data. It holds out the promise of major cost savings on conventional surveys and has implications for analysis of customer communications in the Web 2.0 era. It featured a client who was prepared to take a risk and search outside conventional areas for the solution to his problem, an academic who found him the potential answer, and an expert who ‘delivered the goods’.

Virginia Valentine
Semiotics, What Now My Love?

What the judges said:

'Practical and compelling; an important legacy from the founder of commercial semiotics in the UK. The paper offers a clear strategy and course of action for the further development of semiotics as a research tool. A significant contribution to our collective ability to make commercial use of methodological innovation without losing its integrity.'

Best Conference Presentation

Sponsored by

This is based almost totally on the presentation. The quality of content, style and visual aids are taken into account. Both written papers and non-formal contributions are eligible.

Winner: Ray Poynter for his Expert Briefing Session:
Research 2.0, Walking the Talk.

What the judges said:

'A provocative but well-balanced treatment of a subject, discussion of which is too often characterised by hyperbole and confused thinking. Generous, objective and flawlessly presented. Excellent visual aids enabled the audience to keep up with Ray's sharp shooting delivery.'

Finalists:

Sinead Jefferies for her paper:
Keeping Customers Posted.

What the judges said:

'Sinead is a born communicator. Her enthusiasm for her subject shone throughout a well constructed and fluent presentation of an impressive case study. Her presentation was supported by excellent slides, delivered to time and without notes. Lovely'.

Johnnie Moore and James Cherkoff for their paper:
Co-creation Rules : the New Realities of Marketing in a Networked World

What the judges said:

'Enthusiastic, engaging and memorable presentation that challenged the established rules of communication to create real Oomph (to use the vernacular!) in the world of Web 2.0.'

Virginia Valentine for her paper:
Semiotics, What Now My Love?

What the judges said:

'An elegant and impassioned presentation, spelling out a clear call to action and offering a challenge to the industry. Precise and technically flawless, whilst also being heartfelt, engaging and highly personal.'

Best New Thinking

This is given to a written paper which contains a real innovation.

Winners: Tim Macer, Mark Pearson and Fabrizio Sebastiani
Cracking the Code: What Customers Say, in Their Own Words.

What the judges said:

'The goal of getting the computer to analyse and code open-ended data had been with us for decades; now it seems it may have been achieved. The technique involves the machine learning directly from human coders; no algorithms are involved.More research needs to be done but this is potentially one of those areas where in a few years we will be asking ourselves ‘How did we ever manage without it?’

Finalists:

Samantha Smith
Convergence? Try Frag-vergence

What the judges said:

'This paper exposed the very real need to think in a fresh and constructive way about broadcast measurement in a rapidly changing environment - where the individual is making personal choices to view and listen on different devices at a time to suit him/her. Importantly, it invited those interested in media measurement to contribute in order to arrive at a solution.In the spirit of the conference, the paper acknowledged the past,but laid down a challenge for the future.'

Virginia Valentine
Semiotics, What Now My Love?

What the judges said:

'Semiotics appeared in British market research more than two decades ago, but this paper offers a genuinely new way to apply its principles and extend its reach through the idea of the ‘semiotic technician’. A significant contribution to the commercial development of semiotics, but also potentially a model for the commercialisation of future methodological innovations.'

Caroline Vogt & Stuart Knapman
Spaces - The Final Frontier.

What the judges said:

'Web 2.0 is here and here to stay. Recognising this phenomenon, this paper explores the importance of understanding and applying behavioural analysis to build social networks in a sensitive and insightful way.'

Best Newcomer

Sponsored by

This is given to a young person who has never presented at the MRS Conference before; both written papers and non-formal contributions are eligible.

Winner: Sinead Jefferies for her paper:
Keeping Customers Posted.

What the judges said:

'Confident, natural, a genuine communicator, utterly familiar with her material. Sinead described the project to launch a magazine for the Post Office in a compelling and persuasive way. She took a case study and turned it into a human story.'

Finalists:

Martin Wootton for his participation in:
I Know we Track It, But Tell me How to Improve It!

What the judges said:

'An interesting paper presenting a potentially very powerful tool to produce unexpected and useful insights that go beyond standard presentation of customer satisfaction data. This was combined with a lively and engaging presentation technique.'

Darren Yaxley for his presentation of:
Integration, Separation or a Turn to Extremism? Researching a Misunderstood Minority in Modern, Secular Britain.

What the judges said:

' Darren is shortlisted for his part in presenting this paper. The methodological details of the research raised questions with the Awards Panel and indeed the audience, but his presentation was admirable. He spoke with fluency and assurance and without reference to notes, handled visual aids well and addressed probing audience questions with willingness and confidence.'

Special Contribution to Conference

Sponsored by

Winner: Ray Poynter for his Expert Briefing session:
Research 2.0, Walking the Talk.

What the judges said:

'Despite a rather small, 'Thursday morning' audience and an unconducive setting, Ray's enthusiasm, professionalism and command of his subject matter turned this expert session into a masterclass for those lucky enough to be present. What Ray has to say is of the utmost importance for our industry and it deserves the widest possible audience.'

Finalists:

Pete Comley for his Expert Briefing session:
Becoming Carbon Neutral: All Hype or Clever Business Practice?

What the judges said:

'Pete’s session ‘Becoming Carbon Neutral’ was committed, passionate and persuasive, but good humoured and generous. He freely offered other agencies the specific knowledge and tools he has developed to monitor and reduce the environmental impact of conducting a market research business, as well as underwriting the carbon neutrality of the Conference itself.'

David Smith for his paper:
The Defining Moments and Key Players of the Last 50 Years: a Personal Perspective.

What the judges said:

'At a time when the nature of our profession and how it undertakes its work is changing beyond recognition, this paper gives a lucid account of our first fifty years. It pays fitting tribute to the major figures and professional underpinnings of what might be termed Research 1.0, which constitutes the heritage on which Research 2.0 can go forward with confidence.'

Conference Awards Panel

Back to Awards 2007

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