Researchers Shine in Financial Services Sector
New MRS Financial Services Award secures record entries for 2008
Date: 06 October 2008
The new Financial Services category of this year’s Research Awards attracted huge interest from across the sector - highlighting the major contribution that market research makes to the industry currently at the forefront of everybody’s minds.
MRS today unveils the shortlist for the Research Awards 2008 – with the MRS Financial Services Research award producing an impressive line-up of finalists from across the sector. A campaign to understand young people’s financial concerns by 2CV and the COI, and a study into use of online data collection in financial services market measurement by GfK NOP are just two entries which made the four-strong shortlist for this category – introduced to recognise the value of research to financial sector clients.
The other two shortlisted financial services category entrants are BDRC and Barclays, for ‘improving service delivery through longitudinal customer panels’ and Opinion Leader’s research programme examining the future of financial advice. Entrants will now have to wait until the annual Research Awards dinner on Monday 8 December 2008 to find out who is the winner.
Another category renowned for reflecting the major social issues of the day, the MRS Public Policy/Social Research award, has again produced a shortlist of groundbreaking campaigns – from a climate change study into linking attitudes with behaviour, by the Energy Saving Trust, to a campaign to tackle obesity from Fit for the Future and Quaestor. Other successful entrants to make the shortlist are CivicWatch, Westminster City Council and Ipsos MORI for ‘the CivicWatch Perception Survey’, and QA Research’s ‘Breaking the cycle of offending’.
Professor Michael Thomas, Chair of the MRS Awards Panel, commented: “It is fitting that, as we find ourselves in the toughest economic climate for decades, impacting particularly on financial services businesses, we should have the opportunity to recognise the huge contribution that market research can make to this sector. Market research has always played a central role in financial services, but in recent years client demand has shifted towards a requirement for customised research strategies responding to the very specific challenges of this sector. This award has sought to reflect this, rewarding submissions which demonstrate how innovation in research is benefiting financial services clients. Selecting the shortlist for this new award was indeed tough and we look forward to holding up the very best in the sector at the Awards dinner in December.”
Research magazine has also today unveiled its shortlist – with new categories Best Place to Work, Research Breakthrough and Business Transformation inviting strong interest. But it is Best Place to Work which captured the imagination of the industry – attracting the greatest number of entries from across agency and client-side. Those that have successfully made it onto the shortlist are: BDRC, the COI, dunnhumby, Hall & Partners Europe and Truth.
Marc Brenner, editor of Research magazine and Chair of the judges, commented: “The high calibre of entries in the Best Place to Work category shows that, in a tough market, people are determined to retain the best staff and continue to invest in the future of the industry. It’s also great to see that there is a wealth of new talent springing up, as witnessed by the strong showing in the Best New Agency category. ”
The winners of all MRS and Research magazine awards will be announced by ITV News’ chief political correspondent Daisy McAndrew, at the Research Awards – the industry’s annual celebration of success – which is taking place on Monday 8 December 2008 at The Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park, London.
For more information on the Research Awards visit www.mrs.org.uk/awards
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For more information on MRS and its activities, please visit its website at www.mrs.org.uk or call the MRS press officer Emily Luscombe on 020 7636 7366 / email eluscombe@camarguepr.com
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