Teenage sex and disability awareness put research campaigns in line for awards

Date: 15 August 2005

Campaigns as diverse as combating the problems of teenage sex, investigating services for young disabled adults, battling age discrimination, and improving customer services have been shortlisted to receive this year’s MRS Public Policy / Social Research Effectiveness Award.

The contenders for this coveted Award are:

Age Concern Research Services, University of Kent and TNS
Bright Sparks Research
RBA Research, Nineveh Consulting and Braintree District Council
Rosenblatt Ltd

Professor Michael Thomas, Chair of the Awards judging panel, commented, “The very high standard of entries into the public policy and social research arena demonstrates the increasing importance that research is playing in this crucial sector – informing campaigns that have the potential to really change people’s lives. All of the four finalists have demonstrated creativity and innovation in tackling challenging topics with outstanding results. The judges will have a tough time choosing a winner.”

All the projects demonstrate the effective use of market research in tackling complicated social issues. Rosenblatt was comissioned by the Central Office of Information to provide the Department of Health with key learnings about teenage sex, pregnancy, contraception and STDs which could be used to develop a successful communications campaign. The resulting research study involved an innovative recruitment process and a range of complex interview techniques in order to reach these ‘marginalised’ teenagers most affected by these issues.

In a similar vein, Bright Sparks Research undertook a two stage research and consultation project with young disabled adults in Nottinghamshire, to highlight gaps in the provision of support services provided for them in the county. This study utilised a range of qualitative research techniques including focus groups, depth interviews and semi-structured questionnaires with young adults and their parents, to provide Nottinghamshire County Councils’ Social Services Department with information to support their Best Value Service review geared towards promoting independence among young disabled adults.

Age Concern Research Services set about conducting a study which could help Age Concern understand the key drivers behind the growing problem of age discrimination in the UK – and use this to influence media, policy and business. By working with the University of Kent and research partners TNS and Research First, the team conducted workshops, literature reviews, qualitative and quantitative testing in order to understand and work to combat ageism.

RBA Research was approached by Braintree District Council and Nineveh Consulting to research the current levels of customer service experienced within the council. A four-strand approach made use of telephone surveys, qualitative discussion groups with residents and frontline council staff, and an innovative mystery-shopping programme, resulting in the overhaul of the council's customer management techniques.

The winner of this and the other MRS awards will be announced by ITV news presenter Lucy Alexander during the Research Excellence and Effectiveness Awards – the industry’s annual celebration of success, which is taking place on 25 October 2005 at The Park Lane Hotel, Piccadilly, in London.

For the first time this year, the ceremony will include the announcement of the winners of the Research 2005 Conference awards, with awards presented for Best Paper, Best Presented Paper, Best New Thinking, Best Newcomer and Best Contribution to Conference.
In addition to the shortlisted entrants for the MRS Public Policy / Social Research Effectiveness Award, other MRS Effectiveness Awards finalists include:

ISBA Award for Advertising Research Effectiveness

David Penn, Conquest Research, ‘How brain science can help us call a truce in the ‘recall wars’’
• Rainey Kelly Campbell, Roalfe/Y&R and Duckfoot Research & Development, ‘Virgin territory for qualitative research’

MRS Applications of Research Award (Research Effectiveness Case History)

HPI Research, ‘Making data make money for News International’
• Intrepid Consultants Ltd, ‘Clerical Medical broker relationship’
• Strategy One, ‘The Dove global beauty study’

MRS/AURA Insight Management Effectiveness Award

BBC Audience & Consumer Research and GfK Media, ‘The Pulse – BBC audience reaction service’
David Cowan, Forensics, ‘Creating evidence-based insight’
Richard Drury, Boots, and Robert Griffiths, Simpson Carpenter, ‘Boots Christmas 2004’
Maritz, ‘Reflect O2 – driving business value through research insight’

For more information on the Research Excellence and Effectiveness Awards visit http://www.mrs.org.uk/awards/2005/dinner/index.htm.

Notes to editors

With members in more than 70 countries, MRS is the world’s largest professional association representing providers and users of market research and business intelligence. All individual members and company partner organisations must comply with the MRS Code of Conduct.

The shortlist for the Research 2005 Conference Awards is as follows:

Best Paper Award

Simon Chadwick, partner, Cambiar LLC, for 'Do we listen to journalists or clients? The real implications of change for the market research industry'
Wendy Gordon, partner, Acacia Avenue, for 'Out with the new, in with the old'
Martyn Richards, director, OPERA Research, for 'The teen brain: what’s going on in there?'
Duncan Stuart, director, Kudos Organisational Dynamics, for 'Fuzz is the buzz'

Best Presented Paper Award

Jo Butcher, market research manager, ENCAMS, and Simon Strutt, managing partner, The Marketing Works, for 'Research that drove the metamorphosis of a public sector organisation'
Mark Earls, planning director, Ogilvy & Mather, for 'Rethinking prediction: were you still up when Bob called it for Kerry'
Chris Forrest, partner, The Nursery Research & Planning, for 'Low attention processing and the awareness index. The philosophical schism ahead for advertising research'
Martyn Richards, director, OPERA Research, for 'The teen brain: what’s going on in there?'

Best New Thinking Award

Fiona Blades, planning director, Claydon Heeley Jones Mason and Stephen Phillips, Managing Partner, Spring Research, for 'Decision Watch: investigating the decision making crime scene'
Simon Blyth, CMI-Oral Care GIC, Unilever Italia and Simon Roberts, research director, Ideas Bazaar, for 'Re-thinging market research'
Chris Forrest, partner, The Nursery Research & Planning, for 'Low attention processing and the awareness index. The philosophical schism ahead for advertising research'

Best Newcomer Award

Simon Blyth, CMI-Oral Care GIC, Lever Faberge Italia and Simon Roberts, research director, Ideas Bazaar, for 'Re-thinging market research'
Luke Perry, research manager, RSM Robson Rhodes, for chairing and organising 'Agenda for the next generation'
Julia Wolny, associate lecturer in Fashion Marketing, University of Arts London, for 'Individualised consumption – myth or reality?'

Best Contribution to Conference Award

Rita Clifton, chairman, Interbrand, for chairing 'Brands stuff'
Luke Perry, research manager, RSM Robson Rhodes, for chairing and organising 'Agenda for the next generation'
Research 2005 'Brain science' session, chaired by Dr David Lewis-Hodgson, research director, NeuroniX2
Research 2005 'The roar of the crowds' discussion session
Duncan Stuart, director, Kudos Organisational Dynamics, for 'Fuzz is the buzz'

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