MRS Announces Fellowships for Outstanding Contribution to Market Research

Date: 26 November 2003

The Market Research Society (MRS) has today released details of new MRS Fellowships and Honorary Fellowships awarded to individuals in recognition of their exceptional and ongoing contribution to market research. The Fellowships were announced at the MRS' Research Excellence and Effectiveness Awards, held on 25 November 2003 at the London Mayfair Millennium Hotel. It was the biggest event of its kind and achieved record attendance.

The MRS Honorary Fellowships are a rare distinction, awarded to those working outside market research but who have given good service or support to it. The first award was made to Professor Michael Thomas, an eminent academic who has contributed to the theory and practice of marketing. As President of the MRS since 1999, Professor Thomas has been influential in forming many of the Society's recent policies, particularly in the area of professional development.

The second Honorary Fellowship was awarded to Richard Webber who applied cluster analysis to the 1971 Census to study inner city deprivation. Richard saw the potential of area classifications for market research and took his first classification of residential neighbourhoods, named ACORN, to the market research community. This led to the birth of the geodemographics industry in the UK and Richard is regarded as its founder. He subsequently also developed the MOSAIC classification.

For their exceptional contribution to the market research industry, nine new MRS Fellowships were also announced and awarded to: Don Beverly; Susan Blackall; Heather Dunn; Stephen Ellis; Sally Ford-Hutchinson; Kathleen Hamilton; Jonathan Jephcott; Corrine Moy and Richard Roberts-Miller.

As well as announcing the Fellowships, the MRS also acknowledged exceptional young talent in the research industry. The Research Magazine Talent Magnet Award aims to root out talented newcomers to market research. This year it was won jointly by Ben Tuff, Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd, and Davina O'Donoghue, Evo Research & Consulting Ltd.

A number of papers from the 2003 MRS Annual Conference received excellence and effectiveness awards across a range of categories, including those by: Victoria Brooks, Fallon London; Nick Southgate, Cogent Elliott; Mark Earls and Mark Oldridge, Ogilvy & Mather; Anthony Tasgal, Freelance Hyphenate. In addition:

Roy Langmaid, Promise, and Mac Andrews, The Brand Works, won the David Winton Award for best technical paper;
Simon Clough, MGN, and Lyn McGregor, independent consultant, won the Applications of Research Award;
Jonathan Fletcher, Citigate DVL Smith, won the ISBA Award.

The evening was also the occasion of the inaugural ASC/MRS Award for Technology Effectiveness which was won by Information Tools for Harmoni, a software application which is allowing marketeers to gain powerful, actionable insights from research data in the context of all their information assets.

Carol Curran, Head of Membership and Marketing Services at the MRS, commented, "The Annual Awards Dinner is a celebration of excellence and effectiveness in market research. This year's Awards recognised the contribution made by both newcomers and experienced research professionals, as well as highlighting the latest developments in market research thinking and practice."

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