Conference Feature: Clients Behind Closed Doors

With more and more research events popping up, it's harder to make them stand out, but the recent MRA Corporate Researchers Conference managed to do just that - in part by banning both agencies and exhibitors from the first day. Tariq Mirza snuck in, and reported for DRNO from a buzzing San Francisco.

Running from 26-28th September and with more than 80 speakers, this was the last such Conference hosted by the MRA prior to its planned merger with CASRO, and three unseasonably hot days seemed to contribute to the positive energy radiating throughout the event. The decision to dedicate the first day entirely to the Corporate Researcher worked well: the fact that no-one was selling to them allowed them to network, make some conference buddies and own the space better. 'Though some of them might be the lone researcher within their organisation, the day showed them they are not alone.

The Live San Francisco Branding exercise on this first day was brilliant. Delegates were put into random groups and told to reposition a particular neighbourhood of SF: they were reminded of basic principles and given structures to work in, but beyond that were left to be creative. Every corporate researcher I spoke to found it a really effective and hands-on learning session - which is what you want from such conferences.

The main Keynote on this day focused on how researchers can sell themselves as individuals, with a book as a takeaway. After this there were two tracks for the corporate researchers: I went to the session on Innovative Technologies to Measure Emotion, which was again full of interest and particularly full of information.

If I have a criticism of days 2 and 3, where the supply side people and exhibitors finally got their chance, it is perhaps that all the papers were 45 minutes, a long time to sit and listen unless you are a specialist in a particular area - I'm not a typical delegate in that respect of course, or maybe I'm just used to the 20-minute sessions that prevail in many other conferences. Whatever the reason, I found myself jumping in and out of papers to get a taste of each.

Once the trade show was up and running, it really ran - becoming the hub of activity for the whole event. Most of the exhibitors loved it and felt that this was one of the better shows for general business. More generally, the feedback from the many delegates I spoke to was also positive.

Overall a brilliant conference - well done to the MRA and let's hope that whatever it's called next year and whatever the climate decides to do, the whole thing works just as well.

Web site: www.marketingresearch.org/conference/2016-corporate-researchers-conference .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.